any way of tracking a lost phantom? or stolen....

[ScrooemPhantom]

interesting point.....i just got my P4Pro and have a Tile tracker for it I have good cell coverage and at least 100 m range. I am looking at the Marco Polo from the posts and see if an upgrade is in the near future

 

[RodPad]

Like looking for a needle in a haystack. Here's how to find it with your flight log.

Sorry, I don't get it.
Your post has nothing to do with finding a phantom when you don't have a flight log, if you have a flight log as yours you don't need a tracking device.

Rod

 

[BillH]

Sorry, I don't get it.
Your post has nothing to do with finding a phantom when you don't have a flight log, if you have a flight log as yours you don't need a tracking device.

Rod

In the original post, he asked if there was a way to find one if it's lost. He didn't say anything about not having a flight log. As long as the drone has battery power, it works, unless you lost your controller too.

 

[DroneGuyEd]

One lower cost approach is to use devices like Tile or Trackr. They are Bluetooth with a fairly short range - typically 35-150 feet. Then use your flight logs to get you close, and then the device to find the bird. These devices cost about $25 and have no fees.

 

[RodPad]

@DroneGuyEd,

Welcome to the forum!

I have,
three Trackr s
one Chipolo
one XY findit

Have you tested any of these devices?

Rod

 

[jcommisso]

Tile is great, but the only disadvantage is that you have to buy a new one for a discounted price every year (because you can't change the battery). You can, however, crack open the case and change the battery if you don't want to pay for a new one every year.

 

[gearb0x]

Has anyone ever seen where there is no flight log recorded? That happened to me with my P4P.

This is the second flight with it and she flew away. I was using Pix4D software to fly the drone and then got a message on my screen that said Aircraft Disconnected. I hit the return to home button but it did nothing, just kept flying away. I tried to control the drone manually there was no response, assuming because it said aircraft disconnected. I have spent hours going through the bush looking for it based on the flight path shown on Pix4D, last location i seen it at, etc.

Any help with the flight records or any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank-You,

 

[RodPad]

@gearb0x
Welcome to the Forum!

OMG. two flights, really?
I don't even know what "Pix4D" is but if you want some help, post this in Lost-and-found.
Lost and Found

Rod

 

[DroneGuyEd]

@DroneGuyEd,

Welcome to the forum!

I have,
three Trackr s
one Chipolo
one XY findit

Have you tested any of these devices?

Rod

We have a tile tracker we use on the grand daughters laptop. It works well and shows where it last was seen and also helps in finding it when close.

 

[Meta4]

Has anyone ever seen where there is no flight log recorded? That happened to me with my P4P.

This is the second flight with it and she flew away. I was using Pix4D software to fly the drone and then got a message on my screen that said Aircraft Disconnected. I hit the return to home button but it did nothing, just kept flying away. I tried to control the drone manually there was no response, assuming because it said aircraft disconnected. I have spent hours going through the bush looking for it based on the flight path shown on Pix4D, last location i seen it at, etc.

Pix4D is an advanced app for mapping.
It's something you should only use after you have experience using the Phantom in normal flight.
If you were flying Pix4D, you would need to look at the flight plan for the mission you flew.
There's not much to go on from the info here so I can only guess.
How far away was the Phantom?
Was there any terrain or obstacles that could be between you and the Phantom?
It's likely that Pix4D would continue the mission if the connection is lost and if it's like the other mapping programs, the Phantom should have returned when the mission completed.
A possible reason for no return would be collision with an obstacle.
Was the mission well above all obstacles in the area?

 

[gearb0x]

Meta4, you are correct, Pix4D is a mapping program. I have experience flying the Phantom in normal flight but it would not accept any commands from the controller as it disconnected from the Aircraft. I was roughly 300' from the aircraft (it was in flight) when it took off. There were no obstacles and it was in an open gravel pit. Pix4D shows the flight up to the point where it lost communication but it works in conjunction with DJI Go 4. It made two passes and then veered off course and flew away. It should have returned home when it lost signal or disconnected from the controller but that did not happen. I was flying at 50m and yes, way above any obstacles. I literally watched it fly away.

 

[RodPad]

We have a tile tracker we use on the grand daughters laptop. It works well and shows where it last was seen and also helps in finding it when close.

Personally I would not recommend these devices for looking for a lost Phantom.

You have to test it to trust it.

Do a simple test, have somebody place the Tile about 100 yards away (that does not have a mobile device to update the Tile's location.) The person looking for it doesn't know which direction to start his search.

Please post your results.

 

[Buzz In California]

I think it's prudent that we should educate on the insurance side of a lost bird, it's cheaper, and you don't spend money on a unreliable aircraft, have no deductible and you don't have to offer a reward, pay for expensive repairs, which most lost birds if, IF even found need.

Of course I'm only advocating legal use of insurance, no ploys or illegal crap, you will go to jail if your not truthful and honest, (not you Meta4 lol just talking to members here) insurance fraud is no joke, beyond that, no extra weight or batteries or things to worry about losing, lol that's a good one, losing a tracker! Lol, ok maybe not losing, of course if you make the swim team, your outta a bird and a $130 tracker! Insurance, again, trumps the trackers, oh, and stolen, or run over? Most thieves would be smart enough to turn a tracker off or throw it, again, insurance....just saying, It's what you want to do, if you want a tracker, then get a tracker, if you want piece of mind, get insurance.
A final plus is with State Farm at least, doesn't matter if you have a P3/4 or inspire, it's $60 a year up to $3000 in coverage, as the $50+taxes and fees is the lowest they offer, in reality it's $22 like $1.50 for every $100 insurance.

Unfortunately State Farm does not offer Drone Insurance in California

 

[Buzz In California]

Not where I fly, unless I am around my house "Fir Mtn", lack of cellular.
Videos about “rod pad” on Vimeo

This one was my last attempt to look for my missing P2V+
Last I tried to get up there still to much snow.

Since this plays here, here was the description.
Phantom 3 Standard, Looking for missing PV2V, Got rained out
The tall trees (Old Growth is about 200' tall, the newer trees are 15' to 50' tall. I have 5 of us looking for over 40 hrs.
It could be any where on this hillside above the paved road, from this picture the next section of old growth has been my focus. Takes 50 minutes to drive from my house and 20 mins to hike to that location.

I would recomend pointing your cameras straight down go slow and look for white specks on the ground and in trees