Drone blew away in high wind, any suggestion on how to calculate where it may land?

[captainmilehigh]

With all due respect, a cheap tracker is going to give you cheap results. Don't risk an expensive investment to a cheap tracker.

Log on to msinger's site Phantomhelp.com and under 'Accessories' look through the "Tracker" listings. Listed there are the primary trackers used for drones. Each pilot has their own preferences, so review previous threads on the subject also, then pick what suits your needs.

Good luck finding your wayward bird. [emoji106]


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[msinger]

How can I download the txt file for this flight from the PhantomHelp logviewer? So far the csv file was only option.

You can't since it's a Litchi flight log.

 

[msinger]

What tracker(s) do you suggest?

You can find a list of commonly used trackers here.

As for your flight, I agree with Meta4. Your Phantom most likely auto landed along that line somewhere. There are too many variables in play to guesstimate exactly how far it flew before landing. As long as someone didn't already pick it up, you should find it sitting on the ground if you start walking from the point where your Phantom last appeared in the flight log.

 

[Pp09nlk2n]

Please upload your Litchi flight log here and post a link back here.

...A (very) rough guess suggests a search area out here (or maybe even further)...

Holy Phantom Drone Gods, I found it!
Thank you EVERYONE for the help. And Meta4 you were right on the nose for the flight path, it apparently didn't get blown as far as I feared.

It was right in the middle of the fairway, not even stuck in a tree. It was hard to spot a white Phantom in the middle of white snow, but there it was. Watching the video, it looks like it landed perfectly like a feather, fully under control at a slow speed. After landing at some point, It does appear to have been blown about 50 ft along the ground based on where it landed in the video vs. where it ended up 3 days later (heavy winds the last few days).

SO NOW MY NEXT QUESTION FOR EVERYONE: How best to test it to see if anything is broken? Do I just fly it and see what happens or are there internal tests I can run somehow?

Background:
- It has been about 20F to 30F during the day the past 2.5 days that it has been sitting outside.
- It has gotten down to about 16F at night.
- It has been very windy and light snow, but the Phantom wasn't covered in snow or anything. So mostly blowing snow against it for 2 days.
- Externally it looks fine... nothing appears to be broken. Camera lens not scratched, fins aren't broken (thankfully had fin guards on).
- The battery turns on just enough to flash the 1 green light at me to tell me it is out of juice.

Currently I have it thawing out in the garage, my arbitrary theory being it is better to warm up gradually rather than bring it in the house right away. I haven't yet tried recharging the battery.

Do I just charge the battery once it is warm, pop it in the Phantom and try to hover a few feet of the ground to see what happens? Or should I do something else first?

(And thanks again everyone for your help on this!)

 

[RTinTN]

Great news.
I would let it sit for 24 hours to let any moisture dry. But the temps shouldnt pose a problem.

 

[royster]

So happy you found her, congratulations!

 

[Rbbecker]

Theoretically you should be able to draw a straight line parallel to wind direction passing through the point it was last detected on GPS and get a good idea of where it would be. As it fell, it would fall in line with wind direction for the most part.


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[msinger]

Theoretically you should be able to draw a straight line parallel to wind direction passing through the point it was last detected on GPS and get a good idea of where it would be.

See above. The OP found it

 

[Rbbecker]

Just saw the update post so consider mine for future reference. I'm sure I could work up an easy equation for people to calculate free fall time versus wind speed for rough guesses at drift if there's interest


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[DoubleV]

Glad you found it!

Now next time don't fly when it's that windy. Anything over 15 mph and I keep it grounded, even over 10 and i'm Leary. Just wait for another day, your drone will appreciate it, lol.

 

[Rbbecker]

My theory is I don't like walking in heavy winds so I'm not going to try to fly in it. Because then I'd have to walk in said heavy winds to find it [emoji12] I usually don't fly above 20 mph sustained winds. Especially considering I live near Lake Michigan so we get pretty significant gusts which are unpredictable and could be really catastrophic


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[svoneil]

Happy you found it. Cheers~

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[Backwoody]

Couple of thoughts for you to consider:

1. Write your name and phone number on your P3S with waterproof marker.
2. Remove the battery, dry the drone thoroughly. If possible, set it over a heat vent, or put it in your oven overnight, warmed to no more than 100 degrees!
3. Reprogram your RTH altitude. You probably don't need 350-400 feet.
4. Charge up and fly. I'd keep it close and low for the first couple minutes!

Good luck.

 

[flyNfrank]

@Pp09nlk2n, I bet you started believe'n in Santa Claus again, haven't you?

Congrats.....and Merry Christmas to you.

 

[captainmilehigh]

Great job finding it. Now, put a tracker at the top of your Christmas list.

Fly Safe ! [emoji106]


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[Meta4]

Holy Phantom Drone Gods, I found it!
SO NOW MY NEXT QUESTION FOR EVERYONE: How best to test it to see if anything is broken? Do I just fly it and see what happens or are there internal tests I can run somehow?

That's a great result from what should be an educational experience.
The Phantom is probably fine as it would have autolanded rather than falling from the sky.
Let it dry properly and give it a gentle test flight.

fins aren't broken (thankfully had fin guards on).

Having prop guards on will have added to the Phantom's difficulties dealing with wind.
They act like sails and make it even harder to fly into a strong wind.

 

[Ohiowoodsman]

That's a great result from what should be an educational experience.
The Phantom is probably fine as it would have autolanded rather than falling from the sky.
Let it dry properly and give it a gentle test flight.

Having prop guards on will have added to the Phantom's difficulties dealing with wind.
They act like sails and make it even harder to fly into a strong wind.

DITTO, was just about to say that

 

[Kima kim]

[QUOTE="Meta4, post: 10100

Pushing the left stick forward in RTH will make your Phantom go faster.[/QUOTE]

Just a query, would it be possible to move the left stick without over-riding the RTH?

 

[Meta4]

Just a query, would it be possible to move the left stick without over-riding the RTH?

Oops ...my mistake.
That should have been the right stick, the left stick would just make the Phantom climb higher.
Yes, while the Phantom is in RTH you still have lots of control options.
You can do all kinds of things with either joystick to go faster, higher, lower, even rotate for a different view and the Phantom keeps coming home.
Try it somewhere out in the open to see what you can do.

 

[Kima kim]

Oops ...my mistake.
That should have been the right stick, the left stick would just make the Phantom climb higher.
Yes, while the Phantom is in RTH you still have lots of control options.
You can do all kinds of things with either joystick to go faster, higher, lower, even rotate for a different view and the Phantom keeps coming home.
Try it somewhere out in the open to see what you can do.

Oh okay. I thought that if I moved any of the sticks that it would have over-ridden the RTH and that I would have taken over the control already. So this means that even after moving any of the sticks, the RTH would continue? Thanks.