- Joined
- Jul 12, 2015
- Messages
- 40
- Reaction score
- 16
- Age
- 63
Flying my P3A using Litchi today, having a great time using waypoints and getting great video.
I was flying in my neighborhood where the reception for some reason is notoriously bad, but with Litchi, once you start a mission, it will continue until it is complete, which by the way, is an awesome feature.
Last waypoint mission, no difference in altitude than the others, was going along smoothly. I pitched the gimble down a bit and was flying along all happy when I notice that it looks as if it is coming very close to the tops of the trees, (Lot's of trees in Connecticut) , which * I thought* just looked closer because of the lower gimble pitch.
Turns out, that no, it was a taller tree, I tried to raise my bird but no joy. She hit the very upper branches and began to fall......
I hit the "find my phantom", and located her, jumped in my car and went.
I found her her in a very nice guys backyard foresty area. Upside down, lights still blinking just waiting.
The damage..
Props messed up
Trakimo is gone, had it in a mount fitted between the landing gear. there is so much forest debris I'll never locate it. Given its color is the same as the dead leaves and what not.
The front seam in the body separated ever so slightly, (popped that back in without issue)
The compass, or what I think is the compass popped out of the landing gear, put that back together,
and worst of all, the gimble doesn't work. The camera works, just not the gimble, as the ribbon cable was cut slightly where it bends on a corner.
All in all, could have been much worse as she fell from 140 feet, tumbling through a mighty oak.
I can replace the ribbon cable, and should have a new one in a couple of days that I can do myself.
The worst part... realizing it is totally my fault....
I cut out about 7 minutes of her laying upside down..
I was flying in my neighborhood where the reception for some reason is notoriously bad, but with Litchi, once you start a mission, it will continue until it is complete, which by the way, is an awesome feature.
Last waypoint mission, no difference in altitude than the others, was going along smoothly. I pitched the gimble down a bit and was flying along all happy when I notice that it looks as if it is coming very close to the tops of the trees, (Lot's of trees in Connecticut) , which * I thought* just looked closer because of the lower gimble pitch.
Turns out, that no, it was a taller tree, I tried to raise my bird but no joy. She hit the very upper branches and began to fall......
I hit the "find my phantom", and located her, jumped in my car and went.
I found her her in a very nice guys backyard foresty area. Upside down, lights still blinking just waiting.
The damage..
Props messed up
Trakimo is gone, had it in a mount fitted between the landing gear. there is so much forest debris I'll never locate it. Given its color is the same as the dead leaves and what not.
The front seam in the body separated ever so slightly, (popped that back in without issue)
The compass, or what I think is the compass popped out of the landing gear, put that back together,
and worst of all, the gimble doesn't work. The camera works, just not the gimble, as the ribbon cable was cut slightly where it bends on a corner.
All in all, could have been much worse as she fell from 140 feet, tumbling through a mighty oak.
I can replace the ribbon cable, and should have a new one in a couple of days that I can do myself.
The worst part... realizing it is totally my fault....
I cut out about 7 minutes of her laying upside down..
