First fly away

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Aug 4, 2013
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Location
Blairgowrie, Scotland
While flying in a park in the centre of a town today I suffered my first fly away. I was in GPS mode, I went up to about 30 feet then I lost control over it, it shot up to over the height of a very large oak tree and went off over the town, it was a very frightening experience!

I panicked, pulled the sticks back and forward but I had totally lost any control of it. Thankfully I remembered to switch to atti mode, I was able to regain control over it and got it back roughly over the park but it was flying very erratically, much faster than I would have expected under the conditions. Simply to get it down, I crashed it to the grass in the park. Apart from a damaged blade, it seems fine.

When I got home, I plugged it into Naza and it told me the GPS needed calibrated which I have done. I had a short test flight and all seems to be fine with it.

I should say, I had struggled to get no red lights while waiting so I flew it with 2 flashing lights which I was of the impression was sufficient for gaps flight.

I have vowed to practice atti mode flying now.

Any thoughts on any of the above, advice for the future maybe?
 
Sounds like you flew in GPS mode and it didn't have good GPS signal. If another satellite dropped off line while you we're flying it gave you no room for error.

If you fly in GPS have NO red lights. Red means stop.

We all are learning and everyone here? At least me have made the same mistake.
If you have no red and loose one satellite while flying? You are ok. But if you take off with not enough satellites and loose another one. Your toast.
Learn how to fly atti and use GPS as a backup. Once your good with that then practice manual.

E.


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Angusforbes said:
Thanks for that, all sound advice. What do you think would make it fly erratically in atti mode?
Not sure on that. When I have gotten in a bad fix I get nervous and loose my orientation. Or the phantom just got confused. There are so many variables. Could've a calibration issue. Could be gremlins. All that happens so fast you don't have time to troubleshoot. You just want to get it on the ground in one piece.

E


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You can fly in gps mode on 1 red no more but you need to make sure you set your home point before taking off. Once you connect your battery you need to leave your phantom on the ground WITHOUT starting the motors and let it find the gps for 8-10 seconds you should have 1 green flash followed by 1 red flash (6 sats) or solid green (more than 6 sats) . If you start the motors before you have gps acquisition (2 or 3 red flashes) then the home point is not set and the go home will not work.

Flying next to tall trees or buildings will block the gps signal try to avoid being too close. You did the right thing though switching to att mode. The only recovery in gps mode is the go home and if you didn't set the home point or you lost the sats then this will not work switching to att mode if the only option.
 

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