Fly Away for no reason ?

[Martyn]

Hi guys.
Today I setup my P2VP as I normally do. I let the bird get all of its sat locks. I then hovered for about a minute at 3 feet. Then to my horror the Bird just shot to about 30 feet and flew off to my right over the house tops and that was the last I saw of it.
I walked the streets trying to find it but could not find it. I even tried to use the find my phantom option in the app but to no avail.
If anyone could advise what to do next as in getting my money back for faulty goods etc.

 

[TC Malker]

Hi guys.
Today I setup my P2VP as I normally do. I let the bird get all of its sat locks. I then hovered for about a minute at 3 feet. Then to my horror the Bird just shot to about 30 feet and flew off to my right over the house tops and that was the last I saw of it.
I walked the streets trying to find it but could not find it. I even tried to use the find my phantom option in the app but to no avail.
If anyone could advise what to do next as in getting my money back for faulty goods etc.

Sounds like someone hacked your bird.

 

[Martyn]

Sounds like someone hacked your bird.

I doubt anyone could have hacked it as I was over 150 miles away from home where no one knows about it

 

[syotr]

Sounds like the classic NAZA flyaway. Hope you are able to find it. Did you have your name and number on it?
Good luck getting any help from DJI without the Phantom or data file.

 

[kirk2579]

I doubt anyone could have hacked it as I was over 150 miles away from home where no one knows about it

the fact you mentioned it was 150 miles from home leads to 2 questions:
1: did you calibrate compass at new location in a non metal area?
2: did you wait for both sets of green flashing leds prior to take off?

good luck

 

[TC Malker]

the fact you mentioned it was 150 miles from home leads to 2 questions:
1: did you calibrate compass at new location in a non metal area?
2: did you wait for both sets of green flashing leds prior to take off?

good luck

Good catch! Most likely the home point was set as the last home point which is probably somewhere near your house. Your bird was returning home... It didn't make it obviously, it probably went about 10-15 miles then auto land. Find out which direction it last flew and start looking... 10-15 miles that same direction.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Late yesterday I flew a little and it took a LONG time to get my six satellites (I really am not comfortable at all flying with less than seven). And that's part of the reason I didn't fly it far. The satellite fix was harder to get than it had been for MONTHS. I eventually did get my 6 satellites and the home lock recorded, but it took at good ten minutes. And then, after it launched, it went back to five and started drifting! I literally few my Vision no more than 100 feet away because of the unstable satellite fix.

Martyn - the new thread you started just after 5 PM EST stated you had only five satellites, and you then in this thread you apparently launched. And you did this 150 miles from your last flight.

You likely got your sixth satellite after you gained some altitude, and then, as the posters above suggested, your craft immediately went into RTH and began flying to its home point 150 miles away because your home point was 150 miles away and you were outside of the safe zone. Compass calibration would not have helped you. Turning off the remote would not have helped you.

It seems your only option was to CSC.

You probably feel stupid but I think this is a mistake that could easily be made by a lot of pilots - even experienced pilots. I could have easily made this same mistake.

The lesson is:

1) When you have traveled with your phantom and want to fly, it would be very wise to be sure you have a GPS home point properly recorded before you fly.

2) If you do want to fly without a home point recorded, don't you dare do it! If you launch in ATTI, it will STILL GO INTO RTH the second it sees that sixth satellite.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[kirk2579]

Late yesterday I flew a little and it took a LONG time to get my six satellites (I really am not comfortable at all flying with less than seven). And that's part of the reason I didn't fly it far. The satellite fix was harder to get than it had been for MONTHS. I eventually did get my 6 satellites and the home lock recorded, but it took at good ten minutes. And then, after it launched, it went back to five and started drifting! I literally few my Vision no more than 100 feet away because of the unstable satellite fix.

Martyn - the new thread you started just after 5 PM stated you had only five satellites, and you then apparently launched. And you did this 150 miles from your last flight.

You likely got your sixth satellite after you gained some altitude, and then, as the posters above suggested, your craft immediately went into RTH and began flying to its home point 150 miles away because your home point was 150 miles away and you were outside of the safe zone. Compass calibration would not have helped you. Turning off the remote would not have helped you.

You probably feel stupid but I think this is a mistake that could easily be made by a lot of pilots - even experienced pilots. I could have easily made this same mistake.

The lesson is:

1) When you have traveled with your phantom and want to fly, it would be very wise to be sure you have a GPS home point properly recorded before you fly.

2) If you do want to fly without a home point recorded, don't you dare do it! If you launch in ATTI, it will STILL GO INTO RTH the second it sees that sixth satellite.

Sorry for your loss.

I am confused about what you said.

are you saying that if I take off in ATTI with under 6 satelites lock and then my quad finds the 6th and locks while in air flying , IT IS GOING TO AUTO FLY RTH somewhere....

If that is what you are saying I think you may be mistaken .
It will simply set that point as you new HOME POINT for RTH purpose.

You can fix your long wait for satellite lock by doing the 4mm antenna upgrade , that should speed it up a lot.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Did you watch the vid?

It's not going to auto fly "somewhere", and it's not going to set a new home point while in mid-flight if a home point is already established.*

It is going to auto fly home. And home is 150 miles away.


*It's possible that if you have "Dynamic Homepoint" enabled, the craft will reset the home point locally on its own before you lose sight of it or before it begins RTH because your location has changed. I'm not sure about that. It depends on how the software is written. But I think there's a good chance that once it begins RTH, it will continue RTH because it seems to me Dynamic Homepoint is likely not designed to handle resetting the homepoint outside the safety zone.

 

[kirk2579]

Did you watch the vid?

It's not going to auto fly "somewhere", and it's not going to set a new home point while in mid-flight if a home point is already established.*

It is going to auto fly home. And home is 150 miles away.


*It's possible that if you have "Dynamic Homepoint" enabled, the craft will reset the home point locally on its own before you lose sight of it or before it begins RTH because your location has changed. I'm not sure about that. It depends on how the software is written. But I think there's a good chance that once it begins RTH, it will continue RTH because it seems to me Dynamic Homepoint is likely not designed to handle resetting the homepoint outside the safety zone.

I guess I am unsure why the RTH is being triggered in your scenario! I may have missed something!
RTH is triggered by loss of control signal, RTH button, and low battery settings.
I am not arguing, I just am asking what event triggered the return to a home point set in previous location, or actually any home point.

For some reason I have NO problem taking off in ATTI home point or not . If It is just powered up, it acquires the # needed for home lock it does so once all satellites are in view and set home point at that location. Indicated by a fast set of green leds.
Can also reset manually as needed in flight

example of why:
in a park with many trees. I do NOT want it to return to my launch point(its under tree canaopy).
I take off without HP oint lock in atti and fly it out to open area. I let it sit a few moments and it will set a home point at that location and altitude(above canopy).
If I need RTH I can recover control once it is above my area and land. It works and has been done. I fly in a lot of low wooded areas etc.

 

[Mark The Droner]

You apparently don't know that a form of RTH is also triggered when your craft's GPS software locates it and finds it outside of your safety zone. Your Phantom will immediately try to fly back into your safety zone. If you're in Connecticut and your home point and safety zone is in Utah, your craft will fly away. See your manual under the heading Max Heights & Radius Limits.

 

[kirk2579]

You apparently don't know that a form of RTH is also triggered when your craft's GPS software locates it and finds it outside of your safety zone. Your Phantom will immediately try to fly back into your safety zone. If you're in Connecticut and your home point and safety zone is in Utah, your craft will fly away. See your manual under the heading Max Heights & Radius Limits.

You nare correct I do not know that.

Just for fun why does my phantom NOT do what you says it should do?
I fly ATTI often and then switch to GPS mode in air and the quad auto sets it home point at THAT POINT IN THE SKY--it does not fly away

 

[Mark The Droner]

Maybe you have reset the max limits?

Maybe you have Dynamic Homepoint enabled?

 

[yorlik]

wow guys! It is fun listening to discussions on how RTH works! So many different beliefs!

I can add to the confusion here with a couple MORE tidbits:

1) Someone please tell me how my phantom remembers a previous home point after it was turned off and back on. I was not aware there is any non volatile memory in it that records home point for future flight reference.
1b) Ah darn, forget it... the home point is 0,0 when first powered on, then gets changed to your location by the gps if successful. If you look up where 0,0 is, you will find it is just off the East coast of central Africa. So if it is a real fly away, it is likely heading there.

and

2) The majority of "fly off" happen to folks who take their drone up close by to 'check it out' and leave it just sitting with no stick movement for some length of time. Check it out. Compile the fly aways and see.
2b) So NEVER 'check' your phantom out by taking it up 6feet or 30 ft or 100ft and NOT GIVE IT STICK MOVEMENT for more than a few seconds! take it up wherever you need to check it out and continually move a stick around a little so it does not have time to get bored and decide to go where it wants to instead.

 

[Mark The Droner]

1) One of the first things I learned watching youtube videos about DJI Phantoms is never to power up your Phantom without your controller turned on because there is a risk it will go into RTH and fly away to the previous home point. So this leads me to believe the previous home point GPS location is saved on the board in the Phantom.

1b) Where do you get the idea that the initial home point is Africa?

2) Before every flight, I hover my craft close by to be sure the compass is okay - and so do a lot of pilots.

2b) I suggest you watch the video above

 

[yorlik]

1) Let me say it this way: there is no memory saved in the P2 when power is removed. This includes a previous home point.
1)a yes, never land, leave phantom on, and turn off your RC or you probably will get a RTH, but try thisL DO turn on your phantom first, and leave your RC OFF (never on yet)... check the rear red lites on drone... not on huh? means the motors CANNOT EVEN START. You & many others have this urban legend backwards. Put a brick on a stick thru the landing feet if you fear trying it.
1b) it is not my crazy idea, google "gps 0,0" for yourself. If you STILL believe the RTH position is NOT 0,0 before the 6 sats kick in and set it to your location, buy a recording program such as Ulimate Flight by Kenargo and log the home GPS position yourself and watch the magic.

2) I never said folks don't.
2b) all you need is a little cpu glitch that resets home coordinates from right number to 0,0 or that gives the old wrong gps location for the first 2 seconds before correcting (I am sure you have seen that on your phone), and off she goes due EAST heading for Africa or the glitched coordinates. This glitch seems to happen most often when folks hover with no stick movement. Again, if you don't believe this, compile the data your self and see. I simply gave an alternative in 1b) that appears to reduce your chance of a flyoff during hovering to hat the data shows is: 0%. By all means, do not move your stick(s) when hovering if you like to live dangerously!

 

[kirk2579]

wow guys! It is fun listening to discussions on how RTH works! So many different beliefs!

I can add to the confusion here with a couple MORE tidbits:

1) Someone please tell me how my phantom remembers a previous home point after it was turned off and back on. I was not aware there is any non volatile memory in it that records home point for future flight reference.
1b) Ah darn, forget it... the home point is 0,0 when first powered on, then gets changed to your location by the gps if successful. If you look up where 0,0 is, you will find it is just off the East coast of central Africa. So if it is a real fly away, it is likely heading there.

and

2) The majority of "fly off" happen to folks who take their drone up close by to 'check it out' and leave it just sitting with no stick movement for some length of time. Check it out. Compile the fly aways and see.
2b) So NEVER 'check' your phantom out by taking it up 6feet or 30 ft or 100ft and NOT GIVE IT STICK MOVEMENT for more than a few seconds! take it up wherever you need to check it out and continually move a stick around a little so it does not have time to get bored and decide to go where it wants to instead.

I too have noticed a large number of the P2 flyway's, esp. P2vision plus,
did seem to mention "hovering and suddenly took off at...rapidly.." quit often!
Last winter through spring seemed to be the biggest period for those events, thankfully not so much any more

it appears as if the cpu gets maxed out, crashes and resets. good by phantom.
I have long ago started to do what you said about keep it moving somewhat inflight vs hovering stationary .
This gives the cpu gets a break processing data and controlling motors to hold it in one spot.

flying like suggested and doing the antenna upgrade with the foil all help keep the quad under our control vs gone.

 

[kirk2579]

Maybe you have reset the max limits?

Maybe you have Dynamic Homepoint enabled?

Don't trust dynamic HP , I want it set where I set it at take off or later in flight at another location as needed.

Unsure what max limits referring to .

all I know is you can take off WITHOUT gps lock at any time in ATTI or MANUAL and let the GPS set home point in flight.
IT WILL NOT FLY AWAY when you do so!

Good luck and have fun flying!

 

[Mark The Droner]

1) Let me say it this way: there is no memory saved in the P2 when power is removed. This includes a previous home point.
1)a yes, never land, leave phantom on, and turn off your RC or you probably will get a RTH, but try thisL DO turn on your phantom first, and leave your RC OFF (never on yet)... check the rear red lites on drone... not on huh? means the motors CANNOT EVEN START. You & many others have this urban legend backwards.

If you've watched as much Phantom youtube as I have, you would know that Phantoms have lifted off in the past without the controller on. I'm talking about the earilier Phantoms. I do believe DJI fixed that problem, but nonetheless, the point is, there is a risk there of your Phantom flying off to an unattended place, whether it be while it is on the ground or in the air.

...
1b) it is not my crazy idea, google "gps 0,0" for yourself. If you STILL believe the RTH position is NOT 0,0 before the 6 sats kick in and set it to your location, buy a recording program such as Ulimate Flight by Kenargo and log the home GPS position yourself and watch the magic.

I'm trying to follow you but I just can't quite do it. I'm not arguing that 0,0 is not Africa. I am saying I am not convinced that the initial home point on start up is Africa. If the home point is Africa, then it would be impossible or lunacy to fly in ATTI with five or less satellites for obvious reasons. Furthermore, on the Litchi app, I've never seen the google maps display showing me an "H" in the Congo.

...
2b) all you need is a little cpu glitch that resets home coordinates from right number to 0,0 or that gives the old wrong gps location for the first 2 seconds before correcting (I am sure you have seen that on your phone), and off she goes due EAST heading for Africa or the glitched coordinates. This glitch seems to happen most often when folks hover with no stick movement. Again, if you don't believe this, compile the data your self and see. I simply gave an alternative in 1b) that appears to reduce your chance of a flyoff during hovering to hat the data shows is: 0%. By all means, do not move your stick(s) when hovering if you like to live dangerously!

The home point does not reset itself unless you have dynamic home point enabled. I don't believe there is a risk of a "cpu glitch" that resets the home point.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Don't trust dynamic HP , I want it set where I set it at take off or later in flight at another location as needed.

Obviously you are not going to enable dynamic home point unless you have a good reason for doing so. And the good reason is because you want to take a walk with your Phantom. Otherwise it would be silly.

Unsure what max limits referring to .

Max limits = the 500 meter radius that the DJI app allows you to fly in

all I know is you can take off WITHOUT gps lock at any time in ATTI or MANUAL and let the GPS set home point in flight.
IT WILL NOT FLY AWAY when you do so!

I've never heard of this and I'm having trouble understanding why DJI would set a home point in flight, unless it sets the home point where it senses the monitor to be located. But let's say you're correct, and the craft sets its home point in flight, and it sets it at the GPS location of the monitor - which makes a lot more sense than setting it at the location of the craft. The problem with this is, if you get a bad GPS fix on your monitor, which is much more likely than getting a bad fix on your craft, it could sense that your monitor is located "14 miles away" as DBSMods explains in the video. And then, your Phanton WILL FLY AWAY.