Found Crashed P3 Professional

[NoClue]

Hi all...so for the past week, I have noticed a green light blinking in the woods behind my house. I saw it and just ignored it until last night. I was on my deck enjoying a cigar and cold beer and again saw the light blinking out there. So, I gathered up my beer and my dog and we went to investigate. Turns out the green light was the light emitting from the phantom intelligent flight battery. I thought it was weird that the battery was out there but no drone, but it was pitch black and I honestly didn't think twice about looking for the drone. I thought those things had like back up batteries or something. Anyways, I thought about it again this morning and thought well surely the drone must be out there somewhere and sure enough, it was there. A phantom 3 professional. 4K camera and gimbal(?) completely snapped off. The camera was laying about 10 yards away from the drone. The drone itself doesn't seem to be in too bad of shape. Some scuff marks.

I read about it's GPS and locating software so I took the drone outside and popped the battery in so that it's computer would fire up and hopefully tag the owner as to its location. I've heard about this "home" function so I took it outside so that it would try to fly back to a GPS tag inside my house. It's been a week since I noticed the green light, so clearly someone has no idea where it is. I tried to extract it's camera information but can't seem to find anything to help me there. My wife posted it's disappearance on facebook and we are asking all that claim it provide serial number, complete description and anything else that would prove it's theirs.

Anyways, what are the rules here. I'm not too happy finding a crashed drone on my property with a camera. We don't live near anything neat to look at. Just a residential neighborhood. But I don't think it's anything bad intentioned, someone could just be the victim of a flyaway.

I know nothing of these things, other than it looked cool as hell when I fired it up. I want to do anything I can to help the owner find it. If it were a $100 drone I'd call finders keepers, but it's $1,200 it looks like and I can't do that with a clear conscience.

Obviously, if I can find anyone with a week or 2 I'll call it abandoned and I'll have a new hobby. It'll take about $500/$600 in repair for the gimbal and camera. The camera lens itself is fine, it's just the bracket broke off and the ribbon is cut.

Anyways, any ideas? I feel I have exhausted my resources.

 

[Flying Gamecock]

Send a note to DJI w/SN and they may be able to put you in touch w/the owner. Most of us ha registered w/the company. BTW, this is why I have 'Reward if found' and my phone # on a label on the drone. Sage advice, I think.

 

[NoClue]

Very good. I was hoping that's what they answer would be. Obviously, if someone drops this kind of dough into something like this they'll have registered it.

 

[eaglegoaltender]

Good of you to find this forum and post the info as related to the P3P, considering the damage, cost to repair/replace camera and gimbal + you would need an RC unit - if you did end up with it, better off buying new one with those kind of costs to get all fixed up and/or replaced..

Perhaps give out a clue to the general area of where you found it might help - no exact spot but close. Ya never know it could be a guy a block away from ya.

Really surprised you could still see the flashing green LED on the battery for a week - further surprised the battery fell out of it's housing! Seems odd?

 

[NoClue]

yeah, I thought so too. I read the batteries only have like ~30 of flight time??? It's still fires up too. I guess as long as it's not being used the battery can last a while?

Yeah, it must have had some hard impact. I mean that battery seems snug when you plug it in. really surprised not any real damage to the body or props and the drone itself fired right up blinking lights and stuff.

Never considered a drone, but I can see the fun in it. Would be a great way for me to identify fishing spots along the river or neat photo ops.

 

[NoClue]

Also, my community has a facebook page for missing stuff and buy/sell kinds of things. My wife posted it up there for the community to see.

 

[eaglegoaltender]

Never considered a drone, but I can see the fun in it. Would be a great way for me to identify fishing spots along the river or neat photo ops.

They are a hoot no doubt - lots to learn every day it seems in the safe flying and operation of them. I wouldn't consider putting that one back in the air without having it completely inspected by those who do that!

I guess as long as it's not being used the battery can last a while?

Yes they will, however the LED's don't stay lit up - at least mine don't when they are sitting on the bench before or after flying. Strange one indeed!

LOL - ya would be great for the fishing expeditions - maybe you can learn to troll with it!

 

[NoClue]

LOL trolling with a drone would be awesome, however, in a battle of rainbow trout and the lightweight UAV, I'm going with the trout winning that battle.

Perhaps I can attach something to get it fetch me a beer? A personal butler of sorts.

 

[Alex Hill]

is the sd card still functioning, can you get the video back?

 

[NoClue]

is the sd card still functioning, can you get the video back?

I actually don't know. There seem to be two ports for the cable. One on the front of the drone and another in the gimbal. I have tried plugging into both ports, but my computer does not respond to anything. I've tried with the drone on and with the drone off, so I am unable to actually figure out how to access it. Normally when I plug in a device the computer recognizes the drive and opens up whatever it is. Do I need to download a special driver in order to extract the video?

 

[Alex Hill]

Is the SD card in the side of the camera holder? Its on the left side... use your fingernail and pop it out if is there and use an sd card reader, or use a usb cable to the front of the drone... there is a rubber tab; pop it up and try getting the video from there

 

[NoClue]

Is the SD card in the side of the camera holder? Its on the left side... use your fingernail and pop it out if is there and use an sd card reader, or use a usb cable to the front of the drone... there is a rubber tab; pop it up and try getting the video from there

There is no SD card. I tried the rubber tab port, but nothing happens when I plug it up. I tried on both a PC and a Macbook Pro, so I don't think it is a compatibility issue.

 

[Alex Hill]

Do you have the battery and the drone

 

[NoClue]

Do you have the battery and the drone

Yep. Drone lights up and everything when I put the battery in and turn the battery on. I have tried extracting with the drone on and off.

 

[buford]

Hi all...so for the past week, I have noticed a green light blinking in the woods behind my house. I saw it and just ignored it until last night. I was on my deck enjoying a cigar and cold beer and again saw the light blinking out there. So, I gathered up my beer and my dog and we went to investigate. Turns out the green light was the light emitting from the phantom intelligent flight battery. I thought it was weird that the battery was out there but no drone, but it was pitch black and I honestly didn't think twice about looking for the drone. I thought those things had like back up batteries or something. Anyways, I thought about it again this morning and thought well surely the drone must be out there somewhere and sure enough, it was there. A phantom 3 professional. 4K camera and gimbal(?) completely snapped off. The camera was laying about 10 yards away from the drone. The drone itself doesn't seem to be in too bad of shape. Some scuff marks.

I read about it's GPS and locating software so I took the drone outside and popped the battery in so that it's computer would fire up and hopefully tag the owner as to its location. I've heard about this "home" function so I took it outside so that it would try to fly back to a GPS tag inside my house. It's been a week since I noticed the green light, so clearly someone has no idea where it is. I tried to extract it's camera information but can't seem to find anything to help me there. My wife posted it's disappearance on facebook and we are asking all that claim it provide serial number, complete description and anything else that would prove it's theirs.

Anyways, what are the rules here. I'm not too happy finding a crashed drone on my property with a camera. We don't live near anything neat to look at. Just a residential neighborhood. But I don't think it's anything bad intentioned, someone could just be the victim of a flyaway.

I know nothing of these things, other than it looked cool as hell when I fired it up. I want to do anything I can to help the owner find it. If it were a $100 drone I'd call finders keepers, but it's $1,200 it looks like and I can't do that with a clear conscience.

Obviously, if I can find anyone with a week or 2 I'll call it abandoned and I'll have a new hobby. It'll take about $500/$600 in repair for the gimbal and camera. The camera lens itself is fine, it's just the bracket broke off and the ribbon is cut. dy

Anyways, any ideas? I feel I have exhausted my resources.

For somebody who doesn't know anything about drones, you have the jargon "flyaway" down pat, and you seem to know repair cost for this drone you know nothing about. Why?

 

[Alex Hill]

The footage can't currently be downloaded from the drone because the camera and gimbals have been snapped off, so the gimbal ribbon cable has been cut and broken in the crash.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

First, very good that you try to finds its owner. Respect for that. You said there is no sd card in it. But just because I am corious, did you find the entrance were to put the sd card? The sd card reader? Like Alex said its on the left side above the camera. I cant imagian that sombody went flying without a sd card. Hope you find its owner, otherwise good luck with your new hobby. You could look for a second hand rc from somebody who had a flyaway. New they are to expensive. Good luck!

 

[NoClue]

For somebody who doesn't know anything about drones, you have the jargon "flyaway" down pat, and you seem to know repair cost for this drone you know nothing about. Why?

As I was googling ways that someone might retrieve a drone if it is lost and drone etiquette upon finding a lost drone, "flyaway" seemed to be the most thing drone owners are afraid of, so several articles cited it.

I know the cost of the camera because it was listed on the store page with the price of the drone when I was trying to figure out how much this thing was worth.

I am legitimately trying to do the right thing. No ill will from me.

 

[Alex Hill]

BTW, if you don't know about drones, how DO you know about the name of it "phantom 3 professional with 4K camera and gimbal", and the term "flyaway"

wait a second, on second thought what if he read about drones on the internet in search for some answers

 

[NoClue]

I have read many stories in my research about people shooting them from the sky over their property or bashing with bats upon find one on their property. I could have easily took a shovel to someone's expensive investment, but instead, I decided to be prudent and do some research. The term flyaway, gimbal, price, etc. aren't exactly like explaining nuclear physics. Flyaway means exactly what it sounds like.