Inadvertent landing on top of a building

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Reposting this with a new subject line as I expected more responses to my holy **** situation)


Let me start off saying this was USER error and not a DJI issue. I've done many videos of rural areas (lakes, natural bridges, etc) with great success and no issues with the P3P whatsoever. Yesterday I decided to get some city shots of downtown Lexington, KY. I take off fine and fly below a couple of cranes with a very cool shot then move over to the 5/3 bank building (the tallest building in the city) and as I went behind I lost contact. I had recently read a couple similar stories so I didn't freak out. After not getting any contact I rebooted everything and still had no contact. As I was trying to find a better angle to where I last saw my aircraft a couple stopped to ask me, "hey, are you flying a drone?"...I told them they may have caught me on my worst day and I may have lost my drone. Hours go by as myself and 2 of my kids are searching for a crashed Drone. I called the police department in case it landed somewhere that caused any accident/injury and got nothing. I was hoping the whole time that it landed/crashed on top of that tall building. We never found it. Sunday morning I thought what the heck I'll go down and see what I see..I walk around that tallest building and found nothing...I go to other buildings to see if they could see the top of the building I thought I crashed on...nothing. I went to the building I thought I crashed on and was shocked to see there was a person there. I told them what had occurred and let them know what happened. The security guard let me know that his partner had just reported a drone on top of the building. Insert hallelujah music here. His partner shows up and they show me a video of the top of the building and there it is (they wouldn't let me take pics of their security camera shots). Any way, there it is. It may get rained on but I know where it is and it didn't land on anyone! I am thrilled. I was praying to St. Anthony the whole time and he came thru again! I will update this based on what occurs tomorrow when I hope to get my P3P back.
 
Fdny... He said TOMMORROW!
DOIeee

I will update this based on what occurs tomorrow when I hope to get my P3P back.
 
Dang! Hopefully you can get it back and everything's good and hopefully no rain!
 
The building administrators have contacted the FAA and will not remove it until they discuss with them. They said the building is 430 feet high. How the heck could it have done that??? I took off at ground level. The security guy I talked to said he didn't think anything would come of it but they need to review with the FAA first.
 
The building administrators have contacted the FAA and will not remove it until they discuss with them. They said the building is 430 feet high. How the heck could it have done that??? I took off at ground level. The security guy I talked to said he didn't think anything would come of it but they need to review with the FAA first.

It doesn't matter how high the building is. There is NO LAW that states you must fly under 400ft.
 
It doesn't matter how high the building is. There is NO LAW that states you must fly under 400ft.
It is not about law-- it is about FAA regulations and possible city ordinances. This is a continuing story line if the FAA is involved and it wont happen quick. Sorry you lost your P3, but that is exactly why we shouldn't be flying these wonderful marvels of technology on public streets, buildings where the risk of crash carries additional unknown liabilities and maybe fines.
 
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My error was flying way to close to a large collection of radio antennas. I am getting less worried about not getting my drone back and moving to more pissed off about not getting it back. Yes I screwed up but dammit it's mine. Calling more authorities tomorrow.
 
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Good stuff to know. I have seen quad videos of people flying right up to those tall radio antennas. I wasn't aware that could effect signals. Makes sense I guess.
 
My error was flying way to close to a large collection of radio antennas. I am getting less worried about not getting my drone back and moving to more pissed off about not getting it back. Yes I screwed up but dammit it's mine. Calling more authorities tomorrow.

True, but it crashed in someone else's private property. A bank no less. People get funky when it involves a "bank" sometimes.
You might want to play this one low key and apologetic. Just sayin.

Maybe they want to review the video to see what you were recording? Don't know.
Maybe they want the building inspected to ensure nothing on the building was damaged (antennas etc)?

You know it was a mistake but since it is a bank building, there may be other considerations.

Good luck...
 
Yea your probably right...just had to vent. I do wish they would at least get it off the roof so it wasn't just sitting out in the elements.
 
Yea your probably right...just had to vent. I do wish they would at least get it off the roof so it wasn't just sitting out in the elements.

Definitely that. I can only imagine how frustrating this whole thing must be as your $1300+ investment just sits there in the elements. I'd need to vent too. I might build a mega rescue drone just so I can go pluck my $1300 drones off the top of buildings if this happens to me.
 
Nobody in your area that could do a covert op mission?

How, go Spidey and climb the building? It's a bank. Cameras everywhere no doubt.
Probably VERY secure inside. Maybe choppas land on the roof so extra secure?

(If you are kidding...... you got me)

Seems like a tough lesson in stay away from buildings unfortunately :oops:
 
I was thinking more along the lines of a quad rescue quad type of deal.

Maybe a little recon to see where it is. If it's in sight on the roof
 
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