Re: Is it possible to get a vortex ring state while hovering
ased on your report of the crash, I would theorize that what you experienced is what is known as "vortex ring state" in short, when a drone hovers in one place, a vortex of propeller wash can be created underneath the drone, the drone then tries to compensate for the low pressure (which it interprets as a rapid descent) by spinning the props faster (which would account for the loud whirring you heard before the crash). This causes a greater vortex beneath the drone, and it essentially falls through its own wake. The solution is to rapidly steer the drone out of the wake by directing it either forward or backward, without throttling up (higher speed only increases the effect).
Unfortunately, since this is avoidable, it is considered operator error and is therefor not covered under warranty.
It was 100' or so up and we were 100' away from it. Basically sounded like it was full power and came out of the sky at an angle and crashed. We've had these since Feb and have flown just about every day without a glitch until this happened. It seemed like a motor went out to me but then again I've never seen one go out.