Lost P3 after RTH

Joined
Jun 4, 2015
Messages
18
Reaction score
3
I was flying my P3 in a canyon area today. I was flying in IOC GPS mode. I had no cellular on my iPhone, so my wifi iPad was without a map. I had the P3 at 225ft, and I was standing 100 ft below the ridge it was flying around.

After flying for about 5 minutes I somewhat lost orientation so I hit RTH. I was watching it on the iPad and I noticed it was not moving on the traceable map. The next thing I notice the P3 is at 125 and I hit the stick to take it up as I was not sure it stays at 225 from where it starts, or from where it is relative to the terrain. A few seconds later I lose connection and that was it. I never saw it again.

In the past when I hit return to home it stays at the altitude I had it at and then comes down when it is directly above me. I have done this probably a hundred times.

A few questions?
1 - What should I do at this point?

2- Why did it come down before traveling back?

3- Anyway to find it? No I didn't have a GPS tracker on it?

4- When it shows 125ft is that the altitude from where it started or from where it was? I estimate the canyon ridge was about 100 ft above me, and there were some 50 -100 ft trees .
 
1. Try to look for it.

2/4. It went down probably because your RTH altitude was set lower than the aircraft was flying. The RTH feature first goes the the RTH altitude you set in your pilot app then flies to the home point then descends. The altitude of the aircraft was set at zero right before you took off by default. So even if you were at 3,000ft elevation, the aircraft sees itself at 0ft at takeoff site.
3. You can try to now activate GPS on your iPad or whatever your using to download a map of where u were and hope it shows your flight path or where it crashed. Try tethering with your cellphone.
 
If you're flying above the RTH altitude - the Phantom does not descend. It flies directly to the home point at current altitude and then starts to descend. The altitude does not change unless you're below the RTH altitude - it will ascend if that is the case.

1. Try to look for it.

2/4. It went down probably because your RTH altitude was set lower than the aircraft was flying. The RTH feature first goes the the RTH altitude you set in your pilot app then flies to the home point then descends. The altitude of the aircraft was set at zero right before you took off by default. So even if you were at 3,000ft elevation, the aircraft sees itself at 0ft at takeoff site.
3. You can try to now activate GPS on your iPad or whatever your using to download a map of where u were and hope it shows your flight path or where it crashed. Try tethering with your cellphone.
 
wow that sucks... Tho you can try and see if the flight recording in the pilot app will show the last spot it was at on a map to try and do a search and rescue for it. .
 
We found it once I got to cell coverage it showed where it was at on the map. No damage, however, makes no sense to me why it descended so far from where we were at. Battery was dead, 5 minutes prior was at 70%....Very happy, but confused....
 
  • Like
Reactions: J0ck0
Here is my baby...
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0236.JPG.jpeg
    IMG_0236.JPG.jpeg
    545.6 KB · Views: 372
Wow. This is like the third lucky case I've read in the past two days. I'm pretty sure this forum's luck is gonna be running out soon.
 
Certainly don't use that battery without a thorough check. Very glad u found that!!


Sent from my PT beating heart
 
I was flying my P3 in a canyon area today. I was flying in IOC GPS mode. I had no cellular on my iPhone, so my wifi iPad was without a map. I had the P3 at 225ft, and I was standing 100 ft below the ridge it was flying around.

After flying for about 5 minutes I somewhat lost orientation so I hit RTH. I was watching it on the iPad and I noticed it was not moving on the traceable map. The next thing I notice the P3 is at 125 and I hit the stick to take it up as I was not sure it stays at 225 from where it starts, or from where it is relative to the terrain. A few seconds later I lose connection and that was it. I never saw it again.

In the past when I hit return to home it stays at the altitude I had it at and then comes down when it is directly above me. I have done this probably a hundred times.

A few questions?
1 - What should I do at this point?

2- Why did it come down before traveling back?

3- Anyway to find it? No I didn't have a GPS tracker on it?

4- When it shows 125ft is that the altitude from where it started or from where it was? I estimate the canyon ridge was about 100 ft above me, and there were some 50 -100 ft trees .
I took my P3P on my very first flight to an open lake with plenty of space. I tested the RTH function and saw that it worked. It slowly flew back to my general location.

However it suddenly lost connection even though I had line of sight to it. And no matter how I pointed at the drone or adjusted the RC attenna it did not regain the connection. Luckily I could guide it down by eye and avert disaster.

Ever since then I've been apprehensive to press the RTH button.

Anyway I hope you find it. Sucks to be such a situation.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,358
Members
104,936
Latest member
hirehackers