My Crazy Flight Yesterday

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I am posting this knowing 99% of the problems in the video are pilot error. I am still fairly new to flying and have done 99% of my flights in full GPS mode. I had 7 satellites when I took off, but quickly dropped below 6. The Phantom performed like it should and switched to ATTI mode. After that, things went south. The wind was 10-15mph according to Hover app. When I got some altitude, I take it the wind was blowing harder.

I almost stroked out, and probably had 2 heart attacks in this 8 minute video. I was sooooo close to being back home a few times, but lost it again. I did try RTH once, but that is the point in the video that it left my neighborhood and flew across the field. Somehow the gimbal moved itself to 90 degrees down, so I had no idea which way it was facing. I can identify a few times in the video that I turned the wrong way and cause more problems. At the end, I made the decision to put my Phantom down in the field across from my house. I thought I was a flat part of the field, but it was actually a slight slope. I was landing a little faster than I was comfortable with and realized I was going to crash. I tried to turn the Phantom into the crash to keep it from slamming down on the landing gear or camera. THANKS goes out to Killer RC and UAV Bits for the gimbal saver and the carbon fiber protector. I had no damage to my baby!!!

What have I learned from this? 1. I need to practice in ATTI mode (a lot!!!) 2. I don't need to fly right now in wind over 5 mph until I get more comfortable. 3. I am going to stop trying to fly long distance and work more and flying using the FPV.

So, with all of that being said, below is the link to the raw footage of my flight. I know I am going to get slammed for it, but I think it is a crazy video that still gets my heart rate up.

http://youtu.be/MqHcNQQK7K0
 
4wd said:
It was running with the props blocked for quite a while, that might have done some damage to the ESCs.
Try it very cautiously next time.

It was about a minute or so that it laid there while I ran to it. I have not flown again yet, but it fired up and powered up the motors minus props just fine when I was inside.
 
Txfirecop said:
You sure are brave around those power lines!


I usually take off and go well above the lines before I start flying. In my panic, I forgot all about the line running along the field and neighborhood. All I remembered was the ones running by the roads. I cheated death twice in one flight with the power lines.
 
UPDATE......Just took my Phantom up for a test flight at work while on lunch. She did fine flying. Had 6 Satellites when i took off....while hovering 15 ft off ground had 8 satellites. Once I started flying around at 15 ft high I began dropping satellites and going into ATTI mode. She bounced between ATTI mode and 7-8 satellites the whole 4-5 minute flight.

Thinking back, I have had issues dropping satellites since I updated my firmware about 2 weeks ago.......Hmmmmmmmm
 
robsquad said:
wow 7.02 through the wires ! dam lucky

At the beginning I go through the wires too.
 
robsquad said:
have you done the foil mod ?
search here or you tube for info if not

I have not done that mod but it sounds like I need to. It was 60 degrees here and not a cloud in the sky. Not sure why it was dropping satellites.
 
robsquad said:
go outside and fire it up without taking off and see what max sat count is then hit record and see what happens

I'll do this asap. Have to get a few things done here at work before I get off in 40 mins :D :D :D
 
I tested the sat. count once I hit record on the ground. It stayed at 7 while at idle and when record was pushed. I powered up motors without the props and it stayed at 7. Once I shut the camera off and powered motors back to idle it dropped to 6. Will do the foil mod asap.
 
I have had issues with satellites since I updated my firmware. I think that is what slow motioned my crash into my neighbors tree.
 
Phantoms seem to have a natural attraction to trees and water. :roll:
 
Just ordered the supplies need for the foil mod from amazon. They will be here next week. I won't be flying until I get this done.

I think the new firmware is the main problem for dropping satellites. Hopefully the foil mod will work for me too!
 
congrats on recovering your phantom!
do you have the v3 version of the phantom?
when did you get yours?
i believe the foil mod for the gps is part of the v3 upgrades.....
have you had your top off yet? verify the gps plug is not loose....
 
dutch said:
congrats on recovering your phantom!
do you have the v3 version of the phantom?
when did you get yours?
i believe the foil mod for the gps is part of the v3 upgrades.....
have you had your top off yet? verify the gps plug is not loose....


I got my P2V+ the 1st of Dec. I do not think it is the V3. I have not taken the top off yet, but I will check the plug when I do. I want to do the foil mod regardless. I don't feel safe flying my P2V+ right now and I hate that.
 
Foil mod is not going to do much of anything to fix this situation. Almost definitely, your compass and/or IMU are badly calibrated. Your flight has telltale signs of TBE and loss of horizon.

Check your mod values. Advanced calibrate your IMU. Then compass calibration: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32829
 

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