Need some help please! Drone would not return home.

[returntohongkong]

Hi All,

Long time lurker but just had the need to create an account. So here is my issue.

I was using dronedeploy today and the drone seemed to have lost connection to the link so I initiated an RTH (returntohongkong) yet the P4P did nothing and would not return. (yes I did hold down the button until it started beeping

Attached are my flight logs. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[stones]

If the AC lost connection to the remote, RTH will not function by pressing the button. Unless you mean the video link, only.

 

[alokbhargava]

First of all if you lose connection, you can't initiate RTH by pressing button, system will generate RTH on its own if connection remains out for 3 sec if set so.

What's your setting for loss of signal? Hover, RTH or land?

Your logs don't show connection lost, how did you get the log file?

 

[returntohongkong]

Right I tried to override it with a manual RTH. My setting is to RTH when the signal is lost. That is what confuses me about this whole thing I am not able to see any issue in the logs the drone simply went out and never returned... Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

As far as the log file I was able to retrieve it from my iPad following this YouTube video:

 

[stones]

Right I tried to override it with a manual RTH. My setting is to RTH when the signal is lost. That is what confuses me about this whole thing I am not able to see any issue in the logs the drone simply went out and never returned... Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

As far as the log file I was able to retrieve it from my iPad following this YouTube video:

You can't override RTH manually when connection is lost. The button for RTH becomes useless, at that point.

 

[returntohongkong]

I now know that The P4P is still out there. I am not able to get to the area it's showing. How accurate is this data?

 

[returntohongkong]

I am able to get lat/long and was within a mile of it but I could not hike out in the brush. I just want to make sure there is a high chance it's there before spending 3+ hours hiking...

 

[stones]

I am able to get lat/long and was within a mile of it but I could not hike out in the brush. I just want to make sure there is a high chance it's there before spending 3+ hours hiking...

The data sent to your iPad is until connection to the remote is lost. How far it continued from there??...

 

[Meta4]

I am able to get lat/long and was within a mile of it but I could not hike out in the brush. I just want to make sure there is a high chance it's there before spending 3+ hours hiking...

That's the last recorded location that your tablet received.
It might be exactly where the Phantom is or it might not.
Depends on what the Phantom was doing at the time.
Was it sitting in a tree or on the ground somewhere ... or was it being blown further away out of radio range?
If you think out where it was and what it was programmed to be doing that might help narrow down your options.

 

[returntohongkong]

That's the last recorded location that your tablet received.
It might be exactly where the Phantom is or it might not.
Depends on what the Phantom was doing at the time.
Was it sitting in a tree or on the ground somewhere ... or was it being blown further away out of radio range?
If you think out where it was and what it was programmed to be doing that might help narrow down your options.

****.. what a cluster. So what would cause this?

 

[returntohongkong]

Any ideas why it did not return or finish the mission? I don't see any errors..

 

[captainmilehigh]

Your flight log shows you at 137-138 feet altitude for over 3 minutes on your outbound flight route --- away from your HP by 4,311 feet.

Was this enough altitude for this area in relation to trees, buildings, terrain? Just wondering if the bird was too low.

What were your RTH settings at that time? Hover, Land, Climb/Descend to preset altitude before returning to HP?

 

[returntohongkong]

Your flight log shows you at 137-138 feet altitude for over 3 minutes on your outbound flight route --- away from your HP by 4,311 feet.

Was this enough altitude for this area in relation to trees, buildings, terrain? Just wondering if the bird was too low.

What were your RTH settings at that time? Hover, Land, Climb/Descend to preset altitude before returning to HP?

Thanks for the response! Yes, I was at the highest point in the area from my survey. The RTH settings were climb to 30M and return home.

 

[returntohongkong]

From all your experience what's the likelihood it's actually in that spot?

 

[captainmilehigh]

Thanks for the response! Yes, I was at the highest point in the area from my survey. The RTH settings were climb to 30M and return home.

30 meters is only 98 feet more or less. Is this high enough to clear terrain on RTH ?

 

[returntohongkong]

30 meters is only 98 feet more or less. Is this high enough to clear terrain on RTH ?

Yes, sir. From my survey 50ft. was the highest area I needed clearance for.

 

[captainmilehigh]

Ok. If the bird went into RTH it would have stayed at 137-138 feet (since it was higher than the preset RTH altitude) and started toward HP. BUT, there are no error logs to indicate a RTH was initiated.

Since the signal stopped abruptly with no errors, I would say it bumped into something or had a failure of some kind at that point and went down. That's just a guess on my part. Others may have differing opinions.

 

[returntohongkong]

Ok. If the bird went into RTH it would have stayed at 137-138 feet (since it was higher than the preset RTH altitude) and started toward HP. BUT, there are no error logs to indicate a RTH was initiated.

Since the signal stopped abruptly with no errors, I would say it bumped into something or had a failure of some kind at that point and went down. That's just a guess on my part. Others may have differing opinions.

Appreciate your input! Thanks!

 

[returntohongkong]

I am trying to get as much info as possible before heading out soon to go hike it

 

[captainmilehigh]

Good idea. Did you get any video before you lost signal?.....it may give you an idea where it is.

I think I'd start looking at the last flight log location at the 3min 7.5sec point.

There are a bunch of smart people on this forum that may be able to help. Good luck finding it.

When you go out to look for it, take some friends with you. Tell them if they help you search, there will be pizza and beer for them when they find it.......but they must find it first. Good incentive for them (and you) to have their help in your search. And the more eyes looking, the better !!