P4P crash under active track and battery concerns

[stevemitchell]

My P4P flew itself into a 200' tall pine tree this weekend while following a snowmobile using active track. I had all of the obstacle avoidance settings turned on (all of them, not just the defaults) and was a bit surprised that things turned out the way they did.

I cannot retrieve it - it's at least 200 feet up. I'm not too broken up about it - it's the first drone I've lost in 5+ years of flying, and over 10 different models. I'm a good pilot, and have never had any other issues, but couldn't react fast enough with the automatic active track feature to avoid the crash.

I have a couple of questions:

1. Would DJI's care program cover replacing this? Or would they replace it regardless because the active track feature flew the quad into the tree, even with avoidance on? Or is that not covered? I'm just curious more than anything else.

2. Any concerns about the battery in the weather? In particular, I'm worried about it when we get to summer, and being a fire hazard? This is in a warm climate during the summer where it could get up to 100F.

 

[msinger]

My P4P flew itself into a 200' tall pine tree this weekend while following a snowmobile using active track. I had all of the obstacle avoidance settings turned on.

Unfortunately, the side sensors are not used for obstacle avoidance unless flying in tripod mode or beginner mode.

Would DJI's care program cover replacing this?

They will fix it if it's damaged. You'll need to retrieve it first though.

would they replace it regardless because the active track feature flew the quad into the tree, even with avoidance on? Or is that not covered?

It would be covered under pilot error.

 

[Pepino Grande]

Wow, may be a job for a bigger drone with a rope and hook. That is one tall tree, where is that? Never mind I see Wa.

 

[azgeek]

Best of luck getting this down from that height. Ditto @msinger regarding side sensors. It will be nice when DJI updates this so they are enabled in other flight modes.

 

[butlerc]

All things come down...eventually.

 

[smiller]

Sorry for your loss, always sad to see these.

Yeah, it looks like it flew sideways into the tree and as mentioned, no side sensors except in Beginner or Tripod mode. And I don't think they work in any of the smart flight modes, even if Beginner mode is turned on.

I wouldn't worry about the battery, since the drone was turned on it has long since run down, and even if not it would self-discharge in x number of days. I think you can be confident there's not enough energy left in it to cause any problems.

And ya, that is one tall tree.

 

[Dgarri8413]

Maybe u could hire a poleclimber or lumber jack for a lot less than 1500.00


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[smiller]

Maybe u could hire a poleclimber or lumber jack for a lot less than 1500.00

Yeah it seems like the right (trained and equipped) guy would be able to do the job for a few hundred bucks I'd think.

 

[stevemitchell]

Unfortunately, the side sensors are not used for obstacle avoidance unless flying in tripod mode or beginner mode.


They will fix it if it's damaged. You'll need to retrieve it first though.


It would be covered under pilot error.

Thanks @msinger - I figured that would be the case.

 

[rossmedia]

One time I helped rescued a drone stuck in a tree by running fishing line over to the branch / tree with my P3P and back down then pulling both ends of the fishing line to shake the branches of the tree to free the drone back to the ground. Good luck!

 

[stevemitchell]

Wow, may be a job for a bigger drone with a rope and hook. That is one tall tree, where is that? Never mind I see Wa.

Yup in Eastern Washington, in a valley near Mt. Rainier.

 

[stevemitchell]

Maybe u could hire a poleclimber or lumber jack for a lot less than 1500.00


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Yes that came up this weekend - hiring a tree expert to climb up and retrieve it.

 

[stevemitchell]

Sorry for your loss, always sad to see these.

Yeah, it looks like it flew sideways into the tree and as mentioned, no side sensors except in Beginner or Tripod mode. And I don't think they work in any of the smart flight modes, even if Beginner mode is turned on.

I wouldn't worry about the battery, since the drone was turned on it has long since run down, and even if not it would self-discharge in x number of days. I think you can be confident there's not enough energy left in it to cause any problems.

And ya, that is one tall tree.

Ah true on the battery - forgot that it would be discharged, of course!

 

[MichaelS]

Steve, when in follow mode you must have a proper Clearance height above the tallest obstacle. Next time fly up and find that height. Same thing with POI. Very cool shot, though.

 

[Kman]

Any tree trimming company would get that down for you. Give a local one a call.

 

[stevemitchell]

Revisiting this one last time - I've seen a bunch of people who have DJI Care / Refresh get a new drone when they have a crash. I had that on this drone.

If I can't get the drone out of the tree to ship back to DJI, would Care still replace it?

 

[F3honda4me]

Revisiting this one last time - I've seen a bunch of people who have DJI Care / Refresh get a new drone when they have a crash. I had that on this drone.

If I can't get the drone out of the tree to ship back to DJI, would Care still replace it?

No, you need the drone.

 

[AnchorageAk]

We have removed a few things from trees by shooting the branches. Might not be allowed where your drone is.

 

[Russ43Phantom]

As mentioned earlier, the side obstacle avoidance ONLY works in Tripod Mode. In my experience, the obstacle avoidance is NOT very sensitive to pine needles or fine tree branches without leaves ... or phone lines, or ... the list goes on. I would normally fly in Tripod mode if I am in any environment where there are many close obstacles. Better yet ... avoid any low flying among close obstacles.

 

[$nowman]

Cut the tree down, problem solved.