RTH - I have never used it -

[ChiefStealth]

I have used/tested the RTH a few times. Both with S switches, and the app. I know how it works. I know how to set the settings. I have practiced canceling. I know how that works.
All that said... I don't routinely use RTH to get home. I never fly out of visual range, anyway. I have no need to fly 2000ft, or more, from home point to get the pictures I want.

 

[PageSide]

Then watch yesterday video where the man's P4 ran amok and crashed... All blamed it on the PIC and the bridge he flew under.
Becoming a better pilot allows us to avoid those situations.

The person that made this error made many mistakes. That is not a fair representation of RTH mode. Bridges such as the one he was flying UNDER has all kinds of cameras and communication equipment on them. RTH works great as long as you understand your equipment. There are rare occasions that they do go haywire but it is an exception to the rule and not the norm.


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[Heisnuts]

I have used it many times so that I would be very comfortable with its use BEFORE I actually needed it. For me, the first few times I used it I was pretty nervous about how the AC would respond. The last thing I wanted was to be forced to use it in an emergency situation where I would already be nervous due to the emergency.

 

[AWD]

I rarely have the bird default into the RTH mode as the majority of my flying is well within a mile from the starting point. However, I did test the RTH function early on to my complete satisfaction and it has gone into RTH on a few occasions when distance and environment came into play.

It works quite well, especially if you know what it's doing while you're twiddling your thumbs waiting for the video feed to come back.

Test it and become comfortable with the RTH parameters. It will make you a very happy person the first time it goes into RTH "for real".

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[kbviper]

I got my Phantom 4 about a month ago. I am on the east coast of Canada and have flown in weather as cold as -15 C. I had a couple of other much lower end copters before the P4 and am comfortable flying. I always fly with bare hands. When I am far out, ready to come back, and my hands are cold, I will often use RTH, but keep a close eye on it. Amazing how well it works, but I would never totally trust what is basically autopilot.


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[AlecW]

I've used RTH 3 times to test and once when I got "lost", basically distracted by the wife asking about dinner and didn't realize I was resting my hand on the right stick moving forwards and left, newbie panic mode set in more than anything. I've also had it RTH once losing signal, got signal back and cancelled within a couple of minutes (which seem like long minutes).

Once reason I don't use it at home is the RTH direct path flies right over two neighbors houses and I can avoid that flying manually.

 

[tobby]

I love the RTH. I took a flight out over town in the direction of the University and at about 1600 feet out I believe the interference got the best of it. The video dropped out and the voice prompt told me that I lost signal. After an eternity, (a few seconds) the voice asked if I would like to return home. Boy was I relieved when my bird came home and landed.

I don't use it every time I fly, but I do exercise it enough to know I can count on it.

Tobby

 

[Xenomorph]

I also have yet to utilize the RTH feature on my Phantom. I've had it since December too. I look forward to getting to an open field and testing it out.

 

[AWD]

Xeno,

The first time you test it, do not be alarmed when it takes off vertically to the RTH altitude. If you're not ready for it to do that, it WILL give you a surprise for sure.

For your test, set it to a lower altitude if you can or just be prepared for the high altitude return.

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[kennedye]

There are three pages on RTH in the manual and it's one of the most important things in there.
The day you need to use RTH is the worst day to start learning what it does and how it works.

The whole reason to learn about RTH and test it is that one day you may not be in a position to fly it back yourself.
RTH is very reliable but unfortunately the same can't be said about all users.
Here are a few ways users have come unstuck by not having tried RTH..

Not knowing how it works, you are in a good position to get caught out with things like:
Not realising RTH will climb to RTH height and initiating RTH when your Phantom is under a tree
Not understanding that your Phantom is in RTH and believing it is flying away.
Not knowing how to use the RTH button to activate RTH
Not knowing how to cancel RTH and resume control.​

Don't forget about the 60-foot rule, I was surprised by that when I first started with mine; fortunately I was practicing in a park so it didn't do anything but land.

 

[a31burgervan]

Tried it, works fine, landed a bit harder than I would ~ happy days


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[dwallersv]

Don't forget about the 60-foot rule, I was surprised by that when I first started with mine; fortunately I was practicing in a park so it didn't do anything but land.

Yes, and one of the most inexplicable design features. What were the engineers thinking?

If it's bad to go back to the precise lat/long when within a 20m radius, then its bad to go back there at any radius. Conversely, if the right thing to do is ascend to RTH altitude, fly back to the RTH lat/long, and then land as close to that point as possible, when beyond 20m, its certainly just as "right" to do it within 20m.

A 130ft diameter circle is REALLY BIG. Its entirely possible that there is a tree within that circle that the AC will land in if its not actually trying to hit the RTH point precisely.

This is one of the stupidest "features" of this otherwise amazing piece of technology.

Right up there with "stupid" is the immediately landing, without any pilot control or ability to override, when getting near the edge of an NFZ.

 

[goblues38us]

I tested it one time. I know how it works.

The real test is if it kicks in when you need it (lost connection). Untill that time, you truly never know.

 

[Xenomorph]

Xeno,

The first time you test it, do not be alarmed when it takes off vertically to the RTH altitude. If you're not ready for it to do that, it WILL give you a surprise for sure.

For your test, set it to a lower altitude if you can or just be prepared for the high altitude return.

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Thanks for the advice! I can't wait to get out to an open field and test it out. I'll def lower the altitude a bit and keep the aircraft at a straight line of sight way out from where I am with no obstacles between me and the craft. The RTH feature is really an amazing one!

 

[Erised]

I used it once to try it out, my craft used it five times to come home to papa! Boy those were long long seconds and minutes!

 

[AWD]

I tested it one time. I know how it works.

The real test is if it kicks in when you need it (lost connection). Untill that time, you truly never know.

It always has so far!

But I was as nervous as anyone else the "first" time.

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[Loz]

I tested it one time. I know how it works.

The real test is if it kicks in when you need it (lost connection). Untill that time, you truly never know.

Test it over and over until you do really know what to expect, just as a manned pilot would.


- Phantom P3A & P3P -
Sent from my iPad Pro using PhantomPilots App

 

[dirkclod]

RTH and HL are 2 things I started out using with my P2V.
And still check often. You have to trust them. I use them often with all my birds.
RTH can save you. Well your bird.

 

[DanMan32]

Those long periods when you've gone out of range and waiting for fail-safe RTH is nail biting.
How long is it before it RTH due to lost signal? I must have waited at least 30 long seconds to a minute.
I think part of the delay is that it is still executing the last command to keep flying away until it decides it has been too long without a signal. Then it has to fly up to RTH height, turn around, then it starts back home.
Did it crash? Is it coming back?
Then the relief comes when you finally hear "Return to home"

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[AWD]

Those long periods when you've gone out of range and waiting for fail-safe RTH is nail biting.
How long is it before it RTH due to lost signal? I must have waited at least 30 long seconds to a minute.

Once again, it depends on what you're doing.

Normal manual flying? Lose the connection for 3 seconds and it's starting RTH.

Flying a waypoint mission? Lose connection? It's still flying the mission and does NOT RTH until the battery runs low.

Just things to think about when "planning" things our for the next flight.

However it is always nice to see the video and signal come back online when it gets back in range!

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