Couple days ago I was flying my phantom 2 in South Florida and I had a close call, and was wondering if anyone else had a similar issue. While flying in GPS mode I completely lost control as if it went into going home mode, then the phantom starting descending rapidly at 10-13 m/s and was looking as if it was about to flip. I switched from GPS to ATT and it eventually recovered. All my sticks were neutral pos., winds were 10 gusting to 15 mph, and I had perfect fpv signal. Heres video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzpQZPBLUrU. I've felt sick ever since and would like to understand what happened. Lesson learned flying in urban/ crowded places.
South Florida Close Call
- Thread starter njc1983
- Start date
njc1983 said:
1) DELETE THIS VIDEO, ASAP! Are you crazy? DO NOT POST VIDEOS OF YOU FLYING OVER 400 FEET UNLESS YOU WANT THE FAA KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR.
2) You were so high up that the winds were definitely gusting, as well, you began to descend really quickly. This causes rotor wash!! The wind rushing up under the props causes the craft MAJOR turbulence and can even result in your Phantom flipping completely over. Those switches on the left side aren't even active unless you've turned Naza mode on.
3) You need to read your manual, and practice flying in your backyard for a few more weeks. You're lucky the police didn't see you or they might have scared you with a ticket for endangering the public.
Has your heart restarted yet? Sounds like ATTI mode saved the day but then again when re-entering the atmosphere from low earth orbit the manual states to ensure ATTI is available.
1) There is no law (yet) regarding 400 ft. It is a suggested guideline. The NTSB recently (March 06, 2014) ruled that there are no federal regulations regarding "drones". Please see http://dronelawjournal.com/ for further information/clarification. The author of that site is a member of this forum, and has done extensive research on the subject.
2) You are correct, updrafts and gusts *might* have caused his problem. Tall buildings and offshore winds can be a scary combination.
3) About the police, you may be correct. I travel a lot, and have found that most major populated areas have some sort of rules/regulations/guidelines for flying Radio Controlled Aircraft in public. It's always best to ask first. If confronted by a local officer, I've found that most times they are more curious than anything else. Personally, I have never been told to leave or been threatened with a ticket. The few times that I have been confronted - they've mostly just asked a few questions - watched for a bit, then they've asked me to use my best judgement regarding people/buildings/etc. Just to be clear - probably 95% of my flight locations have been out in the open - sparsely populated - mostly rural - public land - etc. I tend to avoid cluttered areas.
I saw the video before it was deleted - it's scary for sure, but personally I would like to see it left online as a warning of what *might* happen in a populated area.
2) You are correct, updrafts and gusts *might* have caused his problem. Tall buildings and offshore winds can be a scary combination.
3) About the police, you may be correct. I travel a lot, and have found that most major populated areas have some sort of rules/regulations/guidelines for flying Radio Controlled Aircraft in public. It's always best to ask first. If confronted by a local officer, I've found that most times they are more curious than anything else. Personally, I have never been told to leave or been threatened with a ticket. The few times that I have been confronted - they've mostly just asked a few questions - watched for a bit, then they've asked me to use my best judgement regarding people/buildings/etc. Just to be clear - probably 95% of my flight locations have been out in the open - sparsely populated - mostly rural - public land - etc. I tend to avoid cluttered areas.
I saw the video before it was deleted - it's scary for sure, but personally I would like to see it left online as a warning of what *might* happen in a populated area.
GneeChee said:
+1 on that!
I believe we should be sharing all of our experiences good or bad for enjoyment and for warnings
Didn't mean to get you all worked up nintendrone64, and I appreciate the quick response.I agree I was definitely too high and my lesson has been learned, and I was very lucky. I still decided to delete the video because I got the answer I was looking for. Theres better ways to make a point then questioning ones sanity however. My understanding with the recent federal case was that the FAA had no jurisdiction over UAV's to date though, is this not the case?
Funny bit of info, a cop was actually the one who approached me on this particular flight and asked me to fly it for him (not that that justifies anything). He didn't realize what had happened, but next week I'm meeting him at the RC park to fly 
My highest alttitude is 1,267 ft (386 m)...
Still I was able to land my P2V safely, after that.
In fact, while I was doing that, a military plane just passed by not too far from my drone! And I have the video footage to show you!!!
I'm working on synchronizing my flytrex core data with the dashware software. As soon as I finish doing so, I will post the video on you tube and will let you know about it, ok?
I have 10 videos to work on and most of them are almost 20 minutes long....
I also have to cut them short, first, otherwise, they will be too boring to see.
Still I was able to land my P2V safely, after that.
In fact, while I was doing that, a military plane just passed by not too far from my drone! And I have the video footage to show you!!!
I'm working on synchronizing my flytrex core data with the dashware software. As soon as I finish doing so, I will post the video on you tube and will let you know about it, ok?
I have 10 videos to work on and most of them are almost 20 minutes long....
I also have to cut them short, first, otherwise, they will be too boring to see.
[.quote] nintendrone64
1) DELETE THIS VIDEO, ASAP! Are you crazy? DO NOT POST VIDEOS OF YOU FLYING OVER 400 FEET UNLESS YOU WANT THE FAA KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR.
quote]
Please get your facts straight before advising others of you misguided ways
The FAA is not knocking on any ones door for flying over 400ft
I know your from Calif were all the loons and dooms dayers live but relax
First the 400 ft is a advisory not a rule and therefor no RULES were being broken
I have personally flown over 1300 ft with a FAA Fsdo rep by my side and he did not slap me to the ground and arrest me or even chastise me for my flight. He was amassed by its control and said to make sure I'm carful when going that high with flight patters.
1) DELETE THIS VIDEO, ASAP! Are you crazy? DO NOT POST VIDEOS OF YOU FLYING OVER 400 FEET UNLESS YOU WANT THE FAA KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR.
quote]
Please get your facts straight before advising others of you misguided ways
The FAA is not knocking on any ones door for flying over 400ft
I know your from Calif were all the loons and dooms dayers live but relax
First the 400 ft is a advisory not a rule and therefor no RULES were being broken
I have personally flown over 1300 ft with a FAA Fsdo rep by my side and he did not slap me to the ground and arrest me or even chastise me for my flight. He was amassed by its control and said to make sure I'm carful when going that high with flight patters.
skyhighdiver,
i'm also a skydiver, jumping out of Sebastian good to see other jumpers on the forums.
Nick (D-32675)
i'm also a skydiver, jumping out of Sebastian
good to see other jumpers on the forums. Nick (D-32675)
njc1983 said:skyhighdiver,
i'm also a skydiver, jumping out of Sebastian
Nick (D-32675)
Been there done that
Did a lot of Florida jumping with Roger Nelson and the world record stuff years agoStill get to Zhills once and awhile and some times Deland ( there alittle clickey :roll: )
D13116
ianwood
Taco Wrangler
cavaleiro01 said:
Not trying to single anyone out as these posts are everywhere. In the absence of any reasonable rules, things like this will happen. This is the flip side of the FAA's failure. We have to use our common sense. If a plane is flying near your drone, YOU are doing something wrong. And if something did happen, you would be at fault. Not the pilot. If you must go over 500ft, do it only where you can confirm there is no air traffic.
No laws that apply to drones? I suspect that the first person caught flying their drone over 500 ft and interfering with the flight path of a piloted aircraft adhering to U.S. VFR laws will find out very different.
ianwood said:
I agree safety first and don't be a idiot but if a plane flies by and your not above the recommended altitude (400ft) or on a flight landing pattern then by all means if not in his way video him cool shot.
I had a med chopper fly by me at 200ft off the deck only a few minutes or so after making a speed pass at 300 ft
I was flying low on my way back up wind for another when he came by. I heard him coming and stayed low as a safety check as I could not see him but popped up right behind him after he passed and got a nice shot of him leaving the area
Remember planes have rules also and if there are breaking them its not you that is liable
not to say there wont be courts involved if a strike happens but you shall prevail
91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the
following altitudes;
(a) ·Anywhere. ·An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue
hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b) ·Over congested areas. ·Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any
open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a
horizontal radius of 2.000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) ·Over other than congested areas.
An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In
that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or
structure.
And yes I know this rule does not apply to choppers as they have exceptions so always good to have a ear or eye out
ianwood
Taco Wrangler
Oh, I can relate! Two days ago, this LAPD chopper banked hard about 125ft from my Phantom which was just above a bunch of palm trees. I nearly soiled myself but thankfully they weren't completely suicidal that day. There are days when it seems like they may be trying to end it all!
But all this is very different to being 1,200ft up with no peripheral vision, no idea what you're doing, no means of radio communication, no flight following or even enough material to show up on primary radar. Not to mention the Phantom is pretty much perfectly camouflaged. You could make someone's day a really bad one or maybe their last one!
This genius topped out at 3,700ft in an area built-up enough that air traffic is probably a reasonable expectation.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOx0O35MAs[/youtube]
But all this is very different to being 1,200ft up with no peripheral vision, no idea what you're doing, no means of radio communication, no flight following or even enough material to show up on primary radar. Not to mention the Phantom is pretty much perfectly camouflaged. You could make someone's day a really bad one or maybe their last one!
This genius topped out at 3,700ft in an area built-up enough that air traffic is probably a reasonable expectation.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOx0O35MAs[/youtube]
Holy ****, never mind "oh look I can see my house from there" its more like "oh look I can see the 7 states that border us" what an *******
ianwood said:
:shock:
That right there is probably my #1 fear while flying anywhere here in town, even if I'm miles away from the base and well under 400ft. Their choppers are always flying around on unpredictable paths, and they're great at showing up unexpectedly. It can be very hard to pinpoint exactly what direction they're coming from (or headed) until they pop over the nearest treeline.
ianwood said:
When I will issue the video, you will understand that what you wrote doesn´t make too much sense, at least, not in my case...
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