The Longest Two Minutes of My Life!

Sprague, I use RTH every time I fly because I'm too lazy to fly it back after I shoot. Never had an issue. Lol
 
I didn't lose contact, just LOS, but the emotions were very similar.
It was a wonderful sound hearing it return above me. Looking up, seeing it flying past me, going the other way. ;-)
Happy to bring it in for a soft landing.

RedHotPoker
 
Laughing like hell RedHotPoker... During those two minutes (that were actually two very long hours!), I kept thinking I heard it above me even though it wasn't there. I kept jerking my head around like some 'effin bird listening for a worm… but in the wrong direction.
 
Birds don't hear worms. Because worms have no vocal chords. ;-)

The early bird gets the worm, because the worm got caught, with his drawers down...

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How come my GIF is still...?

RedHotPoker
 
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When I lose video and I see the red warning, I assume my controller still has control of the craft even though video is not connected. I'm blind, but have control. My first reaction has been to increase elevation and monitor my telemetry data. Telemetry data is usually still working even though video doesn't. If it shows the craft increasing in elevation, I know I've got control. I will continue climbing up to try and re-establish a video connection, all the way to 400' if needed. The higher you are the better chances of re-establishing a connection. I usually see the connection come back after I go up 100 to 150 higher than when I lost signal. If I don't see my telemetry elevation increasing, I push RTH, knowing it should climb to 200' before returning. Or, if I see I have climbed to 400' and I still don't have a video connection, I would push RTH. However if I'm low on battery I would push RTH from the get go, depending on my surroundings.

If I push RTH and the controller doesn't say to me "RTH enabled" (or something to that effect), my pucker factor would be an issue. I believe if the controller speaks to you and says...... "RTH enabled", what has happened is the craft has sent an RTH return confirmation to the controller, and the controller's announcement is simply letting you know all is OK, the P3 is coming home.

Is my "belief" above correct? Is this the way everyone else understands how the P3 RTH works?
 
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Excellent story and well told. I would imagine this incident would raise your confidence in the 3 :)
 
I suppose the one sure way to ensure an RTH is to turn the controller off ... at the risk of sprained pucker muscles, for sure.
 
Birds don't hear worms. Because worms have no vocal chords. ;-)
The early bird gets the worm, because the worm got caught, with his drawers down...
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View attachment 28202
How come my GIF is still...?
RedHotPoker

That is an amazing pet snail you have there RHP....

I'll bet playing fetch with that guy is VERY relaxing :p
 
Hahahaha!!! I'm not kidding here; I just read the description of the controller light blinking red and my heart started to race! Man, I'm a P3P wimp!!!
It's a heart rate monitor.
 
That is an amazing pet snail you have there RHP....

I'll bet playing fetch with that guy is VERY relaxing :p

I can train you one if you'd like...
Do you prefer timid, or slightly aggressive escargot? ;-)

RedHotPoker
 
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Hi Sammynels.. I think I'll start trying that! You can probably fly itself far better than I can fly it anyways.

not a good practice to get into in my opinion. if you can't fly it back on your own you should not be flying it out in the first place.
 
not a good practice to get into in my opinion. if you can't fly it back on your own you should not be flying it out in the first place.

I did this today and learned something.

I can still turn the P3 in circles to video or take pics. And I don't have to worry about the other stick.

I wouldn't do it all the time but until the way points and stuff come out I might use it now and then.
 
Love the dramatic description here, been there, done that, had to change my trousers LOL!

Had a great fun episode with a know-all who wondered over when he saw my flying by the side of Poole Harbour. I am always very happy to chat with interested bystanders and let them see what I'm seeing. Good to foster good relations between UAV Flyers and the general public. Anyway, I digress. This guy came over and said 'I hope you've checked your batteries!'

'Mine are fine, charged them fresh last night.'

'Ah but...' he said in that condescending know all manner some annoyingly have, 'have you checked your remote controllers batteries. It's a mistake a lot of flyers make...' (This guy is obviously high up in the UAV world so Id better listen!) 'Doesn't matter how good your batteries in your drone are...' (err, excuse me mate, I prefer the term UAV to distinguishing between what I'm flying and what you're doing! - remembered to think that but not say it ) ...'if the controller runs out, that thing will drop out of the sky and you've lost it!'

'Oh what?...' I said, 'You mean like if I do this?' - and proceeded to very dramatically turn off my remote control and laid it on the ground.

His face went from a confused 'why would you do that you idiot?' to open-mouthed, red-faced wonder as my P3P flew back across the water, hovered above us and slowly descended. It paused and hovered at standard height for a moment so I grabbed the opportunity to say 'It's waiting for you to move cos you're standing in its spot!'

Down she came, perfect landing and switched herself off. I couldn't resist a gentle dig so I just said 'Guess you just need to train yours a bit better!' He muttered something but it was incomprehensible and frankly I doubt I could have printed it here anyway LOL
 
not a good practice to get into in my opinion. if you can't fly it back on your own you should not be flying it out in the first place.

I tend to agree with your thinking....but I would take a WAG that a lot (if not most) of Phantom operators rely heavily on either RTH or home lock to get their Phantoms back after a FPV crash because you don't hear much in the way of Phantoms being flown less than 250 feet away from the operator. Which is about as far away as you can make out enough to fly it back manually anyway.

Most people probably fly a good deal further than 250 feet away on a regular basis. None of which would be possible for most people without the technology guidance assistance to bring it back.

Can you imagine how people would react if the government forced UAV manufacturers to build in some sort of technology that completely prevented flying beyond even 500 feet? Don't laugh.
It's being considered....and easily done.

Once the Phantom hits 500 feet (or even 400 feet) from the transmitter it could be programmed to ignore any commands to go further and or go into a hover or return.

Remember, the FAA adamantly insists "Line of Sight" flight only which means you must be able to see the UAV at all times without optical assistance.
 
Love the dramatic description here, been there, done that, had to change my trousers LOL!

Had a great fun episode with a know-all who wondered over when he saw my flying by the side of Poole Harbour. I am always very happy to chat with interested bystanders and let them see what I'm seeing. Good to foster good relations between UAV Flyers and the general public. Anyway, I digress. This guy came over and said 'I hope you've checked your batteries!'

'Mine are fine, charged them fresh last night.'

'Ah but...' he said in that condescending know all manner some annoyingly have, 'have you checked your remote controllers batteries. It's a mistake a lot of flyers make...' (This guy is obviously high up in the UAV world so Id better listen!) 'Doesn't matter how good your batteries in your drone are...' (err, excuse me mate, I prefer the term UAV to distinguishing between what I'm flying and what you're doing! - remembered to think that but not say it ) ...'if the controller runs out, that thing will drop out of the sky and you've lost it!'

'Oh what?...' I said, 'You mean like if I do this?' - and proceeded to very dramatically turn off my remote control and laid it on the ground.

His face went from a confused 'why would you do that you idiot?' to open-mouthed, red-faced wonder as my P3P flew back across the water, hovered above us and slowly descended. It paused and hovered at standard height for a moment so I grabbed the opportunity to say 'It's waiting for you to move cos you're standing in its spot!'

Down she came, perfect landing and switched herself off. I couldn't resist a gentle dig so I just said 'Guess you just need to train yours a bit better!' He muttered something but it was incomprehensible and frankly I doubt I could have printed it here anyway LOL
ROTFLMAO!!! ! I love it… "It's waiting for you to move…". I've got to try that sometime, it's brilliant!
 

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