Hello all-
I don't believe I posted this here and if so apologies in advance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHofl3UY1k
Recently had a flyaway of my PV2+ Morning launch, was going to get up and take a few pics of nice sunrise. Being an actual pilot I usually get a weather briefing including winds aloft prior to a flight so I have an idea as to what to expect. Even though surface winds might be dead calm, winds aloft can be an entirely different story - as they were in this case. Once I reached altitude I lost FPV. I had been having intermittent drop outs of the wifi but it was only on occasion. It usually took a few seconds to reset the wifi and back in business. Today when it reconnected the drone was not holding position and had been blown about a 1/4 mile away. Wifi cuts out again, reconnection is unsuccessful and drone is fast moving out of sight. RTH is initiated but visually I can see that the PV2+ is NOT RTH but still moving away. Within a minute or two it is out of sight over heavily forested area and I feel sick because of it. Wifi connects for the last time and telemetry tells me that battery is 10% and PV2+ is still at altitude and about a mile away from home.
I used the find my phantom feature which gave me the last known reporting point as a reference for starting my search. I was uncertain if the Phantom was 1) attempting to land 2) attempting to RTH 3) being carried by the wind
Assuming it was trying to RTH I searched a wide area from last known point TOWARDS home - no luck.
Using last known point I searched AWAY from home (further away from last known point) under the assumption the wind had carried it away and this is where I ultimately found my PV2+.
It was found 500-800 feet away from last known point. Initial damage assessment : two broken props/ camera ripped off but intact/ Gimbal arm bent/ battery ejected but recharged and working
I took a hair dryer to battery and PV2+ and it started up, flew with new props. Gimbal needs to be repaired / replaced but haven't gotten that far.
FORTUNATELY I was able to retrieve footage from the SD. I believe the PV2+ was attempting to hold position in strong winds, was unable to do so and was blown off course.
The first part of the video is the ground search, the last 10 minutes is the aerial footage of the PV2+ doing spins and being blown off course
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHofl3UY1k
I don't believe I posted this here and if so apologies in advance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHofl3UY1k
Recently had a flyaway of my PV2+ Morning launch, was going to get up and take a few pics of nice sunrise. Being an actual pilot I usually get a weather briefing including winds aloft prior to a flight so I have an idea as to what to expect. Even though surface winds might be dead calm, winds aloft can be an entirely different story - as they were in this case. Once I reached altitude I lost FPV. I had been having intermittent drop outs of the wifi but it was only on occasion. It usually took a few seconds to reset the wifi and back in business. Today when it reconnected the drone was not holding position and had been blown about a 1/4 mile away. Wifi cuts out again, reconnection is unsuccessful and drone is fast moving out of sight. RTH is initiated but visually I can see that the PV2+ is NOT RTH but still moving away. Within a minute or two it is out of sight over heavily forested area and I feel sick because of it. Wifi connects for the last time and telemetry tells me that battery is 10% and PV2+ is still at altitude and about a mile away from home.
I used the find my phantom feature which gave me the last known reporting point as a reference for starting my search. I was uncertain if the Phantom was 1) attempting to land 2) attempting to RTH 3) being carried by the wind
Assuming it was trying to RTH I searched a wide area from last known point TOWARDS home - no luck.
Using last known point I searched AWAY from home (further away from last known point) under the assumption the wind had carried it away and this is where I ultimately found my PV2+.
It was found 500-800 feet away from last known point. Initial damage assessment : two broken props/ camera ripped off but intact/ Gimbal arm bent/ battery ejected but recharged and working
I took a hair dryer to battery and PV2+ and it started up, flew with new props. Gimbal needs to be repaired / replaced but haven't gotten that far.
FORTUNATELY I was able to retrieve footage from the SD. I believe the PV2+ was attempting to hold position in strong winds, was unable to do so and was blown off course.
The first part of the video is the ground search, the last 10 minutes is the aerial footage of the PV2+ doing spins and being blown off course
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHofl3UY1k