Water Tower Crash

Joined
Jul 3, 2015
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Age
48
Sorry no actual video of the crash because the video on the SD card is corrupt. That is the only thing I am actually mad about.

P3P with 1.4 FW and a boosted fpvlr antenna.

I am flying out 1600 feet to go around this water tower (never flown around a water tower before). I get1200 ft out and start to lose signal but it comes back. I am at 160 ft elevation. The area is wooded. I get to the back of the tower and complete lose signal. I keep the stick in the same direction in hope I will regain signal on the other side. Didn't think to go up also at that time. Anyways, no signal comes back and I get a return to home which I cancel and then I see what is on the second video.

What could have been the cause of loss of signal.

I don't know if you can see it in the video but the tower has radio type equipment on to and on the sides could this have cause it or is it just because I was too low going around a giant steel ball filled with water?

I am concerned about the loss of signal before the tower and wondering if that was 1.4 FW related.

Also should have had the RTH set higher it was at 50m. Live and learn.

I did get it back it was by the tower which was surrounded by a huge barbed wire fence.

Time to rebuild!!!



This is the video off of the ipad.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

crash.jpg

crash1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Yeah that is what I thought. Thanks.

Also are all those minor signal errors normal?
 
You have some serious signs of malfunction at 1.01 and 1.15 (tilting to the left).
Seeing the tilting I think a good move would be to directly switch to atti mode and try to get it home.

Edit:
Unless you had it set to FPV mode instead of follow mode. In FPV mode, the tilting is not a sign of malfunction of course.
 
Last edited:
... What could have been the cause of loss of signal. ...
I don't think it is to far fetched that a giant metal ball filled with water would block a 2.4 GHz signal.
Remember that at these frequencies you need line of sight.
 
Yeah I am pretty sure I was in FPV. I remember pitching to the right.

I have flown way further but never behind a big metal object. Yeah I definitely should have been higher. Noob move for sure. :)
 
Ok trying to asses the damage. Need a shell and props but everything else looks good.

What color is the little led on the top front of the gimbal suppose to be when the p3 is on and the IMU is all warmed up?

I can't find anything online that tells me anything about that light other than when updating the firmware.

Thanks!
 
It turns green when the gimbal has initialized (a few seconds after the "little camera dance").
 
Typical water tower. Loaded with communication antennas.
 
You have some serious signs of malfunction at 1.01 and 1.15 (tilting to the left).
Seeing the tilting I think a good move would be to directly switch to atti mode and try to get it home.

Edit:
Unless you had it set to FPV mode instead of follow mode. In FPV mode, the tilting is not a sign of malfunction of course.
Definitely agree on switching to ATTI mode when this stuff occurs.

Sorry 0100, hope you can get it fixed with just the shell and propellers. That sucks!
 
There are also antennas on top the tower, likely for cellular communications. Interference from those may have also played a role.
 
That looks like a perfect storm... radios out the wing wang... and a million gallons of RF absorbing material... and tons of RF reflective material... lots of moisture below you in those trees which cuts into your Fresnel zone.
 
Yeah guys I had no idea what kind of situation I was getting myself into. The perfect storm like Bryce said. :D


It turns green when the gimbal has initialized (a few seconds after the "little camera dance").

Oh boy that is what I was afraid of. Mine starts off flashing green then flashes red. Anyone know what that means? I could have sworn it was a solid red after the flashing green, last night when I tested it.

What is that little light on the top front of the gimbal base even for?

(edit) I didn't have the SD card in. When I put the card in it is now solid green.

So I think flashing red means no SD card
Solid green good to go.
I could have sworn I had a solid red last night, anyone know what that is?


The indicator lights are showing good, flashing green.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I have a water tower near the house. Seen near the end of this video

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

It's full of antennas. I so want to fly closer, but know better. So, I stay on my side of the main road. I know it's not 2.4 friendly. Had interference on a 250fpv I was testing on that green space.
 
Typical water tower. Loaded with communication antennas.
Yep, this is why I have avoided the water towers. I want to fly around them so badly but all those antenna's and equipment has me scared. Don't want to lose a $1000 flying camera to "test" whether its safe or not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jbundy63
Yep, this is why I have avoided the water towers. I want to fly around them so badly but all those antenna's and equipment has me scared. Don't want to lose a $1000 flying camera to "test" whether its safe or not.

You could "inch up" to it? :)
 
Yeah guys I had no idea what kind of situation I was getting myself into. The perfect storm like Bryce said. :D




Oh boy that is what I was afraid of. Mine starts off flashing green then flashes red. Anyone know what that means? I could have sworn it was a solid red after the flashing green, last night when I tested it.

What is that little light on the top front of the gimbal base even for?

(edit) I didn't have the SD card in. When I put the card in it is now solid green.

So I think flashing red means no SD card
Solid green good to go.
I could have sworn I had a solid red last night, anyone know what that is?


The indicator lights are showing good, flashing green.
You just answered your own question-- no sd card - no green light :D
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,356
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.