This was going to be an epic flight. The valley was covered by fog, the far side of the canyon was above the clouds and the sun was going to light it all up. All I needed to do, was fly through the hole in the cloud, then rise up through the cloud to reveal nature's beauty. I should have paid more attention to the map screen. I thought I was further from the canyon walls than I was. As I descended below the clouds, I hit a bush on the canyon wall, and my Mavic Pro (along with brand new PloarPro 16ND/PL filter and brand new 64GB SD card - both 2 day old birthday presents) was lost on the near vertical canyon wall.

The aircraft was still easily within video and RC range - in fact, it was just over 200 horizontal feet, and 200 vertical feet away... but totally inaccesible.  I was able to download the 2.7K video from the aircraft using the DJI Go 4 app, before walking away from my Mavic. The canyon walls are, as I said before, near vertical. They are covered with bushes, some of which are poison ivy or poison oak. The ground is unstable, and if you slip, you won't stop for 500 feet or more. Several drone "search and rescue" attempts have been made (we know the exact coordinates of the crash), but the drone landed beneath the canopy of the dense bush cover, so we have been unable to locate it.

DJI Care Refresh does not cover this crash, because even though DJI has access to all the evidence (GPS location; Log Files; HD Video of the crash; Cache video of the crash; photos of the crash site; Google Map imagery; Google Map 3D flight imagery), they don't have the aircaft... a necessity for DJI Care Refresh. So now, I'm drone-less, and will have to replace it myself. An expensive lesson learned.

Here's the video - the last 1.5 minutes of my Mavic Pro (Settings: 2.7K; D-Log; -1,0,0; 16ND/PL; ISO 100; 30fps)

Oh boy. That is a true bummer.
Hope you will find a way

Climb down and get it!

Shoot It WA Posted at 2017-12-1 00:27
Climb down and get it!

I guess you didn't read the reasons why I cannot climb down and get it! I forgot two other reasons: it's a designated wilderness area and it's illegal to climb down there; and, it's a really exclu$ive hou$ing area, and if you start climbing, they will call the police. It's incredibly steep and treacherous, I'm not a mountain climber and don't have the necessary skills or equipment. You'd need at least 380 feet of rope to get to the aircraft. You could climb 300+ feet up a near vertical wall from the bottom, but then you'd have nothing to stop your fall should you slip... that is, if the park service let you drive or walk the 5 miles down the "no public access" track... the same park service which bans drones from flying in their parks! It's gone, ladies and gents. Oh, 2 days after it crashed, we got the first rains of the season! FML!

sad story... but as a climber and team of my regional mountain search and rescue team if it happen to me I will try everything to have my drone back, anyway always respect the rules and regulation so better leave where it is insteat to cause some injuries or the need of help from the autorities, I respect and support your decision to not go trough that fence and risk. Well done, the drone could be replace not you.
Fly safe as soon as possible!!

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 00:33
I guess you didn't read the reasons why I cannot climb down and get it! I forgot two other reasons: it's a designated wilderness area and it's illegal to climb down there; and, it's a really exclu$ive hou$ing area, and if you start climbing, they will call the police. It's incredibly steep and treacherous, I'm not a mountain climber and don't have the necessary skills or equipment. You'd need at least 380 feet of rope to get to the aircraft. You could climb 300+ feet up a near vertical wall from the bottom, but then you'd have nothing to stop your fall should you slip... that is, if the park service let you drive or walk the 5 miles down the "no public access" track... the same park service which bans drones from flying in their parks! It's gone, ladies and gents. Oh, 2 days after it crashed, we got the first rains of the season! FML!

Hi, Jyunte. Sorry for your unexpected experience. We would not recommend users fly in foggy weather or cross through cloud. I think you can try to check the last GPS position in the flight record and see if you can find the drone.

A shame it's impossible to get it, does look that branches acted as airbag in this crash

Great scenery! And sorry for Your loss.
But with a rope, every decent climber can reach you drone from above, just stop by some local climbing club and ask for a favor or at least try it!
Whish You success!

Hope you ll find it soon

Dear Jyunte,

Very sorry reading your experience.
Go ahead! Forget this!
I am certain you will be flying as soon as possible.

Sucks buddy i no you have the what ifs and the  "I should have" but like you said it's probably a lost cause just start saving for another one I feel for you brother hopefully you get another drone pretty fast

Do you know someone with a drone to go look for it and maybe use is to hookup to your drone and pull it out? Just a thought. I've seen videos with people doing this.
I have 2 Mavic's to use for whatever and i would be using the other one to at least locate it and possibly save it.

Agreed, I would see this as a mission.

What ever you do "GOOD LUCK"....Hope you find a way.

Look like it would have been a cool video. Unfortunate pilot error, expensive lesson to learn. Sorry for your loss.

At least you still have your osmo?

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 00:33
I guess you didn't read the reasons why I cannot climb down and get it! I forgot two other reasons: it's a designated wilderness area and it's illegal to climb down there; and, it's a really exclu$ive hou$ing area, and if you start climbing, they will call the police. It's incredibly steep and treacherous, I'm not a mountain climber and don't have the necessary skills or equipment. You'd need at least 380 feet of rope to get to the aircraft. You could climb 300+ feet up a near vertical wall from the bottom, but then you'd have nothing to stop your fall should you slip... that is, if the park service let you drive or walk the 5 miles down the "no public access" track... the same park service which bans drones from flying in their parks! It's gone, ladies and gents. Oh, 2 days after it crashed, we got the first rains of the season! FML!

Were you flying without insurance?

off limits just means its a challenge.  and if they call the police and its as remote and as thick as you claim the police will not bother beyond a short limit.   as for driving into a 'exclusive" housing zone where its maybe closer, again i would do it, that's 1 reason you have car insurance as well.  if someone smashes it up or steals it on private property or public land, it doesn't matter.

alternatively you can go in with a crew of friends on ATVs and hit the area with force. stay on trails or make ur own trails,  and off the roads that trucks and cars can use once in the thick of it that way would be difficult for someone to catch you up.

if it is 50% up the mountain and down the mountain, you can prob pay an experienced climber, 300 foot isn't that much to be bothered about most of the time. just attack it fast..race down the trails in your car or truck and hit  it fast.. an experienced climber shouldn't take that long, maybe an hour,  hardest part would prob be the drone retrieval..

I love all these comments that say "Go climb and get it". It's just what my friends said... Until they saw where it is!

STRIDE8 Posted at 2017-12-1 15:46
Were you flying without insurance?

What insurance? I had DJI Care Refresh. It was denied. State Farm doesn't cover drones in California.

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2017-12-1 06:10
At least you still have your osmo?

Hahaha, I do... Until I accidentally drop it of a cliff!

rolling56 Posted at 2017-12-1 04:24
Do you know someone with a drone to go look for it and maybe use is to hookup to your drone and pull it out? Just a thought. I've seen videos with people doing this.
I have 2 Mavic's to use for whatever and i would be using the other one to at least locate it and possibly save it.

Yes, we've been looking for over a week. 3 people with different drones.

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 16:18
I love all these comments that say "Go climb and get it". It's just what my friends said... Until they saw where it is!

Yep, everything's easy when you aren't the one who has to do it.

Man, that really sucks!! Thanks for sharing your experience and giving us all a reminder to always think and double check.

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 16:18
I love all these comments that say "Go climb and get it". It's just what my friends said... Until they saw where it is!

i would do it.  i would do it for less expensive and more replaceable things.  

one of this things where i would be like:   "hold my beer and watch this"

Rent a helicopter and have them lower you down on a rope. Don't worry about the cost of the chopper being more than a new drone, it's the principle of it!

FatherXmas Posted at 2017-12-1 17:55
Rent a helicopter and have them lower you down on a rope. Don't worry about the cost of the chopper being more than a new drone, it's the principle of it!

HAHA! sort of i mean its more of giving the challenge the middle finger.  

i mean for me its a weekend project, nothing new for me to chase something like that.  , i live in the mountains, but on the east coast side of things.   i know how to repel but only basic solo rappelling down sides of 50-100 foot training walls.  300 foot may scare me a little.  if it does, i'd call my friend that does climbing see if he or any of his climbing pals would be willing to help me out.  i pay them $100 and treat them to something to eat.. maybe more money..depends on things...

djiuser_MP6tU5Q Posted at 2017-12-1 17:47
i would do it.  i would do it for less expensive and more replaceable things.  

one of this things where i would be like:   "hold my beer and watch this"

Hahaha! I'd hold your beer, and man the videocamera!

FatherXmas Posted at 2017-12-1 17:55
Rent a helicopter and have them lower you down on a rope. Don't worry about the cost of the chopper being more than a new drone, it's the principle of it!

The thought did cross my mind!

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 19:44
The thought did cross my mind!

Buy a new one.

And follow the RC hobby rule (assuming you are flying under RC hobby FAA regulations):  Do not fly anything you can't afford to lose (crash, fly away, signal interference shoot down, equipment failure, etc).  

$20,000 jet model aircraft builders know this and so should $900 drone owners.

Gunship9 Posted at 2017-12-1 20:06
Buy a new one.

And follow the RC hobby rule (assuming you are flying under RC hobby FAA regulations):  Do not fly anything you can't afford to lose (crash, fly away, signal interference shoot down, equipment failure, etc).  

Yup, have been flying R/C since I was a kid. This was my first quadcopter with FPV, GPS and self-leveling capabilities, all my other aircraft are fixed wing sporty plans, or very basic quads with no brains whatsoever. I'll be replacing it when my next credit card cycle begins (December 6th)!

sorry for Your loss.  Thanks for sharing this with us. will take precautions to prevent it happened in the future flights.

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 20:44
Yup, have been flying R/C since I was a kid. This was my first quadcopter with FPV, GPS and self-leveling capabilities, all my other aircraft are fixed wing sporty plans, or very basic quads with no brains whatsoever. I'll be replacing it when my next credit card cycle begins (December 6th)!

Replacing it with a white one?  

Fortunately DJI just keeps making better and better toys to upgrade to.  

Copilot, "You just lost your two year old drone in the ocean!"

Pilot excitedly pulling up DJI advertisement on smartphone, "Thank God."

Jyunte Posted at 2017-12-1 16:19
What insurance? I had DJI Care Refresh. It was denied. State Farm doesn't cover drones in California.

Statefarm...Man..sorry to hear that

Just get some ATVs and drive off the 380 foot cliff in a protected area and retrieve it. LMAO!

How could you go wrong with such good advice you're getting from this forum?

Oh, bummer! -- insert sad face here...

That was a 'gentle' crash too - so much so that if you did get the drone back it would probably need nothing more than a prop or two and a clean up. Really sorry to see this as more frustrating than anything I'm sure. Expensive lesson learned no doubt.

Hugh Jaynus Posted at 2017-12-4 13:54
Just get some ATVs and drive off the 380 foot cliff in a protected area and retrieve it. LMAO!

How could you go wrong with such good advice you're getting from this forum?

Hahaha! Over 500 ft, actually!  That makes it easier!

A CW Posted at 2017-12-4 14:30
That was a 'gentle' crash too - so much so that if you did get the drone back it would probably need nothing more than a prop or two and a clean up. Really sorry to see this as more frustrating than anything I'm sure. Expensive lesson learned no doubt.

I doubt there was any injury to the Mavic at all... it's just impossible to get to.  So many people tell me to just climb down and get it. I've taken a few to the crash site, then they change their opinion... "Oh, no... it's gone! You can't climb down, or up there!"

Oooh man, that sucks...I hope you can get it back somehow..