Wow I have had my share of fails, but the important thing is to learn from them always check calibration, satellites, put it up for a test bring it down straight away. The guys on here have got me running my essential tests. No room for flying indoors to outdoors. I get what you are saying about pressure to fly in dangerous conditions I traveled ten miles up a mountain recently and the wind was fierce. I refused to put the drone up and packed it away. I guess you will do this in future

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-5-16 09:01
He had strong interference at take off, if it came from the railing it happened then but my guess is it came from wherever Aircraft was launched from, if it came from flying over the railing then as soon as it cleared the railing compass would be fine.

''Strong Aircraft Interference'' occurred at 6.9s after power-up.  

From what I have read ''Strong Aircraft Interference'' is reference to radio communications between drone and RC or Smartdevice (WiFi).   Not compass sensor interference.

WeeAirDrone Posted at 2018-5-16 10:33
Wow I have had my share of fails, but the important thing is to learn from them always check calibration, satellites, put it up for a test bring it down straight away. The guys on here have got me running my essential tests. No room for flying indoors to outdoors. I get what you are saying about pressure to fly in dangerous conditions I traveled ten miles up a mountain recently and the wind was fierce. I refused to put the drone up and packed it away. I guess you will do this in future

I most certainly will.  Lesson learned.

HedgeTrimmer Posted at 2018-5-16 10:34
''Strong Aircraft Interference'' occurred at 6.9s after power-up.  

From what I have read ''Strong Aircraft Interference'' is reference to radio communications between drone and RC or Smartdevice (WiFi).   Not compass sensor interference.

That is my understanding as well.
The compass throws a different error.

Was there a compass problem?  maybe.
Was it a bad idea to fly from 16 floors up indoors to out?  Yep.
Did I make a big mistake?  HELL YEAH.
Will I make it again?  HELL NO.
Did i get lucky to not have to buy a new aircraft?  YES.
Will i make this mistake again?  oh, i answered that already.  NOPE.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-16 10:29
Yes.  my room had the exact same railing.
I launched from about 6-8 feet from railing.  hovered inside the room.  flew out of the room over the railing and out into the wind.  The closest I was able to get to the railing again before being thrown into the door of the room next to mine was about 5 feet.  I know this because it was about 2 feet out of reach.

I think DJI should put a warning label on the packaging.  This is NOT a toy.  

Good one!  
Wish they would put that on cars too.  Along with stickers like - This vehicle is equipped with Turn Signals!

3-D Posted at 2018-5-16 10:44
That is my understanding as well.
The compass throws a different error.

''The compass throws a different error''

It usually will, but not as expected.
Based on some recent testing I have done, drone / GO-4 app will warn:
If magnetic interference is strong enough and is present more than briefly period.

When I initially tried moving my MPP drone closer or further away from known source of magnetic interference, there was brief delay (1 to 2 seconds) before GO-4 app either warned or dropped warning.  

As for strength, it appears to vary based on amount ferrous metal, surface area of ferrous metal within close proximity of drone, and whether ferrous metal is acting like a magnet or a shield.  As to later, I have seen ferrous metal cause an increase in magnetic field strength and in other cases cause a decrease in magnetic field strength.

Anyway, it was good of you to post your story.     It will serve as a warning to others.

HedgeTrimmer Posted at 2018-5-16 10:47
I think DJI should put a warning label on the packaging.  This is NOT a toy.  

Good one!  

That is a crusade i can get behind.  There is a local radio host on public radio that always signs off his boradcast with, "Please use your turn signals"

Thanks for sharing! My brother-in-law asked me if he could use my drone for his trip to portugal, while he has zero experience. I told him he couldn’t. Although flying my Mavic Air is pretty easy, there are so many things you need to know. People think too easy about it.

fansba34921c Posted at 2018-5-16 23:59
Thanks for sharing! My brother-in-law asked me if he could use my drone for his trip to portugal, while he has zero experience. I told him he couldn’t. Although flying my Mavic Air is pretty easy, there are so many things you need to know. People think too easy about it.

You're so right!  and then when you've done all of your pre-checks and prep,  the actual flying IS easy.  But it takes planning.  It takes preparedness.  I'll only let someone else fly if i'm standing right beside them, and I am able to take control back if anything goes awry.

Take it to another country without me?  NOPE.  Too many unknowns.  you have to do a lot of research before flying.  people see this cool little toy, and think, "oh boy.  i can do that!"  with no thought to laws/regulations or safety of those around, or the drone itself!

I hate to say that I was right in these situations but yeah, no way did that drone get blown around in the wind as some incorrectly claimed. Thank you for the info as it helps to understand how the drones work and how to fly them safely.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-16 10:29
Yes.  my room had the exact same railing.
I launched from about 6-8 feet from railing.  hovered inside the room.  flew out of the room over the railing and out into the wind.  The closest I was able to get to the railing again before being thrown into the door of the room next to mine was about 5 feet.  I know this because it was about 2 feet out of reach.

That's true, but our wives would still not believe that it's not a toy

Segull Posted at 2018-5-23 14:00
That's true, but our wives would still not believe that it's not a toy

Nope.  She says to me "i'm glad you're enjoying your little toy"  

3-D Posted at 2018-5-16 10:44
That is my understanding as well.
The compass throws a different error.

THE BIGGGGGG question is, did you get lucky the bird didn't hit the hotel wall bounce back out an fall to it's death, maybe taking an unsuspecting passerby with it? YES major "luck"
Just the fact that you flew over a surely populated area makes this whole experience one that should never have even been considered.
I have a "friend" that is constantly telling me I have no stones because I don't do what he wants me to do, like the day I received the Inspire he wanted me to fly it in the office, guess what? I'll live with no stones thank you very much!

mixchief Posted at 2018-5-24 08:21
THE BIGGGGGG question is, did you get lucky the bird didn't hit the hotel wall bounce back out an fall to it's death, maybe taking an unsuspecting passerby with it? YES major "luck"
Just the fact that you flew over a surely populated area makes this whole experience one that should never have even been considered.
I have a "friend" that is constantly telling me I have no stones because I don't do what he wants me to do, like the day I received the Inspire he wanted me to fly it in the office, guess what? I'll live with no stones thank you very much!

That is one thing that I did check before the flight.  There was nobody around the clock tower, and nobody on the veranda below.  It was about 6:30am and the closest people to me were about 100 yds away on the beach.  That was the beauty of the shot for me.  the clock tower with no people at it.  That portion was perfect!  But yeah.  It was a bad idea, for more than one reason.  That is why i wanted to share it.  Hoping to get other new pilots thinking more before they launch.

And yeah, people can call me what they will.  I'll be the guy with no stones.  I don't care.  Again, it's WAS a different pressure because it was my wife.  ANYONE else (and now, even her) will get a hard pass.

I'd tell that 'friend' that i'll be glad to watch him fly his own inspire in the office, but mine is not coming out to play today.  (besides, i don't know of any situation that makes it ok to fly an inspire indoors.)

3-D Posted at 2018-5-24 09:00
That is one thing that I did check before the flight.  There was nobody around the clock tower, and nobody on the veranda below.  It was about 6:30am and the closest people to me were about 100 yds away on the beach.  That was the beauty of the shot for me.  the clock tower with no people at it.  That portion was perfect!  But yeah.  It was a bad idea, for more than one reason.  That is why i wanted to share it.  Hoping to get other new pilots thinking more before they launch.

And yeah, people can call me what they will.  I'll be the guy with no stones.  I don't care.  Again, it's WAS a different pressure because it was my wife.  ANYONE else (and now, even her) will get a hard pass.

There was a post on YT where an "experienced" YT "pilot" tried the same thing taking off from the bed. The thing is, and I found this out the hard way, phantoms in particular when they have no GPS )(mine is a 3S) they tend to not take off straight in atti and I'm sure this guy did not give it time to get enough satelites, well he took off, the Phantom lunges right right into the flatscreen TV mounted on the wall an busted the screen. So much for that trick LOL

mixchief Posted at 2018-5-24 12:43
There was a post on YT where an "experienced" YT "pilot" tried the same thing taking off from the bed. The thing is, and I found this out the hard way, phantoms in particular when they have no GPS )(mine is a 3S) they tend to not take off straight in atti and I'm sure this guy did not give it time to get enough satelites, well he took off, the Phantom lunges right right into the flatscreen TV mounted on the wall an busted the screen. So much for that trick LOL

That proves a few points.

1) Some drones should not be used indoors
1) i obviously didn't watch enough videos before i bought my drone
1) knowing your drone and what it is capable of doing and NOT doing is important.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-24 12:46
That proves a few points.

1) Some drones should not be used indoors

Well you really must consider the size of the drone and space around you and your abilities as a pilot. I tried flying the P3S inside an empty....actually gutted hotel room and the darn thing lunged back towards me and I reacted by landing it which was stupid, let's say I'm lucky the props did no more than scratch my ankles. Mind you, there was plenty of room to fly a P3 in a n empty 12X24 foot room , but they can be a bit unpredictable that way and unless you are truly experienced (unlike myself) the reaction can be , let's say, not very pretty.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-15 07:26
TRUTH.  She is probably the only one that would be able to get me to do that.

I was fine knowing that GPS wouldn't be great. I knew that it would be only line of sight, and i was "only going out to do a POI, then back in." I didn't think about the fact that the compass would be affected.  Lesson learned.  Lucky for me it wasn't a very expensive lesson.

I'm not one for religion but this picture says 3 things to me, 1 angels love fools and their drones, 2 a minion of them must have been watching you and3 you didn't crash onto a balcony, you crashed on a window ledge.
Thanks for the story, seriously, I would have done the same in your situation. But knowing me, I would have shot out of the room like a rocket and crashed trying to ease it back in. I'm obviously a newbie as well. I'm much more careful than I used to be though. Holding the 107 makes you careful, very careful lol.

djiuser_WIgd4pADeqf0 Posted at 2018-5-27 22:18
I'm not one for religion but this picture says 3 things to me, 1 angels love fools and their drones, 2 a minion of them must have been watching you and3 you didn't crash onto a balcony, you crashed on a window ledge.  
Thanks for the story, seriously, I would have done the same in your situation. But knowing me, I would have shot out of the room like a rocket and crashed trying to ease it back in. I'm obviously a newbie as well. I'm much more careful than I used to be though. Holding the 107 makes you careful, very careful lol.

how long did it take you to study for and take your 107?

3-D Posted at 2018-5-27 22:27
how long did it take you to study for and take your 107?

A couple months, though I work 50 + hours a week  2nd/3rd shift studying after work. It helped that I already knew the phonetic alphabet and charting form the U.S.C.G (that didn't help me with towers, allowed elevation or airspace on said charts). I scored an 88% after all. It's not bad, just pay attention to detail. They get tricky with the charting and rules.  If you want it and have the money, an online course like Drone Pilot Ground School will significantly cut the unknowns and help you pass the test.

DieselXL Posted at 2018-5-28 01:58
A couple months, though I work 50 + hours a week  2nd/3rd shift studying after work. It helped that I already knew the phonetic alphabet and charting form the U.S.C.G (that didn't help me with towers, allowed elevation or airspace on said charts). I scored an 88% after all. It's not bad, just pay attention to detail. They get tricky with the charting and rules.  If you want it and have the money, an online course like Drone Pilot Ground School will significantly cut the unknowns and help you pass the test.

Thanks.  I also know the phonetic alphabet,  I've been learning the charts from the downloadable guide from the FAA, and have been considering a class to prepare me to take the test.  I'll probably go ahead and get it in the next month or so.  

Look I am glad you recovered your aircraft.  Also, for sure there are lessons to be learned. BUT....this was an insane plan from the outset and most likely illegal!  Sorry to be a party pooper here but drones are already considered to be the work of the devil!  The rules for flying them and the law are already very restrictive.  This kind of poor judgement will only make the rules more stringent and the cost of insurance higher.  Great that you got your bird back.

fans451c11fd Posted at 2018-5-28 14:20
Look I am glad you recovered your aircraft.  Also, for sure there are lessons to be learned. BUT....this was an insane plan from the outset and most likely illegal!  Sorry to be a party pooper here but drones are already considered to be the work of the devil!  The rules for flying them and the law are already very restrictive.  This kind of poor judgement will only make the rules more stringent and the cost of insurance higher.  Great that you got your bird back.

There was nothing illegal about it.  It was just stupid.  There were no people below, I had written authorization to fly in the airspace.  I was below 400' AGL.  The only problem was flying from indoors to out, and not considering windage.

Yeah, i'm aware that people don't like drones, and i'm doing everything i can do to be a responsible pilot and follow the rules.   This is also the reason that i posted it.  Even through reading, and following all of the rules, there are also other things to consider when taking your bird out.  For the most part, in my experience, people have been curious, and not condemning.  And this is because I'm not bothering them, but they happen to notice me either taking or landing.  Being respectful of other peoples space and property, and just generally not being a stinkhole with my new craft.
While I agree that this flight was in poor judgement, it was only so for the sake of the drone, and not the safety of others or in the adherence of any laws/rules/regulations.

This is, as the title says, a warning for other new pilots.  We all need to think about what we are doing before flight, not just about the rules, but about the conditions and all factors that are involved with the flight.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-28 12:30
Thanks.  I also know the phonetic alphabet,  I've been learning the charts from the downloadable guide from the FAA, and have been considering a class to prepare me to take the test.  I'll probably go ahead and get it in the next month or so.

Good luck!!

fans451c11fd Posted at 2018-5-28 14:20
Look I am glad you recovered your aircraft.  Also, for sure there are lessons to be learned. BUT....this was an insane plan from the outset and most likely illegal!  Sorry to be a party pooper here but drones are already considered to be the work of the devil!  The rules for flying them and the law are already very restrictive.  This kind of poor judgement will only make the rules more stringent and the cost of insurance higher.  Great that you got your bird back.

Your right, the more accidents the more knee-jerk reactions we get from local municipalities and in the end the FAA. I feel there's a gap between your first drone and reality. I bought an F 200 Shadow capable of going 300 meters. I live in the country so the chances of an accident were minuscule but it was there. I took it straight up as I'm sure many have done. I had no clue what the FAA regulations were, I didn't think they pertained, it was a toy. I was even then looking and listening for other aircraft, I'm an ex Coastie, safety is always my first thought. After, I got the Mavic Air and started getting questions from others I give them the FAA regulations speech before I tell them anything about the drone. Right now I feel its the only thing we can do to help other prospective pilots. A sign in the drone section of any given store would be a great start and probably easier to accomplish than getting a manufacturer to put anything on the box. It's not all common sense to many. I will say, in 3 D's picture, there were no people meaning it was a poorly thought out action as opposed to blatant disregard.  Him sharing the story is admirable, he knew he could be lambasted for the action but felt the need to alert others of the danger.

DieselXL Posted at 2018-5-28 15:33
Your right, the more accidents the more knee-jerk reactions we get from local municipalities and in the end the FAA. I feel there's a gap between your first drone and reality. I bought an F 200 Shadow capable of going 300 meters. I live in the country so the chances of an accident were minuscule but it was there. I took it straight up as I'm sure many have done. I had no clue what the FAA regulations were, I didn't think they pertained, it was a toy. I was even then looking and listening for other aircraft, I'm an ex Coastie, safety is always my first thought. After, I got the Mavic Air and started getting questions from others I give them the FAA regulations speech before I tell them anything about the drone. Right now I feel its the only thing we can do to help other prospective pilots. A sign in the drone section of any given store would be a great start and probably easier to accomplish than getting a manufacturer to put anything on the box. It's not all common sense to many. I will say, in 3 D's picture, there were no people meaning it was a poorly thought out action as opposed to blatant disregard.  Him sharing the story is admirable, he knew he could be lambasted for the action but felt the need to alert others of the danger.

Thank you.

I read this as "he just had a stupid moment, he's not a complete a-hole."  and yep.  I'll take it.  If it helps just one pilot think about more, then i've helped the community.  

Luckily, the community has been more supportive then abusive.  I appreciate that, and i appreciate all of the comments made.  It is my hope that people not only read my story but all of the comments as well.  The different perspectives help a lot.

Thanks DieselXL

3-D Posted at 2018-5-28 16:02
Thank you.

I read this as "he just had a stupid moment, he's not a complete a-hole."  and yep.  I'll take it.  If it helps just one pilot think about more, then i've helped the community.  

We ALL (can I make that word bigger?) have stupid moments, some of us admit it and some don't.  Most of my response to fans45 was directed towards Joe the consumer, not you. and yes, the majority of responses were in good nature and I'm just as glad of that as you are (I'm not a "joiner" but like this forum).
You tried something unknown to you, you failed... and in your failing, you and all that reads this thread learn a lesson.
Thank YOU, Sir, for being the Guinee Pig :-)