Hi,

I have just got Mavic Mini CE version. I have one question regarding lost connection when less than 20m away.

In the manual, it says that when RTH is initiated when drone is less than 20m away, "it will just land automatically".

Is there's some option to select "return to home at current altitude when less that 20m away" (this option was actually available for DJI Spark)? Will it just land where it's at - or it will descent to some point close to the ground and then wait for the user to regain the connection and to CONFIRM landind?

For instance, sometimes it could happen when less that 20m away, that connection is lost (high interference nearby for instance)!! In such situation Mavic Mini will just start landing with no user control at all (could be then landing right into the sea for instance)!

Is there any option available to stop or control landing when connection is broken less than 20m away?

No, it will land where it is, there are no options to bring it home. However if it starts landing, you can either cancel the RTH by pressing the RTH button again, or give it up stick and stop it landing.

For instance, sometimes it could happen when less that 20m away, that connection is lost (high interference nearby for instance)!!
That sounds extremely unlikely

In such situation Mavic Mini will just start landing with no user control at all (could be then landing right into the sea for instance)!
The extremely simple solution is to choose a launch spot that it's a safe location for an automated RTH landing.

It's not returning to home it's just landing, so what is the reasoning as to why it forces landing inside of 20 metres?

deathsquad Posted at 3-12 16:31
It's not returning to home it's just landing, so what is the reasoning as to why it forces landing inside of 20 metres?

DJI have never said, which is in line with their policy of not telling anyone anything. The only theory I have seen is that it is intended for when the aircraft is being flown inside a building, when it would be dangerous to climb to the RTH altitude.

The connection break within 20m could happen for instance when using some 2.4 channel selected in MANUAL mode (2.4 has far better range but often lots of interferrence all the way). This can happen very easily, even in AUTO mode because CE version has much weaker signal anyways.

For such case, DJI Spark had option "rth at current altitude" which meant that whenever the drone is within 20m and rth is initiated (for instance signal gets broken) - it will just start approaching home location at its current altitude.

Denndb Posted at 3-12 22:51
The connection break within 20m could happen for instance when using some 2.4 channel selected in MANUAL mode (2.4 has far better range but often lots of interferrence all the way). This can happen very easily, even in AUTO mode because CE version has much weaker signal anyways.

For such case, DJI Spark had option "rth at current altitude" which meant that whenever the drone is within 20m and rth is initiated (for instance signal gets broken) - it will just start approaching home location at its current altitude.

The connection break within 20m could happen ... but it's very unlikely

Not yet, many have requested this, so let’s see what next FW brings. My guess is if they allow fly back at present altitude that we will have many complaints about craft hitting a tree in their garden. ;+):::::

Do you think that following procedure might work as some workaround...

Use case:
MM is in MANUAL 2.4GHz  mode, less than 20m hovering above water - connection suddenly starts glitching (because of some new interference on selected 2.4 channel) and RTH message starts popping up!

Possible workaround:
Selecting CANCEL when RTH prompt pops up (in such case I assume MM will stay still in the air and keep prompting for RTH again...)
Going to Transmission settings and selecting some more stable 5.8 channel while MM is still in the air (I can assume that MM will then regain connction and signal will be completely restored for safe landing).

Would such scenario work in order to avoid landing into the water?

Denndb Posted at 3-13 04:23
Do you think that following procedure might work as some workaround...

Use case:

Hi Denndb,

If you loose full connection between RC<>Craft....nothing you can do, as your commands made in te app are not received by the craft. You can only watch it enter RTH after 11 seconds, thus autolanding when within 20 meters of HP.  
** so always try to find a takeoff spot not close to water, or  as a full diconnection doesn`t happen alot, take the risk **
(or takeoff into hover, adjust HP in the flyapp to a position where the craft can RTH to or autoland to...)

If only the video signal is lost, craft will RTH as well (and thus autoland < 20 mtr from HP), this can be cancelled ; so RC is still in full control wich means you can fly craft back home away from that over water flight....

cheers
JJB

Denndb Posted at 3-13 04:23
Do you think that following procedure might work as some workaround...

Use case:

Would such scenario work in order to avoid landing into the water?
Why complicate things?    Keep it simple.
If you want to avoid landing in the water?
Find a safe area for an RTH landing, use that as your launch point and you won't have to worry about fiddling around with settings.

OK, one more question, just for me to understand this procedure better.

So in such case (aircraft disconnected completely less than 20m away, failsafe RTH is triggered, the aircraft starts landing) - is "landing protection" feature engaged in such scenario or not?

Denndb Posted at 3-14 06:25
OK, one more question, just for me to understand this procedure better.

So in such case (aircraft disconnected completely less than 20m away, failsafe RTH is triggered, the aircraft starts landing) - is "landing protection" feature engaged in such scenario or not?

You cannot disable Landing Protection on a MM.

But if the SW thinks that the surface is a good landng spot ( = level flat surface water) if will just land and start swimming....

cheers
JJB

Get MM pontoons.

You can try changing reaction to signal loss in the fly app menu. There are 3 options.
1. RTH (Default setting, within 20m from the start it is just a descend to land)
2. Descend
3. Hover
You should try the third option. It gives you time to try to establish connection with the drone to regain control so you can fly it back. It is no "RTH at current height" you asked for but it is probably the best option for you now. Just do not use it when you intend to fly at somewhere far or hard to have VLOS because once you lose signal the mini will hover in the inaccessible location until the battery goes flat and you might not be able to go collect it or reestablish connection.