This is what happens if you don't preflight.    I was out testing some of the functions in the Pilot App.   Then these trucks came down the street.   Maybe I'll test my skills at following them.   Bad Idea.    ALWAYS, make sure you scope out your shoot before flying!!!!

http://youtu.be/2-4UfWatDe0

Your video is marked as private  ;(

"Video is private"

Faken Posted at 2015-6-16 09:31
"Video is private"

Should be public now.

Bugger!!     Were you watching the screen at the time or something else?

How much damage?  Did you just think you were going to clear the tree?  I don't understand. From the video it looks like it would have been obvious you were going to hit it.

john.lambert4@o Posted at 2015-6-16 09:47
Bugger!!     Were you watching the screen at the time or something else?

Many lessons to be learned here.   But yes.....I was watching the screen and only two blocks from my home.   I was trying to move into shade so I could see the screen on my tablet.

jhall651 Posted at 2015-6-16 09:48
How much damage?  Did you just think you were going to clear the tree?  I don't understand. From the ...

I damaged the fuselage and two blades.    Nothing more that I can tell so far.   Really lucky.   I was not paying close enough attention to think I was/or was not going to clear the tree.   When near my home, I always fly about 200 feet, because I know that the highest obstruction is 160 feet here.   This time, I just decided to fly without any planning and was following.   I ASSUMED I was above the highest point in this two block radius.   I should have gone and measured appropriately without flying on a whim.   I didn't do the proper amount of preflight preparation before the operation.   That is the lesson to be learned here.

MikeAngelo Posted at 2015-6-16 09:56
Many lessons to be learned here.   But yes.....I was watching the screen and only two blocks from  ...

That's something I had problems with the other day when flying in full sun - to keep the controller pointing at the P3, I couldn't stand in the shade and found it very difficult to see the screen.  I need one of those shades!!

john.lambert4@o Posted at 2015-6-16 10:47
That's something I had problems with the other day when flying in full sun - to keep the controlle ...

Or try an anti-glare screen protector. I use my iPad Air 2 which already has an anti-glare screen built in to it and I find it much easier to see. And wear sun glasses it can help and make a big difference when looking at your drone in the sky.

Jack57 Posted at 2015-6-16 10:57
Or try an anti-glare screen protector. I use my iPad Air 2 which already has an anti-glare screen  ...

Unfortunately my sunglasses are polarized, so they blank out my screen (in landscape orientation anyway).  

vu.q.le@outlook Posted at 2015-6-16 10:59
I couldn't stop laughing with the music and all.

haha.....I was gonna put the music from the movie "Halloween".....but, couldn't find it

The hardest part in the beginning is training your brain to think in 3 dimensions ... while still paying attention to battery life, video composition, people dogs cars trees, proper gimbal position, etc. all at the same time.  It's like in the Star Trek movie with Khan, and he tends to think in terms of forward/back and left/right only, not up/down.  And we all know what happened to him!!

Hope it's repairable.  Fingers crossed.

@MikeAngelo: a big hug, unfortunately I know that feeling ;)

As HunterBrooks wrote, thinking in 3D with all the other sfuff could be thought. I used to fly higher (about 40m) because of absence of people around me (also because I live in a really vertical place, with 200m wall of rocks) but I crashed mine into a 6mt tree

By the way Mike, if you think you'll need direct DJI support think on it twice. Near a month of knowing nothing about my bird

What I learned by the video and OP's reply to comments is that if I ever get into a,position where I can't see my DJI app screen or my craft, stop all movement of the craft until I can see the screen again. Also, maybe try to gain altititude safely if there are no other aircraft in the are.

Hope you didn't get too much damage!

HunterBrooks Posted at 2015-6-16 13:11
The hardest part in the beginning is training your brain to think in 3 dimensions ... while still pa ...

Totally agree.   I believe it has been repaired.   At a minimum, it is a flyable droid that can still produce video and still shots.    I have taken two post crash test flights since.   I have not had the opportunity to check all the numbers/settings to ensure all is still perfect.

Thanks for the good words.

bactrimforte Posted at 2015-6-16 16:07
@MikeAngelo: a big hug, unfortunately I know that feeling ;)

As HunterBrooks wrote, thinking in 3D  ...

thank you bactrimforte.    I think I have my bird back in the air.   I hope the service gets better for you!!

stevetimman@yah Posted at 2015-6-16 17:19
What I learned by the video and OP's reply to comments is that if I ever get into a,position where I ...

ABSOLUTELY, Steve!    In this particular case, I did lose app connection and was not able to see the 6 inches it would have taken to avoid that pine tree.  I thought I was ok because I could see the tree visually.   from my ground vantage point, the drone appeared to be just above the tree.    But, you can't make those types of judgement calls without EVERYTHING working as it should.

And, the bigger lesson learned for me is to never have an operation that is not fully planned.   Don't be spontaneous with your $1200's.   haha

leoamartinez@gm Posted at 2015-6-16 18:04
Hope you didn't get too much damage!

Nothing a little electrical tape didn't fix.

MikeAngelo Posted at 2015-6-17 00:19
Nothing a little electrical tape didn't fix.

MikeAngelo, just curious what process you use, if any  - for measuring the high of structures in your surrounding before you fly?

Juan.Jax Posted at 2015-6-17 00:25
MikeAngelo, just curious what process you use, if any  - for measuring the high of structures in y ...

I scout the area and find the highest point within X amount of distance from homepoint.  Usually, well beyond my planned route of flight.    I fly the drone with the app on and use 2-3 vertical flights to measure the top of the highest object.   Then add an appropriate amount of meters/feet.   And, do not fly lower than that.

Obviously, I didn't listen to my own preflight procedures on this one.

MikeAngelo Posted at 2015-6-17 00:19
Nothing a little electrical tape didn't fix.

so, after taking a third post crash test flight, I've discovered that my front right engine mount is slightly bent towards the center of the aircraft.   Just enough where the blades will rub against the fuselage when making rapid movements.   I'm going to have to be extremely careful now until I figure out a way to bend it back out.   It's a structural problem and should be fixable.   But, I won't be moving fast with any fixes.

so, after taking a third post crash test flight, I've discovered that my front right engine mount is slightly bent towards the center of the aircraft.   Just enough where the blades will rub against the fuselage when making rapid movements.   I'm going to have to be extremely careful now until I figure out a way to bend it back out.   It's a structural problem and should be fixable.   But, I won't be moving fast with any fixes.

MikeAngelo Posted at 2015-6-17 02:11
so, after taking a third post crash test flight, I've discovered that my front right engine mount is ...

Do you have all 4 screws screwed in to the motor?  I ask because I had the same thing happen... post crash, blade was touching the fuselage... upon closer inspection I realized that DJI shipped my drone with only 2 of the 4 screws installed!!!  The 2 screws on the inside of the motor, so naturally it was pulling the motors inwards.  I looked inside the little pack of spare parts you get and sure enough the 8 missing screws were in there.  So I screwed them in and my "bent" motor went back to being perfectly straight as screwing in the outer screws pulled it back up straight.

So flip the drone upside down and you should see 4 screws fastening the motor to the body.  So like this photo:



You can see the 4 screws holding the motor.  On mine only the two ones closest to the arm were installed.

Dan

Faken Posted at 2015-6-17 08:38
Do you have all 4 screws screwed in to the motor?  I ask because I had the same thing happen... po ...

gonna have a good long look......thanks