*** Update ***

The issue was a result of an errant VSP/Sonar Height/Downward Sensor errantly triggering.  The drone's displayed height remained constant but the VSP dropped for around 35ft to 1.7ft instantly.  It appears to be safe to descend below the hight of the HomePoint when with 5-50m of the HomePoint.  


Thank you to everyone who helped solve the problem.

Yesterday, I tookoff from a park on a cliff about 20m above the ocean and and flew out about 30m.  I attempted to descend below the level of the cliff where my HomePoint was to get some video of the seals on a rock outcropping.  The Mavic Air 2 stopped about 2m above the HomePoint height and when I held down on the stick to decend it began an Auto Landing sequence. The RC started beeping along with the Landing Red cancel X appearing on the DJI Fly app. I canceled the Auto Landing.  

It appears that if you are 5-50m from the HomePoint and descend to the height where the Auto Landing should engage it will do so automatically.  It appears the distance and height overide the downward visions between 5-50m.

An inexperienced or multitasking operatorator my not have know what to do or noticed the Auto Landing in time to the cancel fast enough before being dunked into the ocean.

I was forturnate to have had plenty of cleance from the ocean and to have been able to take my time reacting to the Auto Landing and understanding the correlation between the RC commands and automated RTH feature.  Another good thing is the Auto Landing is fairly slow and it probably did not descended more than a 1m before I canceled it.

Hopefully DJI will reduce the distance for the new RTH feature 10-15m.  50m is too far for the new RTH feature to be safe to use.

Was it because you were within 5-50 m or because you were trying to fly below the take off altitude?
If you were out 80m would it allow you to fly below take off altitude or still try and land?

Lisa3 AKA Karen Posted at 1-9 11:49
Was it because you were within 5-50 m or because you were trying to fly below the take off altitude?
If you were out 80m would it allow you to fly below take off altitude or still try and land?

It is sole because of the 5-50m range.  I flew over to a beach about 100m away and dropped to -13m.  I have flow many times below the takeoff altitude and never experienced an Auto Landing.  I went back to the same spot again and had the same result of Auto Landing at about 30m from the HomePoint.  

I think 10-15m max is where Auto Landing should be calibrated at.  

If the option were available I would go back to old RTH.

I do not like that RTH between 5-50m is tied to a Auto Landing where you can not go below the HomePoint elevation.  I also do not like that it does not ascend to the RTH Height.  Trees and such are a major issue even in close proximity to the HomePoint.

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-9 12:33
It is sole because of the 5-50m range.  I flew over to a beach about 100m away and dropped to -13m.  I have flow many times below the takeoff altitude and never experienced an Auto Landing.  I went back to the same spot again and had the same result of Auto Landing at about 30m from the HomePoint.  

I think 10-15m max is where Auto Landing should be calibrated at.  

Thank you for the information.
I haven’t had the opportunity, yet, to fly below take off altitude but now I know not to do this within 50m.
Better to know than get surprised.

Thanks for making us aware.

Good information to know.  DJI is very bad at updating the User Manual for their drones.  

I'd love to see a switch in the app so we can switch this function off.

Hi John,

Guess the bottom sensor did sensed some 'distance' wich was there or wasn`t there.
If that is the case AND few moments stick down means a command for an autolanding.


If you like share your flightlog for this, (if you not use 1.2.2).

cheers
JJB

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-9 12:33
It is sole because of the 5-50m range.  I flew over to a beach about 100m away and dropped to -13m.  I have flow many times below the takeoff altitude and never experienced an Auto Landing.  I went back to the same spot again and had the same result of Auto Landing at about 30m from the HomePoint.  

I think 10-15m max is where Auto Landing should be calibrated at.  

After you cancel the auto land (5-50m) are you then able to descend lower than takeoff altitude???? Or can you never descend below takeoff altitude when 5-50m without auto land triggering???

After canceling the Auto Landing I went about 100m away and descended. As it was over the ocean I was not will to try descending any further out of caution. Canceling the Auto Landing did stop the landing but I am unsure if continuing to descend will reactivate the Auto Landing.  I am going to try it out when I come across a more suitable test location.  

JJB was 32m from the HomePoint and did not experience the Auto Landing.  5-50m seems like to large of variance to consistently predict what will happen.