Garvellan Rocks is the site of a Nature Reserve in the estuary of Big Water of Fleet, on the Solway Firth.
This flight very nearly ended in disaster, as the drone ( A Mavic Pro Platinum at the time) uncharacteristically threw a wobbly about 9 minutes into the flight.
The gimbal began to dance about madly all over the place - sky, sea, land in rapid succession. Nothing I did could get it to behave.
Heart in mouth, I hit RTH and waited with bated breath, fearing the worst.
Happily, the drone found its way back to me - gimbal jiggling uncontrollably all the while - and it was with a huge sigh of relief that I watched it land within
a few feet of the take-off point.  Examination of the drone after switch-off revealed no obvious damage or fault.
I took it home and tried a tentative flight a few days later. It was fine again.
At the critical moment, the video had stopped recording, and so these last two minutes on the clip are up to the moment of panic - which didn't record.

Not too nice to have that happening.
But nice to hear you got it back.
And the footage looks good too.

Montfrooij Posted at 10-19 01:31
Not too nice to have that happening.
But nice to hear you got it back.
And the footage looks good too.

I'd forgotten this one - it was August 2019. What with the pandemic and everything else, it's been in the archive all this time.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 01:40
I'd forgotten this one - it was August 2019. What with the pandemic and everything else, it's been in the archive all this time.

Funny.
I'm editing August 2019 footage too this week.

Very nice and the weather was kind to you,  but the gimbal issue would have been very stressful.

Montfrooij Posted at 10-19 01:47
Funny.
I'm editing August 2019 footage too this week.

Rainy, blustery day here. Confined to barracks, so may as well make good use of the time

DAFlys Posted at 10-19 01:56
Very nice and the weather was kind to you,  but the gimbal issue would have been very stressful.

It was a lovely weekend.  The flight would have continued up the estuary toward Gatehouse of Fleet before swooping round and coming down to Murray's Isles across the estuary before turning for home. I had plenty of battery reserve, but the drone was doing the St.Vitus dance all the way back. It looked alarming on the screen of the tablet. Stressful to watch. But none of that recorded.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 02:02
It was a lovely weekend.  The flight would have continued up the estuary toward Gatehouse of Fleet before swooping round and coming down to Murray's Isles across the estuary before turning for home. I had plenty of battery reserve, but the drone was doing the St.Vitus dance all the way back. It looked alarming on the screen of the tablet. Stressful to watch. But none of that recorded.

Id been stressing about that.   Did you ever find the cause?

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 01:57
Rainy, blustery day here. Confined to barracks, so may as well make good use of the time

True true.
We had drizzle just yet.
Still got quite wet during the lunchbreak walk.

Montfrooij Posted at 10-19 02:49
True true.
We had drizzle just yet.
Still got quite wet during the lunchbreak walk.

I'm not even going to put my nose outside today

DAFlys Posted at 10-19 02:31
Id been stressing about that.   Did you ever find the cause?

No. We headed home just after that, and it was a couple of days before I tried the drone again.  It seemed fine. Round about then there was a fair bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth on the forum about DJI updates causing this "Gimbal Dance" to occur randomly. I put it down to that.  I subsequently flew it with alternative software control and had no issues until I sold it to get the M2Z.

Impressive footage.  

Too bad about the gimbal going all wonky on you.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-19 03:02
Impressive footage.   

Too bad about the gimbal going all wonky on you.

Thanks RDB.  It was an anxious time until I saw that the bird was turning for home (VLOS) as I couldn't make out anything on the screen.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 02:51
I'm not even going to put my nose outside today

Hahahahahaha.
I try to. But I have my limits too.

Beautiful spot in beautiful light!

Depp Posted at 10-19 05:56
Beautiful spot in beautiful light!

Thanks Depp Autumn sun early evening, directly behind the drone. No editing, just clipped the end of the video before the recording stopped.

still a nice flight.... maybe check your flight data on UAV what might have gone wrong.... wind, battery, etc...

Great video, and a super spot to fly in. Wonder what caused your drone to go haywire, glad you were able to retrieve it safely.

ChrisJG Posted at 10-19 09:30
Great video, and a super spot to fly in. Wonder what caused your drone to go haywire, glad you were able to retrieve it safely.

Hi Chris. Thanks.  It was an odd situation. I'd never had the problem before, and never since. I flew quite a number of missions with it subsequently, without incident.  I now have the M2Z and the Mini1.

Nice footage complemented by a fitting music! Glad to hear you managed to get the drone back in one piece

Elevated Camera Posted at 10-19 14:41
Nice footage complemented by a fitting music! Glad to hear you managed to get the drone back in one piece

Thanks EC    Yes it was a relief. A rare misbehaviour by the drone, which it never repeated.

K-Castello Posted at 10-19 08:10
still a nice flight.... maybe check your flight data on UAV what might have gone wrong.... wind, battery, etc...

I didn't bother to check. It was fine again the next time I flew - and I never experienced that anomaly again.   Then, last year I changed to the M2Z and the Mini.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 03:06
Thanks RDB.  It was an anxious time until I saw that the bird was turning for home (VLOS) as I couldn't make out anything on the screen.

You're very welcome.  Super glad the MPP was able to RTH safely.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-20 01:49
You're very welcome.  Super glad the MPP was able to RTH safely.

It was the only time it misbehaved all the while I had it. Except when I crashed it one time - but that was my doing

That's really pretty land.  Glad you didn't lose your drone baby.  Are those sheep?  Odd with the modular homes around the fields.

scubaAnn Posted at 10-20 13:57
That's really pretty land.  Glad you didn't lose your drone baby.  Are those sheep?  Odd with the modular homes around the fields.

Yes it was a relief to get the drone back. Sheep grazing is very common around there.  I was hoping to fly further up the estuary, then loop back down the other side and return passing over the islands. But I had to cut it short, of course.  Maybe I'll get back up there one day

Blériot53 Posted at 10-20 14:03
Yes it was a relief to get the drone back. Sheep grazing is very common around there.  I was hoping to fly further up the estuary, then loop back down the other side and return passing over the islands. But I had to cut it short, of course.  Maybe I'll get back up there one day

that'd be nice. maybe with the pro3?

scubaAnn Posted at 10-20 14:48
that'd be nice. maybe with the pro3?

Possibly not.  I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and a Mini1 in addition to the Pocket 2. All new replacements for my earlier drones within the last 18 months.  With the ever-more draconian restrictions coming into force for drone pilots, further investment in the hobby is not a priority. Except I may shell out for the Osmo 5 for my smartphone soon.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-20 03:03
It was the only time it misbehaved all the while I had it. Except when I crashed it one time - but that was my doing

I'm betting if the M2Z had not come along you would still have and be using the MPP.  

Blériot53 Posted at 10-20 23:12
Possibly not.  I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and a Mini1 in addition to the Pocket 2. All new replacements for my earlier drones within the last 18 months.  With the ever-more draconian restrictions coming into force for drone pilots, further investment in the hobby is not a priority. Except I may shell out for the Osmo 5 for my smartphone soon.

I hear ya.  I wouldn't mind a better zoom drone.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-21 02:04
I'm betting if the M2Z had not come along you would still have and be using the MPP.

Maybe, but in fact the MPP got stuck 30m up a tree due to a miscalculation by yours truly.
It spent ten days up there until a windy day blew it down.  I sold it on as damaged to a guy in France who dabbles in repairs, and got the Mini1 to tide me over until the M2Zoom came out

scubaAnn Posted at 10-21 05:35
I hear ya.  I wouldn't mind a better zoom drone.

I'm very happy with the M2Zoom

Blériot53 Posted at 10-21 06:15
I'm very happy with the M2Zoom

Blériot53 Posted at 10-21 06:10
Maybe, but in fact the MPP got stuck 30m up a tree due to a miscalculation by yours truly.
It spent ten days up there until a windy day blew it down.  I sold it on as damaged to a guy in France who dabbles in repairs, and got the Mini1 to tide me over until the M2Zoom came out

Quite the story.  At least you have a great drone now.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-22 16:41
Quite the story.  At least you have a great drone now.

I've not had many mishaps with drones (Touch Wood!)  I'm happy with the M2Z  and the Mini, now.  No immediate plans to change either.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-23 01:26
I've not had many mishaps with drones (Touch Wood!)  I'm happy with the M2Z  and the Mini, now.  No immediate plans to change either.

Unfortunately, for me, I feel the desire to upgrade to the Mavic 3 but no way will it be the Cine model.  DAFlys recommended I take a look at the OA2 as it might be good for use when I scuba dive.

A lot of my decision will be based on what the FCC does in the near future with respect to wanting to ban DJI products due to alleged spyware in their Applications.  I might just have to go back to Skydio.

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-23 04:52
Unfortunately, for me, I feel the desire to upgrade to the Mavic 3 but no way will it be the Cine model.  DAFlys recommended I take a look at the OA2 as it might be good for use when I scuba dive.

A lot of my decision will be based on what the FCC does in the near future with respect to wanting to ban DJI products due to alleged spyware in their Applications.  I might just have to go back to Skydio.

Conspiracy theories everywhere   

well done!

Blériot53 Posted at 10-23 05:21
Conspiracy theories everywhere

Some true and others not so true.  Guess time will tell which way the FCC goes on DJI.

MM Pilot Posted at 10-24 01:22
well done!

That flight was not without its incidents