Hi all, looking for guidance on my FPV drone experience.

I was flying in the park at low altitude, close to the ground so I could fly around trees and under the canopy etc. This is an important note for what comes next.
The drone's battery was at about 20% when the RTH feature engaged and I was unfortunately flying under a tree at this time.
The lowest RTH altitude you can set is 20m, which was still way too high.
The drone proceeded to begin to increase altitude and I tried to click the button to cancel, but it did not cancel. I clicked it again and yet the drone was still climbing. (I was not throttling up either)
As a result of it not cancelling when clicked, the drone crashed into the tree above and damaged two props. I also had a scary time climbing the tree to retrieve the stuck drone.
Not cool.

What can I do to better test the RTH feature, and being able to ovveride it?
Is there a way to disable it entirely? (knowing the associated risks with doing so)
What do other people do when flying around obstacles or in similar situations?

Many thanks for your help,
Jonny

Also, how can I post the footage of the crash here? Uploading is limited to photos only...? Seems like a shortcoming of a Drone forum.....

Hello there JonnySykes. I am sorry to read and to know what happened to your DJI FPV and thank you for reaching out. Since this unfortunate event happened and you have lost your DJI drone. It would best for you to contact our DJI Support Team at https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav for further assistance with regards to this matter. We will do there best to help you and give out the best resolution for the said issue. Again, I am sorry and thank you.

There should be a choice for all drones where low battery RTH kicks in. RTH, RTH at current altitude, Hover or Land. This for me has been a concern for all of my DJI drones, If I'm under tree cover and RTH kicks in its a huge gamble that it wont lift up and crash.

I hope you get things sorted out.

Actually, there is the option to: RTH, Hover, Land

If you had selected Hover or Land you would be good.

FlyingSnoopy Posted at 6-8 00:52
Actually, there is the option to: RTH, Hover, Land

If you had selected Hover or Land you would be good.

Could you please explain this better?

From what I’ve read about and seen, those options are only available for the RTH “Signal Loss” function and do not change the RTH Battery Warning behaviour at all.

DJI Stephen Posted at 6-7 18:00
Hello there JonnySykes. I am sorry to read and to know what happened to your DJI FPV and thank you for reaching out. Since this unfortunate event happened and you have lost your DJI drone. It would best for you to contact our DJI Support Team at https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav for further assistance with regards to this matter. We will do there best to help you and give out the best resolution for the said issue. Again, I am sorry and thank you.

I tried speaking to support.  That didn’t get very far.
They want me to raise a repair request and send in the drone, which I don’t want to do because I need it for work.
I’m unable to send in just the damaged props because I through them out. And honestly what information can you get from bent plastic? Only the proof that my account is accurate, which is also demonstrated by the footage taken from the drone.
Secondly, there are clearly no options for disengaging low battery RTH once it’s already engaged. Nor are the ways to override its behaviour in the flight settings.

It appears my only option is to buy new props myself because DJI won’t send me any without me submitting the entire drone for repair, and to wait for a software update to address low battery RTH behaviour. Specifically altitude control.

So that sucks. Bad experience DJI.

Another guy had a similar problem, but it seems that the Pause button stopped the RTH, have a look:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-245274-1-1.html

FlyingSnoopy Posted at 6-8 03:26
Another guy had a similar problem, but it seems that the Pause button stopped the RTH, have a look:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-245274-1-1.html

Thanks.

Already saw this and responded on that thread.

I've had it happen to me a few times. I'm usually always flying under a huge forest type tree cover. When it has happened to me I just start pushing buttons in a panic, and have been able to cancel the low battery RTH. Not really sure which buttons I pressed, as it was very fast.

cootertwo Posted at 6-8 08:28
I've had it happen to me a few times. I'm usually always flying under a huge forest type tree cover. When it has happened to me I just start pushing buttons in a panic, and have been able to cancel the low battery RTH. Not really sure which buttons I pressed, as it was very fast.

I am laughing so hard right now, not at you but with you.  I have done that exact thing on more than one occasion.  Hopefully, enough time has past that you are able to find the humor in it.

JonnySykes Posted at 6-8 00:56
Could you please explain this better?

From what I’ve read about and seen, those options are only available for the RTH “Signal Loss” function and do not change the RTH Battery Warning behaviour at all.

First off, I've been there and done that.  Cost me a rear arm axis, a full set of props, and a few hours with my neighbor and I watching and pausing a MA teardown video in German to disassemble, desolder, replace the broken part, resolder, and put back together.  There is an option in the settings to disable RTH, which I try to remember to turn off any time I am under a canopy of any sort.  Wish I could say that I remembered my lesson every time I have been back in the same situation but I'm evidently somewhat dense and forget sometimes.  Have been lucky to have not had it happen again but as battery times have improved I just do not run up against the 20% threshold as frequently as I used to anymore.

JonnySykes Posted at 6-8 01:45
I tried speaking to support.  That didn’t get very far.
They want me to raise a repair request and send in the drone, which I don’t want to do because I need it for work.
I’m unable to send in just the damaged props because I through them out. And honestly what information can you get from bent plastic? Only the proof that my account is accurate, which is also demonstrated by the footage taken from the drone.

I don't know that DJI would replace props...certainly not an expense worth the down time in my opinion to bother with sending in.  I have a tendency to keep extra props on hand regardless of immediate need.  I did have to laugh at myself when I was selling a drone once, I hadn't had the need to use the spare props I kept in the case so I never realized the 4 pack of spare props from the DJI fly more combo I kept in the case at all times were all the same direction props...the other pack were the four opposing.  Here I thought they would have put them in sets, nope.