Hi DJI / Folks,

    I have noticed a difference between the way RTH works on my Mavic 3 (Cine) and Mini 3 Pro. On my Mini 3 Pro, I am able to control altitude of the drone during RTH, I am able to go lower or higher during RTH and I find it handy for my filming. I've noticed that Mavic 3 does not seem to allow lowering of the drone during the RTH process, it stays at whatever altitude it is returning at (I am using straight line RTH, not advanced RTH settings in DJI Fly app). I was wondering if this is intended behavior for Mavic 3 or maybe I am doing something wrong.


Thanks in advance, Mike.

From page 18 of the version 2.0 manual, that seems to cover the Cine, or it at least gives the Cine's specs.
"During Straight Line RTH, the speed and altitude of the aircraft can be controlled using the remote
controller if the remote controller signal is normal. The orientation of the aircraft and the direction of
flight, however, cannot be controlled. The aircraft cannot avoid obstacles if the pitch stick is used to
accelerate and the flight speed exceeds the effective sensing speed."

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 3-25 19:27
From page 18 of the version 2.0 manual, that seems to cover the Cine,
"During Straight Line RTH, the speed and altitude of the aircraft can be controlled using the remote
controller if the remote controller signal is normal. The orientation of the aircraft and the direction of

Thank you Sean. That is interesting. I will try once more. maybe the signal was too low, imho that would explain it. Thank you for detailed explanation.

Take care, Mike.

The subject of "filming in RTH mode" has been discussed here several times...   
For a "professional" filmmaker it is probably not the right way to call up RTH and want to shoot a film at the same time.  
You should do this in normal mode...   

Mzp Posted at 3-25 20:19
Thank you Sean. That is interesting. I will try once more. maybe the signal was too low, imho that would explain it. Thank you for detailed explanation.

Take care, Mike.

I thought I had provided a link to the manual in post #2 and I don't seemable to add it to post #2 so here is the link
https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/ ... Manual_v2.0_enI.pdf

That's what "Course Lock" is for.

frankymusik Posted at 3-25 21:55
The subject of "filming in RTH mode" has been discussed here several times...   
For a "professional" filmmaker it is probably not the right way to call up RTH and want to shoot a film at the same time.  
You should do this in normal mode...

Hi Franky,

     It is not as much for filming , but for something else. During RTH my drone sometimes goes up higher than 120 meters (my RTH height), it might go up to 220 meters sometimes (maybe because it thinks it needs to avoid a bridge). When this happens and I see the bridge is not on the course , I try to manually lower it back to 120 meters or lower, but it does not seem to respond to commands to lower. I think it's because it's thinking it might need to go higher than 120 meters because it suspects it might need to go over the bridge (I have straight line RTH ). But the bridge is actually on the right and the drone won't be passing it. I get worried when my drone goes higher than 120 meters and I start to get AirSense warnings and try to get it to go lower, but it won't. That is basically the main reason for me wanting to be able to lower drone altitude during RTH or also raise altitude in case I see that I may need to avoid an obstacle or AirSense warning. Thank you for your input on this

Take care, Mike.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 3-26 01:26
I thought I had provided a link to the manual in post #2 and I don't seemable to add it to post #2 so here is the link
https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/ ... Manual_v2.0_enI.pdf

Thank you Sean, got it

Take care, Mike.

Mobilehomer Posted at 3-26 05:13
That's what "Course Lock" is for.

Hi Mobilehomer,

   I just mentioned to Franky, it's more for safety than for filming. I would like to be able to go lower or higher to avoid potential obstacles. Also the drone sometimes decides to go higher than my RTH (120 meters) , I see it going up to 220 meters sometimes and I start getting AirSense warning and try to bring it lower, but it won't respond to my sticks. The only time it starts responding to my sticks is during the landing. So basically that is my use case , not really that much for filming

Take care, Mike.

Mobilehomer Posted at 3-26 05:13
That's what "Course Lock" is for.

Hi Mobilehomer,

  BTW does Mavic 3 have "Course Lock"? I mostly do everything manually,  except for waypoints and tracking. Do you mean course lock as part of waypoints right?

Thanks in advance, Mike.

Mzp Posted at 3-27 08:13
Hi Mobilehomer,

   I just mentioned to Franky, it's more for safety than for filming. I would like to be able to go lower or higher to avoid potential obstacles. Also the drone sometimes decides to go higher than my RTH (120 meters) , I see it going up to 220 meters sometimes and I start getting AirSense warning and try to bring it lower, but it won't respond to my sticks. The only time it starts responding to my sticks is during the landing. So basically that is my use case , not really that much for filming

Regarding "going up to 220m", what do you have your maximum height set at and are you flying over terrain that is higher than the take off point? The drone should not exceed the set maximum height.

If you are a hobby flyer then I think you are legally limited to 400ft AGL, AGL = height above the ground directly beneath the drone.
Also, if the drone has to climb to RTH height an unnecessarily high RTH height is wasteful of energy/battery in both the climb and the descent and may put the drone up into adverse winds.

Do you have obstacle avoidance switched on for such RTH's?  
If so and unless you are flyng up hill, what is there at 400ft above the take off point that is an obsacle to avoid?
OA will cause climbs if it detects an obstacle, are your RTH's into the sun or are the sensors dirty?

Mzp Posted at 3-27 08:10
Hi Franky,

     It is not as much for filming , but for something else. During RTH my drone sometimes goes up higher than 120 meters (my RTH height), it might go up to 220 meters sometimes (maybe because it thinks it needs to avoid a bridge). When this happens and I see the bridge is not on the course , I try to manually lower it back to 120 meters or lower, but it does not seem to respond to commands to lower. I think it's because it's thinking it might need to go higher than 120 meters because it suspects it might need to go over the bridge (I have straight line RTH ). But the bridge is actually on the right and the drone won't be passing it. I get worried when my drone goes higher than 120 meters and I start to get AirSense warnings and try to get it to go lower, but it won't. That is basically the main reason for me wanting to be able to lower drone altitude during RTH or also raise altitude in case I see that I may need to avoid an obstacle or AirSense warning. Thank you for your input on this

Hi Mzp,

in a RTH climbs to the RTH height setting ofcourse, not higher. Only reason for getting higher is to avoid an obstacle close to your drone. OR when it sense an obstacle FALSE and bc of this starts to climb.
But this is easily spotted in your flightlog.

So if you like, upload your log using : https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/
Post the uploaded link on here.

If it does climb above the setting, and you are in control, just cancel the RTH and fly home manually (as the heading is already correct, just fwd and down stick....)

In RTH the OA is ON, even if the OA is set to OFF in the menu.

cheers
JJB

Thank you Sean / JJB,

  I tested this today, the climb was due to the bridge. I tried from other directions and it did not climb, so that would explain why it decided to climb trying to avoid the bridge. That is a good idea to cancel RTH and fly manually , I think I might be too reliant on RTH sometimes. Thank you for all your help and advises.

Take care, Mike.

JJB* Posted at 3-27 09:55
Hi Mzp,

in a RTH climbs to the RTH height setting ofcourse, not higher. Only reason for getting higher is to avoid an obstacle close to your drone. OR when it sense an obstacle FALSE and bc of this starts to climb.

Ahhh my mistake, for some reason I was thinking the drone was an M2P/Z.

Mzp Posted at 3-27 08:16
Hi Mobilehomer,

  BTW does Mavic 3 have "Course Lock"? I mostly do everything manually,  except for waypoints and tracking. Do you mean course lock as part of waypoints right?

From what I un derstand, the Mavic 3 now has course lock for all modes. Check this video.

Mobilehomer Posted at 3-27 11:53
From what I un derstand, the Mavic 3 now has course lock for all modes. Check this video.
https://youtu.be/8tAbcJ8IlTQ

Thanks Mobilehomer, I did use cruise control before, but I did not realize it was this powerful that it would lock yaw and vertical movement as well as forward backward, that is a great feature to have and I think I will use it more now knowing it just replicates whatever you have on your sticks and would continue moving the same way. Thank you for sharing this video.

Take care, Mike.

Mzp Posted at 3-27 10:04
Thank you Sean / JJB,

  I tested this today, the climb was due to the bridge. I tried from other directions and it did not climb, so that would explain why it decided to climb trying to avoid the bridge. That is a good idea to cancel RTH and fly manually , I think I might be too reliant on RTH sometimes. Thank you for all your help and advises.

Hi Mike,

oke, but are your sure about the bridge ; bridge was not in the flypath of your drone....as you wrote.

So, love to see the log for this.

cheers
JJB

Mzp Posted at 3-27 14:10
Thanks Mobilehomer, I did use cruise control before, but I did not realize it was this powerful that it would lock yaw and vertical movement as well as forward backward, that is a great feature to have and I think I will use it more now knowing it just replicates whatever you have on your sticks and would continue moving the same way. Thank you for sharing this video.

Take care, Mike.

Nice thing is that at Mav3 you "freeze" the commands with cruise button and can add another movements using joysticks while is cruising...
This can allow you to make complex movements that involve all axes...

JJB* Posted at 3-27 23:11
Hi Mike,

oke, but are your sure about the bridge ; bridge was not in the flypath of your drone....as you wrote.

Hi JJB,

  Yes I am positive, I tested and was able to replicate, it's only when it thinks it will need to avoid the bridge. Initially the bridge is sort of on the way, so hence it goes up. Thank you for all your help.

Take care, Mike.

Geo_Drone Posted at 3-28 02:35
Nice thing is that at Mav3 you "freeze" the commands with cruise button and can add another movements using joysticks while is cruising...
This can allow you to make complex movements that involve all axes...

Ah really, you can even do that? That is amazing. I am yet to try these though, thank you Geo for the tip.

Take care, Mike.