Anyone get low battery, RTH at hight bettery percentage? Happened to me once, happened to a buddy of mine tonight, twice, once on each battery. Both happened at about 10K out. The first time, he let it RTH. I was flying his the second time, cancelled the RTH, and kept going. Battery level remained red for awhile, then returned to green. Flight was 14,666ft out. Good looking signal scores.

http://healthydrones.com/main?share=LhyBJb&page_id=GENERAL

Happened to my p3p latest fw, latest go app, iOS version before 9.31 air at  %81 6k out. Date  5/16/2016. The only time this has ever happened in nearly a year.

Only happened the once to me as well. Weird glitch.

Is it possible that the phantom is trying to figure battery required to return home, so it engages RTH sooner? 10k ft distance, at 62%, so 38 gone, it maybe figures it needs another 38% to return home, which would put you at a bit above 20% when u get home.. that would sort of add up?

gtokarsk Posted at 2016-5-19 12:54
Is it possible that the phantom is trying to figure battery required to return home, so it engages R ...

The smart RTH feature.?????

I had that happen twice today. Both times I was under heavy load with full forward throttle and  full vertical gain. It happened about 82% on one and about 70 on the other flight. My logs show nothing unique. I was about 8k out when it happened.

I hope not. Not a nanny I'd want.

digdat0 Posted at 2016-5-19 01:11
I had that happen twice today. Both times I was under heavy load with full forward throttle and  ful ...

Huh. Somethings going on.

dkruseski Posted at 2016-5-19 13:14
Huh. Somethings going on.

I'm pretty sure it is the smart rth function, which basically does the following:
Smart go home will trigger a RTH when you fly far and you reach the H in the middle of flight time remaining - this is where you have just enough battery to turn around and get back. So the phantom decides when it it's smart to turn around!!!! So you guys at 10k out and full throttle forward and up makes the p3 decide that at the current flight characteristic, it's times to go home!!! I'm sure you know that This feature can be disabled!

I don't know if I made sense here or not, but that's what I think is going on.

That smart RTH feature, has been in the P3 since it was first released.
It was a deciding factor that made me purchase one.
I don't think it's an update thing.
Un less.. It's been made smarter in the updates{:4_181:}

So disable smart RTH, and be aware you may NOT have enough power to return home, esp. if you encounter headwind....
But it does sound like smart RTH enable... So all u have to do is disable the nanny, and try the same flight characteristics again.

dkruseski Posted at 2016-5-19 11:04
Only happened the once to me as well. Weird glitch.

Did you take off on a partially charged battery?  And when is the last time you cycled your battery.

gtokarsk Posted at 2016-5-19 12:54
Is it possible that the phantom is trying to figure battery required to return home, so it engages R ...

You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

This is a part of the Low Battery Return to Home failsafe. The thresholds for the low battery warnings can adjust from the ones you preset depending on the aircraft's current altitude and distance from the home point. This helps to ensure that the drone would have enough power to get back to you safely from far distances. This information is present when you read the Low Battery Failsafe section of the most current aircraft manuals.

Thanks guys, you nailed it.

Turned that sucker off!

dkruseski Posted at 2016-5-20 02:36
Thanks guys, you nailed it.

Turned that sucker off!

You have it turned off and what if you really get immersed into whatever you're looking at far away from you and you don't notice the time going by and then you are notified with a low battery warning. Then what?
I've seen it happen a few times.

I assume you HAVE to then land wherever, record the location, and drive there quickly, before your aircraft grows either legs or roots? Certainly for any long range flight, you need to have a remote landing plan... I totally agree with DJIs approach on that, as well as with the ability for the user to disable that option. That's a good combo, and well thought out.. Now, if the user screws up.. tough....
One thing I would suggest, is that perhaps in DJI GO, if you long hold an option you get a balloon with a quick description on what that option means, or a link to a tutorial on that option....
I never fully realized what smart RTH did, until this post. I had a rough idea, that it does some additional failsafe, but never considered the actual details. Is there anything else in that option that we should be aware of? Also, when calculating the power needed for RTH, does phantom 3 take into account anything wind related? How about p4?

Oh no! My cool name got truncated?! Well, then I guess I'll skip Greg and be Phantomski only... ;)

GregSki Phantom Posted at 2016-5-20 03:37
I assume you HAVE to then land wherever, record the location, and drive there quickly, before your a ...

it does not account for wind.

This happened to me.  I was,  however, flying into a headwind.  My forward progress was only about 10mph.  The drone started screaming at me about low power.  It we in the red on the indicator line.  But I over rode it because I am smarter than the drone.  I knew the tailwind would be a big help.  And it was. Got home in 2 1/2 mins at over 50mph.  Still had 46 percent left.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-5-19 14:55
You have it turned off and what if you really get immersed into whatever you're looking at far awa ...

That's always a possibility, but since I'm not much of a sightseer, and fly mini quads, where you always keep an eye on your battery, I'm confident I can do a better job that the nanny.

And if not, you guys make more Phantoms, so...

dkruseski Posted at 2016-5-19 00:14
Huh. Somethings going on.

Nope, as ray said. It's a smart RTH function. The phantom detects how much battery is needed to return. If it hit's that level, it will initiate an RTH.

dkruseski Posted at 2016-5-20 04:08
That's always a possibility, but since I'm not much of a sightseer, and fly mini quads, where you a ...

Very true

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-5-20 03:51
This happened to me.  I was,  however, flying into a headwind.  My forward progress was only about 1 ...

Very nice, I always try to start into the wind so i know I'll always be able to make it back

What is happening is the program is looking at the voltage and not the current. It is suggested that the battery be recharged  if it has been sitting for more than 3 days. If I am going to fly and the batteries have ben sitting more than 3 days I run the Phantom up on the batteries and then recharge them.

You should avoid maximum power moves to make your battery last longer, both for the mission, and for its lifetime.  Maximum power will heat your battery quicker.  The Phantom is not a racer, but a tool of photography.