So I have my P3S set to RTH on RC Signal Loss in my DJI Go App.

As a general rule, I try not to intentionally activate that, as it's always going to be a risk to fly out of control range.  Well, on my last flight, I had an incident where I completely lost control signaling (the app literally said "Disconnected" in red in the top left.)

The one and only time this happened to me before, as soon as it said Aircraft Disconnected, it started beeping and saying "return to home."  This time it didn't.  It just said Disconnected and gave me a black screen.  I was waiting for that comforting beeping meaning that my Phantom was returning to the home GPS coordinates, but it just didn't come.  I started to get a little worried, even though I could hear it out there hovering (it was not far.. only about 300m but signal was lost due to losing line of sight through a hill.)

I kinda jogged up to the top of the hill and the video feed was flickering in and out and eventaully I was able to manually initiate RTH and my Phantom returned to my control range, video feed was restored, I was able to turn off RTH and manually land it.  Hands were a little shaky as I went to pick it up.  

What went wrong?  Why didn't it go into RTH mode automatically as soon as the controller lost connection with the aircraft?  I double checked in the app settings after landing, and yeah it's still set to Return Home when signal is lost.  Just this time it didn't.  Very unnerving.  It just hovered in place, instead.

It did not RTH because it did not lose the control connection. All that was lost was the video return feed. It was therefore sitting in the one place waiting for you to issue a command. Unfortunately the DJI wording on messages is very misleading, the aircraft was NOT disconnected control wise, only in terms of being able to see the camera output.

Geebax, thank you for clarifying.  That actually makes a lot of sense, and that must be what happened.  So really I wasn't in any real danger, I was just blind.

What can I say, panic kicked in.  So do you think it still had a signal bar next to the little RC icon at the top of the screen and I just didn't notice it?

That wouldn't be possible without a telemetry connection.  I mean, if your screen froze, sure you might see one on there, but it would be meaningless.  The only meaningful indicator on your screen would be the 2.4 signal strength indicator.  

Do not fly your drone behind anything.  Also some advice, get an ARGTEK Antenna fitted. Best investment you can add to your drone it will give you stronger signals in areas with interference and give you much better range. Also you can adjust the antenna's and get signal back when weak or lost.  

Here's a 2300m flight I did on my P3S.  I did have some hills but I flew over them. Also if you RTH your drone will fly at the level it is when you isse the command.  If you had done that your drone may have crashed into the hillside.  

Of course with such distance I did not have visual line of sight but you can see I also rotate my drone to make sure I am not flying behind the hill out of signal.

http://healthydrones.com/main?fl ... _id=GENERALOverview

SkynetUplink, if you ever get into the situation that you are not sure what the connection status is and do not have LOS to your drone, a black screen really isn't that helpful to you. But, you can initiate a manual RTH from your transmitted S2 switch, this doesn't require the screen so is a separate fail safe. Even if auto RTH has been initiated and you are still just not sure using the S2 switch RTH function will not cancel it.

Also if you RTH your drone will fly at the level it is when you issue the command.  If you had done that your drone may have crashed into the hillside.  

Doesn't it go to the RTH altitude that you've set and then come home?   Haven't tried it but the manual says that if the remote signal is lost, it goes to 20 metres and returns home?........... I have misunderstood that?

GeoffN Posted at 2017-2-19 06:23
Also if you RTH your drone will fly at the level it is when you issue the command.  If you had done that your drone may have crashed into the hillside.  

Doesn't it go to the RTH altitude that you've set and then come home?   Haven't tried it but the manual says that if the remote signal is lost, it goes to 20 metres and returns home?........... I have misunderstood that?

The P3 will go to whatever RTH altitude you set in your DJI Go controller settings, just because you loose video feed or a total signal loss the P3 does know this setting and will achieve this alt prior to RTH.

What Geebax said is correct.  In addition,  when you lose control signal, the led on the remote will turn red.  The aircraft will then, after a 3 second delay, ascend to rth height and return home.  If it is above rth height, it will stay at that height and rth..  It will not ever descend to rth height.

GeoffN Posted at 2017-2-19 06:23
Also if you RTH your drone will fly at the level it is when you issue the command.  If you had done that your drone may have crashed into the hillside.  

Doesn't it go to the RTH altitude that you've set and then come home?   Haven't tried it but the manual says that if the remote signal is lost, it goes to 20 metres and returns home?........... I have misunderstood that?

It goes to the 20 meter default unless you set it to something else.

also, when the Phantom 3 Standard returns it will descend and land.  As it comes back into your vLOS (line of sight) you can cancel the RTH by toggling the S1 switch three to four times.

MerlinL14 Posted at 2017-2-19 05:22
SkynetUplink, if you ever get into the situation that you are not sure what the connection status is and do not have LOS to your drone, a black screen really isn't that helpful to you. But, you can initiate a manual RTH from your transmitted S2 switch, this doesn't require the screen so is a separate fail safe. Even if auto RTH has been initiated and you are still just not sure using the S2 switch RTH function will not cancel it.

Use that myself when in doubt that a RTH may not be taking place when I need it to. Like you said, it can't hurt.

JackA Posted at 2017-2-19 15:14
also, when the Phantom 3 Standard returns it will descend and land.  As it comes back into your vLOS (line of sight) you can cancel the RTH by toggling the S1 switch three to four times.

When trying to start a RTH via the S2 switch, it's togged three times. But not when you want to cancel it via the S1 switch, you only need to go from P to A mode then right back to P mode. Click, click, done.