So I was doing a general systems check today before I head out on a job next week and went through an RTH test.
Alarmingly the Inspire lowered it's landing gear and came in to land where it was, about 20m AGL and 20m away from home. I tried initiating RTH twice.

My RTH settings are rise to 60m then return home. I checked to see if these settings had changed without my knowledge but they still were the same.

Unfortunately I was on my last battery so I couldn't try again. This has never happened before, every other RTH test I had done in the past worked flawlessly.

If you are within 20m of the home point, it will land where it is.

RTH explained:

Deleted by user

Mark is 100% correct on this . One other tip , make sure you always HEAR the "Home Point Recorded " when  getting ready for takeoff, this ensures that indeed the home Point is stored and also any in flight announcements will be heard loud and clear.

donnie

Hi SI
You were most likely right on the edge of the RTH distance. Make sure that the Home point is recorded when you hear GPS and home point check it on the map voice.  Mark and others have already given you the same bit of information.

I would just double check everything and report back to us.

Rich

Well that's relief. I do admit I've never engaged a RTH so close to the home point, so I must have just been within the 20m radius. Might be time to brush up on the manual again! Haven't looked at it for a while.

Cheers guys!

MrSilicon Posted at 2017-3-25 21:16
Well that's relief. I do admit I've never engaged a RTH so close to the home point, so I must have just been within the 20m radius. Might be time to brush up on the manual again! Haven't looked at it for a while.

Cheers guys!

All good points. Thanks for re-iterating

Another small point:
I once had Low Battery RTH triggered at the end of a shoot where I was in a tree tunnel. The craft started ascending and I froze for just long enough for the bird to rise into the tree arch and get stuck there. Took me an hour to get it down but fortunately there was no damage.

I did lost a Mavic pro because of RTH failure, so my advice is don't rely fully on it. All my previous RTH test were successful, but in real situation it didn't work at all (despite half battery), landed quite far from my departure point.  (... and was stolen before i arrived which is another story, but if it would have been flying above the sea/forest/mountain the result would have been the same).

tomrenaut Posted at 2017-12-9 03:10
I did lost a Mavic pro because of RTH failure, so my advice is don't rely fully on it. All my previous RTH test were successful, but in real situation it didn't work at all (despite half battery), landed quite far from my departure point.  (... and was stolen before i arrived which is another story, but if it would have been flying above the sea/forest/mountain the result would have been the same).

RTH is a failsafe, unfortunately, there are a few who think it is what you do when you've had enough, "press the button and put the controller down" and we hear about how they have lost their drones and DJI are to blame.
My advice would be not to test it (the manufacturers have tested this for you) unless you are in a wide open area and you fully understand how it works. I'm sure you have airbags fitted in your car, I bet you've never intentionally "tested" them.
I'm guessing that when you lost your Mavic, you did like most people do and took off without the Home Point being correctly set. You say it was a "real situation", why could you not fly it back manually?

Mark G.

Mark Guille Posted at 2017-12-9 06:41
RTH is a failsafe, unfortunately, there are a few who think it is what you do when you've had enough, "press the button and put the controller down" and we hear about how they have lost their drones and DJI are to blame.
My advice would be not to test it (the manufacturers have tested this for you) unless you are in a wide open area and you fully understand how it works. I'm sure you have airbags fitted in your car, I bet you've never intentionally "tested" them.
I'm guessing that when you lost your Mavic, you did like most people do and took off without the Home Point being correctly set. You say it was a "real situation", why could you not fly it back manually?

Isn't it possible that instead of the take off point the smart rth is selected in your settings making the bird return to the RC location instead of the take off location or any other pre selected home point?

Mark Guille Posted at 2017-12-9 06:41
RTH is a failsafe, unfortunately, there are a few who think it is what you do when you've had enough, "press the button and put the controller down" and we hear about how they have lost their drones and DJI are to blame.
My advice would be not to test it (the manufacturers have tested this for you) unless you are in a wide open area and you fully understand how it works. I'm sure you have airbags fitted in your car, I bet you've never intentionally "tested" them.
I'm guessing that when you lost your Mavic, you did like most people do and took off without the Home Point being correctly set. You say it was a "real situation", why could you not fly it back manually?

Smart RTHhttps://store.dji.com/guides/how-to-use-the-djis-return-to-home/