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Almost lost my Mavic Pro yesterday
1480 16 2017-8-6
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kirkbauer
lvl.1
United States
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I'm very new to drones, with this being my first serious purchase. I have had the Mavic Pro for about a month now. I took it out on the lake for my second time yesterday and learned a valuable lesson about watching my altitude. Normally the drone maintains its altitude very well so I completely wasn't paying any attention to how high I was, but if you watch in the video (at the 30-32s mark) you'll see that the drone was slowly descending and got uncomfortably close to the water.



(apparently I need to learn how to upload in 4K)

Now, I'm guessing this was because I had it in sports mode and/or was going max speed, but I'd love to get some confirmation on that. If I know when the altitude might not be maintained I can be more vigilant in the future at keeping an eye on it.
2017-8-6
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kirkbauer
lvl.1
United States
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Hmm, well now it is in 4K. It must have taken a few minutes I guess.
2017-8-6
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Bekaru Tree
Captain
Flight distance : 15513100 ft
South Africa
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Looks like this was manually flown vs active track?
If manual flown then my guess is that your left stick was very slightly down of centre caused inadvertently when you were very carefully keeping the flight line straight.

4k looks great - if you gonna fly so low to water you must keep an eye on altitude as yr most important referance data.
Maybe do some low alt practice runs over grass to get more of a feel for this kind of flying
Dont drown yr drone

2017-8-6
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kirkbauer
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United States
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Yes, manually flown. Can active track go close to 40mph? I guess it can. I would love to use Active Track but I don't think it will be able to start a lock on the person in the water and maintain that lock after they get up, and especially not with the spray of water blocking its vision.
2017-8-6
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hallmark007
Captain
Flight distance : 9812789 ft
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Ireland
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kirkbauer Posted at 2017-8-6 05:42
Yes, manually flown. Can active track go close to 40mph? I guess it can. I would love to use Active Track but I don't think it will be able to start a lock on the person in the water and maintain that lock after they get up, and especially not with the spray of water blocking its vision.

Was VPS turned on?
2017-8-6
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dancopter
First Officer
Flight distance : 17901030 ft
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United Arab Emirates
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Very close! And so very lucky.
2017-8-6
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kirkbauer
lvl.1
United States
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Yes, but isn't it disabled in sports mode?
2017-8-6
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hallmark007
Captain
Flight distance : 9812789 ft
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Ireland
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kirkbauer Posted at 2017-8-6 09:16
Yes, but isn't it disabled in sports mode?

I don't think so front OA is but don't think VPS is.
2017-8-6
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Bekaru Tree
Captain
Flight distance : 15513100 ft
South Africa
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kirkbauer Posted at 2017-8-6 05:42
Yes, manually flown. Can active track go close to 40mph? I guess it can. I would love to use Active Track but I don't think it will be able to start a lock on the person in the water and maintain that lock after they get up, and especially not with the spray of water blocking its vision.

so manual flown and surely quite nervous (at least a little bit) - then your muscles were flexed and you slightly slipped the height down - good save though -
i guess we must keep practicing till our skill level is such that even/especially during nervous situations that we fly with relaxed muscles.
2017-8-6
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MARSAN
First Officer
Flight distance : 966978 ft
Belgium
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kirkbauer Posted at 2017-8-6 05:42
Yes, manually flown. Can active track go close to 40mph? I guess it can. I would love to use Active Track but I don't think it will be able to start a lock on the person in the water and maintain that lock after they get up, and especially not with the spray of water blocking its vision.

Active Track doesn't work in Sport Mode and therefore not at 40 mph.
In Sport Mode you'll see the clearance between the Mavic and the water, but it will hit the water, unless you correct it manually.
2017-8-6
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Sportbike*Pilot
lvl.1

United States
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Wow that was a close one but also a good save.
2017-8-6
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Sportbike*Pilot
lvl.1

United States
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BTW, that correct you'll need to turn of VPS even on Sport mode. That was confirmed by one of the mods here I think Susan.
2017-8-6
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Lucas775
Captain
Flight distance : 50642090 ft
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United States
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Nice save, don't always depend on the gps and always keep an eye on your drone.  Have fun making more videos.
2017-8-6
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KrisUAV
lvl.4
Flight distance : 73406 ft

Japan
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Nice video!
VPS doesn`t work over water very well if at all.

Visual positioning does not work over water,
Forward and downward positioning may not function properly while flying over water.

Fly safe and have fun!
2017-8-6
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kirkbauer
lvl.1
United States
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Yes, water has its challenges. I also configured it to hover if signal is lost (as opposed to returning to home, since I'm launching it from the boat). Retrieving it is tough if the boat is drifting quickly because I want to lower the drone with my left hand on the left control and catch it with my right hand, but that gives no control for moving the drone during landing. In that case I had somebody else put their hand out and I was finally able to land it on their hand by using both hands on the controls.

But landing it in calm conditions was pretty easy.
2017-8-6
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PROMOLOZO
lvl.1
United States
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LOL i cant imagine the freakout that moment you pulled up. Id have screamed like my 5 year old niece.
2017-8-6
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Never fly faste
lvl.3
Flight distance : 3044747 ft
Netherlands
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KrisUAV Posted at 2017-8-6 17:42
Nice video!
VPS doesn`t work over water very well if at all.

Transparent surfaces and regular textures...the manual said so but what does it realy mean. Thx for the heads up. Clear.
2017-8-7
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