Decided to take a few flights today. The bird felt off, a little jumpy. Maybe the accident is making me a bit more paranoid. Really overcast day, cold 40 degrees, thick moist air. Bird was jumpy, not sitting in hover like it normally does. Everything else was good. 12 sats locked, home point established. Did a new compass dance since I took it about 30 miles away on Sunday. Everything checked good. All pre-flights normal. Took two short sorties and brought her in. Seemed like I was having to bring it up more, Like the altitude was off. Just don't know, just didn't feel right. Ran Ultimate Flight first go and DJI app second. Same feel. Maybe it's too moist. Any thoughts? Try again tomorrow, if weather permits.

Jerry

I certainly can't comment on the moisture level being in any way significant, but I hear you on the "some days it just doesn't 'feel' right" comment.

I flew just a single battery yesterday, & never felt 'comfortable' with it. She was flying OK, all was good, RTH worked etc, but just not quite "right".

This feeling wasn't helped when the park rangers showed up telling me I wasn't allowed to fly in "their" park, but still.......

Cheers,
Ian

i_anderson@iclo Posted at 2015-4-8 06:39
I certainly can't comment on the moisture level being in any way significant, but I hear you on the  ...

Ian,

I hear you. No park rangers here. Nothing to be paranoid about. I don't know, just plain "jumpy"? I don't even know how to describe it. Better safe than sorry though. Brought her in for another day.

Jerry

Jerry,
At least you went on the side of caution.  Moister air is heavier air - denser.  Also, if there is a lot of moisture in the air there are a lot more micro fluctuations (read turbulence) due to the constantly changing temperatures in the air.  This could cause 'jitters'.  

Chris

nrgwise Posted at 2015-4-8 06:50
Jerry,
At least you went on the side of caution.  Moister air is heavier air - denser.  Also, if the ...

Chris,

Have you experienced this? She was kind of jerking on hover. Not big, just jerking. I really wish I could explain better. I figured I'd just go with it slowly but she seemed to drop altitude. I felt like I was bringing her up all of the time. Just brought her in figuring it might be related to weather. Went 30 mi out of town on Sunday (Happy Easter, if it matters) and she flew fine down there. Tomorrow's another day. For guy's like us, that's all that matters.

Jerry


Jerry

When I went down to see my brother in Houston over Easter I flew for just a little bit. The weather was crappy....little windy with off and on rain. My bird was a little jumpy as well. While in a hover it was seemed to jerk a little bit and you could hear a motor or 2 spin up a little faster.....my guess was it was compensating for small gusts of wind. Needless to say I took it up a hundred or so feet and out a little ways and that was it......and no I did not let him fly it.

Ray..welcome to flying in Houston.  Hope for sun....then hope for calm wind...in that order!!!   I'm looking forward to the days when I have several in a row that I can get out and let Mary Poppins do her stuff!

Raybro Posted at 2015-4-8 07:11
When I went down to see my brother in Houston over Easter I flew for just a little bit. The weather  ...

Ray,

Next time I head down to Austin to visit my Daughter I'll give you a shout. I always drive so I wont have to worry about compass issues.

Jerry

I have seen the same thing in mine with variable winds.  I thought it was the GPS working.

Yep. Right now I'm sitting here with my bird watching the trees sway back and forth.....I wanna fly.

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 07:48
Ray,

Next time I head down to Austin to visit my Daughter I'll give you a shout. I always drive s ...

Sounds good! My son is there...at Texas State University.

Ray,

My Daughter did 4 at Drake in Iowa. She just had to get away. Down in Austin working outside of her degree but having fun. Remember those days!? Anyway, the Wife and I get down there every now and again. Don't know if the "DeathTrap" will fit (with the Wife's crap) but we'll "make it so" as the DI's used to say. Next trip, maybe.

Jerry

oakspi Posted at 2015-4-8 07:49
I have seen the same thing in mine with variable winds.  I thought it was the GPS working.

Oak,

No wind today. Real quiet, just dense. That's what threw me off, no wind. almost dead still.

Jerry

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 08:44
Ray,

My Daughter did 4 at Drake in Iowa. She just had to get away. Down in Austin working outside o ...

If you guys come flying, give me a shout!

Barney

Barney Rubbel Posted at 2015-4-8 08:53
If you guys come flying, give me a shout!

Barney

Barney,

You're on the "call list". I showed my Wife your video of the bat bridge, really cool. I'm surprised that you got the bats on video, they head out and they're gone in an instant! We've done it. an hour of waiting for 5 seconds of bats. How come no one every mentions the stench? Damn, they stink!

Jerry

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 08:44
Ray,

My Daughter did 4 at Drake in Iowa. She just had to get away. Down in Austin working outside o ...

Austin is the place to be....my son works there and goes to school......finally got out this evening and flew a little atti....it's a little different. The wind calmed down this evening so I couldn't tell much difference between that and gps mode.

Barney Rubbel Posted at 2015-4-8 08:53
If you guys come flying, give me a shout!

Barney

Okeedoke Barney.

Raybro Posted at 2015-4-8 09:11
Austin is the place to be....my son works there and goes to school......finally got out this eveni ...

Better than working, heh?

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 07:02
Chris,

Have you experienced this? She was kind of jerking on hover. Not big, just jerking. I real ...

Jerry,
Yes, I have experienced exactly that and I have attributed it to the dense air.  When there is mist on the river 100 yds. away from my front door, I do not fly in the valley until the 'fog' clears.  I have seen your vids so I know you know what I mean by that, but by the same token, I have noticed that on days where I thought "well, it isn't raining" I have not been happy with the performance as far as flight times as well as overall responsiveness.  Not to say it was sluggish or anything, just thought it was, well, sluggish.

The jittery hover I have seen mostly on days where although I have good sat lock, the clouds are moving fairly well.  Almost like a flicker.  But I do not have enough hours with the Phantom to report reliably on that.  Sorry.  But I will soon (weather permitting).

Chris

nrgwise Posted at 2015-4-8 09:13
Jerry,
Yes, I have experienced exactly that and I have attributed it to the dense air.  When there ...

Nrg,

I hear ya!

"But I will soon"

and it was so...

Jerry

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 09:16
Nrg,

I hear ya!

Oh and yes, Happy Easter.  I hope your holiday was a good one.  I spent the afternoon with my 9 week old granddaughter so all was well with me.  Hope you had, as I hope all had, a similar happy time.

nrgwise Posted at 2015-4-8 09:22
Oh and yes, Happy Easter.  I hope your holiday was a good one.  I spent the afternoon with my 9 we ...

Nrg,

Great time with Family. I about shouted out a Happy Easter but didn't know how folks here might take it. A bible thumper I'm not. Even got to fly the Trap over the church on Easter. Good day for me, sounds like a good one for you as well.

Jerry

Happy Easter....belated. No thumper here but I have my beliefs

Raybro Posted at 2015-4-8 09:35
Happy Easter....belated. No thumper here but I have my beliefs

Raybro and Jerry,
All good, gotta have something to believe and all i know is that it sure as heck is a lot bigger than me...We did not het here on our own! and a belated Happy Easter to you and an early Merry Christmas!

And don't forget Thanksgiving!
God
Country
Family

Raybro Posted at 2015-4-8 10:01
And don't forget Thanksgiving!
God
Country

And Mother's Day and Father's Day and do not forget...Independence day!
We would not be here were it not for our families and their families and certainly not have our freedom were it not for our Independence!

Woohoo! You are right......and it needs to stay that way.

Raybro Posted at 2015-4-8 10:12
Woohoo! You are right......and it needs to stay that way.

Damn Right!
my handle may be Northofthe49th...but i am not from here!...I am from my mother and born in the USA!

Northofthe49th Posted at 2015-4-8 10:30
Damn Right!
my handle may be Northofthe49th...but i am not from here!...I am from my mother and bo ...

Alright guys, let's tone it down, other countries are here. Jeez, we're flying Chinese drones, who'd ever thunk it?

Jerry

jtrjr@yahoo.com Posted at 2015-4-8 10:36
Alright guys, let's tone it down, other countries are here. Jeez, we're flying Chinese drones, who ...

Ok.....

There's no f'ng "shhhhh" guys. Damn:@

I think its gonna take me a while to learn how to use those damn faces. Never seems to be the right one there.

Jerry

jtrjr

"Decided to take a few flights today. The bird felt off, a little jumpy"

Ya got to stop feeding your bird the coffee bean seeds.  It won't be so jumpy.

The coffee, yeah..., that's what it was!

Jerry