Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-7 22:04
I'm serious, there was not a strong wind

I'm serious, there was not a strong wind
I'm serious too.
Look again at what the data shows (post #20) and now explain how you can say there was no strong wind.

Maybe as another says - very little wind at HIS ground position ... but in saying that "let go of controls and it blew over the mountain" .... allied with L's look at log ... indicates wind higher up.

It is common for winds to have significant differences around extreme topography such as hills / mountains etc. Calm in low areas - strong winds higher up.

Nigel

While the signal was, the drone was very easily controlled at this altitude, the video shows that it unfolded easily

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-8 02:22
While the signal was, the drone was very easily controlled at this altitude, the video shows that it unfolded easily

And what about the flight data that clearly shows a strong wind?

You've had an opportunity to learn from the incident so you can fly safer in future.
But ignoring the data and pretending to yourself, that it just flew away means you won't learn anything.

Maybe, just maybe, you can use the new drone to do some fly overs and look for the old one. But pick a warmer day, with a fully charged battery, and perhaps even a wind/weather check for the area prior to flying around that mountain!

my post number 11 shows that the wind was in the opposite direction and was weak, and the drone flew to another direction

If that's the case, then when it lost connection it was heading to the home point, was the home point incorrect when you took off?

So, it's either the wind took it or incorrect the home point,  I'm am more inclined to go with Labroides on this, he is very experienced.

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-8 02:53
my post number 11 shows that the wind was in the opposite direction and was weak, and the drone flew to another direction

You ignore the data when it's laid out for you.
You haven't even commented on it.
It's a waste of effort trying to help you.
Good luck with your new drone.

Vendex Posted at 2018-1-4 03:11
It is probably on the top of a tree ... maybe I guess

Do any of your friends have a drone ?  Maybe you could borrow their drown to search the tree tops ?? I see you have another one now.. Maybe use this to undertake a search, however RTH when you reach 50% remaining on the battery.
Good Luck

Actually maybe RTH BEFORE it gets to the battery line where RTH is necessary !! Well before !

Check weather forecast before
Make sure all charged 100%
Make sure user settings are RTH etc.

Nigel

Question ... while we spitball !

How high is the highest ground that the first P3 had to fly near .. was lost at ... and how high was the take-off point ? Basically what was the difference in height of the two points ?

Nigel

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-8 02:53
my post number 11 shows that the wind was in the opposite direction and was weak, and the drone flew to another direction

One calculation and estimate of the airspeed on Airdata is hardly conclusive proof of what the wind was doing.  All that means is that only one instant during the whole flight, Airdata was able to calculate the forces on the aircraft and estimate the wind direction and strength FOR THAT MOMENT, representing maybe only a couple of seconds of flight time.  Wind changes all the time and picks up and drops off, as well as change direction.   One data point is useless to show a trend and indicate what the wind was like.

You mentioned that "the drone was controlled easily" while you still had it under control.  But then you lost radio contact, and it was out of your control.  You might have been able to fly it at 15m/s while you had control, but once you lose control and RTH is engaged, the maximum power it uses is reduced, giving at most 10m/s.  If the wind is greater than that, it will be defeated by the stronger wind and carried away.  It is meaningless if it was controlled easily while you still had a connection, because the situation is now different and it is flying itself at low power and without a remote connection.  We can read the data and confidently say that it was swept away with the wind, even if you cannot see it.  It is just a fact.

Time to suck it up and move on.  Chalk it up to experience and a lesson learned.

Look for the phantom going down and with the direction of the wind and more on top of the mountain ridge line.

I cannot help think about this word 'mountain' that keeps being used ...

Anyone think he may have flown INTO the mountain side / trees there ? The altitude shown on screen / data log is referenced to Home Point  ... takes no account of rise of topography ...

Just a thought ...

Nigel

Rob Hulford Posted at 2018-1-8 05:45
Do any of your friends have a drone ?  Maybe you could borrow their drown to search the tree tops ?? I see you have another one now.. Maybe use this to undertake a search, however RTH when you reach 50% remaining on the battery.
Good Luck

I hope you feel better now

I'm very scared to use the second drone in this damn place

Reading between the lines here there maybe a design opportunity lurking here for DJI or an update. So.. In a scenario where any drone loses connection to its RC, if when attempting an auto RTH, the local average constant wind speed is 10m/s or more, and the wind is blowing in any direction other than directly towards you, the RTH flight will be doomed... unless you engage ATTI more, lower the drone to the safest height (on the basis winds and gusts will be lower) and throttle forward to the maximum speed. Even then a safe return will depend upon other things like for example battery condition. So.. DJI can you adjust the software for RTH so that if the drone encounters head winds it can accommodate for that and increase the RTH speed of the drone, as required, to accommodate this and actually stand a chance of returning home ?

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-8 09:31
I cannot help think about this word 'mountain' that keeps being used ...

Anyone think he may have flown INTO the mountain side / trees there ? The altitude shown on screen / data log is referenced to Home Point  ... takes no account of rise of topography ...

Agreed and if the drone flew backwards into the mountain you wouldn’t have seen it coming ...

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-8 09:31
I cannot help think about this word 'mountain' that keeps being used ...

Anyone think he may have flown INTO the mountain side / trees there ? The altitude shown on screen / data log is referenced to Home Point  ... takes no account of rise of topography ...

My initial thoughts was, when it lost contact, it then initiated RTH thus dropping lower to the RTH height and thus on the return journey it hit the mountain or trees, it never regained contact after RTH due dropping much lower and therefore  being behind the mountain or out of line of sight due to the forest, if this is the case, its either in the trees back along that final straight or its on the mountain somewhere (more like a very large rock formation)

Bashy Posted at 2018-1-9 01:10
My initial thoughts was, when it lost contact, it then initiated RTH thus dropping lower to the RTH height and thus on the return journey it hit the mountain or trees, it never regained contact after RTH due dropping much lower and therefore  being behind the mountain or out of line of sight due to the forest, if this is the case, its either in the trees back along that final straight or its on the mountain somewhere (more like a very large rock formation)

RTH does not reduce altitude of AC if it is higher than you set RTH to be.

If you set RTH at 30m and fly at 100m ... if RTH initiates - the AC will RTH at 100m ... it does not drop to 30m.
The only time altitude changes due to RTH is when it is flying lower than RTH setting and it will then rise to the set height ... ie 30m in my example.

Nigel

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-8 09:31
I cannot help think about this word 'mountain' that keeps being used ...

Anyone think he may have flown INTO the mountain side / trees there ? The altitude shown on screen / data log is referenced to Home Point  ... takes no account of rise of topography ...

"Mountain" is being very generous, the terrain under the flight path maxed out 47m higher than the home point.  There is a mountain in the distance, but he wasn't near that by a long shot.  It wouldn't be a case of him flying behind it and losing radio signal either, I'm still at a loss to explain the signal just dropping out.

The RTH would follow a direct path along the grey "wall" I have drawn, there is no obstacle to crash into on the way.

The "mountain" is quite some distance away.

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-8 19:46
I'm very scared to use the second drone in this damn place

No need to be, just be aware of the wind conditions where the aircraft is and pay attention to warnings on the remote.  If you get caught in wind, the first and very best thing you can do is descend immediately.  Wind close to the ground is usually much lower, and you can land if necessary (and you will have the exact co-ordinates to go retrieve it!)  There isn't some evil person hiding under a rock with a remote controller set to your frequency and paired to your aircraft that will steal it from you.  It is more logical to believe the wind took it on this occasion, even if you can't see it.  Next time, fly it close to you and go up to a few hundred feet.  Then briefly switch to ATTI mode and watch it drift about as it is caught by the wind, and appear to fly off by itself.  Switch back to GPS mode and it should fight the wind and become stable again as long as it has the power to overcome the wind.  It isn't the right time to do this test when it is miles away in the distance at the edge of radio contact.  You won't see the subtle movements as there is nothing up in the sky to reference it to, and you could lose it again.   Get used to what you know by testing the wind, rather than thinking it is calm up there because it is calm on the ground where you are.

OK ... the straight path is clear of the higher 'mountain' .. more like a hill really ... but if the wind is strong enough to overcome the AC's RTH path .. it could easily end up planted into it ...

RTH tries to do two things ... fly home and counter any drift / slip from side winds / effects causing it to leave that straight path. This can seriously increase power demand regardless of success or not - the Flight Controller will fight ... If it cannot counter - it just gets blown away still trying ... till battery shuts down.

Hills and outcrops have a tendency to alter or create strange air movements / wind directions ...

Just saying - even though it may be some distance from his 'expected' flight path - it could have strayed in that wind enough ...

Nigel

Ah, thanks for clearing that up re rth height, i didnt know that, damn, i keep learning lol I will get to read the manual 1 day, honest......

He flew around a large rock did he not? as seen here

This is the rock formation
And a view of said formation in the distance iunless im mistaken?

What happens if someone finds a drone? can he buy a controller and manage it?

Bashy Posted at 2018-1-9 04:48
Ah, thanks for clearing that up re rth height, i didnt know that, damn, i keep learning lol I will get to read the manual 1 day, honest......

He flew around a large rock did he not? as seen here

Yes, he was well and truly past that, at an altitude of 553m, above a ground height of 265m when lost.  About 300m in the air.   The maximum altitude of your "feature" is 400m, about 50m in the air.

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-9 21:35
What happens if someone finds a drone? can he buy a controller and manage it?

Yes they could.

endotherm Posted at 2018-1-9 23:29
Yes, he was well and truly past that, at an altitude of 553m, above a ground height of 265m when lost.  About 300m in the air.   The maximum altitude of your "feature" is 400m, about 50m in the air.

Confused ... maybe my maths si not up to it ?

Altitude of 553m ... AC cannot do that 500m is max ... unless you mean ground elevation is 553m ? ..

Nigel

Why were you using prop guards? they add drag and absolutely unnecessary unless flying indoor or at tight spaces, you were also very high and the drone started to drift away, that's a warning sign to lower down and get to safety, your flight looked very noobish as well, hard manuvers on the sticks and seems like you didn't know what you were doing and\or flying to, more practice, more caution next time, and GL finding your drone.

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-10 07:23
Confused ... maybe my maths si not up to it ?

Altitude of 553m ... AC cannot do that 500m is max ... unless you mean ground elevation is 553m ? ..

Limited to 500m above home point. He was flying at 553m ASL and the terrain was 265m ASL.  He was about 300m above the ground, which was slightly higher than his home point.

Wow sorry for your loss. The new one looks great though ;)

My main advice as noted by others is never do a major flight without 100% battery charge. If you start a battery at 100% fly and return. don't be tempted to use that battery for another long flight ;)

47% battery +
cold very cold higher up +
Strong winds=
Lost drone ;)

Good luck with your new one

enjoy!

endotherm Posted at 2018-1-11 01:31
Limited to 500m above home point. He was flying at 553m ASL and the terrain was 265m ASL.  He was about 300m above the ground, which was slightly higher than his home point.

OK ... I think I get you but still a bit ??

As we know and also some seem to not understand : 500m is the altitude limit set by the Barometer reading at Home Point. That means that no matter what happens to ground level away from Home Point - the altitude max of 500m is a horizontal line in the air still referenced to Home Point.

I just found it a bit confusing as to what you really meant in first quote.

Nigel

I yesterday again flew in the area on the new drone. The wind was not at altitude in the area. Although the day was windy. So it's not in the wind that it's in the controller.

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-13 02:28
I yesterday again flew in the area on the new drone. The wind was not at altitude in the area. Although the day was windy. So it's not in the wind that it's in the controller.

The wind conditions change each day and during the day. You cannot say that as you flew on another day the wind was the same.

there is a place where the mountains are protected from the wind

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-13 02:28
I yesterday again flew in the area on the new drone. The wind was not at altitude in the area. Although the day was windy. So it's not in the wind that it's in the controller.

So explain the data that shows very clearly that there was a strong wind blowing and that your Phantom was blown away ????

I'm sure that the wind was weak at that time. There were interruptions in communication. The drone flew away due to interference and a weak signal. The day before yesterday, the New Dron did not fly far away from the controller. I insured myself

Booyadarkman Posted at 2018-1-13 13:04
I'm sure that the wind was weak at that time. There were interruptions in communication. The drone flew away due to interference and a weak signal. The day before yesterday, the New Dron did not fly far away from the controller. I insured myself

'The drone flew away due to interference and a weak signal.'

That's rubbish. Interference does not cause a Phantom to fly anywhere, nor does a weak signal.

I think it’s pretty obvious the OP is not going to accept the evidence put forward by the experienced members here. Just one word of warning to the OP, if you don’t learn by your mistakes then you’re likely to experience the same issue again at some point.