Hello,

I lost my Mavic Mini last night while flying near my home. Flight log is here: https://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/U250QVDMPEYQPLXCAAM4/

At around 20% battery while flying above the field just north of the train line, I got a warning to return to home. I dismissed the countdown so that I could fly back manually, and pointed the drone towards home, and pushed forwards on the right stick. The drone then started flying backwards away from me while descending.

Did I do something wrong with the controls, or was this because the battery was low it had less power?

Just before the low battery warning I was recording a video and there was a visible shake during what was otherwise a smooth video. Could it be that the drone lost a prop or had some other mechanical issue?

I have searched most of the field but wasn't able to find the drone. Is it possible to narrow down the search? Any help appreciated!

Looking at your flight data, at 10:52, 171 feet up straight above the home point, your drone was hovering but failing to hold position.
This is because in the gusts the wind up there was too strong for the Mini to fight.
It was being pushed away at 0.5-1.5 mph.

You took it up to 195 ft and flew 433 ft away.
Around 18:42 we see the mini hovering 190 ft up and being blown away at 1.5-3.5 mph.

At 19:00 we see you have the Mini still 193 ft up and pointed toward home and have full right stick but the Mini is being blown backwards at 5mph and is now 500 ft from home.

At 19:25 you've left the Mini hovering but it's being blown furtehr backwards at 5mph.
At 19:27.2 you initiate RTH (leaving the mini 190 ft up where the wind is too strong for it to fight) and it and it is still blowing backwards at 5-7mph (now 720 ft away)

The Mini has been displaying one of its flaws and failing to tilt much more than 10° which means it's not going as fast as it should.
And just to put the icing on the cake, at 19:30.4 it shows you the other surprise that DJI built into the Mini and it starts losing altitude just before signal is lost at 19:35.5 with the drone 164 feet up and 780 feet away but blowing further.

The loss was primarily due to a pilot (I use the term lightly) with little situational awareness and no idea that wind is stronger further up.
The Mini's cute tricks also contributed to its loss.

The Mavic Mini is not safe for an experienced pilot to fly and much less so for a beginner.

The battery was down to 16% and falling fast.
It would have soon reached critical low voltage and triggered autolanding.
The Mini is probably waiting for you a few hundred feet further north west of the last recorded location.

Hi,

If the uncontrolled descent did continue (and why not...) than it landed at or around the orange marker, or further in that direction.

cheers
JJB

Thanks both for the insights and analysis.

I'm happy to accept it was pilot (well, user at least) error. Lesson learnt.

I will go back and take a look a bit further northwest of the last known location and see if I can find it.

Hi there, we are so sorry for your loss. If you have any other doubts about the accident, please contact our support team www.dji.com/support to start a ticket for the data analysis, we will help to check what happened and provide the proper resolution. Thanks.

Let us know if you find it?

I have search approximately the above area (in yellow) but found no sign of it. I have contacted DJI Support as suggested by Natalia and will wait for their response. The orange Marker added by JJB* is within the boundaries of a solar farm which I can't access, but I may email the company who operates/manages it to make them aware it may be on their property.

I have spoken to DJI Support and they have concluded from the flight logs that there was a fault with the drone and have offered to replace the drone under warranty. I must say I'm very impressed with the service from DJI.