Hi,

I have a bit of a newbie question and couldn't find the answer when I took a shifty through the forum. Hopefully I am posting this in the correct place.

What happens to one of the Quadcopters if a motor fails whilst it is in flight? I would imagine it won't be able to stay in the air for very long or be capable of stable flight. Is there a sensor that detects when this happens and kills power to the opposing motor and use the other two to bring the quadcopter down in a controlled manner where it is? Or would it slowly fall trying to make a path towards home? Or does it just fall because the payload would be too high in this scenario?

This is a hypothetical question but perhaps somebody has tested this.

Cheers,
Will

It is quite risky to test this though. This can be a new feature added in the future.

In a quad a complete failure is an instant  flip. I have seen some custom fc able to do a controlled crash but this would not be possible if the copter had any type of payload.

how about deploying a parachute and motor shutdown

gb21914 Posted at 2014-12-11 02:19
how about deploying a parachute and motor shutdown

This is possible but the current parachute systems are heavy and will probably overload most quads.

Hi, I have been pondering this one too. I guess the effects willl be dire, probably a tumbling type descent and crash. I think an immediate action - just like flying a real helicopter would be to reduce power immediately. I speculate that the severity of the situation may be affected by the power applied, eg in a climb, level flight or descent, thus reducing the power may help. Equally, in a low power situation, some controlability might be available but only by using small inputs. Attempting to cushion the impact by applying power at the last minute will probably result in a total lack of any residual control there may have been but might be worth a try. Such considerations, although perhaps unlikely, should ensure the machine is not  routinely flown over persons or obstructions. In the UK, aviation law requires an aircraft not to be flown over such congested areas, unless it can "alight clear in the event of a power unit failure". These machines are regarded as aircraft.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has experienced such a situation in order we can all learn. Meanwhile, I shall continue to enjoy flying my Phantom!