hdlou94 Posted at 2017-4-1 04:37
All these rules and regs, yet they make a drone that has a 4-5 mile range, who may i ask in this forum if they wanted to fly that far with out the aide of the screen, can see that far!! is there a superman in this forum???

If you do plan on flying that far and have LOS -- having a spotter with you with scope or glasses can ensure that you have a visual on your bird at all times.   BTW I am not recommending this technique, merely suggesting it as one way of having an eye on your UAV even when it is 'further than the eye can see'.
Cheers

As far as 'practice' drones go...I bought a 'Nimble' for around $50AUD and an 'Invader' for around $150AUD.  Neither have anything but atti mode and spent 6 months flying them before I went near a Phantom.  Personally I'd never fork out a thousand bucks or so until I was at least semi-confident I would be able to use the thing properly!

Hairy Posted at 2017-4-29 13:38
You should MAKE YOURSELF try/use it to get familiar with the setup and function. You WILL use it some day and you'll be glad you knew what to expect! I'll spare everyone the long story, but trust me, a day WILL come that you'll press the button and you'll be so puckered up, you'll be real glad you made RTH part of your training!

RTH killed my first Phantom.   Twice it decided to RTH due to battery condition and ascended straight into the overhanging branches of a tree....with the expected result.   Second time it was above a puddle of water!
         Practice it and make sure you are comfortable with the cancel procedure before it happens automatically and you are stuffed...trust me, it is only through the experience that I now have the wisdom lol

DJI Team - five good points; Thanks!
Since I have a P3P, and have calibrated the compass before takeoff; how do I know if there is compass interference? If the P3P is  say 70 meters from the home point, I would not be able to see the Aircraft Status Indicators; would there be some indication of compass interference on the DJI GO display?

Had an RTH emergency with my P3P the other day.   Instead of crashing, as happened a few times historically, I managed the 'flip to atti' function and take control...nicely bringing the bird home for a happy landing!   
Practice pays off!

8Blue Wolf8 Posted at 2017-5-13 19:31
Had an RTH emergency with my P3P the other day.   Instead of crashing, as happened a few times historically, I managed the 'flip to atti' function and take control...nicely bringing the bird home for a happy landing!   
Practice pays off!

Was the emergency RTH due to RC signal loss?

fans6916e6f9 Posted at 2017-3-4 08:01
One of the most useful tips not mentioned is. Learn how to fly line of sight without the need of GPS.  So if something goes wrong you can manually take over and control the drone and not just blindly depend on autopilot and return to home to save you. The truth is no computer system made by any company in the world works 100% of the time so you having the skills to save your drone when technology fails is important.

Agree I had a flyaway because it was to windy the RTH was just blown buy the wind if only I knew how to clear RTH I could have saved it  This was not a DJI Drone & when you put this drone in RTH it goes into idle mode had I known how to clear RTH & go into user mode I could have saved it But it was to windy to be flying

Dmitry495 Posted at 2017-3-14 08:48
ProQuad,

Which drones would you advice to build to practice basic flying skills? I have a small Syma 5XC that is nice to fly indoors - never does any damage or/and crushes itself. But it is too light to fly outdoors.

I learned to Fly on a Syma X8. Its a remote control car with rotors. I was forced to learn how to translate the stick movements to make the drone come back to me facing forward. It was fun, but I'm happy to have the Mavic now.

JT

JayTrue Posted at 2017-5-24 09:48
I learned to Fly on a Syma X8. Its a remote control car with rotors. I was forced to learn how to translate the stick movements to make the drone come back to me facing forward. It was fun, but I'm happy to have the Mavic now.

JT

JayTrue, That was the right thing to learn. Having the drone faced to you, all controls got to be the other way around and this doesn't come natural to your mind. Needs to be practiced until becomes automatic. But... If you learn this without gps and vision positioning, you pilot your bird in virtually every situation

kyrvas Posted at 2017-5-13 22:27
Was the emergency RTH due to RC signal loss?

No it was me...still haven't learned the 'don't ignore low battery warning' message lol

Maybe you show just one way to make your faulty software work on Mavick or Phantom, for a cange ! This still not solved crashing issue turned far beyond annoying, it starts to suck a big time. I WANT MY MONEY BACK; TAKE BACK YOUR DRONES AND PAY ME OFF as i wrort this lines i had go4 open and connected to the Mavick, guess what this crap of an app crashed over and over again. How arrogantz is this not even to reply in any of the forum threads regarding this problem. Like sorry guy we are aware of this problem and working on it with the highest priority. Or sorry but we could not reproduce this problem. Nothing happens, not a single reaction or reply by the dji official forum staff, this is not the way to keep your customers dji.

I agree with prior posts about learning to fly manually. I have some little hobby drones designed for indoor use and I taught myself how to fly them. They are the best way to learn before you take your $1k Mavic up. It is good to have the confidence of knowing you could lose your phone connection AND GPS and still fly home and land the Mavic safely. Nose in flying takes practice to learn to do properly. If you can fly smooth figure 8s you have a good grasp on it.

Heaven Posted at 2017-4-13 20:35
I agree. Keep the drone in view, how is this possible if you fly beyond 500 meters or more? If the DJI application freezes, how can you steer the aircraft without seeing the icon and the map?

In the UK VLoS is generally understood to be 120m height (400ft) to 500m in distance.
This is also with the naked eye without any visual aids like binoculars (not medically prescribed).
Personally I like to keep an eye on my drone as best I can, however I accept that sometimes eg. when I am standing in a wooded area I may not be able to pragmatically do this for every second of the drones flight.  In these situations I make sure my flight path is clear and the flight height of the drone (inc RTH) is well clear of any ground objects (eg. the trees) before I start taking any footage.
This I do by taking a ground visual check first, then taking the drone up to estimated height, doing a 360 degree turn while viewing the on board camera and making sure no object is breaking the visual horizon.  If I am in any doubt and climb another 10m and check again.  Sometimes I will fly the drone closer to the highest object keeping VLoS and then double check using the its camera that I am well clear of it before I start recording.
Doing these checks before hand confirms your safe flying height and gives you a visual reference to what the drone should look like when flying at that height (#@%£$ happens, best to be prepared).  This gives me more confidence to focus on getting the footage I want rather than worrying about damaging my drone.
This may not suit everyone, however this is what I do.  Happy for others to tell me their tips too.  Have fun!

when retuern to home button is pushed on the controller it should be a slow steady push and release rat

Michael Miami S Posted at 2017-3-21 04:53
Sure. But I wouldn't like to think about updating my homepoint when Im out driving my boat for instance. Since the boat hopefully moves forward. The homepoint needs to be updated. It would be neat if you had the option to do that automatically.

I was under the impression one could set home point to either "aircraft position" (prior to takeoff) or "controller location", meaning you have your controller connected to a phone or tablet that has GPS location information enabled.
As long as your cell or tablet connected to controller has GPS information, that is where the drone will try to fly towards if you have that RTH mode selected in app. If you move about I assumed it would update GPS position automatically but maybe not? That would seem lame IMO. Guess i will have to do a test flight.

So can you use binoculars to maintain a line of site? My eyes are old and could really use the help.

Good information.  Thanks for sharing Vikky

Since I live in a built up residential area, I've never had the bottle to fly the Mavic over everyone's gardens and homes, and when flying from my home, have restricted myself to taking it up to about 40 feet above my own house.
In May I got the Compass error message and tried recalibrating half a dozen times in different locations, before it accepted the upgrade. However when I took the Mavic up, it went into Fly away mode. I lost site of it . I increased height immediately . I have to say that at that point I was absolutely petrified that the Mavic would harm someone, or some property, and if there was a destruct button built into the app, then I'm sure I would have hit it.
My Mavic travelled sideways for some mile and a half, descended over rooftops and then I assume the collision cameras sent it back up, I eventually identified where it was located and managed to fly it to a spare bit of ground near my home where I landed it safely. I was badly shaken by this, and it took a good few weeks and a wide open space before I took the Mavic back out again.
The only upside was that I was recording all the time and got some great shots of my neighbour hood.
So your 5 points above are a timely reminder, that we should all be 100% sure that our settings are correct before take off.

This is great!  Thank you.

fans6916e6f9 Posted at 2017-3-4 08:01
One of the most useful tips not mentioned is. Learn how to fly line of sight without the need of GPS.  So if something goes wrong you can manually take over and control the drone and not just blindly depend on autopilot and return to home to save you. The truth is no computer system made by any company in the world works 100% of the time so you having the skills to save your drone when technology fails is important.

Absolutely agree on need for proficiency in ATTI or Sport mode, besides its a lot more fun than letting drone fly itself.    But give RTH a shot at bringing your drone home first.  I have a P4P+ with the embedded display (big mistake but another story) so my GO app display is constantly freezing and usually crashes a short time later.  There is no display reboot button on the embedded display so the only way to get display back is to turn RC on and off, and before I do I hit the RTH button.  If I have everything set up for RTH correctly, by the time everything is restarted and linked to aircraft it is usually on short final.  I'm always ready to take over but so far I haven't had to.  In addition, if I setup for precision landing system, it will land within a couple of inches of the takeoff point.  So, my advice is, learn ATTI mode and be ready to take over,  but don't touch controls until you are sure RTH isn't working.  

thanks for the advice

The best way is to avoid rth unless needed

Dmitry495 Posted at 2017-3-14 08:48
ProQuad,

Which drones would you advice to build to practice basic flying skills? I have a small Syma 5XC that is nice to fly indoors - never does any damage or/and crushes itself. But it is too light to fly outdoors.

try spark! I found Spark is much easy than syma's toy drone

Great tips. Thanks!

hola tengo un nuevo phantom 4 pro y no puedo volarlo a mas de 30 metros de altura y 50 de distancia, no entiendo que pasa y como solucionarlo.

Dmitry495 Posted at 2017-3-14 08:48
ProQuad,

Which drones would you advice to build to practice basic flying skills? I have a small Syma 5XC that is nice to fly indoors - never does any damage or/and crushes itself. But it is too light to fly outdoors.

For beginners, I really like the Parrot mini drones (airborne, night, mambo, and rolling spider)  as it is light, settings on phone/tablet let you adjust speed, acceleration, yaw speed, max altitude and a engine shutoff if you bump into something.  Also all of these have a down facing camera that detects drift for a fairly good hover with neutral sticks, and a sonic sensor for altitude hold along with barometer.  Can find some online or on sale for as low as $50 normally $99.  About to hit wall unit, release control (stops/hovers), think, then fly out of the way.  Bump something or the ceiling motor cuts, falls, place right side up and restart.  Hit my ceiling fell to carpeted floor no dents or dings ready to fly.  Gave 4 to nephews and nieces for Christmas.

Practiced with it awaiting my Mavic (first real drone) I felt fairly confident.  100+ hours on Mavic flying visually I feel pretty good (except for a branch at dusk, and hitting a tree in Active Track that I thought I would clear.  Mavic recovered both times and did not hit the ground, although the second it immediately emergency landed.  Amazing.

Heaven Posted at 2017-4-13 20:35
I agree. Keep the drone in view, how is this possible if you fly beyond 500 meters or more? If the DJI application freezes, how can you steer the aircraft without seeing the icon and the map?

If you still have LOS and the drone is a dot.  Not sure which way it is facing - push forward and turn easy either let or right.  If it begins to move in that direction it was facing away, continue the turn to kill the drift and return home.   It it goes the wrong way kill the drift and return home.  

I recently bought the Spark and just now viewed this thread by DJI on how to avoid a fly way. I think it was the 4th item on what to do. there is a animated gif showing how to swipe left to pull up a menu to increase screen brightness and set Home Point.



On the Spark screen the swipe left does not seem to work. Is it operator error or not a function on the spark?

fans6916e6f9 Posted at 2017-3-4 08:01
One of the most useful tips not mentioned is. Learn how to fly line of sight without the need of GPS.  So if something goes wrong you can manually take over and control the drone and not just blindly depend on autopilot and return to home to save you. The truth is no computer system made by any company in the world works 100% of the time so you having the skills to save your drone when technology fails is important.

Completely agree!

fans22667133 Posted at 2017-3-14 10:59
I have never used RTH. I think I feed much better being in control.
Still, great tips.

I'd rather fly it home manually as well.

LICENSED PILOT Posted at 2017-3-22 16:23
Bet these account for 99.99% of the mysterious fly away. Once I hit RTH on my I1P and freaked out when it did a 180 and began to "fffffly away". I got my  wits about me, flicked over to ATTI and flew home. (don't know what caused it but I can't be sure I always wait for the "the home point has been located, please check it on the map." message.....Fortunately, another "mysterious fly away" chapter to the legend was avoided.

I know where there's a three day old Spark in the middle of the sand dunes of central Wyoming... Almost died from chasing the location finder for 16 miles in 108 degree heat, my KTM 500 low on gas , no water, low battery on my iPhone, but feeling the need to rescue my 15 year old sons gift that he'd saved up hi summer lawn mowing money to buy, for our boys 10 day dirt bike trip between MN and CA....

Happy to give a screenshot of its last known whereabouts.

I've done and did all the recommendations tonight and this is what happened!

I almost crashed my drone tonight. Actually, I did! Ever since the last firmware update I've had issues with it not going above 100 feet. I would have to close the app and open it again on every flight to get above 100 feet. Tonight on the beach I hit return to home. It started coming home and it did a very fast 360-degree turn. then it came all the way overhead and just went crazy. I've owned this drone two years. I have my part 107 license. I've saved it from 2 flyaways the first year I had it. I know what I'm doing. This thing was spinning like a top. I went to Atti mode very little help. Opposite rudder I mean yaw stick sorry I'm a pilot and that slowed the rotation I managed somehow to get it near me and I dumped it into a large clump of bushes to avoid it taking off again and hitting a house or someone God forbid. I'm now absolutely afraid to fly it! I did do a calibration before the flight because I had not done one in a long time and it was in Texas I'm in San Diego.  Can anyone tell me how I upload the files so that others can tell me what went wrong? Unless this is something I really did wrong I'm done with the 3 series. I just can't risk injury to a person or property. I need the dual compass and Imu's of the phantom 4 series and Mavic. Thanks for any comments or advice!

fansf8cb6503 Posted at 2017-3-4 12:14
Agree - Nothing worse than hearing the words "ATTI Mode" and not knowing what to do!

It is a little disappointing that manually setting ATTI mod does not seem to be an option for the Mavic. Better to practice in a more controlled conditions in a relaxed environment!

Why does it "need" the compass for return to home?  Many gps devices figure out orientation once it starts moving.  Once moving the drone can figure out which direction it is moving and steer its way home.  

If we calling names of the drones to learn how to fly I'd say  JJ RC H31. You can bench to the ground from 80m, step on it or kick , land in the water or cut propellers and it still works with no problem. Eventually landing on roof or tree make you sick, it won't comes back itself Then you realize  is better buy another for few euros then jumping on trees...  If you can fly that drone you will find flying Mavic in ATTi is piece of cake.

Thanks for the great advice.

just a test

Hi, lost my magic pro last night, just registered on this forum, so it won't let me start a New thread. Did everything by the book as above, controller lost signal & it never returned to home (which was 250 meters away & 40 meters up. I have searched in vain the last point we're it lost signal..... nothing

Hi, lost my magic pro last night, just registered on this forum, so it won't let me start a New thread. Did everything by the book as above, controller lost signal & it never returned to home (which was 250 meters away & 40 meters up. I have searched in vain the last point we're it lost signal..... nothing . If anyone has any kind of suggestion I would be most grateful, I've only had the mavic 1 week 3 days, I had to save up a long time for it....gutted. p.s was bought new & firmware was up dated, rth point was set on the map & it had 38% battery left

Hi, lost my magic pro last night, just registered on this forum, so it won't let me start a New thread. Did everything by the book as above, controller lost signal & it never returned to home (which was 250 meters away & 40 meters up. I have searched in vain the last point we're it lost signal..... nothing