253 flights, 25 hours 50 minutes in the air it had to happen. (Standard 3 with dji go 3.1.1)

  

  

I took off this morning to photograph a house and when the bird was a few inches off the floor it drifted very quick to the right so I shut it down and it flipped onto its side on the floor and I had to grab it before it did any damage.

  

  

This is the first time it has ever shown a problem at take off.

  

  

The flight log shows nothing as too short a flight but was it me who caused this.

  

  

The reason I ask is when I switched on I notice on the iPhone that the view was smudgy, so I picked up the bird and cleaned the lens, and in the process flipped the bird at all angels to clean that lens, but stupid stupid me did not turn the bird off and placed it back on the ground and this happened straight after at take off.

  

  

Good job I had prop guards on so there was no damage at all. I switched everything off, examined the bird and did a compass calibration and took off again and have had two 7 minutes flights since with no problem.

  

  

My worry is did the bird have a fault or was it me throwing the compass out, I hope it was me so I can feel confident in the bird again.

  

  

One other thing worth mentioning, is on the first little flight I could not get GPS but had 8 or so satellites, which is pretty normal here, but after I switched S2 back and forth once GPS was there.

  

  

Actually also thinking about it my last flight yesterday after I changed batteries produced  a very very jittery video. I didn’t see this until I downloaded the video so did some more filming again and it was all smooth and ok. Is this all connected or am I being too concerned and did silly me cause the hiccup this morning.

  

  

Here is the flight log – I think this is how I let you see it !!

  

  

  

https://healthydrones.com/main?flight=4a9851ff7d2c1389968823ab174b388c&page_id=GENERALNotifications

  

Mine did something similar on an early flight. It got off the ground and went sideways until it hit a door. Broke two props but otherwise OK. Could not explain it and has not happened since. Due to inexperience i assumed it was me.

If it drifts just use RC commands to correct that no need to shutdown. You could give it a little more height first then correct the yaw.

Be careful how many times you switch your S2 back and forth or you can reset the APP to input the password again.

Normally if you cannot get GPS you cannot launch unless you change to ATTI Mode. Yes after cleaning the lens might be a good idea to shut off the power.
Flipping your bird around in weird positions will not help especially if you tiled it 90 degrees to get access to your lens.
Actually I will have my drone shut down and gimble guard on first. You can bust your gimble if you move it too far.

You could normally do not need to do a calibration.  

Cabansail Posted at 2017-3-6 19:58
Mine did something similar on an early flight. It got off the ground and went sideways until it hit a door. Broke two props but otherwise OK. Could not explain it and has not happened since. Due to inexperience i assumed it was me.

Interesting

blackcrusader Posted at 2017-3-6 20:03
If it drifts just use RC commands to correct that no need to shutdown. You could give it a little more height first then correct the yaw.

Be careful how many times you switch your S2 back and forth or you can reset the APP to input the password again.

Yep you are right I should have shut it down first, and I will use the guard in the future. We all just get too complacent. I have since carried out an IMU and compass calibration and seems all ok. It was too close to the ground and it was too fast to make any movements on the sticks, it was really only about 6 inches off the floor and when I say shut it down, it was so quick I just push the left stick down to keep in on the ground.

Bay Cruiser Posted at 2017-3-6 20:23
Yep you are right I should have shut it down first, and I will use the guard in the future. We all just get too complacent. I have since carried out an IMU and compass calibration and seems all ok. It was too close to the ground and it was too fast to make any movements on the sticks, it was really only about 6 inches off the floor and when I say shut it down, it was so quick I just push the left stick down to keep in on the ground.

Sounds much the same as my mishap. It was only a couple of meters from the object and it moved there very fast. Much too quick to shut down.

Cabansail Posted at 2017-3-6 20:28
Sounds much the same as my mishap. It was only a couple of meters from the object and it moved there very fast. Much too quick to shut down.

Yep it sounds the same, pity because I was hoping it was me and not the bird. Now I will always wonder if it will happen again and actually hits something. Not worried about the bird but am worried about hitting other things.

Bay Cruiser Posted at 2017-3-6 20:35
Yep it sounds the same, pity because I was hoping it was me and not the bird. Now I will always wonder if it will happen again and actually hits something. Not worried about the bird but am worried about hitting other things.

Flipping it around should not do any damage other than giving the gimbal some exercise. I wouild be asking what surface you were taking off from?

Geebax Posted at 2017-3-6 20:41
Flipping it around should not do any damage other than giving the gimbal some exercise. I wouild be asking what surface you were taking off from?

Bitumen, I know there may be a little metal underneath but have taken off from bitumen before with no problem. So it looks like it was the actual bird. Now that is worrying because it could do it again.

Bay Cruiser Posted at 2017-3-6 21:03
Bitumen, I know there may be a little metal underneath but have taken off from bitumen before with no problem. So it looks like it was the actual bird. Now that is worrying because it could do it again.

Fair 'nuff, bitumen should not cause you any grief. So it must have been something else. Compass collywobbles.

Geebax Posted at 2017-3-6 22:01
Fair 'nuff, bitumen should not cause you any grief. So it must have been something else. Compass collywobbles.

Yep will have to be very cautious and "nervous" now for the next few flights.

Another of the mysteries...


Happy for you, that no serious damage happened.


RedHotPoker

How many satellites did it show you connected to at take off? I'm guessing either not connected to sats or accidentally launched in ATTI mode.  

I've switched on while carrying to take-off spot ...
Picking up and cleaning lense while switched on - done that as well.

Does it cause problems - not that I have seen. Initialisation occurs when first powered on and then it just sits waiting something to happen.

You mention S2 switch ... why did you pick that one ? S2 is for RTH and WiFi link when used in conjunction with gimbal wheel. S1 does the change of P - Atti - F ...

Basically as others said - unfortunate incident but my view unrelated to the hop and crash.

If the AC is flying well now - put it down to one of lifes mysterys !!

Nigel

Regards satellites I never get more then 10 in Oz and normally between 7-10 and have had  no problem till today. I had 8 at takeoff.  

Regards S2 switch , I did the one on the right which is the atti gps one. I assumed this is called S2 as normal logic would say the one on the left is S1, but maybe I am wrong after all it is all Chinese to me !!!!

Re my last reply I see it was S1 I flipped which is the right one - dam stupid to call a switch on the left S2 and a switch on the right S1 !!!! I think I will always call these wrong.

"and when the bird was a few inches off the floor " Are you talking about the floor inside your house, or, the ground (earth) outside your house?

MJLSTUDIOS Posted at 2017-3-7 01:53
"and when the bird was a few inches off the floor " Are you talking about the floor inside your house, or, the ground (earth) outside your house?

Outside, bitumen as mentioned.

MJLSTUDIOS Posted at 2017-3-7 01:53
"and when the bird was a few inches off the floor " Are you talking about the floor inside your house, or, the ground (earth) outside your house?

In British (and Aussie) English, "floor" is often used to refer to the ground (earth). His usage is not incorrect.

Bay Cruiser Posted at 2017-3-7 01:00
Re my last reply I see it was S1 I flipped which is the right one - dam stupid to call a switch on the left S2 and a switch on the right S1 !!!! I think I will always call these wrong.

Agree, it does seem daft however don't the Chinese write from right to left?  S1 and S2 are actually written on the switches with my controller.
My P3 did exactly the same a few days ago when I was taking off very near a hedge.... 3 props damaged which surprised me as it was quite a small crash.  My tablet battery was flat so decided to just fly it without the tablet and keep it well within sight.................. perhaps with hindsight, not a good idea.

blackcrusader Posted at 2017-3-6 20:03
If it drifts just use RC commands to correct that no need to shutdown. You could give it a little more height first then correct the yaw.

Be careful how many times you switch your S2 back and forth or you can reset the APP to input the password again.

I believe the gimbal wheel also needs to be turn to the right for the password reset.

GeoffN Posted at 2017-3-7 04:09
Agree, it does seem daft however don't the Chinese write from right to left?  S1 and S2 are actually written on the switches with my controller.
My P3 did exactly the same a few days ago when I was taking off very near a hedge.... 3 props damaged which surprised me as it was quite a small crash.  My tablet battery was flat so decided to just fly it without the tablet and keep it well within sight.................. perhaps with hindsight, not a good idea.

Not good but without  a tablet how do you tell if you have a good signal.

DroneSmeg Posted at 2017-3-7 03:36
In British (and Aussie) English, "floor" is often used to refer to the ground (earth). His usage is not incorrect.

Yep you are right and I'm an Aussie who lives in Oz now but was educated and worked in the U.K so both apply to me. So I think this makes me a 'Possie' !!

My opinion is that you panicked and shut down too fast.  Better to have climbed.  
Using a stick down when your drone is yawing away will cause it to tip when the landing leg hits the ground.
These things can fly pretty quickly and you didn't stop the movement of the drone and bring it to a hover.
When it's going at even a slow speed a stick down and crashing it isn't the best option. Up up and away.

Practise a few low level yaw movements ( slow ones ) and try the stick up so you can see how that works.
Landing sideways isn't really and option.

blackcrusader Posted at 2017-3-7 12:30
My opinion is that you panicked and shut down too fast.  Better to have climbed.  
Using a stick down when your drone is yawing away will cause it to tip when the landing leg hits the ground.
These things can fly pretty quickly and you didn't stop the movement of the drone and bring it to a hover.

Yep you are right but as this was the first time I have experienced this in 253 flights and it was heading towards objects I just didn't want to take it up in the air and find it still went to the side and hit a tree or roof of a house. I use it to photograph houses for Real estate, before someone says don't fly near houses ! It all happened pretty quick, like within 10 seconds so panic was the first reaction without really thinking. I think my brain doesn't work that quickly anymore !!!!!!
But saying this I got it on the ground and had no damage to bird or anything around me so I must have made the right decision.

Bay Cruiser Posted at 2017-3-7 12:48
Yep you are right but as this was the first time I have experienced this in 253 flights and it was heading towards objects I just didn't want to take it up in the air and find it still went to the side and hit a tree or roof of a house. I use it to photograph houses for Real estate, before someone says don't fly near houses ! It all happened pretty quick, like within 10 seconds so panic was the first reaction without really thinking. I think my brain doesn't work that quickly anymore !!!!!!
But saying this I got it on the ground and had no damage to bird or anything around me so I must have made the right decision.

Sometimes options are limited.  Anyways good that no real damage on the drone.

You need to practice some climbing and yawing so next time to can reverse the yaw and climb at same time.  I sometimes just want to fly but not good for vids or photos so go to a track and field next to my home and just practice yaw, rotation, stick up down..... just never the CSC.  Sometimes I try to follow the running track lanes and see how accurately I can make my drone stay within a lane as I fly around especially the corners.  Yaw, speed, rotation, forwards and backwards movements all come into play.

blackcrusader Posted at 2017-3-7 12:59
Sometimes options are limited.  Anyways good that no real damage on the drone.

You need to practice some climbing and yawing so next time to can reverse the yaw and climb at same time.  I sometimes just want to fly but not good for vids or photos so go to a track and field next to my home and just practice yaw, rotation, stick up down..... just never the CSC.  Sometimes I try to follow the running track lanes and see how accurately I can make my drone stay withing a lane as I fly around especially the corners.  Yaw, speed, rotation, forwards and backwards movements all come into play.

Yep I must practice more - my wife says the same thing to me !!!

DroneSmeg Posted at 2017-3-7 03:36
In British (and Aussie) English, "floor" is often used to refer to the ground (earth). His usage is not incorrect.

There is nothing in my post suggesting poor grammar. I was looking for clarification on whether the drone was flown inside a house or outside.

Now I see comment twice about CSC ... now as I understand it Pulling BOTH sticks back and centre as needed for manual start / stop ... will only do the same as Left stick lock down ...

In the air I have demo'd more than once and even have a video of it ... AC up at reasonable height and Left stick locked down .. AC descending still powered.
I am reluctant to test CSC two sticks command - but I am led to believe that motors will not stop while flying.

Nigel

When you cleaned the lens did you pick it up by holding the middle of the bird? If so, how long after you put it back down did you wait before flying it? Just thinking that if you held it from the middle, that screws up the GPS reception. And if you flew relatively quickly after, maybe it was still establishing it's position using the GPS and maybe a shifting GPS position caused it to veer to the side.
Just trying to come up with a correlation between the two.

Though you say you have flown from that spot before, there is no way of knowing if it was the EXACT spot.  Magnet interference is funny.  To test it out, set the Phantom in the spot you take off from and go to the sensor screen in the app, with everything powered on.  Observe the numbers in the compass readout.  Move the drone a couple of inches and see if the numbers change much.  I suspect the problem was magnetic interference from the bitumen.

Bitumen has no magnetic property of its own ... its a product of Petroleum processing unless you have Sumerian Bitumen which is a naturally occuring product processed over time !! In pre-biblical times it was used to seal containers for water etc.

But it could be the re-inforcement or foundation under the bitumen.

Nigel

Kneepuck Posted at 2017-3-8 09:50
Though you say you have flown from that spot before, there is no way of knowing if it was the EXACT spot.  Magnet interference is funny.  To test it out, set the Phantom in the spot you take off from and go to the sensor screen in the app, with everything powered on.  Observe the numbers in the compass readout.  Move the drone a couple of inches and see if the numbers change much.  I suspect the problem was magnetic interference from the bitumen.

Very true.

KM5RG-Robert Posted at 2017-3-8 07:15
When you cleaned the lens did you pick it up by holding the middle of the bird? If so, how long after you put it back down did you wait before flying it? Just thinking that if you held it from the middle, that screws up the GPS reception. And if you flew relatively quickly after, maybe it was still establishing it's position using the GPS and maybe a shifting GPS position caused it to veer to the side.
Just trying to come up with a correlation between the two.

Yes and pretty much straight after, this is what I was hoping to hear that it was me who caused this problem and not a random fault of the bird so my confidence in the bird will hopefully come back.