Hi all,
Unfortunately, I did something super stupid. I tried to have a test flight inside of my apartment.

As a foreword, yes I am a noob, an idiot, an impatient rookie.

I was having a test flight with my P4Pro. After taking off, it started gliding slowly over the TV even I wasn't controlling the RC and had my first crash. As you may imagine, two props hit really hard on the panel of my LED TV and damaged badly. Luckily, nothing happened in terms of pixel failure - just some serious scratches. Then the drone started increasing its speed and altitude, and I had to hold it from its underside with one of my hands, it was super dangerous and I tried to land but it didn'T allow me. I suddenly remembers how to do emergency stop to turn the engines off.

So I really didn't understand why it glided. And really confused about why the sensors didn't help me to stop crasing into the TV.

Any ideas? You can criticize me of course. I really know that I shouldn't fly the drone inside the house for there is a lot of interference that will cause it to crash. I just want to be enlightened about the details.

I am super sorry and embarassed for what had happened - so please forgive me :/

PS: i got scared out of my mind.

here is the log - i am not sure if it is something analyzable. -> http://app.airdata.com/main?share=cxbjdE

Sorry for your incident… Do you remember if you were in Beginner mode, or in P mode or in Atti mode? (if GPS or video positioning and obstacle sensing are not available, the P4P will automatically switch to Atti mode, and the pilot will have to proceed with caution… even the draught from an open window will move the drone around) Of course being inside a building the GPS wouldn't work… Was the lighting in the room enough for the front and back sensors to work correctly? The side infrared sensors only work in Beginner mode and in Tripod mode… How was the floor? Did it fit the needs of the Visual Positioning System? (page 29 of the manual).

I'm no expert on the logs, but just want you to know that many of us have flown indoors a bit too early in our learning. I also too flew indoors first as the weather was raining when I received my drone. Luckily I read the manual and many forums prior to receiving it and I think it helped me avoid a catastrophe like yours. There are a couple of things to consider indoors and you should be comfortable flying outdoors first. I know that panic feeling when flying too early indoors. You should set it to hover rather than RTH. Also, Wi-fi interference has to be dealt with. VPS has some considerations as that is your main positioning system. Best to read up about that. Collision avoidance can be problematic indoors as well especially in a tight area. Best to get to know your bird well before flying indoors, but it will do it. It's not much different then flying on a narrow path in the woods, except there are more expensive things to damage

Hi Antonio, thank you so much for your message.
- I wasn't in Beginner Mode; because it was saying "Cannot Take Off (No GPS)". I just turned off Beginner Mode and took off. I was probably in P mode because when I was trying to land, there was a warning stating that "Cannot Switch Flight Mode: 'Multiple Flight Modes to enable Atti and Sport modes" then suddenly stated "Landing Cancelled". It was like a nightmare, I was trying to hold the drone with my one hand while I was forcing it turn the engines off. There wasn't any draught or something like that. But the strange thing is, when I took off, the drone was floating over the air, and didn't stand firm - then I panicked and it crashed into the TV. (yes - it was a bit close the TV - i know that is a huge huge mistake) The lighting was average, but the was on, so it is weird that it didn't sense the light coming from the TV.

The thing is, this incident has really demotivated me.. Don't know what to do..

Capo Posted at 2017-5-11 12:45
I'm no expert on the logs, but just want you to know that many of us have flown indoors a bit too early in our learning. I also too flew indoors first as the weather was raining when I received my drone. Luckily I read the manual and many forums prior to receiving it and I think it helped me avoid a catastrophe like yours. There are a couple of things to consider indoors and you should be comfortable flying outdoors first. I know that panic feeling when flying too early indoors. You should set it to hover rather than RTH. Also, Wi-fi interference has to be dealt with. VPS has some considerations as that is your main positioning system. Best to read up about that. Collision avoidance can be problematic indoors as well especially in a tight area. Best to get to know your bird well before flying indoors, but it will do it. It's not much different then flying on a narrow path in the woods, except there are more expensive things to damage

Thank you Capo! Is there anyway that I can check if the engine has been damaged or not? One of the props was frayed out with the crash effect.

Next time you're tempted to fly indoors, don't do it.  But if you can't help yourself, put prop guards on the AC.


Re the motor, you can check it on your kitchen table by removing the props and starting the motors.  It's probably okay.  You should be more concerned with the gimbal.  

Hope you get your problems ironed out.  

"The thing is, this incident has really demotivated me.. Don't know what to do.."

It is more than likely that you have only ruined the props. Put on a new set of props. Do a calibration of the IMU then find a nice open field, calibrate your compass and start to learn how to control the aircraft. Do a few exercises and get some confidence before trying anything too adventurous. Be careful when hand catching as those props can cause serious damage. Another thing to practice later.

Don't be ashamed, Emir!
I did the the same:  When I purchased the P4P weather wouldn't allow flying. But of course I had to get it in the air.
So it was my appartment.
Having had some experience with the P3S (which is hard to fly indoors) I was amazed: It stood like a rock in air.
Absolutely MUST for that is: P-Mode and the Downward positioning system needs to be able to work. Sufficient light is required.
I even have an almost non-structured carpet but still it worked.

Don't let this take you down!

Emir Posted at 2017-5-11 12:56
Hi Antonio, thank you so much for your message.
- I wasn't in Beginner Mode; because it was saying "Cannot Take Off (No GPS)". I just turned off Beginner Mode and took off. I was probably in P mode because when I was trying to land, there was a warning stating that "Cannot Switch Flight Mode: 'Multiple Flight Modes to enable Atti and Sport modes" then suddenly stated "Landing Cancelled". It was like a nightmare, I was trying to hold the drone with my one hand while I was forcing it turn the engines off. There wasn't any draught or something like that. But the strange thing is, when I took off, the drone was floating over the air, and didn't stand firm - then I panicked and it crashed into the TV. (yes - it was a bit close the TV - i know that is a huge huge mistake) The lighting was average, but the was on, so it is weird that it didn't sense the light coming from the TV.

Emir, don't let this incident demotivate you! Take it as a lesson, and from it understand that a drone is not a toy and one must take the time to learn how to use it.  I'm a beginner too, but prior to getting my P4P I exercised for some time  with a micro drone (no GPS, no sensors, no  camera), both outside and inside. The P4P is so much easier to fly in P mode, but in my opinion it is REALLY important to learn in an open, wide space. Then, before attempting to fly inside, one should learn and be comfortable flying in ATTI mode. Just don/t be in a hurry, take your time, and BE SAFE!
RE: the warning about the flight modes, did you by any chance , even inadvertently, activate the switch to change mode? Otherwise I cannot explain the message -i think that the drone would automatically switch to ATTI in certain conditions, even if the multiple flight mode has not been activated... WIll check it, though. What seems to me is that your sensors were not working, and there are many reasons for that.   Take a deep breath and go on!

Draft from A/C may be enough to push it across the room in ATTI mode.

Emir Posted at 2017-5-11 12:56
Hi Antonio, thank you so much for your message.
- I wasn't in Beginner Mode; because it was saying "Cannot Take Off (No GPS)". I just turned off Beginner Mode and took off. I was probably in P mode because when I was trying to land, there was a warning stating that "Cannot Switch Flight Mode: 'Multiple Flight Modes to enable Atti and Sport modes" then suddenly stated "Landing Cancelled". It was like a nightmare, I was trying to hold the drone with my one hand while I was forcing it turn the engines off. There wasn't any draught or something like that. But the strange thing is, when I took off, the drone was floating over the air, and didn't stand firm - then I panicked and it crashed into the TV. (yes - it was a bit close the TV - i know that is a huge huge mistake) The lighting was average, but the was on, so it is weird that it didn't sense the light coming from the TV.

I'm assuming you had the Go app connected when this occurred? Did the app disconnect at any pont? You should be able to play it back in the Flight Records section of the Go app to see what error messages and mode the unit was in when this happened.

Emir, Practice in the academy , then fly in beginner mode and then go to an open space and practice on using ATTI mode. The easiest trick to learn first is have the back of the drone facing you and try to control it and if you think it is getting away from you switch to P mode and keep at it until you really good at it. Myself I spent over a MONTH practicing on flying in ATTI mode because sooner or later you might need to use it and you better be prepared or you might loose your drone.

You can also practice on it in the academy section.

SAFETY FIRST - FUN SECOND

Mark The Droner Posted at 2017-5-11 13:09
Next time you're tempted to fly indoors, don't do it.  But if you can't help yourself, put prop guards on the AC.

Hi Mark, thank you very much for your reply. I checked the motors without props and nothing strange - no wobble or something like that. Is there any way that I can check the gimble for such test?

Cabansail Posted at 2017-5-11 13:41
"The thing is, this incident has really demotivated me.. Don't know what to do.."

It is more than likely that you have only ruined the props. Put on a new set of props. Do a calibration of the IMU then find a nice open field, calibrate your compass and start to learn how to control the aircraft. Do a few exercises and get some confidence before trying anything too adventurous. Be careful when hand catching as those props can cause serious damage. Another thing to practice later.

Thank you! Next time, I'll do my best for sure!

Eric13 Posted at 2017-5-11 13:58
Don't be ashamed, Emir!
I did the the same:  When I purchased the P4P weather wouldn't allow flying. But of course I had to get it in the air.
So it was my appartment.

Thanks Eric, your words are highly appreciated man.

Buy a Tiny Whoop.... For indoor thrills, and cheap spills... Ha
https://www.tinywhoop.com

Stick to the outdoors with the bigger drones, and save yourself the heartache.


RedHotPoker

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-11 16:14
I'm assuming you had the Go app connected when this occurred? Did the app disconnect at any pont? You should be able to play it back in the Flight Records section of the Go app to see what error messages and mode the unit was in when this happened.

Hi Jamie,

I think I turned the R/C off whilst got into a panic. So yes, the app disconnected at one point.

Here are the notifs that I received during my 2-minute flight:

- Tips: Taking off
- Warning: Cannot Switch Flight Mode: Turn on "Multiple Flight Mode to enable Atti and Sport Modes
- Tips: Landing canceled
- Then I turned off the motors while I was holding the handhold.

[img]https://forum33.djicdn.com/data/attachment/forum/                        https://www.dropbox.com/s/wuhl6q ... %2059%2028.png?dl=0[/img]

dronist Posted at 2017-5-11 19:18
Emir, Practice in the academy , then fly in beginner mode and then go to an open space and practice on using ATTI mode. The easiest trick to learn first is have the back of the drone facing you and try to control it and if you think it is getting away from you switch to P mode and keep at it until you really good at it. Myself I spent over a MONTH practicing on flying in ATTI mode because sooner or later you might need to use it and you better be prepared or you might loose your drone.

You can also practice on it in the academy section.

Thank you my friend, your comments and feedback highly appreciated!

What an amazing community and helpful fellows. BIG Thanks all your support and encouraging messages.

Hey Emir, no need for the sorry bit, your experience is very valid here on this forum and will show others the need to learn as much as they can about flying these craft, before they embark on what are considered the more difficult challenges like flying indoors.

It is recommended that you learn to fly and learn to control your craft outdoors before trying indoor flights, and when you achieve this you will become more confident about flying indoors and the best methods of doing this for your scenario.

If you are getting itchy fingers, you always have the option of the flight simulator, but I would recommend buying a cheap small drone $50 , they are amazingly difficult to control but heaps of fun and you can do almost no damage.

So thank you for posting your unfortunate story, but if it makes others think twice about taking the unnecessary risks, then it helps greatly.
I hope you get your craft sorted soon and get some nice weather to enjoy what the pleasures of this aircraft are on the outside.
Good luck....

Emir Posted at 2017-5-11 12:16
here is the log - i am not sure if it is something analyzable. -> http://app.airdata.com/main?share=cxbjdE

I like how it gives you tips and warnings in the log. Wonder if the warning is "DON'T FLY INDOORS" One tip maybe "Don't hit that TVeeeee"

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-5-12 02:18
Hey Emir, no need for the sorry bit, your experience is very valid here on this forum and will show others the need to learn as much as they can about flying these craft, before they embark on what are considered the more difficult challenges like flying indoors.

It is recommended that you learn to fly and learn to control your craft outdoors before trying indoor flights, and when you achieve this you will become more confident about flying indoors and the best methods of doing this for your scenario.

Thank you very much your kind reply. Exactly, just as you said, no need to try risky things before having enough experience. And I would like to highlight that this is definitely NOT A TOY. I hope all freshmen would read this post before trying something hazardous.
Thanks again my friend!

Emir Posted at 2017-5-11 12:59
Thank you Capo! Is there anyway that I can check if the engine has been damaged or not? One of the props was frayed out with the crash effect.

Your motor should be fine. DJI even expects you to have minor crashes, the reason they give you an extra set of props. The motors are also monitored by the system and you'll get errors if there is a problem with one of them.

Don't let the incident demotivate you. We all have moments where we make mistakes with these and just need to learn from our mistakes and those of others. This hobby is too much fun to let go because of an error. You'll find that with some practice and study, your confidence will increase and I bet you will want to try indoor flying again with confidence, just to challenge yourself. Just be ready for it. It's a hobby where you will continue to have new challenges you want to conquer as you get more proficient, whether the goals are about difficult missions or better photography/videography. One thing though. Avoid the temptation to put most of your concentration on the camera until you become a proficient pilot. Get to know all the modes and capabilities. There is a lot to learn on one of these birds.

Emir Posted at 2017-5-11 12:16
here is the log - i am not sure if it is something analyzable. -> http://app.airdata.com/main?share=cxbjdE

Dont let this discourage you, take it as a learning opportunity. From what I can read from the log, the aircraft switchted to ATTI right after Auto Takeoff. This is usually because of insufficient lighting not only to the front. Most relevant for positioning are the downward facing sensors. If they look at a dark monotone carpet they may not see enough to position the drone. If that is the case, the drone switches to ATTI (ATTI basically only keeps the drone level, no matter which way it is moving, in P and Sport mode the drone stays where it is without drifting).

I think the best lesson you can learn from it is: RTFM - read the manual. When flying it is important that you know right away what is happening, because only then you have the chance to perform the right actions. The Phantom may look complicated at first glance, but rest assured it is not. It is only a lot in the first place, but you'll be able to wrap your head around it rather fast.

Just put a big piece of new knowledge from your luck-jar into your experience-jar ;)

Crap happens... fly outside in the future.. I flew many RC and now Phantom.. had my 1st mishap a few months ago, when my craft decided to RTH while in my garage.. not good! Anyhow, as much as it does make you nervous, get over it and keep going.. just do it outside....
As for my 1st flight of my phantom, over a year ago.. it just so happened it arrived a day before a ski trip... so I had "no choice"... keep in mind, I've done RC for many years, including helis and quads, and some airplanes.... I also spent 2 weeks + studying the manual, looking at tutorials, to make DAMNED sure I know as much as I possibly can....

For comparison.. I used to fly my heli in my basement ;)


Things we used to do when we were young and stupid.. as opposed when we are old and stupid ;)

It can go wrong sometimes

hallmark007, Capo, lienbacher, Phantomski; thank you all for your precious comments and frankness - much appreciated!!

Also, always fly your drone in the open, away from any obstructions or interference.


It's easy to find trouble. Even easier to avoid it. ;-)


What makes me laugh are the off the wall comments here...
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=002_1360813471&comments=1


RedHotPoker

Thx RedHot! I feel better now.. ;) I am not quite as bad!

Phantomski Posted at 2017-5-12 20:41
Thx RedHot! I feel better now.. ;) I am not quite as bad!

Haha, Phantomski Tree trimming & Arborist Service? Haha


Keep those rotor blades sharp. Eh? ;-)


RedHotPoker

Emir Posted at 2017-5-12 00:05
Hi Jamie,

I think I turned the R/C off whilst got into a panic. So yes, the app disconnected at one point.

Based on the screenshot, it was  in OPTI mode where the VPS was activated. Depending on the lighting, the functionality could have been compromised, but it's hard to tell. It would be better to try the unit outside to ensure that everything is functioning accordingly after the crash.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-15 15:46
Based on the screenshot, it was  in OPTI mode where the VPS was activated. Depending on the lighting, the functionality could have been compromised, but it's hard to tell. It would be better to try the unit outside to ensure that everything is functioning accordingly after the crash.

Thanks Jamie. So if I switched VPS off, does it mean that I turn off the OPTI mode as well? Because we have P-A-S modes on the RC, how did I or the RC switched the OPTI mode on?

Emir Posted at 2017-5-15 23:18
Thanks Jamie. So if I switched VPS off, does it mean that I turn off the OPTI mode as well? Because we have P-A-S modes on the RC, how did I or the RC switched the OPTI mode on?

Yes, turning off VPS would keep OPTI mode from activating. OPTI is not a separate mode that can be selected on the RC like P (GPS), A (ATTI) and S (Sport) mode are, but rather an integrated function of P mode when certain conditions are met. While there are conditions that have to be met in order for OPTI to appear in the first place, you would want to read the limitations in the manual.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-16 07:50
Yes, turning off VPS would keep OPTI mode from activating. OPTI is not a separate mode that can be selected on the RC like P (GPS), A (ATTI) and S (Sport) mode are, but rather an integrated function of P mode when certain conditions are met. While there are conditions that have to be met in order for OPTI to appear in the first place, you would want to read the limitations in the manual.

Thanks you so much Jamie!