Have You Ever Turned The RC Off Just To See If...
- Thread starter Utopia Texas
- Start date
Yes, a couple of times. I worked perfectly both times. But it seems not a wise thing to do frequently. Now if I want to actuate the RTH, I use the S1 switch. That way, you can recover control at any time, particularly for landing.
Yes - it always works for me. I don't have S1 set up for failsafe just in case! If I get in trouble, I just switch off the Tx. Only had to do it in the field once when I lost FPV and it returned perfectly. Still had brown trousers though.
However to use the S1 switch you have to change from "Phantom" mode to "NAZA" mode in the PC assistant software. Then you have the option to choose that your bottom position on the S1 switch is failsafe(and not manual mode, which is the default once you switch to NAZA)
In "Phantom" mode(the mode you have once you get it out of the box) the S1 switch almost has no function(it can be used to start compass calibration with flicking it 5-6 times up and down)
In "Phantom" mode(the mode you have once you get it out of the box) the S1 switch almost has no function(it can be used to start compass calibration with flicking it 5-6 times up and down)
Utopia Texas said:
It will depend on the number of GPS satellites you had before liftoff and at the moment of return. In my experience sometimes it is dead on, sometimes it is up to 2 meters off.
Another thing that the S1 switch is good for and I believe this works even in the default "Phantom" mode, you can flick it once down and then back fully up. That stops any autonomous maneuvers your phantom is executing at the moment. For example a Ground Station mission or an Return To Home maneuver.
But test it somewhere on a safe open space since I forgot how it works exactly in "Phantom" mode(I switched to NAZA almost immediately). It can be that you will be given control immediately when you turn your remote back on, if you don't then remeber to try to flick the S1 down and back up.
That way even if you see that your RTH is not returning to the exact same spot, you can takeover at the last moment and land it manually
happydays said:
Happydays, what is your concern with failsafe on S1? In the unlikely event it is accidently actuated, you can easily regain control by flipping the switch back to the top, or in the worst case, it will go back to you. So I am interested in your point.
Utopia Texas said:
Normally within a couple of metres. On one occasion, I had to escape, because it was about to land on my head! So keep an eye on it!
Nathan Carter said:
Me too. With the additional features of NAZA mode, there is not much point in staying in Phantom mode too long.
rickasaurus said:
Hmmm, I'm not really sure why. When I got my original P1 in June 2013 I wasn't used to flying it and like every noob I suppose I wanted to limit the controls to a minimum so that I wouldn't accidentally initiate a RTH by mistake and wonder why it wasn't responding to the controls I was inputting. I had no FPV set up on that one and subsequently lost it in the sea.
With the FPV versions on the P2V and V+ that I currently have, I could see on screen that a RTH had been initiated, but I know that if ever I need to do one, turning off the TX would suffice. I suppose therefore it is just traditional. No logical reason for it at all.
On the proximity, I never land on the ground, I always hand catch and therefore regain control at about 20', but it was descending in all cases pretty much to the take off spot - I suppose within a 2-3m radius? Pretty good, if you ask me.
Meta4
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All flyers should try activating RTH (by whatever means) to learn how it works rather than wondering and hoping.
You'll get a lot more confidence when you know what it does and how.
You can easily see how close it will land - the final descent to landing is slow.
If you ever have an unplanned RTH the practice will pay off. - You won't get scared your Phantom is flying away and you know how to resume control rather than have your blind Phantom attempt to fly through a tree. Or you'll allow for tree height when you set home position to prevent this.
You'll get a lot more confidence when you know what it does and how.
You can easily see how close it will land - the final descent to landing is slow.
If you ever have an unplanned RTH the practice will pay off. - You won't get scared your Phantom is flying away and you know how to resume control rather than have your blind Phantom attempt to fly through a tree. Or you'll allow for tree height when you set home position to prevent this.
Meta4 said:
I agree with Meta4, as well as with several other comments in this string. First, any reasonably experienced pilot should fly in NAZA, so as to avail themselves of Failsafe on S1, and Homelock on S2. The other important think to remember is that creating Failsafe (either by turning off the RC, or activating it on S1) Phantom will climb/descend to the RTH altitude, based on what Phantom's altimeter indicates, and regardless of obstacles in the path to home. Alternately, activating and using Homelock, Phantom will head back to home at it's current altitude, and you still have control.
Perdidoflyer said:
I'm not sure about that one. Have you tested it? I thought all RTH by TX turn-off or by fail-safe switching, returned home at the current altitude unless it was below what was set in the software (used to be 60'). Have you tried it yourself?
On my property I have a open 200' x 200' space to take off and land but out of this area have many trees and power lines to navigate, some trees which are more than 90' tall, so just to be safe I have set my return home flight height at 150'.
When RTH to home kicks in if the bird is flying above the RTH height set it will just return to home at the current height. If it it below the set height it will climb to the preset height then start the return to home trip. Everyone should test these feature in a safe open location, once you see them function you will have the confideance when the time comes and you need to switch on the "RTH'" 
Yes, i did it a lot... the phantom came Always home like a hungry dog.. 
i use it to get my phantom back when i do not see him anymore.
i Always wait for takeoff until the green lights have flashed 2 times.. (homelock)
i use it to get my phantom back when i do not see him anymore.
i Always wait for takeoff until the green lights have flashed 2 times.. (homelock)
I do own a phantom 1... so does the Vision have an other naza controller ? because you guys can set the return hight ?
I can't speak for P1 since mine is currently resident in Davy Jones' Locker, but it can be done on the Vision range in the assistant software.
