Exactly 5 weeks ago, I wanted to demo my few months old Phantom 2 to a couple friends. I had an FPV setup with iOSD, it was around 11pm, clear and calm evening. After take off I got a bit carried away and flew +400m high. The lights were still very visible in the dark sky. Suddenly I saw on my display the amount of satellites blinking 0 and before I knew it I drifted much further then I thought. I started panicking a bit since I had a hard time finding the right direction to head back. FPV didn't help much since it was dark, with no home location, so was trying to see if I was going left or right head-in to make sure I was coming my direction. Suddenly the FPV started shaking left and right (prob got VRS). And slowly saw it disappearing on the horizon behind some trees. We jumped in the car driving around but no luck. Hindsight I think at some point I must have lost contact, the quad started to descent and got himself in VRS? (I was still on FW1.08 so maybe auto-descent speed was still to high).
So, being all crushed, I had a couple gin tonics and went to sleep hoping somebody would call the next day that they found it. (I recently put my phone number on it just in case). Never heard anything, so 2 weeks ago I bit the bullet and bought the whole setup again, including gopro only now with a H3-3D. Then this week, 5 weeks later, a lady calling me saying she found my 'helicopter'. Went to pick it up yesterday, FPV antenna broke off, but other then that it seemed in pretty good shape, blades were even intact, just a bit of dirt here and there. Turns out everything still works besides the FPV transmitter, amazing! The lady said they found it in their backyard, I suspect they had it for a while before seeing the number or calling me, cause it has been raining a lot lately. And everything still works. These things aren't water proof right?
Well, either way, I now got 2 phantoms
On the analysis, it is a real shame I didn't record that flight at the time, would've love seeing it again. Although I did flew way too high in the dark, then satellites for god knows what reason went to 0 and drifted away. Also altitude showed suddenly 1200m at some point but I believe that must've been an error, unless it started controlling itself. Probably got into VRS doing a self descent. I just know I won't be flying that far out in the dark anymore
Happy flying all!
So, being all crushed, I had a couple gin tonics and went to sleep hoping somebody would call the next day that they found it. (I recently put my phone number on it just in case). Never heard anything, so 2 weeks ago I bit the bullet and bought the whole setup again, including gopro only now with a H3-3D. Then this week, 5 weeks later, a lady calling me saying she found my 'helicopter'. Went to pick it up yesterday, FPV antenna broke off, but other then that it seemed in pretty good shape, blades were even intact, just a bit of dirt here and there. Turns out everything still works besides the FPV transmitter, amazing! The lady said they found it in their backyard, I suspect they had it for a while before seeing the number or calling me, cause it has been raining a lot lately. And everything still works. These things aren't water proof right?
Well, either way, I now got 2 phantoms On the analysis, it is a real shame I didn't record that flight at the time, would've love seeing it again. Although I did flew way too high in the dark, then satellites for god knows what reason went to 0 and drifted away. Also altitude showed suddenly 1200m at some point but I believe that must've been an error, unless it started controlling itself. Probably got into VRS doing a self descent. I just know I won't be flying that far out in the dark anymore
Happy flying all!
