Need some help

[wichkans]

Well I know I may get some flack for this but this is my situation.

I purchased a slightly used P3A from ebay, ship is in perfect condition not a scratch or scuff on it, I searched a long time for the right deal and a seller I felt comfortable with.
The P3A came with extra Batt's, lots of accessories and lowepro, case.

I have made 5 flights sense I purchased it couple weeks ago but I haven't taken it past 400ft distance because of fear it will just keep going and never to be seen again I guess keeping it close makes me feel safer.
My overriding fear is not that it will hit a tree or other obstacle that is pilot error and I understand and can live with that.
The fear is for some unknown reason unrelated to pilot it will just loose contact and fly away or just drop dead for no reason and crash.
I guess I am seeking soom reassurance that dji is a quality product that works as it should 95% of the time and that I am just over thinking it.

Thanks and be kind

Bob

 

[crash1sttime]

@wichkans

Sounds like your a nervous pilot that has never watched one single YouTube video or indeed read any instructions about your product

I won't waste my time explaining all the things that Dji has built into the unit to make it smart you can go and search YouTube for your answer.

 

[With The Birds]

If you don't have the time or inclination to read the entire instruction menu do yourself a favour and read the section onRTH.

If the connection to the drone is lost it will return to the launch point.

 

[kbviper]

Bob, I see no need for anyone to give you any flack for what you have written. I have had different drones over the past number of years and the jump in technology in the DJI drones over the past couple of years continues to impress me every time that I fly. I presently have 3 P4 drones. The primary one that I fly has 90 flights on it with a total of over 23 hours of air time and 230 miles traveled. I have not even scuffed a prop.

During one of the earlier flights, when I was still caching video on my ipad and once the HD got full, the DJI app would no longer run and it disconnected from the P4. (My bad). I watched in amazement as the P4 came back on its own and landed on the lawn in front of me, right where it took off from.

I use the RTH button occasionally and that feature has always worked great. As far as hitting trees or other obstacles, I always ensure that I give them lots of clearance. Don't fly in excessive wind, although it is amazing how high a wind that they can be flown in. Use a checklist to help ensure that everything is set up properly (RTH height for example) and that your home point has been recorded before taking off.

Where I fly I am often over deep water. I don't think I will ever be 100% as comfortable over land as water, but I have accepted the fact that whether I am 20' out over the water, or 400', the end result will be the same. The more you use it, the more faith you will have in it.

Good luck.

 

[crash1sttime]

During one of the earlier flights, when I was still caching video on my ipad and once the HD got full, the DJI app would no longer run and it disconnected from the P4. (My bad). I watched in amazement as the P4 came back on its own and landed on the lawn in front of me, right where it took off from..

Wouldn't happen, the only time RTH is triggered is if

1) the battery gets low
2) the quad no longer sees a connection to the transmitter,

Losing the app and as such the FPV feed would not trigger a RTH only losing the transmitter signal as stated in statement 2.


This is why you need to read the manual or watch videos so to avoid people who will give you false information.

 

[kbviper]

Wouldn't happen, the only time RTH is triggered is if

1) the battery gets low
2) the quad no longer sees a connection to the transmitter,

Losing the app and as such the FPV feed would not trigger a RTH only losing the transmitter signal as stated in statement 2.


This is why you need to read the manual or watch videos so to avoid people who will give you false information.

Unbelievable. So many self proclaimed experts out there. So, if it does not say it can happen in the manual, or in videos you watch posted by god knows who, I am a liar??? On April 1st, while flying back to the home point, caching video filled the hard drive of my ipad, basically locked up the ipad, and the P4 returned home. Is it possible that the battery was low enough to trigger an automatic RTH at the same time? - yes.

The point I was trying to make was that if you cache video onto your device, and the hard drive gets full, you may have some problems. Someone starting off could easily miss that. Suggesting that OP "avoid" me is not necessary.

For the record, no data was retained by the P4 after the ipad locked up. Last altitude in the CSV file is 246 feet. Looks more like a disconnection than a low battery IMHO.

 

[WV. Rootman]

Taking in all the information is the hard part. Some people need more time. The most important is the pre-flight. If you have done everything right, your phantom will return. Keep it within sight and practice it returning on its own(RTH). That will build confidence. Do stay away from large metal objects: metal roofs, water tanks, bridges. Don't fly close to them.That is the one situation I know it will not return to home. Once you are use to RTH, it becomes a common occurrence. Only do what you confident with. Don't worry what other people do. It's your money and your drone. All yea, one other note. I see where you are from. Stay away from twisters.

 

[Alan-G]

RTFIs until your eyes bleed, then wash your face and go flying. After all that' what you bought it for.

 

[crash1sttime]

Unbelievable. So many self proclaimed experts out there.

Self proclaimed ?, not really, just someone who has been flying quads for 4 years

U So, if it does not say it can happen in the manual, or in videos you watch posted by god knows who, I am a liar???

Yes in essence, you lied about something happening that simply can't and won't happen

Is it possible that the battery was low enough to trigger an automatic RTH at the same time? - yes.

You answered your own question there mate.


As to suggesting the OP avoid you then yes you are peddling information that is incorrect, why the quad did a RTH may have been loss of signal, as you haven't posted the correct link to the airdata log I can't tell, look for the button on the top right of the screen that lets you share the full flight information so I can make an INFORMED suggestion as to what your issue was.

Or slink away into the forum somewhere, I'm not to bothered

 

[kbviper]

Self proclaimed ?, not really, just someone who has been flying quads for 4 years




Yes in essence, you lied about something happening that simply can't and won't happen







You answered your own question there mate.


As to suggesting the OP avoid you then yes you are peddling information that is incorrect, why the quad did a RTH may have been loss of signal, as you haven't posted the correct link to the airdata log I can't tell, look for the button on the top right of the screen that lets you share the full flight information so I can make an INFORMED suggestion as to what your issue was.

Or slink away into the forum somewhere, I'm not to bothered

Last key strokes I waste in responding to your drivel.

I doubt as it did an RTH due to a low battery as it was not that far away, and landed with 46% battery.

If you have only been flying quads 4 years, I likely have a lot more experience than you.

Looks like you are quite the P2 and P3 guy, I am flying a P4, to suggest that I am lying about what I observed is ludicrous. The point of my post was to remind the OP to keep an eye on the hard drive space of his device, particularly if he is caching video, as the device may lock up if the hard drive gets full. I believe that is still good advice.

If I felt the need to post my airdata log to help the OP, I would have gladly done it. I have no desire to post it for you to troll through and respond with some more prattle that adds no value to assisting the individual who started this conversation. Too bad with all your experience you are not more interested in assisting other members than jumping all over what you see as mistakes and suggesting that people avoid them.

PS It should be "too"bothered", not "to bothered", work on your command of the English language, and yes, I will move on to another forum, and pay no more attention to you. (Congratulations, you are my first "Ignore."

 

[wichkans]

Bob, I see no need for anyone to give you any flack for what you have written. I have had different drones over the past number of years and the jump in technology in the DJI drones over the past couple of years continues to impress me every time that I fly. I presently have 3 P4 drones. The primary one that I fly has 90 flights on it with a total of over 23 hours of air time and 230 miles traveled. I have not even scuffed a prop.

During one of the earlier flights, when I was still caching video on my ipad and once the HD got full, the DJI app would no longer run and it disconnected from the P4. (My bad). I watched in amazement as the P4 came back on its own and landed on the lawn in front of me, right where it took off from.

I use the RTH button occasionally and that feature has always worked great. As far as hitting trees or other obstacles, I always ensure that I give them lots of clearance. Don't fly in excessive wind, although it is amazing how high a wind that they can be flown in. Use a checklist to help ensure that everything is set up properly (RTH height for example) and that your home point has been recorded before taking off.

Where I fly I am often over deep water. I don't think I will ever be 100% as comfortable over land as water, but I have accepted the fact that whether I am 20' out over the water, or 400', the end result will be the same. The more you use it, the more faith you will have in it.

Good luck.

Thank you KbViper,
I appreciate you taking the time to give me sage advice, the P3A is my only ship and I guess I over think the dangers.
It's great to have a community of people to bounce things off of.

Bob

@wichkans

Sounds like your a nervous pilot that has never watched one single YouTube video or indeed read any instructions about your product

I won't waste my time explaining all the things that Dji has built into the unit to make it smart you can go and search YouTube for your answer.

 

[wichkans]

Seems like their are always people on any social media site that look for comments that they can attack, my rule of thumb is that I will never say anything in a post that I wouldn't say to someone in person.
This is something we all have in common and we should TRY to support one another.

 

[crash1sttime]

. (Congratulations, you are my first "Ignore."

Cool my first ignore, I can live with that.

But my point holds, and I stand by it. Read the manual and watch YouTube videos by people who know what they are talking about.

Oh and the P4 operates the same way software wise as a P3.

 

[crash1sttime]

Seems like their are always people on any social media site that look for comments that they can attack, my rule of thumb is that I will never say anything in a post that I wouldn't say to someone in person.
This is something we all have in common and we should TRY to support one another.

Not attacking anyone mate, the guy spouted rubbish and it had to be corrected. Feel free to ignore me as well if you like, i think my English is correct this time.

 

[INDIANAFLYER]

Well I know I may get some flack for this but this is my situation.

I purchased a slightly used P3A from ebay, ship is in perfect condition not a scratch or scuff on it, I searched a long time for the right deal and a seller I felt comfortable with.
The P3A came with extra Batt's, lots of accessories and lowepro, case.

I have made 5 flights sense I purchased it couple weeks ago but I haven't taken it past 400ft distance because of fear it will just keep going and never to be seen again I guess keeping it close makes me feel safer.
My overriding fear is not that it will hit a tree or other obstacle that is pilot error and I understand and can live with that.
The fear is for some unknown reason unrelated to pilot it will just loose contact and fly away or just drop dead for no reason and crash.
I guess I am seeking soom reassurance that dji is a quality product that works as it should 95% of the time and that I am just over thinking it.

Thanks and be kind

Bob

 

[INDIANAFLYER]

I bought an FC 40 when they came out in 2014. i then bought the P3A last year. i read and watched everything I could find for both before I started to fly. I have found the PHANTOMS to be 100% reliable. You can rely on the system as long as you know the capabilites and don't think the quad is magic and will do everthing for you.

HAVE FUN

 

[aburkefl]

Thank you KbViper,
I appreciate you taking the time to give me sage advice, the P3A is my only ship and I guess I over think the dangers.
It's great to have a community of people to bounce things off of.

Bob

On the internet no one knows you're a dog. (Really old internet "saying.")

You got some good advice and accidentally stirred things up. I've never done that. LOL
If I had a dollar for every time I did something like that I could have retired even earlier!

Aside from advice about reading the manual, being careful, watching YouTube, etc., I'll pass
on what a good friend of mine said. Before quads - two or three years ago - I was flying basic
remote control aircraft - almost exclusively fixed wing. I expressed concern one day about the
possibility that a motor would die, an ESC would give up the ghost, interference from a WiFi
somewhere nearby would knock my craft out of the sky, etc., etc.

My friend said "...you can't fly things like this and worry that something beyond your control
can go wrong."

It's not very likely that any of these things will fly forever. Yes, the motor could wear out - you can
start a maintenance program to periodically replace those motors. How are you going to know when
that's necessary? Besides, if you keep flying the same thing too long without keeping up with the
changing technology, you'll be like a guy still running DOS on his computer.

There are undoubtedly a lot of guys out there with more money than I. But, the bottom line is that if
I'm truly worried about the thing falling out of the sky, maybe I'm in the wrong hobby!

I agree with you. If you fly into the ground or into a tree or a building - whatever - you can accept it
as pilot error. But if you're careful, read the manual (including the fine print!) and keep your cool, you'll
be doing about all that's humanly possible.

Eventually, you'll feel comfortable parking your new car in a "regular" parking place - if you get my drift!

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL