RTH - I have never used it -

[a31burgervan]

After owning my drone for about a month now I have to say that I have never used the RTH feature. There is no real reason for this other than the fact that I feel in more control flying home myself.

I have completed waypoint missions in litchi, follow me modes - in fact I have tried and used them all with no issues but, for some reason, I'm unsure about RTH mode

I know there are plenty of posts about RTH fails and I am sure there are many factors involved but I just feel happier flying it back myself

And before you ask, yes I cant always see the quad but I use the fpv and the map/ screen icon to fly back

I did fly a fair amount of rc helis years ago so perhaps this helps, anybody else do the same???




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[MedicFL1]

After owning my drone for about a month now I have to say that I have never used the RTH feature. There is no real reason for this other than the fact that I feel in more control flying home myself.

I have completed waypoint missions in litchi, follow me modes - in fact I have tried and used them all with no issues but, for some reason, I'm unsure about RTH mode

I know there are plenty of posts about RTH fails and I am sure there are many factors involved but I just feel happier flying it back myself

And before you ask, yes I cant always see the quad but I use the fpv and the map/ screen icon to fly back

I did fly a fair amount of rc helis years ago so perhaps this helps, anybody else do the same???




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I'm the same way. As long as I see my map I fly it home myself.
Even though I always update my home point and calibrate the compass every time I fly, I still don't feel comfortable trusting the RTH feature.
I've even lost signal before ànd switched to ATTI mode until video came back - I trust myself more then what seems to be questionable technology, especially if there's any significant metal (bridge etc.) anywhere along flight path.

 

[tevek]

My advice to you is to read the manual for your drone on how to set up your RTH properly and go somewhere and practice it. Fine using Litchi missions etc and setting RTH as a simple default at mission end or loss of signal, but if you are using FPV in litchi or the go app and you lose signal back to the controller and have a blank screen, good luck getting your drone back if the height setting or your failure to activate RTH is not correct. And you may end up dumping the drone on someone's head. The RTH fails are predominantly operator error, you don't need to add to that list.

 

[MedicFL1]

My advice to you is to read the manual for your drone on how to set up your RTH properly and go somewhere and practice it. Fine using Litchi missions etc and setting RTH as a simple default at mission end or loss of signal, but if you are using FPV in litchi or the go app and you lose signal back to the controller and have a blank screen, good luck getting your drone back if the height setting or your failure to activate RTH is not correct. And you may end up dumping the drone on someone's head. The RTH fails are predominantly operator error, you don't need to add to that list.

Then watch yesterday video where the man's P4 ran amok and crashed... All blamed it on the PIC and the bridge he flew under.
Becoming a better pilot allows us to avoid those situations.

 

[tevek]

Then watch yesterday video where the man's P4 ran amok and crashed... All blamed it on the PIC and the bridge he flew under.
Becoming a better pilot allows us to avoid those situations.

I wasn't trying to be narky, and I did watch that particular video and the responses varied from compass issues, controller settings and the mention of RTH. The point I was trying to make was that if you are flying line of sight, like I did with my shed full of gliders, planes and helos and quads, sooner or later you will probably be challenged with loss of sight and possible loss of signal back to the controller. Have done it many times and RTH saved me. It's beyond your control if you cannot see it and the screen goes blank.

 

[a31burgervan]

Don't get me wrong - I choose not to use RTH it's not that I don't trust it, far from it- I always ensure home is correctly set and my return height is applicable to my situation, I suppose it has more to do with me staying concentrated on what the quad is doing and me being aware of it's surroundings as opposed to hitting a button but forgetting about the tree, house, mountain in the way.




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[a31burgervan]

My advice to you is to read the manual for your drone on how to set up your RTH properly and go somewhere and practice it. Fine using Litchi missions etc and setting RTH as a simple default at mission end or loss of signal, but if you are using FPV in litchi or the go app and you lose signal back to the controller and have a blank screen, good luck getting your drone back if the height setting or your failure to activate RTH is not correct. And you may end up dumping the drone on someone's head. The RTH fails are predominantly operator error, you don't need to add to that list.

Think you got the wrong end of the stick , I do ensure it's set correctly every time - I just choose not to use it blindly, and try and keep my flying skills slightly up to date lol


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[Bendix]

After owning my drone for about a month now I have to say that I have never used the RTH feature.

And?

 

[tevek]

Think you got the wrong end of the stick , I do ensure it's set correctly every time - I just choose not to use it blindly, and try and keep my flying skills slightly up to date lol


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Apart from practicing RTH occasionally to make sure any new updates etc are working well I don't use it blindly as I am too busy flying. I live in the middle of 100,000 hectares of forest and it is usually impossible to keep it LOS, there is zero risk of hitting a humanoid and occasionally I use the RTH feature when the thirty metre trees get the better of me. Understanding and using RTH is a no brainer.

 

[a31burgervan]

And?

Use the force !!


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[Richard R]

And as a private pilot, I've never made an emergency landing. But we practiced it while I was a student. Think loosing site or link with your bird is exciting? Wait until you a cruising in a Cessna and the instructor reaches out and pulls the throttle out and holds it, effectively creating an engine out situation! He usually gave it back , the throttle once I had the aircraft configured properly and lined up on a suitable landing area. But once he waited until I was within 100 ft of a farmers field. RTH isn't a crutch, but a tool that you should be familiar with even if you never use/need it.

 

[Meta4]

After owning my drone for about a month now I have to say that I have never used the RTH feature. There is no real reason for this other than the fact that I feel in more control flying home myself.

There are three pages on RTH in the manual and it's one of the most important things in there.
The day you need to use RTH is the worst day to start learning what it does and how it works.

I know there are plenty of posts about RTH fails and I am sure there are many factors involved but I just feel happier flying it back myself

The whole reason to learn about RTH and test it is that one day you may not be in a position to fly it back yourself.
RTH is very reliable but unfortunately the same can't be said about all users.
Here are a few ways users have come unstuck by not having tried RTH..

Not knowing how it works, you are in a good position to get caught out with things like:
Not realising RTH will climb to RTH height and initiating RTH when your Phantom is under a tree
Not understanding that your Phantom is in RTH and believing it is flying away.
Not knowing how to use the RTH button to activate RTH
Not knowing how to cancel RTH and resume control.​

 

[stones]

I use RTH almost always. Because I can. Because effectively, Phantom's are a computer, that flys. I have always had LOS and never had loss of signal but, I know it's a matter of time that I will. What I try to practice is knowing what to do if RTH isn't responding. It always has, to date.

 

[BryanBTX]

I haven't used it either. I use the home lock in litchi if I can't see it and just pull back on the stick. Stay high just incase. Most of the time my missions stop above me and I just land it.

 

[Loz]

Folks you really really need to learn and practice how to use RTH, just as our pilot friend described earlier - it can be essential in an emergency and may well save innocent others injury or damage aside from your own drone. IMHO is like saying I don't wear a seat belt and have not been hurt in a car - it really is irrelevant if it hasn't happened yet (or you haven't needed RTH yet - you aren't going to get a memo the morning before saying accident going to happen today) be smart and be prepared - please. Thanks


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[RW-1]

I'll go further than Richard:

You own an aircraft - as its Pilot, you should strive to learn ALL modes of its operation, and more importantly, its, and your personal limitations.

That's it in a nutshell, we can argue whether or not one uses RTH, or flips to ATTI, or cancels RTH and regains control depending on a particular situation, but the previous sentence ensures that:

A. If something occurs, you know what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and hopefully you'll be comfortable doing it (ATTI flying) because you have practiced it before.

B. Reduced the chances of something happening because you stayed within your personal limitations. You can expand your limits, it just takes practice and patience.

I applaud the OP for choosing to fly it, there's nothing wrong with that, but I'd say take it to a open field and test out RTH, it's a comfort thing (I fly R/C heli's as well) it's something you have to see a few times to get the trust going that if set correctly for a particular flight, it can work great.

 

[BryanBTX]

I really don't think any of us that said "I don't use it" Doesn't know how to use it. I do know how to use it. I just choose not to. All my flights unless supper close to me are missions. Every but every Mission ends right over me. I land by flying it myself.

 

[Great_Lakes]

RTH can be considered just another tool in our tool box. It can be a very useful tool in many situations. If you never tried it, then you don't even know if it will work correctly on your bird. At the very least, you need to find out! If it works correctly, then you don't ever have to use it again if that is what you choose. I initiate RTH every so often, not because I need to but just to make sure it does what it is supposed to do. I may need it for an emergency someday!

Just my opinion.

 

[dwallersv]

I'm the same -- I am simply uncomfortable not being in control of the AC. I always fly it back and land.

That said, I suffer through the anxiety of letting Litchi control it for missions. I've flown maybe a dozen at this point, and am getting more comfortable.

The advice to "practice" RTH over and over under controlled circumstances is a very good one. This is something I've done, even though I don't use it as a normal part of flying, because I don't want to be unfamiliar with it when I either need it, or it activates on its own.

 

[drone'n KY]

RTH can be considered just another tool in our tool box. It can be a very useful tool in many situations. If you never tried it, then you don't even know if it will work correctly on your bird. At the very least, you need to find out! If it works correctly, then you don't ever have to use it again if that is what you choose. I initiate RTH every so often, not because I need to but just to make sure it does what it is supposed to do. I may need it for an emergency someday!

Just my opinion.

I use mine from time to time.... Used it one time from over a mile away just to show how good it works. It returned and landed within 1 meter of takeoff point... it really impressed the two friends who were with me, I think they're both trying to decide which phantom to buy....


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