Tribute to a safe flight

[chagalj]

I have my P2v+ for a week now and had 6 flights which went without any problem whatsoever. I immediately started in NAZA mode and tried all the options (except manual mode) and it was all perfect. Ive seen how the bird drifts in the wind when you switch to atti mode (had to pull the stick in opposite direction to make it hover in place) and Ive also seen how it stays in place in gps mode. I tried course and home lock and everything worked just like it was suppoosed to.
But every day I read about crashes and fly aways from people who state that its not their fault, that they calibrated the compass before flight, that they tried to switch to Atti mode and it wasnt responsive....etc.

Since it is not possible to inspect every case of a crash and fly away and establish what was really some unexpected error in the bird or in the controller and what was simply pilots mishandling it, I thought it would be good to have a list of people who flew their bird without any trouble, who took off and landed SAFELY. I think that list would really be comforting for a lots of people (like myself) who fly their months pay hundred meters in the air every week.

So, I guess all it would take is for everyone who had ONLY GOOD EXPERIENCE in flying their Phantom to post here. It would be good to know how many safe flights you had in total, but if something happened and ended well by proper reaction (switching to atti or manual and landing the bird safely), that also would be good to know.

So, I will start first:

I had 6 perfectly safe flights, the bird was responsive and all went well .

 

[bitbeisser]

Hi,

for my side every think was ok. Hav round about 30 flights without major problems.
Onnce had some Problems in GPS Mode. S1 to atti and back resovles that problem.
I fly in NAZA Mode without Modifications in the settings.
Hav the P2V+ from May 2014 with every software updated.

Have from the beginning of flight the Aeronaut 9x5 Probs on it. I love the sound and the peferct reaction from the aircraft.

Have the enellop Accu in the Receiver and two original Main Accu. With Accu 1 15 Minutes ap. Flighttime and with the Accu 2 ap. 18 Minutes depends from wind and so on.

In Summery i had lot of fun with the P2V+. There was nothing for me regarding loose control or so. But I spent lot of Time with all the videos in YT and the manual. Befor every flight I take my time and check every think.

I also had save flight with stron wind at the north coast from Germany. The wind was up to 50km/h. Up to toady no crash and lot of fun with that Product.


Regards and soory for that bad english.

Francisco from Germany

 

[Stile2112]

I have around 25+ flights on my P2V+ without a single issue.... and I fly flat out like a bat out of hell at times.

That being said, I do all my preflight checks every time and I hand catch.... every time.

What people need to understand is that these are sophisticated electronic devices.. and like all devices, some are going to have problems. Back in 2009, I bought the first LED flat screen TV that came on the market (Samsung btw), it died in less then 4 weeks of use. Two years ago, I bought a new Toshiba laptop... it stop working in less then 2 months. Bought a new car in 2012... it developed a transmission problem in just under 2 weeks. Of course, these things don't fall from the sky when they fail

Most RC pilots will tell you that crashing is inevitable at some point in this hobby. This doesn't mean that it's going to happen, but there is the likelihood given enough flying time.

In the end, you tend to only hear about bad things when something fails. Normally those who have good experiences don't come rushing to forums to let people know about it.

 

[chagalj]

In the end, you tend to only hear about bad things when something fails. Normally those who have good experiences don't come rushing to forums to let people know about it.

I'd really like if more people would share their good experiences here. If one wants to read something about Phantom quadricopters on internet he gets a feeling that a chance that it flies away and hits a ground is like 50℅ or more!

 

[CYeutter]

I also would be interested in rough statistics for fly-aways or other anomalies. I've flown my bird more than 50 times with no incidents except for bad pilot skills in the early days. I've had no issues with control or other weird behavior. Some of the disaster stories I read in this forum scare me but also keep me on my toes. I just wonder how often those bad things really happen compared to good safe flights.

 

[itchybeard]

I love my P2V+. I've had 30 flights with no issues other than pilot error (I buried her into a bush and fortunately she came out unscathed). I don't fly her in high winds, on wet days or during solar events, and she flys sweet and stable even with prop-guards fitted. I am now running her in Naza-M mode.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I have over 100+ flights on my Vision+ and have nothing but praise for the aircraft. She has been in NAZA mode the entire time. I have never crashed, never had a tip-over, and I am still using the original 4 props I started with. I did bounce the tarmac pretty good a few weeks ago, mercifully perfectly flat & level, (Broadneck High - my fault) with no damage. I am by no means a conservative pilot and I push her to the limit on every flight. If I don't fly out of range then I consider it a failed flight, so my RTH function gets a workout. :shock: Been flying RC for 35+ years and I own more than 40 fixed wing aircraft. Of all, the Phantom is my absolute favorite. You can lift off from virtually anyway with just a few moments of preparation. No need to hunt for a runway or a dedicated flying field.

Would I like to see some improvements? Sure. I'd love to see a 50 megapixel camera with digital zoom. I would like to see smoother tilting via the 7th channel hardware switch. I would like more channels on the controller so we could add optional equipment. I would like to be able to remotely toggle the lights on/off. I would most of all love a cellular or satellite control/FPV system, with integrated tracker/logging features ala Flytrex Live, so I could fly as far as the battery would allow.

 

[brad90631]

I have over 400 successful flights

 

[mads.isaksen.71]

This is good reading.

I think now after having read this, I would try my pv2 + in NAZA mode.
To be honest I have not dared earlier because of all the negative publicity on the web.
If you ask me, I think that there are many many more successful flights than flights that have failed

Never had a single issue (in phantom mode) 50flights

 

[DrJoe]

I have been flying a Phantom since April of this year. I have never had a performance issue that was related to the equipment, other than a slight gimbal tilt (<2 degrees out of the box). I have taken and given advice on this forum to pre-flight and maintain the bird properly. I fly in NAZA, usually still using 1.08 to avoid limitations, but right now I'm on the latest firmware. I usually hand catch. I store and transport in a foam lined backpack designed for the P2V+. I connect to the DJI Assitant every once in a while to check parameters, performing a quick IMU calibration only after updating firmware. I only perform compass calibrations only when I travel a good distance. The base control and video range was good, but I improved it with the help of FPVLR.com. I learned how to fly (quite well) in manual mode... though I don't see much use for it... not compatible with good video or a healthy gimbal.

Problems? VRS with prop guards, which I promptly removed (luckily no damage). Dropped battery which caused performance to degrade on that battery. Drunken takeoff from a balcony that cost me a new camera/gimbal assembly. Its easy for a newbie to become disoriented, lose gps lock, etc and do something not by the book. There are rare incidents I've read, like a prop loss or a veer out of control incident that may truly be an manufacturer issue, but they are few.

I enjoy this thing immensely, and would recommend it to someone that would take the time to really learn how to use and care for it. No flying machine is foolproof, and there seems to be a bunch of fools out there, on occasion I'm one of them...

 

[GustavL]

I have been flying my PV2+ since May 2014.
I have had 60 safe flights and switched to NAZA after about 20 flights.

My first flight was probably the worst, as I had no clue what could have happened - described here - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=23706

Since then , what a pleasure!!!!!!!

 

[dunginhawk]

Ive owned mine around 2 weeks now...
probably around 10 safe flights.

I think the most important thing to realize is you need to be paranoid about your setup.

I never fly without 6+ satellites (and im having MAJOR issues getting satellites) . If you dont have a home lock, dont leave... I see so many youtube videos of folks taking off before home lock. I am always watching satellites too, just because you got 8 when hovering, doesnt mean 100 yards away you will still have 8.

Unless you can readily afford to keep spending $1500 a pop due to stupidity, just be careful and be smart about how you fly.

 

[Fplvert]

I have built and flown about a dozen RC aircraft from park flyers to 1/5 scale warbirds. I have crashed a few but never lost them. The hardest thing I've flown is a 30 series gas helicopter with a 48" rotor. I loved the smell of nitro and mostly flew 4 cycle OS engines with big props.
Then, I found an EBay deal on a P2V back in March. I've never had more fun flying and taking pictures and videos from this incredible quadcopter. I've modded antennaes, played with Flytrex, Dashware, gimbals, channel 7 control, and locators.
I couldn't resist getting a P2V+ which is my favorite bird today. I bought it from B & H brand new last June. I have had no problems with the + and plan on taking her to Hawaii in December.
I'm hooked on Phantoms and would highly recommend them to those who can afford them and follow the manual. I also enjoy this forum and the great advice from other Phantom Pilots.
Anyway, that's my tribute; best wishes to other flyers and future flyers!

 

[djczing]

Ive probably put about 30 hours on my bird (including just a few minutes ago). Ive flown a canyon, my cul de sac, range tests, low-level FPV, and all modes except manual.

No flyaways, but 2 crashes (my fault, and even same tree) - the second of which broke my camera/gimbal. Im flying without anything under the belly now, so taking the opportunity to fly close-quarters and higher risk. Im taking off from my recessed front yard, surrounded by trees, and antenna wires over head - and navigating, as sat breaks and regains lock. I just put the GPS shield mod in, and it has definitely improved things. From under the trees, I go under the wires, then up and hover about 2 feet off the peak of my roof, then strafe the roofline side to side. Then to 100 ft, over the top of my antenna, dropping forward and down. Never knew close quarters could be so fun. I bumbed the mailbox, trimmed a tree branch (which almost dragged me in), and rubbed a light pole. That last one I almost didn't recover from as it twisted my nose around and tried to put me into the middle of the big oak.

These things are a blast in all respects - even without a camera.

After my last crash, Ive been keeping eyes on the EMU and doing cals frequently -c uz I don't like the 5 degree variance in the X axis on the EMU, and I think I can see it in (GPS) fight.

In any case, always something to work on. Ill have the new camera/gimbal in a few days - in the meantime if anyone needs a working camera, id be willing to talk.

Great time - good idea for a thread - thanks.

 

[djczing]

Oh I meant to say - you know its a good flight when your takeoffs equal your landings - and you have green stain on a prop when you land !

 

[Great Pumpkin]

Probably 50+ flights with P2V since mid January. Three operator error crashes in first month, another just a month ago, also operator error. No flyaways or weird behavior. Just a lot of fun flying.

 

[sergekouper]

Not the same here. To be honest, I still got to get happy with it! I flew it about 30 to 50 Hours, 2 major episodes, one in a tree at about 30 feet high, the other at minus 3 feet... in the water! No major damage at all both times, which in itself is already a great point for the P2. However sorry to say that but I have no fun at all... Actually what I am doing is flying a camera, and the only thing that interests me is to get the shot I'm looking for. I'm absolutely scared to loose it or to crash it and this idea just put me off! (well sometimes I get proud for a smooth circular but it's more for the shoot than for the beauty of the manoeuvre.)
But to stick to the subject, It is known that 80% of crashes and flyaways or whatever incident up there is due to a human error, at some point.
So for a safe flight, it's good to have a drastic pre-flight checks, post flight checks, maintenance logs, fly responsibly,following the rules of safety and common sense, and get as much training as you can. This is what I try to stick to, it helps with the confidence, but for me, I find it quite difficult to be relax, and very far to have fun! Actually, my greatest moment of happyness, is landing...
Maybe it will come to me later, I admit that would make my RP life easier...

 

[Mac_Guy]

I purchased my P2V+ at the end of July and have had 33 SUCCESSFUL flights with safe landings (only two hand catches) and no unexpected actions from the Phantom. I'm running the latest DJI software. At this point I still get a kick out of flying "Ground Station" flights.

Switched to NAZA-M after the fourth flight. Highly recommended. Pilots lose nothing and gain additional S2 functions -- especially "Home Lock" which I've used several times.

I've done the GPS mod which has improved sat counts for me. I've installed the "Stage 2" FPVLR mods to improve controller and WiFi signal range - mainly a safety factor in my mind. Have no intention of seeing how high or far I can get the P2V+ to go.

I live in the mountains of western North Carolina so long range flights are few because of all the elevation changes and trees. I'm still learning to fly and am conservative in how, when, and where I fly. Chances for a motor or battery failure increase with time. Just hope the first failed flight isn't because of pilot error!