Worth $150 to retrieve stuck drone?

[jjahwebb]

So I got my phantom 3 standard stuck in a tree. It's too high to retrieve with conventional methods...If you can think of a way I've probably tried it I was gonna ask, do you think it's worth $150 on a tree surgeon to come climb the tree to retrieve it? It's been up in the tree for 8 days now...It's rained maybe once, and not a lot. The drone is stuck upside down (I don't know if that helps?). Should I just cut my losses and buy a new one? Or is it worth getting this guy to come only to find it fried? I"ve already spent about $50 on supplies to try and get it down, so I'd be in the hole by $200

Many thanks,

J

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

You don't say how high it is, but If feasable could try with pvc pipe sections fitted together. Once you pass the $$ amount nearing the cost of a new one its prbly better to look forward.

 

[jjahwebb]

You don't say how high it is, but If feasable could try with pvc pipe sections fitted together. Once you pass the $$ amount nearing the cost of a new one its prbly better to look forward.

It's about 90 feet high. A lot of weight to hold up I think?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Yes, too high.
phantom 3 advanced used | eBay

 

[jjahwebb]

Yes, too high.
phantom 3 advanced used | eBay

is it worth spending that money on getting someone to come though you think or no?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

50/50. If it is damaged, you'll be spending a fair amount of money. What speed was it going when it crashed into tree?

 

[jjahwebb]

50/50. If it is damaged, you'll be spending a fair amount of money. What speed was it going when it crashed into tree?

~25 mph, just checked the logs. If it's broken do you think you can salvage the lost money on it?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Most likely if anything, it would be the camera broken. Camera: $200/$300.

 

[RW-1]

An Axe is only $28 and change .... just sayin ...

Ludell 12120 Hickory Wood Handle Boys Axe, Polished and Sharpened Blade, Sin... | eBay

 

[Kirby Johnson]

An Axe is only $28 and change .... just sayin ...

Ludell 12120 Hickory Wood Handle Boys Axe, Polished and Sharpened Blade, Sin... | eBay

N I C E. In retrospect, a users manual is cheaper still. Just saying.....

You would think somebody somewhere out there would have rigged up a retrieval drone. Maybe a larger one capable of more lift. Some of these commercial drones for (I believe) photography, are rated in Kg carrying ability and should be able to lift a little Phantom with the right line and hook. I've seen FAR more effort expended to retrieve a $75 anchor even when there was a good sharp knife around.

 

[42FrankZ]

I think you should retrieve it. I am of the mind set that if you make a mess you clean it up.

And it might be salvageable.. who knows...

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

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[Budman]

fire departments rescue cats out of trees....
upside down and it rained? not looking very promising

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Fishing pole with large heavy fishing grapple hook.....

 

[ob1415]

fire departments rescue cats out of trees....
upside down and it rained? not looking very promising

Maybe the fire dept would assist if you made a charitable contribution? Worth a shot.

 

[dwallersv]

Well, I judged it worth $250 to get mine down after snagging it about 60' up three days after I got it.

EDIT: Just reread OP and realized we're talking P3. I have a P4, which made it a bit more viable to spend a few hundred getting it back.

 

[rdtex103]

you can buy a water balloon slingshot at walmart for about 10 bucks, made of surgical tubing. Then buy a set of bocce balls, nice and heavy. They'll rock the hell out of branches at 90 feet and you can get right under them. It will take you about 3 shots to perfect your aim. Never done w/ phantom but saved my U818A about 3 times this way. Used only when spinning billy club couldn't reach.

 

[rdtex103]

btw, you'll need nice Y shaped branch, and a foundation that keeps it still.

 

[Kirby Johnson]

Fishing pole with large heavy fishing grapple hook.....

Gramm: The last 90 ft fishing pole I used was just Soooo heavy;

 

[Kirby Johnson]

I am far from an expert on getting things down. That said, common sense would have you think that any ground based solution is fraught with dilemas. IE: Accuracy, flex, strength required, If you could glue 20 pieces of PVC together, that would suffice for a lot of the things we use drones for. If you have ever put in sprinklers in a large yard, you know how (thankfully) flexible "rigid" pipe can be laying down, much less up in the air. Or try your hand on a simple little 25 foot palm tree and a long pole saw. Just saying.....