Fly Away/RTH Failure

[Ken_Whitewolf]

Afternoon all,

Brand new to the drone scene and ended up with a new DJI Spark, love messing with it, had it out on a few test runs here at home and out at the park and lake with no issues. Brought it out one day to take a pic of our property and took it to 200' with no issues, started trying to get a good view to take a pic and noticed it had started climbing. Was at 225' and steadily climbing, I hit the RTH and it told me it was unable to return. At this point it was directly above me and had reached 395' then shot out away from the LZ over some tree tops and then I got a read out of "no GPS", I lost site but after 2 days of tracking from its last known coordinates, I found it roughly 1/2 a mile away.

Got it back home and charged up, needed to replace a propeller, need a light cover and the camera works but doesn't move but everything else seemed good to go so I decided to do a test run and had it hovering at roughly 4', looking over my settings and it revved up and started ascending fast on its own. I hit RTH, it again told me it was unable to return so I grabbed it and pulled the battery off. Did some research and come up with several similar scenarios and checked everything they said they did and retried a test run with the same end results as I had before. I have yet to contact DJI, figured I would pick the brains of some seasoned veterans first.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[abtocmeptb]

Most likely your drone did not get enough Gps satellites locked in. Need 15-17

Best thing to do is to post flight log so local gods can tell you what really happened

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

Most likely your drone did not get enough Gps satellites locked in. Need 15-17

Best thing to do is to post flight log so local gods can tell you what really happened

Tried to post it but am having troubles with it, was able to look over the flight record for the initial fly away and it shows it bouncing between13 and 15 satellites before and during take off and then as it gets higher it goes up to 17 satellites. I will keep messing with it and get the flight record posted, Thanks.

 

[Troy.Spark]

Did you updated the software? Have you calibrated the IMU and the compass. Which I do on a regular basis. Also I check the KPI index as well if it’s high it will cause the UAV to go crazy are you using a controller or you mobile device? Mobile Devices have very short ranges and if the Spark losses connect it will go to RTH preset height and go to what it thinks is home.

 

[Lance89]

Got roughly the same kind of issue today during New Years Eve. Tried to fly it but just flew off bouncing off everywhere. Finally got to a stop under a car at the sidewalk. Same happened in my garden. After going a big higher then the 120cm it will have as height from lift off it flies off by itself to the side. Bounced against the garden door and stopped. I calibrated it, it was already updated. Had an night flight before and no issues. There was barely wind. Anyone knows why it happened? I am also new to the drone world.

 

[Troy.Spark]

Got roughly the same kind of issue today during New Years Eve. Tried to fly it but just flew off bouncing off everywhere. Finally got to a stop under a car at the sidewalk. Same happened in my garden. After going a big higher then the 120cm it will have as height from lift off it flies off by itself to the side. Bounced against the garden door and stopped. I calibrated it, it was already updated. Had an night flight before and no issues. There was barely wind. Anyone knows why it happened? I am also new to the drone world.

 

[Troy.Spark]

How many Satellites did you have before you took off

 

[Troy.Spark]

Please look at the top of you screen and you will see that in one photo I have GPS signal. The other has none which is Atti mode. In which the UAV has very little to no position correcting ability. Which means you have to correct for drifts from wind, travel momentum and prop wash. It takes mine up to 2 minutes sometimes to lock on and set the home point after power up. Before I even start up I check all this then once I have these I fly straight up and the the highest point and then set the RTH return height. If you do not set this and the aircraft loses comma the battery gets low or you push RTH button the first time it does is lower or raise to this height and fly straight back. So if a tree or building is straight in front of it BAM you got one crashed drone
View media item 108View media item 107

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

Did you updated the software? Have you calibrated the IMU and the compass. Which I do on a regular basis. Also I check the KPI index as well if it’s high it will cause the UAV to go crazy are you using a controller or you mobile device? Mobile Devices have very short ranges and if the Spark losses connect it will go to RTH preset height and go to what it thinks is home.

I got an update message as soon as I powered everything up so I did do that, As far as the IMU and the compass, before the fly away, no I had not calibrated them yet. After the FA I watched several videos and realized there was a lot more to this thing than all the little booklets explained. I have the controller with my mobile phone hooked to it. I will check again all the settings, you have added to the list of things I have already checked so maybe, hopefully it was simply operator error. Thanks.

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

How many Satellites did you have before you took off

It kept jumping between 13 and 15 until it got up about 30 feet or so if I remember right

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

Please look at the top of you screen and you will see that in one photo I have GPS signal. The other has none which is Atti mode. In which the UAV has very little to no position correcting ability. Which means you have to correct for drifts from wind, travel momentum and prop wash. It takes mine up to 2 minutes sometimes to lock on and set the home point after power up. Before I even start up I check all this then once I have these I fly straight up and the the highest point and then set the RTH return height. If you do not set this and the aircraft loses comma the battery gets low or you push RTH button the first time it does is lower or raise to this height and fly straight back. So if a tree or building is straight in front of it BAM you got one crashed drone
View media item 108View media item 107

Atti was the first thing I looked for, it was not set. I am banked on two sides by trees and hills with power lines running approx. 70 feet away on 0ne side and 125 feet on the other, I did see a magnetic interference message on my screen right after it started its fly away, could this have caused it?

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

Atti was the first thing I looked for, it was not set. I am banked on two sides by trees and hills with power lines running approx. 70 feet away on 0ne side and 125 feet on the other, I did see a magnetic interference message on my screen right after it started its fly away, could this have caused it?

OK, went back in and took a look around, recalibrated everything that you mentioned. Did a quick test flight in the house so I could grab it if it tried to think on its own lol and it did good. Now I just need to fix my camera from the crash... Much appreciated Troy!!

 

[Sp@rkyPilot55]

Afternoon all,

Brand new to the drone scene and ended up with a new DJI Spark, love messing with it, had it out on a few test runs here at home and out at the park and lake with no issues. Brought it out one day to take a pic of our property and took it to 200' with no issues, started trying to get a good view to take a pic and noticed it had started climbing. Was at 225' and steadily climbing, I hit the RTH and it told me it was unable to return. At this point it was directly above me and had reached 395' then shot out away from the LZ over some tree tops and then I got a read out of "no GPS", I lost site but after 2 days of tracking from its last known coordinates, I found it roughly 1/2 a mile away.

Got it back home and charged up, needed to replace a propeller, need a light cover and the camera works but doesn't move but everything else seemed good to go so I decided to do a test run and had it hovering at roughly 4', looking over my settings and it revved up and started ascending fast on its own. I hit RTH, it again told me it was unable to return so I grabbed it and pulled the battery off. Did some research and come up with several similar scenarios and checked everything they said they did and retried a test run with the same end results as I had before. I have yet to contact DJI, figured I would pick the brains of some seasoned veterans first.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

RTH is not the answer to everything. You must be able to fly the drone independently. You are responsible for any damage or injury to anyone that you may cause. People need to learn how to fly these drones before they go out there endangering everyone. Gezz get a clue.

 

[Ken_Whitewolf]

RTH is not the answer to everything. You must be able to fly the drone independently. You are responsible for any damage or injury to anyone that you may cause. People need to learn how to fly these drones before they go out there endangering everyone. Gezz get a clue.

Holy crap!!! My apologies, I forgot I was in the presence of greatness. You obviously came from your momma's womb with a drone in each hand and all the knowledge required to operate them. I'm well aware of my responsibilities and am fully aware of where I am at as well as who is around while I am LEARNING to operate my drone, but you would not understand that seeing as you were born with all that knowledge already.... Got a clue fella, get a life!

 

[John Harvey]

Not too sure about the statement for RTH,,, I do fly my Drone independently,, mostly in Sport Mode and do a RTH everytime, with NO issues!!!! why not RTH ???

 

[Bigjake]

Did you updated the software? Have you calibrated the IMU and the compass. Which I do on a regular basis. Also I check the KPI index as well if it’s high it will cause the UAV to go crazy are you using a controller or you mobile device? Mobile Devices have very short ranges and if the Spark losses connect it will go to RTH preset height and go to what it thinks is home.

Help a newbie. What is the KPI index, and what does UAV stand for?
Cheers Jake

 

[Eljay]

Not too sure about the statement for RTH,,, I do fly my Drone independently,, mostly in Sport Mode and do a RTH everytime, with NO issues!!!! why not RTH ???

Here's the thing, if you lose GPS lock or the drone is otherwise confused and does something really weird that's exactly when RTH doesn't actually work. Your first instinct needs to be to fly the drone manually. RTH is great if the drone gets too far and you have a connection problem. It's less than useless during a flyaway.

(No excuse for that guy being rude about it, just to be clear)

 

[Nemesis Looms]

I have been flying my Spark for around 6 months now and early on had one flyaway in similar circumstances. Immediately before it flew off, there was a 'magnetic field interference' warning and loss of GPS with susbsequent failure of RTH. Long story short, - I got it back after some brief excitement amongst some very tall trees and after much thought realised the probable reason...

The ground was wet and very rough so I had launched it from the bonnet of the Land Rover, which seemed a good idea at the time but probably didn't help with the startup calibration procedures. Just sayin'. Somebody else here may have been as stupid as me...

 

[Eljay]

Yeah, definitely keep away from a car during takeoff.

 

[Locutus40]

Afternoon all,

Brand new to the drone scene and ended up with a new DJI Spark, love messing with it, had it out on a few test runs here at home and out at the park and lake with no issues. Brought it out one day to take a pic of our property and took it to 200' with no issues, started trying to get a good view to take a pic and noticed it had started climbing. Was at 225' and steadily climbing, I hit the RTH and it told me it was unable to return. At this point it was directly above me and had reached 395' then shot out away from the LZ over some tree tops and then I got a read out of "no GPS", I lost site but after 2 days of tracking from its last known coordinates, I found it roughly 1/2 a mile away.

Got it back home and charged up, needed to replace a propeller, need a light cover and the camera works but doesn't move but everything else seemed good to go so I decided to do a test run and had it hovering at roughly 4', looking over my settings and it revved up and started ascending fast on its own. I hit RTH, it again told me it was unable to return so I grabbed it and pulled the battery off. Did some research and come up with several similar scenarios and checked everything they said they did and retried a test run with the same end results as I had before. I have yet to contact DJI, figured I would pick the brains of some seasoned veterans first.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

before you fly do this
1.charge batts the day of the flight
2.place drone on a spot with patterns like grass or stuff with lines or concrete with symbols why precision landing can see the pattern... you can google this if you dont understand..thats why people use a H landing pad most of them that and dust

3.turn on remote
4.turn on drone
5.turn on app use otg cable
6.go into app press go fly
7.go into menu check the imu if its green and low its good
8..click compass then calibration and follow the instructions the dji dance lol
9.set drone down when done
10. let the drone sit 30 seconds idleing to warm up and get the home point if the home point dont say home point recorded and the h appear where you are then set it manually
you can do this by going into the app settings 3 dots upper right corner and find where it says dynamic home point or the other one. the one you want is record home point where drone is click that and it will auto set the home pointw here the drone now sits.. look at the map make sure H is there.

11.take off hover 30 seconds so the under side camera can snap a pic of the ground for precises landings
12. fly as normal.. watching batt voltage never trust that it will rth by its self.. before the yellow H and the bar gets to it return to home by yourself...... and if you fly far out only fly 50% of the batt that far out

i never trust software i trust myself..

ive never had an issue with the spark.. so far knock on wood...

only issue is video quality sucks but i think thats because i use a old device i cant afford a new iphone at 600 dollars or more ... so i use a acceptable phone or tablet.. not ideal..
hope this helps