Flyaways

[Peter Powers]

That is scary using this gesture mode. I think there is a specific distance it will follow you till it stops. But it shouldnt stop responding altogether. Argh!

Well that easily happens when it can't recognize you on the camera, I noticed it's particularly bad when it's looking at the sun..
However you should always be able to pull out your phone, make connection and land it then.

 

[Robert G]

I say most flyaways are declared which are later found to be caused by error.
Ignoring the regs very much exascerbates this situation.

 

[Hotwire]

How's that easier then pressing the button on the battery twice?

Must be using HG mode for that to work. This avoids using that mode and risking a fly away, which is what this thread is about.

 

[Peter Powers]

Must be using HG mode for that to work. This avoids using that mode and risking a fly away, which is what this thread is about.

Gesture Mode doesn't make it fly away, and even more so, RC always overrides gesture.

 

[Roger S]

Consumer Reports had the following experience while testing the Spark:

"CR testers lost a $400 DJI Spark that zipped off on its own beyond the range of its controller—a mishap cited by other drone owners online. According to flight data saved in the cloud and reviewed later by the manufacturer, the problem was due to “a compass error of undetermined origin,” which could mean “a faulty compass, failure to calibrate the compass before flight,” or “electromagnetic interference.”

How to Buy a Drone of Your Own

 

[dataengine66]

Has anyone ever had a "flyaway" problem using a waypoint mission in Litchi?

 

[Roger S]

Yes. Took my eye off the mobile device for a moment to take a sip of beer and enjoy the view. Then I heard the lost connection beep. Dji wouldn't even look at the flight record because I was using nth party software. After reviewing it Litchi said it looked like GPS interferance. Lesson learned: dont drink and fly and watch out with sparks.

 

[SlowSL]

Yes. Took my eye off the mobile device for a moment to take a sip of beer and enjoy the view. Then I heard the lost connection beep. Dji wouldn't even look at the flight record because I was using nth party software. After reviewing it Litchi said it looked like GPS interferance. Lesson learned: dont drink and fly and watch out with sparks.

This worries me, I've been using Litchi missions more and more, sometimes outside of radio contact. Can anyone confirm what happens when GPS is lost on a Litchi mission? I'd guess it would just hover and drift with the wind?

 

[dataengine66]

It holds it's course and altitude until connection is regained. GPS failures are incredibly rare, especially up and away from obstacles. So much technology goes into the GPS satellites to prevent them from being jammed, and the only thing I can think of is a hardware failure or software glitch.

 

[SlowSL]

It holds it's course and altitude until connection is regained. GPS failures are incredibly rare, especially up and away from obstacles. So much technology goes into the GPS satellites to prevent them from being jammed, and the only thing I can think of is a hardware failure or software glitch.

Just to be clear, it just stops and hovers when the GPS is lost and waits to regain GPS, then continues on the mission? I'd assume if no GPS was acquired and battery is depleted, it will autoland where it is. I'd also assume without GPS, it could drift with the wind, and could land a good distance downwind, outside of the planned mission path. Does this sound accurate?

 

[dataengine66]

I deplete my first battery (I have 4) calibrating the compass away from metal, and allowing my spark to acquire a good GPS signal, and check all the settings in Litchi, and check all my connections. (Ipad mini 4). Then I swap batteries, do a GPS hot start, then load the mission and go.

 

[kingsnake11]

After a dozen flights without a glitch on my new sparkie over the last month, I had two flyaways in one day with sparkie. The first dozen flights were back east and when I returned to the west coast, the first thing I did was recalibrate the IMU and compass. All looked fine. Took sparkie out to my local flying field to get a couple of flights. I set a distance limit of 200 meters...which is as far as I can see it, and a hight limit of 50 meters. Took off...did stability checks...all fine...started my planned route to photograph our runway, pilot area and some of the surrounding area. Within a few minutes, I noticed the speed has increased and the distance getting farther heading east. Good thing it's about 5 km of flat grassland. I though ok...it'll stop at the 200 meter distance...nope...I noticed that it was in ATTI mode and was approaching 300 meters. I saw it switch to GPS and hit the RTH and it worked...sparkie returned to visual range and I was able to take over and manually land it. Heart rate went down to normal. Ok...I said to myself...must have pooched to calibration. So calibrated IMU and compass again. Looked good....no apparent problem, took off again, deciding to keep it within the confines of the airfield (MAAC airfield btw) and all seemed good...going over to the far side and at 30 meters, once agiain it flipped to ATTI mode and started heading north. Within a seconds I saw it flip to GPS mode and I did the RTH. That was enough of sparkie flights for that day until I figure what is going on. Retrieved the DJIGO 4 logs for both flights and uploaded them for analysis. In both flights...are roughly 30 meters and over the same patch of ground, the log shows electromagnetic interference, compass error and yaw error. It seems rather coincidental that there was strong electromagnetic interference in the logs at about the same spot and altitude. I am wondering if the interference could be caused by high power microwave and cell towers. There have been some new ones installed within a mile or so, but I would have thought the spark would be shielded from that...maybe not. Any opinions? What about the software, anyone have an comments on whether the DJIGO 4 or the DJI pilot app should be used for calibration? Until these flights, I had zero problems with the DJI go4 app. Thanks.

 

[S.J]

After a dozen flights without a glitch on my new sparkie over the last month, I had two flyaways in one day with sparkie. The first dozen flights were back east and when I returned to the west coast, the first thing I did was recalibrate the IMU and compass. All looked fine. Took sparkie out to my local flying field to get a couple of flights. I set a distance limit of 200 meters...which is as far as I can see it, and a hight limit of 50 meters. Took off...did stability checks...all fine...started my planned route to photograph our runway, pilot area and some of the surrounding area. Within a few minutes, I noticed the speed has increased and the distance getting farther heading east. Good thing it's about 5 km of flat grassland. I though ok...it'll stop at the 200 meter distance...nope...I noticed that it was in ATTI mode and was approaching 300 meters. I saw it switch to GPS and hit the RTH and it worked...sparkie returned to visual range and I was able to take over and manually land it. Heart rate went down to normal. Ok...I said to myself...must have pooched to calibration. So calibrated IMU and compass again. Looked good....no apparent problem, took off again, deciding to keep it within the confines of the airfield (MAAC airfield btw) and all seemed good...going over to the far side and at 30 meters, once agiain it flipped to ATTI mode and started heading north. Within a seconds I saw it flip to GPS mode and I did the RTH. That was enough of sparkie flights for that day until I figure what is going on. Retrieved the DJIGO 4 logs for both flights and uploaded them for analysis. In both flights...are roughly 30 meters and over the same patch of ground, the log shows electromagnetic interference, compass error and yaw error. It seems rather coincidental that there was strong electromagnetic interference in the logs at about the same spot and altitude. I am wondering if the interference could be caused by high power microwave and cell towers. There have been some new ones installed within a mile or so, but I would have thought the spark would be shielded from that...maybe not. Any opinions? What about the software, anyone have an comments on whether the DJIGO 4 or the DJI pilot app should be used for calibration? Until these flights, I had zero problems with the DJI go4 app. Thanks.

The biggest mistake you made is flying at low altitudes. Never fly a small drone at low altitudes as they dont have much redundant systems in place. Minimum height must be 100 meters and above especially for long flights.

 

[DJIBILL]

My fly away was I think I heard "no signal" for an extended time then it went to RTH when it got to about 20 feet away the spark reconnected. When i looked at the video from the spark i saw a microwave tower i could not see from where i was. Not sure if that was it or. Ot

 

[kingsnake11]

The biggest mistake you made is flying at low altitudes. Never fly a small drone at low altitudes as they dont have much redundant systems in place. Minimum height must be 100 meters and above especially for long flights.

Thank you for your reply. Almost all of the first dozen flights were under 30 meters with no issue, Flew it yesterday...same spot...worse wind conditions, similar profile, altitudes between 10 and 50 meters...absolutely no glitches, issues, and indeed got some great video and photos....so...I am leaning more to the cell/microwave towers or some other sort of hi powered electromagnetic interference. Planetary K was actually higher yesterday than the day of the glitches. Here's a couple of shots.

 

[S.J]

Thank you for your reply. Almost all of the first dozen flights were under 30 meters with no issue, Flew it yesterday...same spot...worse wind conditions, similar profile, altitudes between 10 and 50 meters...absolutely no glitches, issues, and indeed got some great video and photos....so...I am leaning more to the cell/microwave towers or some other sort of hi powered electromagnetic interference. Planetary K was actually higher yesterday than the day of the glitches. Here's a couple of shots.View attachment 10757

You are right for some temporary moments. But in the long run always fly minimum 80 to 90 meters high.. If there is a cell tower, compass errors are for sure even thought you did calibration prior to flying...

 

[Hotwire]

My fly away was I think I heard "no signal" for an extended time then it went to RTH when it got to about 20 feet away the spark reconnected. When i looked at the video from the spark i saw a microwave tower i could not see from where i was. Not sure if that was it or. Ot

Microwave towers certainly affect RC transmission maybe even the electronics. Use to fly gliders in a line with some MW towers and it was like hitting a force field.