Help, lost my spark in a tree :( feel stupid...

[Jerry]

while trying to explore the limits of the Spark's range. I though it would be cool to try and fly around this 120' tree that was in the neighborhood... however, I misjudged the height of the tree (the spark was at 100') and while trying to round the top... one of the rotors likely clipped a branch, and it went down. This was last evening, as the sun was setting, and it was getting dark.

My red spark tumbled into the tree, and seem to get wedged somewhere 50-60' up, I could still see it as the lights were flashing, and the camera was showing all branches. As it was getting dark, I couldn't do anything. I opted to wait till the morning.

here is a short video of the last seconds of the spark - this is the video from the ipad (not the HQ from the SD card)

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here is a video I took of the lights in the tree..

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This morning, I went out, and tried to see if I could see anything with the naked eye... no luck. Could not spot the Spark. So I came back and took the Phantom 3 Standard out, to see if I could get a better view... still no luck. Spent a long time hovering, and looking at the tree... the P3S to iPad connection was good, but being highly compressed, it was impossible to make out a Red spark in all the branches... I downloaded the video to the PC, and has been watching it non-stop for the last hour... still can't spot it.

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So I've uploaded it to YouTube (its still loading as I type this, 15mins to go), hoping that someone with keener eyes can help me spot it - spotting it would mean the first step towards a hopeful retrieval... please help, and also please share with any others whom you think have good eyes for this kind of thing... losing the spark so shortly into it's flying career is such a heart break... I really hope I can spot it and retrieve it... Thanks in advance for trying to help.

 

[motard]

****, I couldn't see either...

 

[Jerry]

OMG, went for a walk this morning, visited the tree, hoping with the cloudy skies, i could get a better look. it has been 36 hours since it got stuck. Was resigned to losing it forever.

Caught a hint of red in the grass below the trees... no it can't be! the Winds were higher than normal last evening... did it get shaken out of the tree? a closer look... yep! unmistakable DJI Red... pushed a bunch of branches aside and got my hands on it!

2 of the props were gone! ripped off? couldn't find them anywhere nearby... (Granted i was so excited in recovering it, i didn't look that hard), apart from some tree sap, and a few mild scratches (which buffed off), it didn't look like it took too much damage.

here is a photo of it on my lawn..

just cleaned it up, and replaced all 4 props, and did a test flight... seems to be working perfectly. The gimbal seems none too worse for wear... and seems to work fine... have to try it out a few more times to see..... boy, what an experience...

So there you have it - My DJI Spark survived 36 hours in a tree!

 

[SneakinUpOnU]

Great news .. good for you!

 

[motard]

Great great

 

[Sparkbart]

Glad to hear you found it!!!!

 

[Robert Farnow]

I lost my phantom in a tree along my side yard and spent about 36 hours trying to figure how to get it out. The rescue involved another phantom to locate the p3a and the racing drone to deploy the rope used to shake it out of the tree. It was about 60ft up and took some serious tugging to knock it free. You are a lucky guy. I was about to pay someone to climb the tree and get it. Just for kicks I posted a $200 gig on Facebook for someone to climb the tree to get it. Dozens of people responded, begging me to hire them. I didn't want the liability. Sorry for the long response, your story triggered all those memories.

 

[Robert Farnow]

Another time I lost connection to my drone and it flew into a tree but I didn't know which tree and I didn't recover it for over nine months until it must've been shaken lose by the wind and a guy searching for his model rocket found it. If you haven't done it yet, I advise putting a label under the battery with name and phone number in case you lose it again.

 

[Jerry]

... If you haven't done it yet, I advise putting a label under the battery with name and phone number in case you lose it again.

thanks Robert, yep, that is the first thing i did when i got the drone, figured i may lose it... but was more preparing for it to fly away, then for it to get stuck in the tree... i was lucky!

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

Glad to know you are reunited!

 

[Dick]

You might consider installing the prop guards, also........this mishap may have been avoided......better to be safe than "cool"! ;-)

 

[Bahkaboy]

My spark did a fly away into a tree in my Mother's back yard. I did a return to home with a Chain saw and got it back

 

[mick92780]

I love a happy ending.