I crashed my Spark

[JMcIntosh]

Over the weekend I crashed my spark. It went into return home mode and flew straight up even though it was set to return a current altitude. Does anyone know why it would’ve done this? maybe because my take off point was higher than my current altitude when it went into return home? Or possibly It sensed and obstacles and was trying to go over it?

 

[Rafa7]

@JMcIntosh the Spark was between 3m – 20m range distance from home point and its height was below 2.5m which means that when RTH is activated the Spark will rise to 2.5M and then return to home point. ...return to home at current altitude will work in that range if the altitude is higher than 2.5m, if not the Spark will do what it did.

 

[DesertWindAero]

Over the weekend I crashed my spark. It went into return home mode and flew straight up even though it was set to return a current altitude. Does anyone know why it would’ve done this? maybe because my take off point was higher than my current altitude when it went into return home? Or possibly It sensed and obstacles and was trying to go over it?

Looks like you may have lost some GPS by the trees. If that's the case, it can switch into VPS...but, you were over water and VPS doesn't like reflective surfaces. It also looks like you may have gotten confused as to which way left and right were because you were flying with the camera towards yourself and flight inputs are reversed. Looks like you meant to go away from the trees to the right but wound up getting into them instead.

 

[JMcIntosh]

@JMcIntosh the Spark was between 3m – 20m range distance from home point and its height was below 2.5m which means that when RTH is activated the Spark will rise to 2.5M and then return to home point. ...return to home at current altitude will work in that range if the altitude is higher than 2.5m, if not the Spark will do what it did.

Thanks for the info but I’m not quite sure I understand? If further than 20m what height will it go to when it is set to return at current altitude?

 

[DesertWindAero]

Thanks for the info but I’m not quite sure I understand? If further than 20m what height will it go to when it is set to return at current altitude?

See pages 13-16 of the manual.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

Whatever altitude is set. Unless you are above the RTH SET. Thats where the caution flag comes up.

 

[DesertWindAero]

Thanks for the info but I’m not quite sure I understand? If further than 20m what height will it go to when it is set to return at current altitude?

Upload your flight log to here...someone will take a look at it, and there may be additional information gleaned.

 

[JMcIntosh]

Looks like you may have lost some GPS by the trees. If that's the case, it can switch into VPS...but, you were over water and VPS doesn't like reflective surfaces. It also looks like you may have gotten confused as to which way left and right were because you were flying with the camera towards yourself and flight inputs are reversed. Looks like you meant to go away from the trees to the right but wound up getting into them instead.

I did mean to go that way to get away from the water but didn’t see the small branch that it hit the first time. (Neither did the sensors). As I was trying to get away from it it took off straight up before I could cancel it. I thought I had 5 more seconds but the 10 seconds starts when the talking starts! I just don’t understand why it went up when I had it set to return at current altitude.

 

[DesertWindAero]

I did mean to go that way to get away from the water but didn’t see the small branch that it hit the first time. (Neither did the sensors). As I was trying to get away from it it took off straight up before I could cancel it. I thought I had 5 more seconds but the 10 seconds starts when the talking starts! I just don’t understand why it went up when I had it set to return at current altitude.

The sensors don't see tree branches very well...not substantive enough.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

Then if above, and you have the RTH set at current altitude. It will remain and return at that altitude and not drop to the RTH setting

 

[MannyCAM2001]

Were you walking away from the homepoint? And perhaps forgot to update the current homepoint? I do a lot of flying thru woods and my homepoint is further than where I sometimes am at.
So I have to remember to update my Homepoint frequently. Or my Spark will have my original Homepoint and think I’m further than I really am.
This is worse than “Time Contium”

 

[Rafa7]

Thanks for the info but I’m not quite sure I understand? If further than 20m what height will it go to when it is set to return at current altitude?

The return at current altitude option is only set for when the Spark is in between the 3m - 20m range from home point. Beyond 20m the Spark will ascend to the pre-set RTH altitude (if below it) and then return to home.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

I currently have my RTH set at 30 meters 100 ft. The default. And I also have my RTH at current altitude enabled.
In the pic you see that I was flying at 165 ft. Higher than my default setting. I thought it would be cool to fly lower than the tower but close by it. My spark due to the wind that day was blown over to slightly place it behind my direct line of sight. In other words behind the tower I was flying around. BAD MISTAKE! I lost my RC uplink, and my Spark iniciated a RTH. Normally not a problem if you’re flying higher, and have your RTH set higher than all obstacles.
In this case I didn’t. In the pic you see where I had my disconnect, and what altitude I was at. Also where it started the RTH and it’s RTH altitude. It returned at the exact altitude I was at. Did not return to my default, which in this case wouldn’t have made a difference anyway, since the obstacle was 200 ft. High.
I regained control and avoided the headon collision. But it did remain at my current altitude.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

The moral of the story, ALWAYS set your RTH higher, no matter how much you think you will miss the only tall structure there.
Scared the bajesus out of me! And i did gain some knowledge on the return at current altitude too.