Spark doesn't like to return to home point

[NC_Spark_3D]

When I fly in my back yard the Spark never returns to the home point. There is a clear view of the sky, although my yard is surrounded by trees. The other day I went to a parking lot and flew over 2,000 feet away and the drone returned to the exact spot where it took off. So why won't it do so in my yard?

By the way, it always has sufficient GPS satellites before take-off.

In this video you can see as it's descending it misses the home point. It's the smaller of the three disks in the view. It missed by five feet. The previous flight it missed by ten feet.

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[maumau]

When I fly in my back yard the Spark never returns to the home point. There is a clear view of the sky, although my yard is surrounded by trees. The other day I went to a parking lot and flew over 2,000 feet away and the drone returned to the exact spot where it took off. So why won't it do so in my yard?

By the way, it always has sufficient GPS satellites before take-off.

In this video you can see as it's descending it misses the home point. It's the smaller of the three disks in the view. It missed by five feet. The previous flight it missed by ten feet.

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I see 2 possible reasons.
Either you didnt wait enough at about 7-10 m high to let the spark take a picture for precision landing.
Or you pressed RTH at a distance less than 3m away from home point, and then the spark just land where it is.
(Between 3m and 20m away from home point, RTH works differently if you engaged return at same altitude or not.)
I suggest you move >20m away from home point after take off and try again.

 

[NC_Spark_3D]

I see 2 possible reasons.
Either you didnt wait enough at about 7-10 m high to let the spark take a picture for precision landing.
Or you pressed RTH at a distance less than 3m away from home point, and then the spark just land where it is.
(Between 3m and 20m away from home point, RTH works differently if you engaged return at same altitude or not.)
I suggest you move >20m away from home point after take off and try again.

OK, I didn't wait at 7-10 meters high, because it was heading down at that point. I set RTH at about 50m and let it come down on its own. How do you wait at 7-10m after you set RTH?

The time it came down at the exact home point, I had set RTH when it was about 120m up and 600m away! I stood with a friend and watched the Spark RTH and my friend was amazed that it landed on the same dandelion it took off from.

 

[maumau]

OK, I didn't wait at 7-10 meters high, because it was heading down at that point. I set RTH at about 50m and let it come down on its own. How do you wait at 7-10m after you set RTH?

The time it came down at the exact home point, I had set RTH when it was about 120m up and 600m away! I stood with a friend and watched the Spark RTH and my friend was amazed that it landed on the same dandelion it took off from.

After spark has recorded its home point, take off and climb directly to a minimum of seven meters altitude, moving only the power stick. Spark then takes a picture with its belly camera in order to be able to make a precision landing later. Then proceed to your flight. When you ask for RTH, spark will come back and make a precision landing. When it does, it is written on your screen "precision landing".

 

[NC_Spark_3D]

After spark has recorded its home point, take off and climb directly to a minimum of seven meters altitude, moving only the power stick. Spark then takes a picture with its belly camera in order to be able to make a precision landing later. Then proceed to your flight. When you ask for RTH, spark will come back and make a precision landing. When it does, it is written on your screen "precision landing".

That's cool and I will try it. But I thought it used GPS coordinates to return to the exact home point.

 

[dhrandy]

That's cool and I will try it. But I thought it used GPS coordinates to return to the exact home point.

It uses GPS coordinates to get close. It uses precision landing to get even closer. It'll display precision landing on the display if it's going to do it.

 

[graywoulf]

Since you have gotten so many answers to your question already, I just want to say that you live in a beautiful area. I love rural settings. Where are you located approximately? I live in Wilkes County myself.

 

[NC_Spark_3D]

Since you have gotten so many answers to your question already, I just want to say that you live in a beautiful area. I love rural settings. Where are you located approximately? I live in Wilkes County myself.

Cedar Grove, in northern Orange County. I love the quiet out here.

 

[Hddeuce03]

Here is a nice flow chart showing the different RTH actions.

 

[Chuck c]

Great chart, thanks for posting

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Thanks for the chart

 

[NC_Spark_3D]

That's good info. I just assumed that RTH meant RTH.

 

[Dan Showalter]

How do you know how long to hover at 7m so it can take a picture for Precision Landing?