Spark is gone :( Pls help analyzing flight record

[Sparko]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Leskent]

Sorry for your loss, I must be honest and say that I recently had Loss of GPS and signal issues since latest firmware and app updates, I've posted some of these issues on other forums that DJI staff offer advice on but they have never responded to my posts??? go figure! once again very sorry you lost your Drone

 

[0v3rrid3]

Well from the quick look at flight log aircraft switch to atti mode around 1min, due to magnetic interference. At this time aircraft was 2-3m from home point and altitude 120-130m. In this condition you should land immediately wile it was close and in vlos and not continue to fly that high and far especially at night. Magnetic interference disables GPS because GPS can't work without compass so aircraft can't return to home. When you get those kind of errors you should land or fly low and close and not just continue to fly and think that it will repair by itself.

 

[jefferson chaves]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

a

 

[jefferson chaves]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

I lost my Spark in the same way . I think in that situation, firstval

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

 

[jefferson chaves]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

A couple days a go in the night, I lost my Spark in the same way. Firstly I lose the image transmition, than I tried pressed return to home and pressed Landind botton. The image recorded show me landing 100 meters from me, but how was night and dark I didn’t find it. In my opinion the Spark must has a GPS device even when the battery off, that help us to find it in that situation.

 

[KenTheJeepGuy]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lo

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life...
Any help is appreciated!

You may have it posted in one of these links, but what are the last known GPS coordinates recorded?

 

[wordzenpix]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

With less than an hour and four flights on my brand new Spark, it flew away, ignoring my command to land where it's at which was about 10 feet away from me. I kept it low, under 10 feet, and close by for "safety." It arbitrarily chose a new "home" and flew there while I fought it all the way. That home was 54 feet up in a giant cedar, unretrievable after three efforts. DJI says no compensation for a faulty product, but please send us your flight records. Right, I'm going to waste another hour on top of the 15 I've invested. I'm not done with them yet.

I did the recommended calibration before taking off, all the proper stuff, oh well. So did Dave Bowman. It really WAS creepy the way the Spark ignored my command to land where it is, slowly turned like the pod HAL controlled and headed off down the beach. The collision avoidance failed as well, and I had to jump out of the way. At least it didn't get me like the pod got Bowman. One must find some humor/amusement in these things.

 

[0v3rrid3]

@wordzenpix sorry to hear that, can you post flight log.
When spark set home location did you check it on the map, was it set correctly? Did you initiate RTH or it was initiated due to low battery or signal loss?

 

[Sparkz71au]

Hello. Long time lurker. On Monday night I lost my done. This has been the saddest week of my life. I took off and waited for it to record the Home Point. After that I flew it in one direction. Within 1-2 minutes I lost video feed. Then compass. Then gps. It said magnetic interference. By this time it had been maybe 3min since launch. I pressed Return to Home. Nothing. It said “RC connected” (but still no video feed) so I pressed left and forward hoping to see flashing lights flying in a circle. Nothing.

So far I’ve looked around the home point and where it last had connection. I’ve posted posters noting I’ve lost the drone and that there’s a reward. My name and contact is on the battery. Can you please help me figure out where the best place to look is?

I lose video, compass and gps somewhat frequently but it has always regained its connection. Since it recorded its homepoint, is it likely that it reconnected to gps and tried to go home but maybe missed?

After losing gps, would it just continue drifting in the same direction? I think it would likely be carried away by the wind right?

As its battery drops, it would just try to land wherever it is right?

The Healthydrones analysis lists "Landing battery". Does that mean it started trying to land as soon as it lost gps? Or maybe it picked up my RTH command? Though I did try to spin it in circles after realizing the RTH wasnt working.

I’ve uploaded my flight record to phantomhelp/logviewer (DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com)

And healthydrones (May 21st, 2018 10:24PM | General | Drone Flight Log from DJI GO app, version 4.2.14 on Android | Total Mileage: 1,995 ft | Canada | Airdata UAV (formerly HealthyDrones.com)).

Here’s the vid of its last flight (2018_05_21_22_24_43.mp4)

Heres a Find My Drone screenshot (Screenshot_20180521-231414.png)

Heres a screenshot identifying whats around me (20180525_221333710.png)

Any help is appreciated!

G'day.
Do you have a matching MCDatFlightRecord? Look in (android device):\DJI Spark\Android data\DJI\dji.go.v4\FlightRecord\MCDatFlightRecords for a file called 18-05-21-22-24-43.dat or similar. Most likely to be the most recent/last time stamped *.dat file(?). The time stamp may be slightly different. There may be additional information available to 'decode' - can you upload the *.dat file?

I looked at the *.txt log with various 'decoders'. The data from the right controller stick input is missing - ie horizontal movements forward, back, left or right. Maybe DJI changed the data format in 4.2.14 - strange.

Only positive throttle inputs exist within the recorded logs. It seems that you ignored the verbal atti mode warning at about 1:09 min & pushed the left stick up? About 30 seconds later another input was received to raise height. Negative throttle movements are not shown anywhere within the log. Either the log is wrong or you did not reduce the throttle to below 'hover'. Another mystery.

I can't explain the source of magnetic interference & the yaw errors - Spark was initially 123 m AGL & 3 m from home when the error(s) occurred. The kp index solar flares / magnetic interference history available on the 'net does not indicate any 'alarms' during the indicated time frame.

The only relationship I can think of, after searching & discovering many other threads with similar problems - mainly in sports mode or after sudden changes in direction, the compass/IMU may loose calibration & a yaw error is produced. Otherwise it might be the firmware complaining that a 10 degree turn took 350 degrees. Or the Spark wiring, under load, interferes magnetically with the compass. Or the DJI Go 4 app (4.2.14) has major bugs with the current aircraft firmware The GPS data is recorded in the log(s) until it disconnected but Spark had no idea which way was North, thus floated with the wind or flew at 7.9 m/s - unknown reasons for another 661 seconds as last reported in the logs.

Anyway, Spark had 661 seconds of battery left, including 57 seconds to land. Travelling at the last known speed and direction, Spark could have landed 5000 - 5800 meters away (3.1 - 3.6 miles) in a South-West direction from the home point.

I looked on google earth - check if Spark landed near Mt Hamilton Cemetery or Helen Detwiler Jr Elementary School. Maybe ask the Hamilton Police Service for lost & found or post a reward at the school.

It could have landed anywhere if the wind changed direction & speed.
I can't explain the horizontal speed compared to the wind conditions & height. Looks like Spark panicked & quickly tried to fly away towards South China. ;-)

I noticed your Spark was flying towards John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. Anything could have happened - Spark may have been above the official height limit for the NFZ & may that have forced Spark to land at any distance?

Supply your *.txt or *.dat log file to DJI & request further support. It may be covered by warranty?

Good luck!
.