Reassurance please

Questions & Answers
1

Ok, another disconnect topic.

Tonight I had my first “Aircraft Disconnected”

This has left me thinking a lot of “what if’s” and given me a severe confidence issue.

I’ve had my MPP now about a month and have had a number of successful flights with no issues whatsoever and love it.

I’ve been quite sensible and wanted to just learn before taking it away from home. I live on a farm (well, ex farm) surrounded by fields, perfect for flying. So lots of space, in fact enough to go out of sight if I chose to.

Tonight, at 400 ft altitude and about the same distance away from me, my CSU gave me an Aircraft Disconnected message. Oh here we go I thought.

Obviously still in sight I tested the controls and reduced altitude straight away. Great at least I’m still in control.

I landed, checked cable connections, turned everything off then restarted all lights were green, took it for another flight and everything seemed to be fine.

I did notice when turning the CSU on that I got an “Abnormal” message under firmware which then changed to normal.

One other thing thats worth mentioning is the weather, it was pissing it down!! no, only joking. The evening was warm, humid and potential of a storm although no wind at all. I’m thinking electrical activity maybe?

I know many will say USB C, I will change this straight away as I bought five 8" braided cables.

This has left me feeling a touch deflated and some reassurance and a cuddle would be nice.

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2

Firstly I would tend to categorise disconnection as an annoyance, rather than something to erode my confidence.

This is 99% certainly an issue with the RC/Phone connection … you still have the RC that will (probably) be connected to the MPP … so you can still fly it home.

Also, always remember that, if you have all the settings correct, the MPP will just fly back to even if you if you totally switch off the RC … and land/hover depending on what you’ve set. (I have mine set to hover, because by the time it would be getting near me, and I know exactly where it is, at least I can take control again by turning on the RC again.)

After that, like the other thread the other day, it’s a case of working through the connection problem and resolving it.
Yes - easy to say this when it’s never happened to me - but I also have total confidence in RTH.

If you’ve never used RTH (for fun or serious) it’s worth playing with it and gaining trust in it.

3

An learn to fly in ATTI, you never know when it might come in useful.

4

I had these disconnections on the first day I flew my drone(a week ago today) and I used RTH twice in the space of 20 mins. Worked perfect, landed within inches of where it took off. On that day I did the same as you, I started a Disconnections thread on here with everyone giving me really good advice and putting my mind to rest. The next day I had many more disconnections while flying for around an hour, each time I would close the app and restart it. Since then I have used a standard iPhone charge lead using the bottom USB port and had no problems at all and I’ve flown everyday since last Thursday. But at least I now have total confidence in RTH.

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5

I’ve not tried that yet Chris, how different is it ?

6

So GPS mode you let go of the controls and it stops and stays there as if by magic.

ATTI is more like your pebble skimming across the lake, let go of the controls and it will keep going, remaining at the same height but affected by wind.

I’ve not done my PFCO but I’m pretty sure (someone will correct me if I’m wrong) but you must be able to fly without GPS in order to qualify.

Find a big field and just fly squares with no GPS, you’ll be amazed at how easy DJI have made these drones to fly.

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7

Chris only problem is, there is no user selectable ATTI mode on mavic without modding firmware.

Even without GPS it will drop into OPTI mode and try and maintain ground position using vision system.

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8

Just one question on the RTH, as I’ve not experienced it yet.

Does it come back at the height set and drop down to the landing point from that height?

The reason I ask is that I have telephone cables about fifteen yards to the left and right from where I generally take off.

If it comes back at the height set and straight down directly above there would be no problem.

9

Good way to explain ATTI mode is,

In GPS mode the aircraft is doing 3 things, Maintaining altitude
Maintaining attitude (level)
Maintaining ground position.

When you let go of sticks it will pitch in opposite direction to brake and maintain that position.

In ATTI mode it’s only doing 2 of those.
Maintaining altitude
Maintaining attitude (level)

When you let go of sticks it does not know where it is relative to ground and will take much longer to stop.

It’s not trying to maintain position in any way so you will have to constantly give small inputs to keep it where you want it.

If there is any wind, it’s going to travel with the wind unless you give input to counteract it.

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10

Comes back at the height set (if you were flying below set RTH altitude) and comes down when above the landing spot. If you were higher than the altitude set for RTH, it would come back at that altitude.

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11
  1. If, when RTH is initiated, you are below the height set for RTH … the first thing it does is climb vertically to that height.
  2. If, when RTH is initiated, you are above the height set for RTH … it will remain at that height.

After (1) or (2), it will remain at that height and fly straight to directly above the home point, and then either (a) descend and land, or (b) hover at that point - depending upon which you have set for it to do.

Assuming your RC is still connected to your MPP, at any point during the RTH you can press pause and it will stop and hover where it is.

12

Easy enough with my P2, and even fully manual … both of which, AFTER building my confidence in GPS mode and then considerable practice, are both great fun and superb training.
All I have to do is just flick the switch.
But how do you practice ATTI with the MP/MPP/MA ?

13

Tin foil to mask the GPS (only kidding), .700 is your real friend ;o)

Massive oversight of DJI to omit it.

14

As I knew …

So a totally irrelevant suggestion for someone who’s only had their MPP for a few weeks and looking for reassurance with the basics.

15

Yeah probably, I had to mod mine very early on, what with living on the very edge of 3 NFZ’s, I was reasonably comfortable doing it following a half-life of modding consoles.

The RTH has been very well explained by yourself and others here, maybe all I can add is perhaps turn off the app and fly using just the controller using sight alone, get the hang of which way is which.

Ive had the dreaded ‘lost connection’ and it does come home, thankfully (fingers crossed)

16

This is the best RTH video I’ve seen … at the end of a Litchi mission …
complete with MULTIPLE obstacle avoidances, by @colinbm (or by his MP, to be accurate. LOL)

Probably not the best way to gain trust in RTH, though. :wink:

17

I’ve nad the same issue the other day. New cable fixed the problem

18

Only had my MP a few months and whilst tracking a parachute on the back of a speedboat off the Cyprus coast bang ! Disconnect ,no screen nothing. I pushed rth no sign of drone. I was sitting in the shade wondering if i should make up a story for my insurers then like a lost dog i hear the feint whir. I quickly grab the consul as if i have full control…phew ! The 1st time it is a relief . Its happened a couple of times ive never replaced cables ? Im thourough on pre flight checks. Loving this hobby and summer.

19

It should all ways rth if you loose connection but make sure it saves the home point when you launch. You may want to use the usb in the bottom of the controller with a decent cable. It did exactly is it advertised. If you reconnect after you can then fly as usual. Happy flying😁

20

If the drone disconnected from the controller and automatically returned home it’s unlikely to be a cable issue. Normally signal related.

If only the phone disconnected and you managed to initiate RTH manually then look at the cable first. You would still have telemetry showing on RC.