DJI Mini 2 Catastrophe

I sent my DJI Mini 2 out on a signal strength mission, and had a catastrophe during the mission!
Here is that flight with commentary, telemetry and drone footage plus the epic journey to try to recover the downed drone with the Find My Drone feature of the DJI Fly App.
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[@WindsweptRobert]

Lassie ended up broken : kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5KQeIp7jpaHrKc

[@glennboyd939]

Looks like you had your altitude set to 15m, so the return to home was limited to 15m. Also, the RTH safety features were not set to RTH.

[@Ptsl2025]

I saw

[@noonespecific9463]

Here’s a tip for everyone range testing or pushing out to the limits of your signal. Never turn a DJI drone around to fly home when you have a weak signal, turning the drone will instantly cause signal loss. Allowing the RTH feature will turn the drone and you will experience signal loss and most times the aircraft will disconnect. Fly the drone backwards instead of turning the drone to face you. Turn the drone when it’s gotten close enough that you have a strong signal.

[@WindsweptRobert]

That is a good tip!

[@playerone82]

Nice one, I will remember that.

[@Yamanotefy]

Happened with my Mini 3 Pro about 900 m in urban area. Signal loss, complete disconnected and was never able to relink again. Fortunately RTH worked but the lack of precision landing caused a few bruises on landing due to the tight spot. Lucky but not happy with the complete loss of control with the RC (screen).

[@BlairAir]

Flying backward does help to maintain signal, relevant for manually flying back. This isn't quite as critical with O3/O3+ with 4 antennas, but once RTH has been tripped on the drone, it's coming home, signal or not, and in most cases it will reconnect when it overcomes the weak signal. Occasionally only command and control reconnect without video, and a quick restart of the app will resolve it if your bold enough to try it. My Fimi A3 did RTH backwards for this reason. Odd choice but worked well enough.

[@noonespecific9463]

@@BlairAir , I should have mentioned this as well, the RTH on DJI drones has never ever failed me, as long as the home point is set properly and the RTH altitude is high enough, if that drone can make it, it will, sometimes you might have to apply some throttle to keep it from descending to soon with a critically low battery though. The signal also does return at some point, but I didn’t know that about switching the app off and back on would restore video signal. I’ll give that a try next time. I’ve been known to switch apps with that little mini 2 mid flight, I bought that thing because I wanted the occusync 2. I started with a Spark, enhanced WiFi connection, fun times with that , haha! The mini is simply amazing compared to a Spark or original Mavic Air.

[@BrianCosgrove]

Lassie Come Home... (Not) But, as you said, a great example of why checking things is important. Especially after updates. A great video!

[@pdtech4524]

It's very important whenever you do ANY updates to CHECK ALL settings, as part of your pre flight checks, within the DJI Fly app including RTH and other crucial safety settings! They don't always reset but in my experience they sometimes do⚠️ That RTH signal lost setting catches many out!! 😳 This is precisely why I very rarely update my drone or Fly app because my thought process is, if everything is working fine and as you want it, why on earth mess around with silly little updates that add very little in terms of user experience. I only tend to update if I'm forced to or there is a huge important extra feature I need.👍⚠️ Edit- It's worth picking up a portable powerbank for such situations where loss of power would be catastrophic! 😲😁👍 I picked a good one up from B&M bargains for £12 has 2 charge outputs and is 10,000 mAh review somewhere on my channel.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I have loads of portable power banks, and they were all in the car with me, but when I exited the car, I truly believed that I would find Lassie within a few hundred metres.

[@motorcyclesandthings8633]

My heart beat was going up watching this, my big drone was never right again after an update 4 yrs ago , had to sell it , and give up on them till 8 months ago , bought a small se, but never let it get out of sight when flying , glad you found it ,,,, cheers shane uk 🇬🇧

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks Shane. All is well now!

[@jimthorleydronefootage]

Glad you got her back robert. These updates are coming all the bloody time and with apps refusing to open after android updates think it may be time to stop doing updates

[@WindsweptRobert]

I know, Jim. The KZbin creators who make videos about the updates must be loving it lol!

[@TheCikaSrba]

I'm so happy for both You and Lassie . Never surrender, never give up ! Best regards from Serbia !!!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks Petrov :) Never give up! :)

[@TheCikaSrba]

OMG, Thank You soooo much!!!

[@MightyistheRCGamer]

3 beeps means Lassie is telling you the barn is on fire and Timmy is trapped in the well

[@WindsweptRobert]

Ah, she gave up beeping and honking a while back. She can talk now :)

[@alsstuff]

Glad you found her Robert and hope you didn't exert yourself too much? Hope you and the wife are now well on the road to recovery. Thanks for the video and some good lessons to be learned there.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks Al. It was a struggle, but I was not abandoning her again. That hike set my recovery back a wee bit, but I’m much better now thanks. J is back to normal:)

[@redveinborneo4673]

You got some giant balls to ignore multiple complete losses of signal just to keep on going further out. Well done.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Need to test the limits of these wee drones :)

[@null.ru.1337]

@@WindsweptRobert not at $600 a pop. A bit pricey ???

[@null.ru.1337]

and I just notice your name, Windswept Robert......🤣😂🤣🤣

[@Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay]

Wow - what a journey - and what a relief when you finally see it - thx for taking us with you !

[@WindsweptRobert]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Part 2 is now available on the Members section of the channel. Subtitles are being added for the public release, which will be on Friday :)

[@virtuosomuso]

i have subscribed to your channel 👍

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@virtuosomuso Thank you, John :)

[@donegalrediscovered3309]

Here’s another tip .. I live in Donegal 🇮🇪.. same weather & terrain.. I always use a strobe Lille Lume Cube or Firehouse Arc V on my drones with dual lock Velcro .. so if batteries go you’ll always spot it as they have a great display distance.. A fantastic bit off kit on those overcast days .. especially with the Mini 2 as can be hard to spot .. helps VLOS (visual line of sight ) too .. Glad you got her 😀💚👍

[@WindsweptRobert]

Great tip, Detmot! :)

[@rickpawl]

You sir, are an inspiration and an educator based on your own real experience. I learned a lot. Thank you. Always check settings and never give up!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Very kind of you to say so, Rick, I appreciate it :)

[@philkennedy342]

I felt your pain and the glory of her recovery just shows your persistence pays off in the end 👍👍👍

[@WindsweptRobert]

Persistence (or pure Scottish stubbornness!) and DJI technology ;)

[@philkennedy342]

@@WindsweptRobert think your right on both parts there lol… and the cost of replacement…..

[@lee4318]

What I don’t understand is that the Rth alt was set to 100m (5:26 in video) how did it then change to 15m was it?

[@WindsweptRobert]

I still don’t understand that either, lee

[@johnnyfearlesszrx]

Fantastic, I was sitting on the edge of my chair, so happy you were reunited. Some great lessons learned too.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks Johnnyfearless, I learned a lot during this flight and recovery!

[@joselaverniyabut9298]

I admire you man, you have the patience and initiative to find it how to use mappings, finding your drone ... That’s the best thing learn if emergency occur...thanks for the Ideas..

[@hunterfunter47]

Apart from anything else flying a drone downwind over long distance in a strong wind is asking for trouble. Much safer to plan you launch point if possible to fly into the wind outward and return to home downwind

[@WindsweptRobert]

Aye. Unfortunately, sometimes the geography dictates the flightpath.

[@rossmrmojorisin9579]

Here's a tip for ya always have a powerbank on you 10,000 ma preferably that will help in times like this

[@WindsweptRobert]

I do! It was in the car...I thought I'd only have to walk a few hundred yds from the car to retrieve the drone, so I didn't bring my backpack...

[@sammygizmo7087]

Before sending the drone out first is to check RTH and battery level if all cells are okay. Happy to watched the whole video and most of all glad that Lassie will fly again for more adventure. Best regards from Cebu, Philippines

[@WindsweptRobert]

You're right, Sammy. I'll be taking more time to do full and proper checks before flying in future!

[@fonzieskatesurf]

That feeling when you find it and knowing it works fine. I know how it is cuz I just crashed mine and it still works thankfully 🙏

[@WindsweptRobert]

It's a buzz! :)

[@DroneUpp]

Wow! Almost had me in tears! So glad you were able to retrieve it. Such a long walk that I know I would not have made it that far on foot! Soon as I saw your video, I check my settings but once I saw the options for RTH on Disconnect, I was so happy to see that it was set to RTH. From now on, I will always check this after updates!!! Thanks for sharing this education!!!!!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thank you so much!

[@jamesrogalski2085]

Good heavens! I am so very glad you found her. 52 years ago I fired my model rocket and lost sight of it. 40 years after that day I found the rocket in a hickory tree and was able to retrieve it. The cloth parachute had rotted away and the bright red and navy blue paint had faded a bit, but amazingly she was still in very good shape. I repaired and repainted her and occasionally still fly her, but only at lower altitudes. I couldn't believe that all those years of harsh Michigan weather didn't damage her more severely.

[@WindsweptRobert]

That's incredible, James! I bet that hickory tree is a lot bigger now than it was when your rocket landed in it!

[@jamesrogalski2085]

@@WindsweptRobert Yes, we moved to the home I grew up on when I was 2 years old (1960). Our home was on the edge of the Berrien Hills Golf Course. Never has there been a grander place to have grown up. I doubt there is millimeter of that golf course that doesn't have my DNA on it. 48 Years walking, running, exploring, kite flying on that golf course. The trees about the diameter of your little finger, now you can't get your arms around them! I was so very blessed!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Nostalgia :) 🌿🌲

[@toddlauretteHabsforlife]

This is my biggest nightmare. After u go a couple times and check your settings, u become complacent and forget to check them, and for me, THAT'S the time this would happen, every time! lol. Glad u got 'er back. I will try to always check my settings before i go out. I just got mine 2 or 3 weeks ago, and it's been too cold, today was the first day i could fly it long enough to drain the battery, Im nervous about flying out of sight tho! lol, im sure ill get over that. Thanks for the video.

[@aurimazas001]

A tip for the future: if you're loosing signal for no apparent reason, lift the drone a bit higher. 40 meters is too low for high distances. Also, DJI drones can make sounds to signal their location. Enable that feature.

[@hankwojo]

That was awesome and an eye opener for me ! I liked how you used all the information at hand to find the Mini. This would make a great training video, mistakes and all. It would teach you to check ALL your settings before take off. Thank you Robert!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Glad it was helpful, Henry :)

[@B1g_Salad]

I don’t understand why you kept flying that far away even though you kept losing signal. Also that’s way too far away, there no way that’s line of sight. A bit irresponsible no?

[@WindsweptRobert]

I like to think of it as more maverick than irresponsible, but I'm not a school teacher ;)

[@krystagreen3094]

line of sight means it's in the line of your sight with no obstructions, not that you can visibly see it - so if there's no trees buildings etc. in the way then it's still technically in the line of sight

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@krystagreen3094 That is absolutely a correct definition of line of sight, Krysta :)

[@B1g_Salad]

@@krystagreen3094 yah you are thinking of radio line of sight which is not the same as visual line of sight.

[@moonbeam9901]

Karen karen

[@bradzimmer239]

Wow, so happy you found your drone. As an owner of the Mini Se which isn't as good as ocusync, when I loose connection, I won't start hitting the return to home. It's known of you keep using that function, It won't return. I know it's a heart stopper.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Occusync 2 is fantastic :)

[@richardc.9054]

Why did you have it set to hover? Always set to rth when signal lost.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I did not have it set to hover.

[@hachiman]

I was involved with you every step of the way!! I was so invested!!

[@WindsweptRobert]

I hope the payoff was worth it :)

[@barriewilliams4526]

Thanks for posting this video Robert, certainly made me check my settings after the last update. Glad you found your drone, horrible feeling when it goes astray.

[@WindsweptRobert]

But a great feeling when you find it in the middle of a blanket bog, Barrie! :)

[@barriewilliams4526]

@@WindsweptRobert True 👍

[@AggyGoesOutdoors]

Getting an orange RC warning at less than 20m distance would be enough to tell most people something's not quite right, surely?

[@chrisedwards7615]

Phew! What a relief. Nice one Robert. Lesson learned by us all! Thanks for sharing.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks for watching the video and leaving a nice comment, Chris :)

[@DESTINYFPV]

Personally I would have brought it back when the signal turned orange twice before it was even out of sight it was trying to tell you something wasn't right!

[@WindsweptRobert]

I was relying on the automatic RTH to kick in once the signal was lost, Rick. Unfortunately, things did not go as expected!

[@DronescapingBritain]

Wow! well done for rescuing 'Lassie'! Yep always check settings after updating! Also think of your personal safety, think of the nightmare your loved ones might have trying to find you! just a thought mate! I have been caught out before , lost me drone on a lonely moor. But things can go wrong horrifyingly quickly and its easy to flounder and panic at a time you need to be more focused. I threw my coat down and set off running across a lonely welsh moor when my 'buzby' lost contact, In retrospect, maybe I should have re-booted my flyapp and tried reconnecting, or headed straight to 'find my drone' I didn't think straight in the panic. You learn from these 'events'. BTW does anyone else think the DJI Mini 2 's signal is not as good as it used to be or is it just me?

[@WindsweptRobert]

You're so right. The only reason I left the car without water, provisions, battery packs, extra clothing and my walking stick was because I honestly thought that Lassie was only a few hundred metres away from where I parked my car. Had I known I was going to be walking for miles over the blanket bog, I would have prepared better!

[@graemelaw5808]

hi rab, where's part 2🙏, its part of the story, we dont care its got no drone flight or content. i think the advice from the youtube channel review is rubbish! we watch for drones - yes, but also because its you, people like you, thats all part of the channel. & i for 1 enjoyed a glimpse of the band thing for instance + sure most would be interested. the return journey - every1 wants to see it 🙏🙏 ps - n1 controller started working properly yet ?

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks Graeme, thanks for those very kind and encouraging words. I've had a look at the footage for the return journey. I recorded it with my phone and had no external mic, so there is a lot of wind noise and the narration is difficult to hear in parts. But I have decided to create this video and publish it. I'll clean up the audio as best I can and I'll add subtitles. It'll take me quite a while to put it together, but I'll do my best to get it up for the weekend coming :) I've moved the band video to the members section, but if anyone wants to see it they can message me or email me and I'll provide a link for that video :)

[@graemelaw5808]

@@WindsweptRobert no worries, look forward to it, cheers G

[@3DModelsToys]

Thanks for remind me that after FW update we need to recheck the settings like altitute and RTH. We always need to do a pre -flight check anyways, im so dumb sometimes.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I am too!

[@LISTEDGames]

that was really horrible signal on the mini 2.. wonder why that was the case. on mine I had problems with the latest dji fly app, basically made my drone not usable cause it was lagging lot. so I had to revert to the previous dji fly version.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Some of the updates are really bad 😞

[@CompuTechoo7]

Ahh glad you found her! Darn GPS will get crazy when you get closer. They get you 'near' but not very accurate for pinpointing a location.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Aye, usually getting close is enough and then I activate the flashing and beeping to get right to her, but when she is disconnected, you can't use the flashing and beeping!

[@ptaylor5014]

So lesson to everyone who does a firmware update, check all your settings afterwards! or you could say goodbye to your drone.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Absolutely, Paul!

[@ThePeteW]

I would go further. Checking your settings should be done before every flight. I believe the right thing to do is to have a pre flight checklist. 30 secs precheck per flight could save you an awful long walk at best, lose drone at worst. Add in don’t fly with wind to on the outbound journey too 😀 Question though, why did the drone not reconnect when you were close?

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@ThePeteW I don't know Pete. When I picked her up after finding her in the bog, I switched her off and on (she still had 61% battery power!) and she connected straight away. It's a mystery to me!

[@frankhoherz2758]

Yes. But also check all settings in case of a new version of the fly app

[@waynegreene6405]

Good point mate.

[@Carlo_Young]

Darn it. Just watched this video. The tenseness is like watching a horror movie. Glad you found you craft. I nearly lost mine around the same time

[@Nomadman4life]

I was rooting for this guy to find his drone the entire video. So glad he did! 👍🏼

[@WindsweptRobert]

You and me both!

[@roylynn1745]

me too. glad he found it and a valuable lesson to us all

[@OldGoatStillGoing]

Guess that is a lesson that you should always do a pree flight and check settings. Also unless the drone and or money to replace it means nothing, keep it in eye sight and know how it responds in high wind. You were lucky.

[@gcoop7144]

I'm here for the accent, just amazing!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Very kind of you to say :)

[@timcable]

way to go - rewarded for not giving up easy.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I could not abandon her a second time! ;)

[@eddyg1794]

@@WindsweptRobert Look at is this way. You got a great workout and after you found her I'm sure your BP dropped significantly! 🙂

[@carloriva309]

Hi Robert, I lost my drone 2 weeks ago ( my fault for bad maneuver) and crashed in a field of braken on a 50% slope half mountain. Given up to find it on the day as I was broken but found it the day after with the last coordinates and what3words app. Hope this helps anyone in need in the future

[@WindsweptRobert]

Glad you found it, Carlo. I'll be attaching strobes to my drones before launch in future to make them easier to find if they come down unexpectedly!

[@jsa2001]

In 10 years they'll be more lost drones out there than golf balls.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I do not doubt this :)

[@denscorpio4666]

У меня было что-то подобное,когда смартфон разрядился и отключился,потом слетели настройки приложения Джи Флай,а я полетел,не проверив настройки безопасности.Поэтому если по какой-либо причине смартфон перезагружается или после глюка отключается,то всегда перед полётом надо вновь проверять настройки в приложении Джи Флай.Рад за вас,поздравляю с мягким приземлением,хорошо,что не в воду и не на камни.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Мне очень повезло. Он вполне мог приземлиться в пропитанной водой части болота :)

[@catharsis77]

When you get close the GPS signal puts the location in various places. I used to do Geocaching. We would stand back and take a bearing when the position was stable, then arc off a ways and take another bearing and then use the 2 bearings to triangulate the location. We could do this with a compass. You might could have used some landmarks in the distance to accomplish the same thing. I am glad you found it. I didn't like the part at the start where you took a fall and soaked your controller though! Hope everything turned out alright.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks, Catharsis. When I exited my car to fetch the drone, I really believed it was only a few hundred metres away. The fall I took into the bog was one of many and unfortunately the RC-N1 was ruined. I have a replacement now and it works fine :)

[@AddFilmmedia]

That was an intense journey, to say the least! I was SO happy when I saw you retrieved the drone.

[@WindsweptRobert]

You and me both! :)

[@phroden]

It should be better he never found his drone. Totally illegal behaviour.

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@phroden comment more please :)

[@wildatlanticman128]

Oh the drama...the drama 😄 Just did a vid over a bog with my mini 3....not easy ground to traverse!! Great vid btw.

[@WindsweptRobert]

It's slow going (on foot!) :)

[@ThatBritalian]

I am glad you got it back. I am going to upgrade my drone from a mini SE to a mini 2! Although the mini 2 is just a bit out of my budget range so im going to have to get more money before i can buy it.

[@WindsweptRobert]

You can get some great bargains on 2nd hand mini 2 packages right now because people have bought mini 3 and want to sell mini 2 to offset the cost :)

[@jimfitzgibbon5492]

My question to you is do you have so much money then sense. Why would you push a drone that hard, unless you want to lose it? Sorry I just value mind more than that.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Good for you :)

[@SchubertDipDab]

If I were to get another drone I think I'd be sticking some of those luminous, reflective strips on the thing. Could work well in twilight with a torch if you're really stuck and have a rough idea where it is!

[@WindsweptRobert]

I'll be putting strobes on before each flight from now on, Mark!

[@levandiy1081]

the equipment beeps with single signals, which means that the drone is not flying back. when he really flies back, the apparatura writes with double signals.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Aye, I wish I had realised that earlier! ;)

[@kbellanger4140]

Yeah why i get nervous flying every time. Got the 2se last month my 3rd drone. Took it into the mountains knowing signal was weak but i wanted the zoom features to spot baby loon locations. Got a warning and started back. Then lowering it for some filming over the water. Took my attention away from 2 seconds looking up for the drone and unfortunately landed into the water. Took my kayak out immediately and circled the area i thought it was snorkeling....nothing. Went home, back the next day looking again. This time find my drone feature located the drone to the mark . I could see the drone in 10 feet of water. Problem? My parents took me to see jaws at age 10 and i was to scared to jump in. The drone was sitting next to a big stump and roots system, its counter intuitive to jump from a kayak. The wind and waves were bad and the drone was 100 yards from shore. I needed a plan!. Next day kayak out with a long poll with string to snag the drone. Waterproof bag for phone and an anchor. Again bad wind and my inflatable kayak was being pushed relentlessly even a 20 pound anchor didn't help i was frustrated. I needed a better plan. The following weekend, bigger anchor and a pool skimmer. Better conditions but i need strong daylight. You cant see the bottom unless the sun is straight up no clouds. This time the kayak is stable but attempts to collect the drone failed. I was scooping up mud and making the area cloudy, hot sun hard to see phone screen legs burning. I needed a better plan. Padding back to shore i see a guy getting ready to go out fishing, he asks me "whats up with the pool skimmer"? I explain the situation and now he thinks he can help. We both paddle back out but the wind picks up and im being pushed around like a beach ball in a hurricane, we tie my kayak to his and we locate the drone, he tries to hold me in position but no go. I said screw it im jumping in, roll out of the kayak go underwater cant see shit, come up for air go under again nothing! Now im to tired to climb back into my kayak so this guy tows me to shore im exhausted. 2 hours drive home i need a plan. Drone has been underwater for almost 2 weeks but i need a recovery for the insurance. Back to garnet lake upstate ny the next day. No more screwing around i got a different kayak and the weather is perfect. Located the drone after 30 minutes of looking. No waves no wind great light. See the drone and easily scoop it up with a bunch of slime and mud. Unfortunately after so long corrosion started showing and after drying out the drone was dead. That recovery was epic.

[@marcmcleanphoto]

21:50 i used to plant trees in places like this and all the crew wore whistles around their neck in case they fell into a bog, take a stick to help pull yourself out

[@WindsweptRobert]

You're right, Marc. If I had known I was going to be entering the blanket bog, or even walking more than a few hundred metres, I would have worn my backpack that is full of provisions, extra batteries, emergency gear, etc, and I would have taken my walking stick from the boot of my car!

[@PKNEXUS]

You have experienced what some FPV drone pilots call, "The walk of shame". That was one epicly long walk though You should try doing the same thing in Australia, plenty of stuff waiting to sting, bite you in our terrain :)

[@WindsweptRobert]

I think the walk of shame would have been if I had searched and NOT recovered her!

[@dennisclark8766]

Wow what a video. Glad you found your baby. Great information to check settings first. Thanks for sharing.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RobbertdeRouw2022]

Glad you found her, really liked the video!

[@WindsweptRobert]

I appreciate that, Robbert, thank you :)

[@nielslecoultre834]

Fantastic story. I really admire your courage and tenacity to find your drone. Despite the rough terrain, you overcame all obstacles and ended up successful. Respect for your perseverance and never give up. I like your Scottish accent.✌Greetings from Denmark.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thank you, Niels. That wee drone and I have been through a lot together over the past 2 years. I was not going to give up on her, no matter what :)

[@thomaskerrigan9166]

WOW what a trek Robert I am sure I would have given up as my legs would not have been able to have coped with that terrain, I am glad you managed to retrieve her and that she is in good condition and able to fly again once you replace the RC, regards TJK UK.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Cheers, Tommy. Aye, she seems to be good as gold. I'll be testing her soon with the replacement RC I bought 2nd hand from ebay :)

[@jdubbleu1011]

I don’t understand why hover is even an option to be honest. I especially don’t understand why a FW update would reset the setting to hover and not ALWAYS default to RTH. I’ll be checking this after every FW update I’m future. Thanks!

[@WindsweptRobert]

I think hover would be useful if flying under a bridge and you lost signal

[@schooltv21]

I do use the hover, but when I am not flying far. It allows me to go around buildings or floors and find the drone waiting for me where the signal was lost. Here is where DJI should help. Lets say a red box on a corner (draggable around) saying something like Warning: Signal lost behavior - Hover - or Land... But until DJI will do this for us it's a good ideia to get into the habit of checking our settings before and each flight. I am still working on it :)

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@schooltv21 That would be a nice feature addition, Seeit

[@shauncroucher]

Hover is very useful when tracking a moving vehicle for instance. You don't want a lose of signal to force the drone to return to a previous RTH home point.

[@jdubbleu1011]

@@shauncroucher fair enough! I’ll be keeping an eye on that setting post FW updates for sure now though 👍

[@DJVINNIE]

yay! you found Lassie!!! so happy!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Me too!! ;)

[@drummer716]

Yikes. That was scary!!!

[@WindsweptRobert]

just a bit! :)

[@GreenGabanX1]

OMG God bless u and Lassie. Im so into this. Been whispering to u silently, it's over on your left.. nope.. there there on your right... Damn. So so glad u found her. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thank you for your blessings. I though at one point, i would not find her and then I'd see her later on while reviewing the search footage. That's what kept me searching! :)

[@Heliomation]

Losing a drone is a nightmare

[@WindsweptRobert]

Finding it again is a dream come true! :)

[@JaroslavBengl]

Very scary, but amazing lesson… Thanks so much for sharing!

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thank you, Jaroslav, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@darrenwilliams414]

you do understand line of sight means you can see it

[@WindsweptRobert]

I do understand what line of sight means.

[@darrenwilliams414]

@@WindsweptRobert so you should have been able to see it at all times then

[@WindsweptRobert]

@@darrenwilliams414 Correct.

[@michaelsowden5892]

After the first dozen or so warnings that he was having a signal issue affecting whether he could lose the craft, maybe he would lose the craft. Ignoring that many telemetry warnings, yes you can lose a craft.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Aye, but he didn't lose the craft, did he?

[@michaelsowden5892]

@@WindsweptRobert Aye true. With great effort. Lost, but found. You are quite fortunate you were able to access great distance across private property in daylight to find it on boggy ground. Not across rivers or in waters. Is good you recovered it. 😀

[@jacobfield4848]

Got a feeling this was staged, but it was fun to watch either way.

[@WindsweptRobert]

It was not.

[@carlkma2037]

Totally.

[@Lloyd1885]

Ive been thinking about getting one if these for a while, are they difficult to learn how to fly them?

[@johnnyfearlesszrx]

Not at all, the controls are quite simple and you can fly as slow as you like when learning. When you let go of the control sticks it just stops moving and hovers until you move the controls again, or runs low on battery which will initiate a return to land where it took off. Just be sure to set a suitable height for it to move to as it does the return. Also of course make sure it is set to return home as you learned on this excellent video.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Johnny Fearless said it all, Steve. This drone almost flies itself. For simple to follow, jargon free tips and advice, there are loads of videos on my channel that'll help you get started and will help to build your confidence :)

[@driewiel]

Some drone pilots never returned to home.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I nearly didn’t!

[@driewiel]

@@WindsweptRobert At least you got to try out sports mode.

[@NomadicNight]

Hi Robert. May I suggest that you change the battery alert settings to RTH, or land, so that you can still have 20% of battery life left to use the 'Find My Drone' feature. I'm not sure if that's possible, and I've never used a drone before, but it would seem to be the best method to recover your drone, next time it gets lost. Good Luck mate !

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thank you :). Love your name!

[@NomadicNight]

@@WindsweptRobert Thanks, Robert. I chose it myself ! - My original surname is Maclaren, but I changed it last year, because everyone in England miss-spells it. Probably wouldn't have that problem in Scotland. 🙂

[@AegeanEpiphany]

2.4kms BVLOS in high wind? Signal loss and INTERFERENCE Warnings at 1.3kms. Then RTH mode 'Hover'. No surprises then...

[@WindsweptRobert]

You assume too much.

[@El_Smeghead]

@@WindsweptRobert It's hardly just an assumption. You videoed all the evidence! 🤦

[@TheTony111111]

was lassie recording when she got lost. would be good to see the footage.

[@WindsweptRobert]

The very last file on the card was corrupted. It has the missing video we all want to see! i have tried everything I can to recover this file, but so far have not been successful. I have not given up yet!

[@robdavies7]

@@WindsweptRobert Z.A.R. recovery very often gets back corrupted files, might be worth a try.

[@SandyPandy-k8r]

🤣👏👏👏👏 get DJ audits to give you some private lessons on how to fly properly LOL aka Dik

[@WindsweptRobert]

Comment more please, you're helping the engagement levels on the channel. I love idiots like you :) ❤

[@hustlerkc11]

Troll

[@DOM_4GOOD]

3:39 the orange screen would made me turn back the drone. its very not normal

[@WindsweptRobert]

Orange screens with 3 bars are ok for me. I start to get a bit twitchy when the orange goes to 2 bars though.

[@scorpioo4320]

Maybe DJI should be notified this happens. Fix this so future updates leave the settings alone?

[@WindsweptRobert]

Not sure they’d pay much attention to. KZbin video from a nerd like me 🤓

[@dominicpaggetti7903]

Visual line of site in the UK. 2k is not!!!

[@drewywgx924]

Lol

[@AlexRaflas]

hi! just to know, before 2 weeks i was flying my mini 2 and as i was filming i lost conection and it never came back, not the drone came back not the signal nothing i went to the last location of the drone again nothing and the thing is that it wasn't to far from me, it was not more then 400meters distance. anyway it was my second replacement from dji care so i lost it for good. i think it was a fail of the battery cause it had still 45% before it lost the signal but i could not find it.

[@WindsweptRobert]

That's terrible, Alex. Sounds like a fault with your drone. I would contact DJI and tell them the full details and include the flight logs if you can. DJI are quite good about things like this :)

[@Andrea........]

hello, the regulation says to fly on sight😜

[@WindsweptRobert]

Does it?

[@Dlbomber1]

The suspense 😱😱😱

[@WindsweptRobert]

Dramatic! Here's another one equally as suspenseful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZevXqWka9lqbKM

[@rikcristiansen7409]

Instead of calling people Karens why don't you just follow the regs like the rest of us have to? VLOS mate.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Thanks, Rik. It's really up to me what I do with my life, isn't it? If you don't like what I'm doing in my videos, you're free to not watch them.

[@rikcristiansen7409]

@@WindsweptRobert thats the attitude mate! Use your platform to irresponsibly influence other drone ops. Good work ;)

[@LISTEDGames]

@@rikcristiansen7409 vlos is mostly for other people's safety in case you crash the drone and falls on someone or something that might damage it. He was in the middle of nowhere, nobody is around if it crashes.

[@rikcristiansen7409]

@@LISTEDGames…apart from the nearby houses??

[@LISTEDGames]

@@rikcristiansen7409 c'mon you're picking straws here, its not like he was flying above a metropolis

[@Joe-GMY]

In case you upgraded to Fly App Version 1.6.10 or 1.6.12 - no wonder. There is a bug providing a weak or even lost signal ending with a complete black-out and freezing display. That's why I am still on the previous 1.6.9 version which is operating fine.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Not sure which version I was using in this video, Joe, but that is interesting for sure! 😃

[@relaxingnature2617]

digital compasses only point north while they are moving -- they are unreliable when stopped

[@WindsweptRobert]

This, I did not know.

[@paulJF]

if you had maintained vlos as you are supposed to do then this wouldn't have happened

[@WindsweptRobert]

Cheers for your helpful comment, Karen 😅

[@paulJF]

@@WindsweptRobert not Karen just a responsible pilot.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Ok, if you want a nit-picking contest, I'm your huckleberry. How far away from you do you fly your drone, and what type of drone is it?

[@geowa3724]

How would vlos stopped him from loosing connection? Maybe just an easier find but the problem would still occur

[@jonathangilpin193]

have to agree with some other people here i was holding my breath lol well done on finding her ,good video,almost a disaster

[@WindsweptRobert]

Almost, Jonathan!

[@sptrader6316]

Besides the emergency RTH setting, Always fly into the wind, so the wind blows it back to you. If you have trouble fighting the wind, use Sport mode, it can handle most winds. Great to see you recover Lassie !

[@WindsweptRobert]

Good tips, sp:)

[@michaelmiracle3572]

hey, just a bit of food for thought, the was a pretty bad solar storm the last few days, the kp index was almost 8 yesterday ,and only goes to nine, but it causes interference to all signals,(anything 4 or more messes with GPS) .I learned this after getting my DJI mini 2,just wanted to share that,my drone weather app tells the KP index just like the temperature, but I dont attempt anything risky when CME ,or the sun is being moody....lol.....maybe this will help someone.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Hi Michael, aye a few people have mentioned this but I don't believe it was anything to do with the cause of the signal failings on my mini 2: This video was filmed just over 3 weeks ago; this video was filmed immediately after the previous video where I flew my mini 3 at the same height and on the same flightpath.

[@michaelmiracle3572]

here this is copy and pasted from drone academy What Is the Kp Index and Why Does It Matter to DronePilots? Jonathan September 18, 2019 0 Comments Skip the Technical Stuff - TLDR Quick show of hands and be honest, who here flys in ATTI Mode all the time? Most never use it at all, much less as their default method. That means that 99.999% of drone pilots rely on GNSS positioning while flying. Luckily, GNSS systems like GPS & GLONASS work really well most of the time but there are some things can negatively impact its performance and the stability of your aircraft. What could possibly impact the signal of billion-dollar satellites flying at 12,550mi above the Earth? The Kp Index. The Kp Index - The Technical Stuff In simple terms, the Kp Index is a measurement of global geomagnetic activity expressed on a scale of 1-9. In general, we consider that under the level of 4, the geomagnetic activity is “Quiet”, while at 4 it is “disturbed” (unsure/unsettled) and over 4 that we are under a magnetic storm. This type of interference is caused by things like solar activity and has a huge impact on your ability to safely operate your drone via GPS. According to the popular app, UAV Forecast, Solar activity interferes with GPS signals in two ways, both due to disruptions in the ionosphere. (1) It decreases the signal-to-noise ratio and affects carrier frequency, causing the receiver to lose lock on some satellites. Instead of 9 satellites, you might lock only 6, or the number might fluctuate from second to second. (2) It changes the propagation delay through the ionosphere, making GPS positioning inaccurate even if the receiver has all satellites locked.

[@philsheath]

Blimey fella you are one gritty guy..I’m so pleased for you. Lesson learned and well taught to the rest of us..time to check our settings..well done.

[@idahoron]

Well done! I learned i need tp check my return home setting.

[@ronnerup14]

OMG. One mistake after another. 😅 At least he got a good workout. How about another range test without checking all the settings.😂😅😆

[@WindsweptRobert]

Or I could be like most KZbinrs and only post things that make me look good,eh?

[@toad008]

Let's accept it. 2.5 km is beyond VLOS. We all do it in Coast and Countryside.

[@Thor57644]

I'm so glad you found her & thank you for the lesson. I just checked my remote to verify the RTH setting after loss of connection.

[@WindsweptRobert]

Hope my experience helps! :)

[@rolandstone1446]

Excellent video and well done on finding it. I’ll also take a few lessons from this, thank you.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I learned a lot on this hike, Roland LOL. About myself and what an eejit I am!

[@phroden]

Illegal video!!

[@topcropphoto]

The main lesson here is don't fly irresponsibly like this KZbinr does

[@phroden]

@@topcropphoto damn right. It’s thanks to such idiots all serious pilots can face even more stricter rules in the future. He’s also trespassing private property’s, also a crime. And for a 400€ drone he wants to take the risk of his own life or get injured in the middle of nowhere! 🙈🙈

[@FlyHiPhotographie]

Had my heart on my sleeve all of the way. No way can you loose Lassie. I have Mozzy, must be a relative, I'd be broken if I lost him. Well done you for looking after her. As an ex-private pilot of light aircraft I always try to complete the checklist before flying, however, we do get a tad slack from time to time don't we :)

[@WindsweptRobert]

I think the incredible reliability (up until now!) of the DJI tech within these drones has made me a bit lax when doing my pre-flight checks. I won't be making the same mistake in future!

[@sakisam7]

This happened to me yesterday with my Mini 2 as well. Looked at the flight log and noticed that the GPS and signals were below 17% and could not connect back . Still searching with my Mavic 3 to see where it could have landed.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I hope you find it, Sam. Please keep me updated with your search!

[@seattledreamer9901]

When I used “Stick to” a subject (to rotate around the subject) I couldn’t record video. Why couldn’t I record? What should I do? Thanks a lot.

[@WindsweptRobert]

I'm unfamiliar with "stick to". Can you describe in more detail what you mean please? :)