Drone Crashed Into the Water - Flight Log Reveals Why!

By interpreting the flight log of my Air 2S crashing into the lake, I was able to determine the root of the cause of this incident. It's a reason that I think more people should be aware of.
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#drone #crash #flightlog

[@toddvolpe6396]

This discussion area is a revealing intelligence test. If you are willing to share bad information about yourself for the betterment of others, complete strangers, humiliate yourself by explaining that you made a mistake (Just like, by the way, all the rest of us do.) Not only reveals at what level they are. It also shows your level. Thank you for your honesty. For me, it is rewarded with deep respect. Never underestimate the value of ignoring somebody. Carry on...🙂 My estimate is that the last two videos you made has saved 37 future mini 2's 🤔🙂 Ty

[@runermeister]

Hate, no...that is the same hubris that caused this crash. Thoughtful reflection on continuing the hobby? I think I personally would have reevaluated my ability to fly safely.

[@davidlyle9645]

The Lost Art of being able to admit YOU WERE WRONG! Great lesson.

[@JohnnyRFarmer]

Todd, I could not have said it any better. Thank you. As a ASEL, I appreciate this as if my life depends on it, which from time to time, it does. But your reflection shows our spirits caring for each other in a challenging world. Peace brother.

[@Zoroaster4]

I think a lot of the time some people are just a bit narcissistic and can't even admit to themselves they did anything wrong, let alone admit it to anyone else.

[@bushmanphotos]

actually he does it for youtube money so don't get too carried away

[@larryrussell3511]

My comments are only about iPhones. Mine “died” during two different flights. The first time my iPhone battery ran out and the phone turned off mid-flight. It was my third flight ever and I immediately thought my Mavic Air 2 was gone forever. But RTH saved me. So I changed the Fly App setting to Yes - charge my iPhone. A later flight my iPhone overheated from being heavily used plus charging and actually locked. RTH saved my MA2 again. Now my pre-flight includes: 1. iPhone 80% charged or more 2. Remove iPhone protective case (so it might dissipate heat better) 3. Set Fly App to charge iPhone

[@leroycarter7183]

A humbling learning moment. Sometimes you think you know everything then you get a harsh reminder that you don’t. Thank you for sharing your experience. Learned a lot from it.

[@markfreiberg9906]

This new explanation makes perfect sense, Russ. Because there is no click or significant resistance on the left stick when you add a vertical component, I find it is easy to accidentally be drifting either up or down when I intended to simply turn slowly. I fly over water very often, but always leave myself at least 30 feet of altitude just in case I make some mistake like this. 17 feet of altitude can disappear very quickly. I feel your loss. 😢

[@johnnothesea1]

Mark... I couldn't agree more , i am in Instructor in Australia, live on the coast and fly over water every morning, The Air2s is super sensitive on the Yaw/altitude stick i regularity find myself slightly dropping altitude when i yaw ...just a fault with my stick technique that I am acutely aware of and i find many of my students do the same... Great video Russ, honest and raw LOVe these keep it up mate !

[@Zerzuze]

The DJI fly app has a set max altitude option. Would it be really hard for them to add a set minimum altitude option? Let's say the Drone would ask you if you want to land if you reach the minimum altitude.

[@uhaggar]

I fly my Mavic 2 Zoom over water quite a bit to make some windsurfing vids, the same has happened to me with the smart controller, turning with the left stick and didn't notice I was pushing slightly down and was descending, luckily I had line of sight, saw and corrected just metres from the water. Also I never rely on the reported altitude as I find it very inaccurate and I am often flying much lower tham displayed on the screen. Thanks for sharing Russ 👍

[@richardmaggio]

@@uhaggar I believe the inaccuracy stems from barometric pressure changes. The initial height is based off a barometer reading at the start of the flight. That can change over time and over distance. Below a certain altitude there is a sensor that is also used for altitude, which is why you see 2 values for altitude listed in the logs. Over water, this more accurate sensor can get fooled as we saw here. It has happened to me also where I find I'm slowly gaining or dropping altitude while applying some yaw. With feedback you can immediately correct.

[@sptrader6316]

I agree - 17 feet doesn't leave any room for error, especially over water. I fly much higher 30feet+ and use 2x or 3x magnification for the video shots, so it still looks close up.

[@KennyBellau]

I was flying about 3 weeks ago, trying to get a picture of my friend who was flying his own new drone at a party. Once the other pilot saw my drone, I moved slightly to get a shot of him and his drone. His drone immediately went into the water and guess what... everyone at the party said "your drone took over his drone and crashed it." The pilot said this too. Well, I knew better, but it was impossible to explain this to a crowd of people. You won't suddenly get someone else's phone calls if you're standing near him and you won't be taking over someone else's drone if you are in the same air space. Anyway, the other pilot is a new pilot and he was quite sure that I caused his drone to crash. I did go swimming after it, but the water was very muddy and impossible to find. Anyway, I haven't heard from him since.

[@Manihsi]

Wow, what a story !

[@thomasmaughan4798]

I have experienced control conflict when two controllers are in close proximity. They probably do not actually take control, the controller is paired to its aircraft BUT the presence of a strong nearby signal on the same frequency as the more distant drone breaks the control channel and the drone should engage automatic Return to Home. That's what happened to me; I still had video feed but the control sticks disengaged. Once the drone was almost landed I regained control.

[@thomasooms2677]

Russ.....so sorry about your Air2S. Not many pilots that I know will admit to pilot error, but for you to share your experience shows the honestly and humbleness that I have enjoyed in your videos. Keep up the good work. And I love the alligator mug.

[@t.s.thomas02]

Russ, Thanks so much for all I’ve learned about drones from you. As someone who’s got (almost) a whole career of MANNED piloting under his belt, I can tell you that doing this after-action analysis is SO important. That’s why I’m so glad you’ve become a proponent of flight-log analysis. (I use Airdata.com, but still, either way, it’s critical.) The cool thing, is that despite what happened to your drone, you’re here to tell the tale of what happened. Most of my career, we needed accident investigators to tell us what happened. There’s a major gut-punch feeling when you catch yourself, perhaps with a fellow pilot, just beginning to go down that mishap path even when you get don’t get to the point of tragic results. But ultimately, a good pilot will share personal experience with others about past mistakes and how to do better. Thanks for that. I will just add that humans don’t do a good job of self-measuring stick input forces, it’s not in our nature. We also don’t multi-task as well as we think we do. With all that said, I’ve come to embrace all the automation built into these cinematic drones and try to walk that fine line between when to use it and when not to.

[@ospreycove]

I appreciate your honesty and openness. I've crashed and wrecked a mavic 2 Pro. It is very humbling.

[@1EyeInTheSky]

It's a very humbling experience to admit what happened brother. I am glad you figured it out to the degree you could. Sorry you lost the drone. Its heartbreaking.

[@51Drones]

Thanks!

[@TechJB65]

I really appreciate sharing this type of information Russ. To be able to show what you did tells me that you care about others in order to prevent the same thing from happening to someone else. Big props for that!! Other drone pilots that run social media channels should do the same really. Attitude can have a huge affect on how we fly for sure although like you say, no one really talks about it. Nobody is perfect, mistakes will be made. Presenting them helps to educate folks and you've made a valiant attempt to do just that through your very own loss. Much respect for that. Keep up the awesome work Russ!!

[@Tonofbrickz]

Thanks Mr. Russ you’re being honest and humble about your crash. That’s why I always watch your channel.

[@keithsmith4077]

great Job Russ!! That’s why your my favorite source of drone info

[@homessoldbyair9541]

It is times like this when we all learn. Thank you for sharing and being man enough to show what happened. I think we have all had instances like this where we do something and it goes wrong and knowing how to go back and look at the logs helps us learn from it. Thank you for the great video.

[@BirdzEyeViewAV]

First of all, I am Very sorry for your loss! This video speaks volumes. Your ability to admit fault and willingness to educate others at your own expense, Highly commendable. Bravo, and thank you, Russ!! And again, condolences to a truly awesome drone.

[@SnorreSelmer]

Very good to see such an honest admission. Like with any air-crash investigation, the goal isn't to point fingers at who is guilty, the goal is to learn and avoid repeating.

[@TC_Conner]

Thanks for sharing what happened Russ! You’re humble enough to admit your mistakes, that’s a great quality to have. 😎

[@TheKam]

What a bummer. Sorry for your loss. Thanks to your efforts and video, we can all try to avoid the same mistake. I admit I almost did the same exact thing over a lake but lucky brought it up in the last second. (My heart dropped just as much as my drone).

[@brianmontello9074]

Great video Russ. I appreciate your honesty. You have some of the best drone content on KZbin.

[@benjimw]

Great post-accident analysis and honesty! Definitely an important lesson for everyone

[@Azzurro650]

Thank you for being so honest. The two situations in which I crashed my drone were only my fault. Keep on flying. And I'm looking forward to your next videos. Thank you for your work 👍🏻

[@mireimagesvideos2333]

Owning our own errors is a powerful place to be. Thank you for being vulnerable. Secondly, THANK YOU for the log file reading information. I haven't seen anyone else cover that. Thank you.

[@stephenhourigan9763]

Thanks for the courage to share your experience Russ. All the way from Sydney Australia. I too have found when flying over water (following surfers at 12 ft alt in the ocean or skiers on rivers) that for some reason my MP2 involuntarily loses altitude. I fly with the sensors off but for some reason a right stick only flight will see my altitude drop and measure erratically. I now impose upon myself a 20ft minimum alt rule when over water as I don’t wish to be involuntarily shelling out for the new MP3 as I heard you say in your first video. Love the channel and again, sorry for your loss and thank you having the courage to share your unfortunate experience. For what it’s worth, I compass-calibrate before EVERY flight from a different location. I may be a little OCD but I’m yet to have any GPS issues. My checklist basically mirrors yours and thank you also for summarizing it.

[@timdawg53]

I live in a river town, and flying over water can be so beautiful. Another thing I like about flying over the river is there's usually fewer people/vehicles to avoid flying over. Thanks for sharing this!

[@karlscribner3838]

In law enforcement we used to call that attitude “the John Wayne Syndrome” especially in still young but experienced to seasoned veteran officers. I had my first over water flight today. Bright sun and iPhone screen were tiring trying to keep it all together. Drone survived but I didn’t venture too far out either. Enjoy you channel. 👍

[@JWS218]

Extremely helpful. What i got from this is you must always be aware of what you’re doing as much as possible. I’ve had moments where i have seen my drone slightly go lower than I want and its has been my fault for resting my thumb on the sticks. As a beginner, I appreciate this video and will make sure to be viglant once i decided to fly over a lake nearby.

[@Csinvictus]

Thanks for the honest and detailed self-critique. I've learned a lot and will make adjustments when "invulnerability" creeps in. You're a valued resource to all! Thanks again.

[@danwebb_personal]

Thanks for this, Russ! I'm a newbie with about 10 hours of drone piloting experience. I live in Western Washington where virtually every piece of public space is a forest. Because I put my Mini 2 into a tree or hung it on a wire during about 20% of my earliest flights, I changed my remote controller from mode 2 (default) to mode 1. That puts the "safer" controls that I use together continually on the left stick -- forward/back, yaw left/right -- and the controls I use less often (and have gotten me in trouble) on the right stick -- ascend/descend, roll left/right. So I only touch the right stick when I want to go in a direction to which the camera is blind. (Backward is on the left stick, and it has gotten me in trouble, but I'm more aware now.) I usually yaw in the direction I want to move so I can always see where I'm going, then I fly forward to maneuver, unless I'm looking for a particular shot traveling sideways or back. Adopting mode 1 has dramatically changed my accuracy, and my instincts under the pressure of a perceived crisis are much improved. Taking roll and ascend/descend -- the directions my camera can't see -- out of the equation has made me much more comfortable and less likely to do something absurd. Two or three of my tree collisions happened while practicing circling around me as a stationary point of interest. The Mini 2 widened the radius while it was behind my field of vision and went into the tree. To maintain line of sight to my Mini 2 while I practice circling around me, I built a turntable for my beach chair.

[@johnhanson7991]

I'm so sorry for the loss of a pretty expensive drone, but one thing I've found in 77 years, 49 of them as a pilot. Stuff happens. I've learned a lot about drone flying from you and this experience of yours is probably going to make my drone flying life even more fun than it already is. Soooo ... stop beating yourself up. You are awfully good at teaching so many of us how to make Drone choices. Keep up the good work.

[@gadgetgaz66]

Many thanks! And sorry for your loss 😄 I learnt something that I never realised I needed to learn. Gary from the UK.

[@AnthonyGugliotta]

This EXACT same thing happen to me. I was flying from a boat though, and was intentionally bringing my drone down slowly towards the water, while also banking at the same time. I think being in a moving boat messed up my ability to control the drone accurately which made me lose sense of how fast the drone was moving. Ultimately, due to the speed of my maneuver, the Air 2S downward sensors were unable to stop the drone in time. DJI analyzed the flight data and said it was user error. My drone is now sitting at the bottom of a lake.

[@ChuckLitchfield]

A great lesson learned. A few years ago I flew my spark at the Oregon coast first time over the surf and lost contact as it returned. I lost visual in the bright sky and flew it over a cliff and due to a low battery it "landed" somewhere 90 feet above me. Never found but replaced it a few months later. We learn from our errors. Thank you for sharing this Russ. Great content on your channel!

[@stereox13]

Thank you for your honest insights. This is why I trust you and your channel. Nobody learns anything, if everything always goes perfect. Your the best! Keep up the great reports!!!!

[@HighlanderMikeGolf]

Russ, thanks for being humble and for sharing. Thanks for the flight log info….gonna definitely check that out. Definitely downloading the checklist too. Thanks!

[@QuikTechSolutions]

Hi Russ! I’m not sure why you think you would be getting negative comments on this video. On the contrary, this information you shared is valuable to all remote pilots. I’m sorry you encountered this mishap and lost your drone, but you’ve learned something from it as well as everyone else who ends up watching this video. Great video, good information! Again, sorry about your drone.

[@Pauley_in_GP]

I know I'm late to this meeting, but I wanted to thank you for these wonderful, honest videos. I'm waiting for delivery of my first drone (a Mini 3) and flying over our famous and beautiful river (the Rogue) is most definitely in the plan. Sharing your experiences is so helpful. The flight log info was a big bonus.

[@usauas9703]

Russ…. Truly appreciate the frank and open honesty. Quite refreshing!! Thanks for share all the details and perspectives. This was a very valuable post. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@QuadDoc]

Great video Russ!! Thank you for sharing your crash experience with us! You’re such a class act sir!!! Keep up the great work sir!! Thanks again!! 🙏🏼

[@pikacheese2107]

Geeze! I don’t want to lose my Air 2S like this. Heartbreaking! I’m definitely learning from your experience. Sorry you lost your drone.

[@glenpaul3606]

The RTH feature is useful not only in emergencies where LOS is lost or marginal. It is probably the single most important and useful feature on any drone. So whenever you lose sight, signal, can't see your phone...hit the RTH. In your case, it would have prevented the loss of your drone. Had you used RTH even though you deemed the situation not to be an emergency, the drone would have gained altitude to your preset (usually at least 100 feet) and started to return so you could regain sight of it. Then all you would have to do is cancel the RTH and resume your video activity. RTH is such a useful safeguard it should be used more often. As a relatively new drone pilot RTH has saved my drone several times.

[@dondupuis5524]

Great job, your being honest to what happen will helped all to further understand the important of line of site and I will be looking at my attitude a little closer in the future, plus learning logs, great video

[@JefferyDuke]

We can only learn from mistakes and hopefully not our own. Thanks for sharing this!

[@400AGLNET]

Hey Russ, I've watched both video's now. You know I'm also 107 and I do fly commercially as well. My M2Pro is the "go to" bird and the sensors have saved me a couple of times due to this same stick error. I have actually caught my self inputting (down) when doing a yaw / orbit maneuver and not realize it until the sensors stop the drone from hitting trees. I pinch my sticks on the smart controller (on every controller) and still have given down input and noticed the telemetry data on the screen or visually see the drone decreasing altitude. I do think it's much harder to make this error when pinching the sticks over just thumbs but it can STILL happen. Like you, I had no idea I was doing it. Knowing that, I can totally understand how this crash could happen. Don't beat your self up much on the "Invulnerability" aspect. Now that you've shared the flight data I think it was a small contribution if any to be honest with you. Hate to see that you lost an aircraft but it's really awesome of you to put out the video series on the topic. Thank You....

[@GeezerGramps]

I wasn’t even aware that those logs existed, thanks for bring it to our intention. Thanks for sharing your experience. Thank for sharing your preflight checklist

[@chanceypants77]

I’m so grateful I found your channel. Your more than likely saved many many people some money.

[@blade77724]

Thank you. I live at the beach.I'm learning to film surfing. You just had a few seconds of human error. I think you are one of the best

[@tonyowen116]

Hey Russ... Much appreciate your update to your drone crash; sharing your thoughts and the flight log info is really beneficial to all of us out here, whether Part 107 or Recreational. I think there are a lot of us who will be more mindful henceforth, of our thumb movements on the sticks, especially the left one. While I do fly the DJI drones, I also fly a micro drone around in the house. While it is totally VLOS situation, there is no GPS factor to assist in stabilizing the drone. I find even with this drone, I can input stick movements that I am unaware of until the drone starts to drift off (or crash, if I'm too close to the wall, and such). Lessons can be learned whether a new pilot, or a more experienced one. The wise ones listen, and learn. Thanks again.

[@PaulSmith-mh2yq]

Thanks Russ for your honesty, I really respect your honesty. Most folk watching you will still be trying to attain perfection (😉) so thanks for another great vid.

[@Leonardokite]

Nice job Russ for airing your dirty laundry no matter what the outcome. Your honesty is refreshing.

[@delzane]

Excellent follow-up! As mentioned, I lost my Mavic 2 Pro two + weeks ago to a tall pine treetop located on a small island 76' above a stretch of raging whitewater. At first blush, I considered checklist ignorance, but your comment on "invulnerability" really hit home. After six months of successful photo and video flying over the flat and reservoirs, my confidence level was way too high for a first-time low-level flight over a river located deep in a mountainous valley. After receiving a detailed crash flight analysis from a DJI Care Refresh Rep., vis-à-vis my Flight Records, I too had unconsciously made a fatal move with my left thumb equaling “Pilot Error”. Initially, I surmised an Obstacle Avoidance failure as it occurred without warning. Flight Records rule! Albeit invest in a Smart Controller and eliminate that smartphone dimming distraction. To each his own, but I prefer the RTH feature on most all my flights, probably due to my newness to drone flying. Replacement drone arriving tomorrow and it’s going to be quite a while before any further river runs!

[@NGC008]

Most crashes usually involve a number of factors, (screen overheating etc.) that on their own are just an annoyance. However, sometimes they combine and contribute to a more serious outcome. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I have already learned something from your mishap. Thanks for sharing everything so honestly.

[@betho8736]

I think your integrity is awesome and good job letting us see you in reality and not just “fluff”

[@DougPetersenInspire]

Russ, I printed your checklist, and thank you for allowing us to have it. I discovered that I can create a checklist in ALOFT and link it to each flight/mission. Thanks again.

[@dougcooper4917]

Great Video, and Review! Thank you for sharing with us about what happened to your Air 2S.

[@paullthomas8064]

Fantastic Information Russ. We all Appreciate it. Happy Flying!

[@m118lr]

“BRAVO” Russ. Takes a REAL standup guy to ADMIT mistakes…ANY mistake, especially those that are for the betterment of YOUR community, whether local OR social such as online. Takes a mature individual to admit and own it! Take care ..

[@aphinion]

Great learning curve and thanks for sharing! Glad you stick with flying over water and just settle on learning. Stuff happens and especially those mavics can be quite tricky in times!

[@danamckittrick2162]

Thanks for this explanation about your crash but equally about using the flight logs. The post mortem analysis (crash or landing) is really solid info to think about and learn from. Hate this happened to you. Grateful you made it a learning experience fir us all. 👍

[@davidward1224]

This is a great example of learning about flying UAVs by having a pilot honestly explaining and evaluating what happened during a specific flight situation. It reminds me of a monthly column in Flying Magazine that I read faithfully many years ago when I was flying manned aircraft. The title was "I learned about flying from that" Would be great if someone incorporated that kind of shared learning experience into a KZbin channel.

[@timtoni123]

Sorry to hear about your drone. Thanks for posting

[@davemannell]

The same thing sort of happened to me last fall. At the time I had been flying for over two years, and was studying for my Part 107. I was doing a shoot for a friend while they were combining their corn. As I was trying to get a side to front shot I thought I was far enough away from the one tree in the area. Need less to say it crashed, took me over a month to get my Mavic 2 Pro sent off and returned for repairs. Glad that you are able to get some closer. It sucks when it is pilot error, but keeps your confidence in the product.

[@ralphbruce6518]

Your drone was in landing mode when it dropped so fast then crashed into the water. Sorry for your lose, but thanks for being honest and admitting your own wrong doing and not trying to place the blame elsewhere. We as people need more of this, accepting responsability and accountability for your action and words!

[@bobwhite3707]

Nice video Russ. Sorry about your loss. No matter how well we prepare and how much experience we have Murphy will find a way to get in and screw things up. Looking at your VPS Attitude you can see that as you got closer to the water surface your VPS system was not functioning very well most likely due to reflections off of the water.

[@ponticelli]

Great video, the explanation makes total sense and it’s great to see you being so upfront on important aspect of being a uas pilot! 👌🏽

[@davenichols4595]

Thank you for dissecting the crash, for someone who i watch alot, its a good lesson for all of us.

[@cmaccowan76]

Glad you sorted it out.You might also send the flight data to DJI, they might be able to tell you about that unknown drop. I've seen a different type of flight data, bar graphs that actually show like power cutoffs, sensor failure, GPS etc, etc., but I'm an android user, so that might be it. Also thanks for the kudos to Mavic Pilots, been a member there for years. Lots of info and some good guys.

[@philmcgladdery1398]

I’m really impressed with your honesty publishing this. I’ve done exactly the same but with a happier ending. It’s easier than people think because flying using two sight methods (VLOS and FPV) means that we automatically correct any of the accidental pressure on sticks. So when we lose these any hidden bad habit provide unexpected results. My suggestion to others since this happened is make use of RTH as a security feature to regain vision and then disconnect. Our drones aren’t cheap and RTH is a tool for our use, not an admission of failure.

[@jeffpattison6321]

After reviewing some of my own A2S logs, I think that what the log is inferring is that the VPS altitude which the flight control system relies on close to ground was wrong due to the reflective surface of water, and that may have caused the Flight Control System to issue faulty altitude hold commands based on garbage data which put the drone in the drink. That’s a danger zone that’s been documented on other DJI drones with VPS. But, I think you’re right as to the underlying cause that it was pilot error that inadvertently flew the drone into the danger zone. I have run into similar situations where I have completely lost telemetry from the drone that I was flying due to software crashes even in LOS. In every case, I immediately pressed the return to home, because I’d rather try to figure a problem out on the ground than in the air. I do not understand people’s hesitancy to use return to home. When flying into a situation that’s not normal, I don’t see the point in not availing oneself of all the tools that are available.

[@rcraigmacrae]

Love the fact that you called out Tim Cook. Smart Controller is where it’s at! Thanks for the vid Russ!!!

[@voongnz]

Nice one mate, I've also almost let my ego or complacency almost lose my drone, but you've copped to it. Always a learning experience. Luckily it's a hobby/work that doesn't really threaten your personal safety unlike motorcycling (which im 100% aware and focussed) where a tiny mistake can be fatal.

[@kb7yim960]

I'm glad you made a follow-up video to show access to logs. I learned a lot! Off topic: When will DJI publish a flight simulator for Air 2s and Mini 2 ???

[@StoopsThereItIs]

Some of us are not judgmental, and appreciate your open and forthright information.

[@JOEBlalock23]

Russ I appreciate you sharing this, totally makes sense. I use Airdata it does cost something, but I enjoy seeing the data. I have done this very thing flying over the Columbia River although I caught myself just as I hit the water and it recovered. Always need to pay attention and don’t get complacent. Thanks again

[@jerrystanley1211]

Russ, This could happen to any of us, thank you for sharing what happened. Sorry for your loss! Jerry (Big Fan)

[@scottfranson4215]

Sorry this happened but thanks for your honest sharing and critique. While I'm positive it's disappointing and frustrating for you, the situation is a valuable lesson for your viewers/subscribers.

[@scottneamon9933]

I love that you share these kinds of learning tips and tricks. I wish I would have seen this about two weeks ago when flying my mini 2 (new hobby pilot here) I was finally getting a nice up and away shot of the kids playing and new there were trees behind where I was flying. I got cought up in how good of a memory and how good the shot looked after for ever of trying to get it to look right and it got stuck 38 ft up…… I got it back and it’s fine but lesson learned

[@birdoa1972]

I fly over my pool all the time and my Mavic mini will drop altitude sometimes expressly when there is a lot of glare from the sun. So that could have had something to do with yours dropping that foot or so.

[@dji1tommy29]

Yeah I've had my Air 2 drop like 10 ft instantly while hovering 70 feet above water. I wanted to take a long exposure pic of a waterfall and was positioned in front of it down stream a bit. It started to Bob up and down in the air and then just dropped about 10 ft before I took control back and lifted up and away. I just gave up on the shot cause it seemed too risky.

[@jozefsolski2085]

Confirmed. I had such sudden drop few times, on different flights over water. Apparently there are no sensors yet giving correct hight read out over reflective AND dynamic surface.

[@bobsnyder287]

Thanks for the video, and sorry for your loss. I have done the same thing flying over water and not intentionally or realizing that I was pushing down on the decent stick, each time I was able to see how close I was, and able to raise the drone. Wouldn't it be nice that in some situations you could set the flying altitude and not have to worry about that, and you could focus on other things. Thanks

[@seanmd71ify]

Very impressive breakdown , and thanks for sharing , I have managed to down load the logs on my android phone , pretty much the same as iPhone. Did not even know that detail was available , handy to know.

[@tedkoch357]

Great knowledge, it’s not always necessary to calibrate both IMU and camera but I always do, it just makes me feel better knowing I did it

[@sergeantdrone5534]

Excellent video Russ. great information for all of us. I came very close to crashing into water a few months ago with my Air 2. Luckily, I saw the drone losing altitude on my screen and immediately pushed the left stick. So, yes it can be catastrophic. Thanks for sharing.

[@51Drones]

Yes, for sure.

[@DronerArt]

Sometimes when we violate a basic rule like VLOS, it can start a chain of events that cause larger problems. The fact that you’re willing to say, “I f#&$*@ up” is just one of the reasons I diligently follow your channel. Not to mention all the knowledge and information I’ve received from you. Think I’ll order one of your hoodies….hoping it eases your pain a bit. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@HalfChrome]

Great video. I haven’t looked into log like this before. Also great mug.

[@erocgr00t6]

Thanks for always educating fellow pilots even when it might be embarrassing

[@VisionCommunications]

Thanks for sharing this. So glad you did, very helpful information!

[@whirltraveller1350]

Thanks for your honest admission. This should be most valuable to any pilot. Keep up your good work. Roger

[@donaldmartin7109]

Thank you for posting and explaining. I also learned about inside flying to avoid the ceiling area.

[@TrailorSailYT]

Thank you! Thank you so much for sharing this kind of information. Thank you for talking about this. Thank you for showing us all that even professionals can crash by mistake. As far as the difference between IMU and VPS altitude may have been due to flying over water. I've seen this at our local lake where the VPS altitude can get erratic the closer you get to the water. Also IMU (GPS based altitude) isn't always as accurate or as fast to update as I'd like it to be. Overall - solid video, solid information, and mad respect for publicly admitting you did something wrong. You owned it, you learned from it, and you are helping others learn from it. Cheers!

[@frankdickson8228]

It’s was the ufo phenomena going on at the bottom of the lake Dummy

[@droneviewgis6699]

Russ, I thought about something last night. Maybe, all drone companies should add an "Over Water" selection toggle that limits how low a drone can fly over water missions similar to the max height setting, say 15 to 20 feet above water. Then, only the RTH button can deactivate for a safe return and landing.

[@51Drones]

What a great idea!

[@BlairAir]

This is the important stuff. Like "Son, we need to have a talk" stuff, lol. It makes me shake my head that I flew my week old Air 2 about 3-4 feet above the water, over 2000 feet out, to capture mist rising from the warm water in a reservoir on a cool morning. Worse, I almost backed into a tree leaning over the water. Yes, you need to trust the drone, but I realize now my hands were shaking with good reason! Thanks Russ..

[@slapdat.byteme]

Thanks for sharing, Russ. I’ll fly out of “loss of orientation”… no problem. But never try it with loss of LOS. For me, the only go-to response is to initiate RTH. IMMEDIATELY! With RTH return altitude set properly (higher than tallest object in the area), you’ll get out of trouble the majority of the time. And if you lose LOS over open water, this is a no-brainer.

[@gbillusa]

Great video! Thanks for sharing your experience and review of the incidence. I believe this is a great example of feeling too comfortable in your skills like you mentioned. Can happen to anyone. Enjoy your content and hope to take my part 107 one day.

[@Fastgt2003]

If people give you hate for a mistake they are idiots … nobody is perfect

[@biohazard20161]

Thanks for your honesty about this incident. It serves as a reminder to all pilots.

[@bitsplice]

As a result of your post for this video, it got me to look for the flight database on my phone. Although the Phantom site didn't recognize my flight log database for my Ruko F11Pro, I looked at the file and found that it was just a text file albeit in Chinese. I recognized 'GPS' and the numbers were in English, but Google translate did a good job of decrypting the file. I now have a program that can translate my log database into something readable. I now have similar information to what you see in your log file. If it weren't for your post, I wouldn't have looked for the flight logs. You probably wouldn't have looked at the logs if you had hit the return to home button and it succeeded. Sharing your knowledge has helped a lot of people besides yourself, so I say, "Thank you!"

[@felipousismix]

Thanks for sharing this video, very helpful!

[@russellkitchen2021]

Gutted for you Russ but we never stop learning, good that you can stand up and admit fault fair play to ya, keep up the good work

[@RonaldBrown59]

Great video Russ, and thanks for sharing this information. The same happened to me last year with my MIni 2, I flew into a tree, all while thinking I was flying in another direction, and having LOS on it. I forgot how forgiving the drone is when your 200 feet up in the air and not near anything, a few bad stick inputs are no big deal than.

[@MichaelJKlassen]

Absolute respect from a Canadian Advanced pilot (equivalent to 107). It takes a big man to admit they made a costly mistake and thanks for sharing the information. Sorry, can't leave a negative comment on honest content like this. Love the mug too.

[@thedroningoflife]

Great video and honesty, shows even doing everything we can to fly safe, mistakes happen. iPhone dimming is becoming big problem, I use android so not so much, but have seen many people report issue's with iPhone dimming especially in sunny weather. Love your content, from over the pond England 👍👌

[@MelanieAndTheBaredogs]

Thank you for sharing info about the whole thing.