Go figure

[pmshop]

Go figure.
I made my 1 year anniversary with the Spark.
Sent it out with litchi to re-create the "race home" video I made with ahome made craft.

I followed it much of the way with a few things delaying me in traffic.
But I could pick up the transmission from time to time.
Then I got the horrid RTH beep while waiting on a red light.
The flight plan did not include an RTH.
I got through the light and was able to cancel the RTH.
I managed to maneuver the craft for a bit but went down the road too far before losing contact again.
So it must have finally went into low battery land but I could not regain contact.
Landed in the middle of a block, no trees according to GPS but could not find it.
Fortunately, I have it FAA marked and notified the police.
Maybe another search after work but for now, wait.
This was Sparky 2, the Sky Blue backup.

 

[alekaras]

Go figure.
I made my 1 year anniversary with the Spark.
Sent it out with litchi to re-create the "race home" video I made with ahome made craft.

I followed it much of the way with a few things delaying me in traffic.
But I could pick up the transmission from time to time.
Then I got the horrid RTH beep while waiting on a red light.
The flight plan did not include an RTH.
I got through the light and was able to cancel the RTH.
I managed to maneuver the craft for a bit but went down the road too far before losing contact again.
So it must have finally went into low battery land but I could not regain contact.
Landed in the middle of a block, no trees according to GPS but could not find it.
Fortunately, I have it FAA marked and notified the police.
Maybe another search after work but for now, wait.
This was Sparky 2, the Sky Blue backup.

You're driving (and in traffic too) and keeping your eye on your drone/controller? That doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Even if you're waypointing it, there are so many things that can go wrong.

 

[pmshop]

Yes there are so many things that can go wrong.
But the driving was just to get to the end WP (my home)
When I tried to take control, I was parked.
No way i was going to drive and control it.

The place where the craft was at, I have flown past several times from home.
So I was headed that way to home and park to maneuver it back but lost contact before that.
Went back to known last position and started looking - nothing, yet.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Do you have the cached video? Perhaps not if it was disconnecting and reconnecting...

 

[Glhs958]

Sorry to here about your loss.
at least sky blue will stand out against green grass or dirt, good luck.

 

[pmshop]

Do you have the cached video? Perhaps not if it was disconnecting and reconnecting...

No cached video (off in Litchi by default)
But I did get a final screen shot of the same coordinates shown on Find my Drone:

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Do you have a GPS that can take you to that spot?

 

[pmshop]

Do you have a GPS that can take you to that spot?

Yes, it is on the litchi app:
A blue dot appears when I am on the map - nothing so far.

 

[Glhs958]

6mph is that your decent speed? or was it still going forward when that screen shot was captured?

 

[pmshop]

6mph is that your decent speed? or was it still going forward when that screen shot was captured?

You know, that is a good point.
I believe that is the last speed recorded.
When the link is lost, it will hover.
But yes, I have looked within a 20 foot circle so far - trying to get owner's permission to go into back yards instead of looking into them from a utility right of way.

 

[Spark 317]

trying to get owner's permission to go into back yards instead of looking into them from a utility right of way.

Put on an orange vest and hardhat and pretend you're a meter reader.

 

[Glhs958]

I wish you luck, at least you have a starting gps location from screen shot and know it was wanting to go to its home point location. it was @ 6 mph and 44% battery, did it keep going home maybe? plot a line on map from the 2 points and get to lookin, ouch ..

I am going out on a limb here wondering, did you hit max distance from home point and that triggered rth since ios doesnt have dynamic homepoint setting in litchi? otherwise it usually finishes the waypoint run when loss of signal.

 

[pmshop]

I wish you luck, at least you have a starting gps location from screen shot and know it was wanting to go to its home point location. it was @ 6 mph and 44% battery, did it keep going home maybe? plot a line on map from the 2 points and get to lookin, ouch ..

No, I deactivated RTH and it should have been hovering nearby - at least within the area of the block

 

[Glhs958]

No, I deactivated RTH and it should have been hovering nearby - at least within the area of the block

if you cant find it on the ground maybe put another bird in the air along path and look at roof tops.

 

[pmshop]

if you cant find it on the ground maybe put another bird in the air along path and look at roof tops.

Can do - Sparky 1 standing by

 

[Glhs958]

lol same here bud

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Was hoping to read it was found by now. This is why I have the little tile sport attached to my spark... in this instance I think it would really help narrow down the search.

 

[pmshop]

FOUND!!!
Landed in a Dentist parking lot completely clear of power lines and trees!!!
Dentist turned it into the police and they matched the FAA reg number!!!
Video to follow!!!

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

FOUND!!!
Landed in a Dentist parking lot completely clear of power lines and trees!!!
Dentist turned it into the police and they matched the FAA reg number!!!
Video to follow!!!

Nothing like a Dentist to improve your smile! Ha! Glad you found it.... looking forward to the vid.

 

[pmshop]

Yes, it is 9:14 but it tells the story on text overlay and the YouTube description: