Holy cow...just accidently took off in "Smart Mode"....thought I was going to crash it!! Was wondering why it wad Green/White vs. Purple/White on take-off...but WOW...that was scary to land!
Accidently took off in Smart Mode...
- Thread starter cpayne
- Start date
Took off in SMART mode once just to see what would happen. Glad I was in the middle of a big field, got about 10 feet in the air and jumped a good 20 feet away. No wonder some pilots have flown into the side of their house on the first flight.
Did my first ever take offs with the H in Smart Mode, flew the first 5 or so times completely Smart.
Had read the manual before flying tho, so no issues.
Had read the manual before flying tho, so no issues.
This is why I disable the smart mode switch position. Twice now I've pre-flighted and had the mode switch in the middle. After I landed I look down and saw it had been moved up to smart mode. I don't know when or how I moved it (I don't use obsticle avoidance, so the only thing I'm using on that part of the controller is the landing gear switch) but I've managed to hit that switch inadvertantly in flight.
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If you get to close to the H while the ST is in your possession it will either take off in any direction or attack you. Bad, Bad Smart Mode. It's like an invisible fence to protect you from getting to close for those knobs who think they can fly. Many crashes have happened because of this.
Many crashes have happened because of this.If there isn’t the requisite 26 feet of safety zone from the controller, the H will attempt to gain that safety zone distance. If objects are between the H and it’s attempt to acquire said distance, well... likely unhappy pilot.
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Many moons ago I accidentally hit the switch to smart mode when it was about 15 feet from me, at first I couldn't figure why it was moving away from me, and at the same time while I'm chasing it. I then realized it was planning to do a tango with a tree so I backed off, then looked at my controller and realized I hit the switch while putting the landing gear down.
rdonson
Premium Pilot
You're not alone. . I've accidentally switched on Smart Mode and lived to tell about it. The worst for me what trying to land in Smart Mode. Luckily I usually figure that out before it does somersaults.
. I've accidentally switched on Smart Mode and lived to tell about it. The worst for me what trying to land in Smart Mode. Luckily I usually figure that out before it does somersaults.
Did my first ever take offs with the H in Smart Mode, flew the first 5 or so times completely Smart.
Had read the manual before flying tho, so no issues.
I did not only read the manual, but it seems I also understood what is written there.
So nothing spectacular happened, the H performed great and perfectly predictable.
Maybe because of the fact that H is my first drone ever. The only RC experience I had before flying it was a summer season with a wooden glider (poor thing lasted only a few months before being destroyed beyond repair).
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Smart modes' potential to cause the Typhoon H to run into something while doing what it is designed to do is aggravated by the fact that the GPS on board the aircraft; and the controller are relatively cheap units with an accuracy deviation that can be measured in several meters. Pilots need to understand this.
From the manual:
____________________________________________________________________
SMART CIRCLE
In most cases the Smart Circle will keep Typhoon H from coming within approximately
26 feet (8 meters) of you (as long as you position yourself at least 26
feet/8 meters behind/away from) Typhoon H.
____________________________________________________________________
Note: I added the red text above.
So what does this mean? When you take of in Smart Mode - while at the same time standing next to the aircraft - it will do what it is designed to do - separate by 8 meters. . . . . which is being measured according to the aforementioned inaccurate GPS units which; can have a significant deviation of measurement. The aircraft cannot orient this separation from the transmitters' location because the GPS accuracy is not capable of such resolution at close quarters. In other words; if you are 5 feet South of the Typhoon, it could see you to the North, East or West by a similar distance.
It (Typhoon H) will simply fly "away" from where the possibly inaccurate GPS reports the transmitter (you) to be.
Smart mode has its uses but can cause an accident if not completely understood or, if that mode is selected accidentally. The best defense; as mentioned above by Dr. Delta, is to read the manual and understand fully.
As a separate precaution for those that want to, the flight mode switch on the ST16 can have the output adjusted to have only Angle and Home modes. This is a transmitter signal output modification that you can do but you can also return it quite simply to having all three flight modes if needed. Eliminate Smart Mode.
Disclaimer: I can confirm this adjustment to the ST 16 works on my firmware and I am able to apply it; and reset the transmitter to stock settings easily. If you are unfamiliar with; or new to - applying such alterations to a transmitter's programming such as the ST 16, perhaps you should refrain - I take no responsibility for your actions.
From the manual:
____________________________________________________________________
SMART CIRCLE
In most cases the Smart Circle will keep Typhoon H from coming within approximately
26 feet (8 meters) of you (as long as you position yourself at least 26
feet/8 meters behind/away from) Typhoon H.
____________________________________________________________________
Note: I added the red text above.
So what does this mean? When you take of in Smart Mode - while at the same time standing next to the aircraft - it will do what it is designed to do - separate by 8 meters. . . . . which is being measured according to the aforementioned inaccurate GPS units which; can have a significant deviation of measurement. The aircraft cannot orient this separation from the transmitters' location because the GPS accuracy is not capable of such resolution at close quarters. In other words; if you are 5 feet South of the Typhoon, it could see you to the North, East or West by a similar distance.
It (Typhoon H) will simply fly "away" from where the possibly inaccurate GPS reports the transmitter (you) to be.
Smart mode has its uses but can cause an accident if not completely understood or, if that mode is selected accidentally. The best defense; as mentioned above by Dr. Delta, is to read the manual and understand fully.
As a separate precaution for those that want to, the flight mode switch on the ST16 can have the output adjusted to have only Angle and Home modes. This is a transmitter signal output modification that you can do but you can also return it quite simply to having all three flight modes if needed. Eliminate Smart Mode.
Disclaimer: I can confirm this adjustment to the ST 16 works on my firmware and I am able to apply it; and reset the transmitter to stock settings easily. If you are unfamiliar with; or new to - applying such alterations to a transmitter's programming such as the ST 16, perhaps you should refrain - I take no responsibility for your actions.
Last edited:
PatR
Premium Pilot
Nothing if you read and follow the instructions not to be within the safe circle distance when launching. People that have had issues with the Smart mode either failed to read the instructions, didn't watch any videos describing the flight modes, didn't check mode switch positions before launching, failed to pay attention to what they were doing, or simply ignored everything and launched while standing inside the smart circle anyway. Smart mode does not cause problems but the people using it have been adept at doing themselves in and blaming the aircraft/system for their failures.
The caveat is that Smart mode is the most likely mode to be in when experiencing a fly away. Combine a crap compass with a GPS glitch while in Smart mode and things can get real bad in a real big hurry. For that we can blame defective equipment, not the flight mode as the mode is slaved to all the things that are known to fail. Yuneec has been providing Smart mode all the way back to at least the Q-500 and the Chroma. With those there have been a few that stepped on their whatever's but for the most part it wasn't until the H that so many elected to rush out the door and fly before looking at any instructions. There must be something about a hex that causes people to cast caution to the wind.
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