Did NOT see the power line!

[RonsPlc]

Well, after purchasing a used Typhoon H and playing with it for a week, I decided to give the smart function with RealSense a try.

I placed the drone about 30 feet from me and about 15 feet off the deck and with fingers crossed, started walking between the trees in my yard.
The Typhoon did VERY WELL at avoiding the trees! However, as I came back to the point where I started at, it was backing up to keep its distance from me, and ran right into a power line! The line got caught up between the landing gear (which was raised), and the propeller arm.

In my panic to save my drone, I went brain dead, and the only thing that I could think of was to kill the engines.
Of course, it came crashing down, breaking the hinges to 2 of the propeller arms taking the propellers with them, the BRAND NEW battery, put a crack in the top shell, and the track for the camera mount will have to be replaced.

In hind sight, I should have lowered the gear, switched EVERYTHING back to straight up angle mode, and attempted to back it out of the wires under controlled power. At least then I would have stood a chance.

I have the replacement parts coming, and will be doing the repairs myself.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

You are correct... backing out carefully in Angle mode is the best solution. If attempting to maintain RS, the best strategy is to rotate the TH 180 degrees and head back, flying forward. There are no sensors that face backwards and none facing up to sense what's above you. However the RS is not so refined as to be able to reliably detect something so small in measurable area as power lines.

Another member flew his RS equipped TH into a forested grove... but flew into an area which left no clear path in front or to the sides. He was very upset that by default, the next direction the TH will attempt, is to gain altitude to clear the obstruction... so it flew into the canopy above him, resulting as you would expect... similar circumstances to yours.

 

[AH-1G]

Well, after purchasing a used Typhoon H and playing with it for a week, I decided to give the smart function with RealSense a try.


The Typhoon did VERY WELL at avoiding the trees! However, as I came back to the point where I started at, it was backing up to keep its distance from me, and ran right into a power line! The line got caught up between the landing gear (which was raised), and the propeller arm.



I'm sorry to hear of your plight, but you should have gained multiple hours of experience before attempting this step, and knowing what the capabilities of what your drone can and cannot do.

Unless you know what you are doing, we have mentioned countless times Smart mode is a bad apple,
Have you read your manual thoroughly?

I know I sound shrewd, it's the military side of me.
Sounds like an easy fix though, this will be good experience for you to fix the drone, and you'll be proud of it.

 

[h1pst3r88]

AH-1G,

What do you mean by "bad apple"?

I am nowhere near experienced enough to try the different smart modes (3 flights, about 45 mins of seat time, but no accidents yet) and I have read and seen the caveats about its use.

However, having a H with RealSense I will probably try it out eventually as I become a lot more experienced.

I am curious about your experience and knowledge about the H's smart mode shortcomings.

I am also former military, Air Force for me, what branch were you?

 

[AH-1G]

AH-1G,

What do you mean by "bad apple"?

I am nowhere near experienced enough to try the different smart modes (3 flights, about 45 mins of seat time, but no accidents yet) and I have read and seen the caveats about its use.

However, having a H with RealSense I will probably try it out eventually as I become a lot more experienced.

I am curious about your experience and knowledge about the H's smart mode shortcomings.

I am also former military, Air Force for me, what branch were you?

"Bad Apple" meaning, it's very confusing to understand the parameters when flying in or out of the invisible safety fence.
Army-AH-1G Cobra Crew Chief,
I also hold a pilots license, flew as small as Cherookee140, up to Cessna 310's

 

[h1pst3r88]

Salute... the Cobra is one badass bird!!

Thanks for the info about RS... I've been reading about the fence and I figured it was a mission for a much later date.

I was Space Command from Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs... the early days of what is now ISR.

 

[AH-1G]

I was stationed at Ft. Carson 1975-1977,
yea one very badass bird, exhilarating to fly.

 

[h1pst3r88]

Right down the street from where I was!

 

[RonsPlc]

I'm sorry to hear of your plight, but you should have gained multiple hours of experience before attempting this step, and knowing what the capabilities of what your drone can and cannot do.

By multiple hours of experience, do you mean to imply that all of my thousands of hours flying RC fixed wing, P2V+, P3 Standard, and multiple Acro racing quads don't count? Trust me, I am no rookie, and was WELL aware of the chance I was taking.

I know I sound shrewd, it's the military side of me.

I also know the military side... I grew up an "Army Brat", then I joined the Air Force. I get accused of being an a-h*le by many the first time they encounter me... all is good there.

Sounds like an easy fix though, this will be good experience for you to fix the drone, and you'll be proud of it.

I REALLY don't think this is going to be a challenging repair... a bit of my background includes a degree in Electronics Engeneering (Very helpful in troubleshooting, and repairing F-18 on board targeting systems). I am currently a Service Adviser / Service Writer at a local mechanics shop.

This can't be as challenging as removing the POS Wifi Module from a P2V+, and replacing it with a 2.4Ghz transmitter and OSD that will talk to the DJI main board to give me FPV with telemetry that is STILL rock steady years later.

I have been watching the Typhoon H for a few years, and when one came up at a price I could not ignore, I jumped at it.

 

[Steve Carr]

I have the replacement parts coming, and will be doing the repairs myself.

I can see that you have good mechanical and electrical skills so this repair should be an easy fix. If you have any questions there are a number of repair videos on Youtube which we can link.
I feel your pain. I'm still developing new ways to crash.

 

[RonsPlc]

I can see that you have good mechanical and electrical skills so this repair should be an easy fix. If you have any questions there are a number of repair videos on Youtube which we can link.
I feel your pain. I'm still developing new ways to crash.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Steve...

Parts arrived from Terrestrial Imaging on Wednesday. I got home from work around 18:10, and started the tear-down. Repairs completed around 19:45.

I was very impressed with the thought that went into the design of this UAV under the hood. It is all modular, and a pleasure to work on.

 

[Steve Carr]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Steve...
I was very impressed with the thought that went into the design of this UAV under the hood. It is all modular, and a pleasure to work on.

I agree. It was built to be repairable unlike much of the competition. And the fact that parts are available from a number of sources at a good price is huge.