Don't RTH when drone starts to fly away...

[David Armstrong]

I have been reading a lot of horror stories with crashes, fly aways, and such.

I have noticed that the first reflex that people have in these events (especially fly aways) is to flip the RTH switch.

I may be wrong, but isn't that the last thing you would want to do?
Wouldn't it be best to try to turn "off" autonomous flight features? (Switch to Angle, turn off GPS)

 

[PatR]

Two types of people try to use RTH if and when they have a serious compass/GPS issue. Those that panic and those that have yet to learn that when GPS goes out so does RTH.

If anyone has a fly away event or loses GPS the worst thing they can do is use RTH. Use Angle mode, and only Angle mode.

 

[Typhoon Charlie]

That's why GPS should be on a switch. The way it is now it is too slow to turn off in an emergency.

 

[THoff]

That's why GPS should be on a switch. The way it is now it is too slow to turn off in an emergency.

It should be assignable to the unused switch. Maybe not by default (since someone is going to hit it by accident and then blame Yuneec), but let the user assign the function in the calibration screen.

 

[H2O Aviators]

The H920 use to have the GPS switch on the ST24, very convenient. Couldn't we just replace the spare button with a switch and see if we can assign the GPS to it on the ST16?

 

[kai_bcn]

In my case my H suddenly took off in GPS off mode and started rising extremely fast out of the blue. I actually thought I was in GPS on mode. I like flying in off mode now to practice keeping the H stable and it really is a pain to take the eyes off the H and look at the screen and tap on the icon and then on the switch... too much time not observing the H drifting...

 

[kai_bcn]

I actually thought I was in GPS on mode when this happened only to find out from the telemetry that I wasn´t. Too small of a button with too extreme consequences and no way of feeling the position with your finger as in a switch or button to press does not make this task easy...

 

[ArnhemAnt]

In my opinion, there are far too many new users purchasing a machine like the H, who firstly have no real idea how to actually fly a multi rotor or any idea how these things actually work.

Rule number one is don't panic
Rule number two is learn how to actually FLY - without GPS. without looking at a screen.

If you play within the parameters and only fly Line Of Sight (LOS) and you learn about the orientation of the UAV then the majority of the 'fly away' and associated issues we read about would be history.

Yes, having the GPS assigned to a switch, or button, would certainly make things a little 'easier' but it still isn't going to solve all of the issues that keep popping up on the forums. Gaining practice and proficiency with your UAV will be a better option.

 

[ricmitch]

In my opinion, there are far too many new users purchasing a machine like the H, who firstly have no real idea how to actually fly a multi rotor or any idea how these things actually work.

Rule number one is don't panic
Rule number two is learn how to actually FLY - without GPS. without looking at a screen.

If you play within the parameters and only fly Line Of Sight (LOS) and you learn about the orientation of the UAV then the majority of the 'fly away' and associated issues we read about would be history.

Yes, having the GPS assigned to a switch, or button, would certainly make things a little 'easier' but it still isn't going to solve all of the issues that keep popping up on the forums. Gaining practice and proficiency with your UAV will be a better option.

I agree. I have a race quad that I fly, No GPS available on that. I am not an expert but I feel it has helped me a lot to fly without gps on the H. I also have a small inductrix that is an micro quad that can be flown indoors,that has also helped.

 

[PatR]

I'm not so certain that switching GPS off would have any impact on a true fly away. When those occur the aircraft does not respond to any control input.

 

[Gurusonwheels]

im starting to think lots of flyways happen from not having the antenna properly tightened on the st16 or from over tightening and damaging the connector where the connection to the antenna
is not constant . if you only finger tighten the antenna you run the risk of the antenna not maintaining a constant communication with your aircraft .
if you happen to have bad gps signal or gps failure when the antenna breaks connection then your h may fly away to wherever it thought home was at .

just a observation as to whats going on .
always make sure your antennas are tightened properly .

3–5 in·lbf (0.3 to 0.6 N·m) for brass
7–10 in·lbf (0.8 to 1.1 N·m) for stainless steel

 

[PatR]

Good points. Unfortunately locating a torque measurement device for the type of antenna connectors used on the ST-16 can be tough to do. We should not forget there are likely people that have turned on their ST-16's while antennas were completely disconnected, which has a tendency to destroy some RF transmission modules.