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Drone Went Rogue. Crashed Twice. Don't know what to do.

Sorry did not mean to point blame rather offer a reason .

Once you get your aircraft back I would suggest flying a bit with the camera off to avoid damage.

For what’s it’s worth I never received any kind of pamphlet , had to refer to this forum first. But then again I had watched every you tube video out there and read the post on this forum before I spent money on the H .

I agree with everyone else do not use smart mode .

Thank you :) No offense taken.
This was a gift for my birthday.
 
Update.

After a very long hold on the phone, I talked to Angel at Yuneec. Was very polite and got a case number setup. All I have to do is send them my contact info and they'll send me a shipping label to RMA for repair.

Hopefully it'll be very fast and fluid.

Thanks for all the help.
 
To be clear....you should have seen a sticker that instructed you to watch the Yuneec videos on that card. I’ve personally set up this product over 4 times now so I know this procedure well. If it wasn’t there then something was done wrong in final packaging.

This is from page 4 of the manual under placement during take off...
“IMPORTENT NOTE: STEP BACK APPROXIMATELY 26 FEET (8 METERS) BEHIND THE Typhoon H.
NOTICE: Pilots are recommended to take off the aircraft under Angle Mode. If the pilot takes off the aircraft under Smart Mode, make sure to keep the aircraft 32.8ft (10m) away from the pilot.”

Complete with misspelling....

Here it is again on page 5....
“STARTING/STOPPING THE MOTORS
NOTICE:Only with sustainable GPS or IPS activated or GPS being turned
off, the motors can be started or stopped by pressing the
START/STOP button.
NOTICE: After the GPS is turned off, IPS will be turned off automatically and the indoor positioning function will be disabled.
OPTION 1
Press and hold the START / STOP button for about 3 seconds to start, and about 2 seconds to stop the motors. Step back approximately 26 feet (8 meters) behind Typhoon H, make sure the ST16 Ground Station is in the Angle mode. When there is suitable GPS signal for both the ST16 Ground Station and Typhoon H, or IPS for the aircraft, you can start the motors.
OPTION 2
With the GPS of both the aircraft and the ST16 Ground Station locked, the pilot can select Camera/Task switch icon, and tap the Take Off on the task row. Make sure the pilot is more than 5 meters away from the aircraft and then slide the icon on the screen, the aircraft will take off and hover at default height.”

I’m not trying to be a jerk here but this is going to be what Yuneec may use as there reasoning to deny a claim potentially. That being said, they do know that they have had faulty components that cause bad crashes and many of us here had issues early on that required warranty repair.

This is the section that gives you an out...

Page 8

FLIGHT MODESWhen the Flight Mode selection switch is in the top position Typhoon H will be in Smart mode. Although we recommend flying in Angle (Pilot) Mode as soon as possible, Smart mode is typically the best mode for beginning pilots to fly in and features ‘Follow Me’.

So there is the confusing contradiction that many others learned the hard way as well. Again, I’ve found playing dumb was a better approach then claiming knowledge and declaring the product was the main fault. I hope they get your problem and fix it as three years in this should still not be happening anymore for anybody. Without this forum, they probably would have lost all sales. It’s a good photo platform though despite the companies lack of taking responsibility for what they know is a constant issue with new pilots. Remember, their new flag ship drone removed this smart mode and now added it back as a user selected option. So far, no reports of this stuff with the Plus that I’ve seen yet. Coincidence?
 
The first file (00011) contains 3 starts. First one (41sec) and second (1:33) was in Angle Mode. Then you have carried the copter somehow by hand which was recorded by roll 76° and pitch -31°. Thats how you hold the bird ;-).

The 3rd start at 3:18:24 (duration 18sec) was in Smart mode (Switched to smart at 3:18:02) ends with the disaster. From 03:18:27 to 03:18:39 it was in FollowMe mode, means neary all the time. At 03:18:40 motor 6 stopped due to bush. Flight mode changes to Emergency.

I can see that the copter alway followed the stick movement. I guess not as you expected due to Smart Mode/FollowMe.
Example: Throttle vs altitude snippet from the 3rd flight

ScreenshotSchnellanalyse_1.png

According the coordinates the copter was not more than 10m away from it's starting point. Soo much free space you didn't have had.
Sorry to say, but from FlightLog data it looks like pilot error.

br HE
 
The first file (00011) contains 3 starts. First one (41sec) and second (1:33) was in Angle Mode. Then you have carried the copter somehow by hand which was recorded by roll 76° and pitch -31°. Thats how you hold the bird ;-).

The 3rd start at 3:18:24 (duration 18sec) was in Smart mode (Switched to smart at 3:18:02) ends with the disaster. From 03:18:27 to 03:18:39 it was in FollowMe mode, means neary all the time. At 03:18:40 motor 6 stopped due to bush. Flight mode changes to Emergency.

I can see that the copter alway followed the stick movement. I guess not as you expected due to Smart Mode/FollowMe.
According the coordinates the copter was not more than 10m away from it's starting point. Soo much free space you didn't have had.
Sorry to say, but from FlightLog data it looks like pilot error.

br HE


That sounds like what I was saying for the first day. I took off and did a short flight in the cul-de-sac. But I didn't touch the copter between when I first set it down and the crash after the 3rd flight. Never even got within 10 feet of it.
I did the first test flight. Landed it. Flew straight up to let my son see through the FPV goggles. Landed it. Then took off and the 3rd time is when it dipped to a sharp angle and wouldn't respond to any controls.
But I never changed any controls. I had the switch in the same position the entire time. Same as Day 2. I never changed it out of Smart Mode. Never put down the controller.
I was standing in the same spot. Took off from the same spot, etc..

And I have 2 witnesses that were standing right beside me that saw it didn't follow the stick movement. Wouldn't ascend/descend. Couldn't get it to change any direction but the one it was facing as it flew towards the bush.

Day 2 did the same thing. But it had far more room to pick up speed before finally hitting a tree.
 
Last edited:
Second file (00012):
This file contains two starts. First flight (05:03:54 to 05:06:38, duration 2:43) starts in Smart mode, switched to FollowMe at 05:04:14.

Second flight started at 05:08:04 already in FollowMe Mode which did not change until crash 22 sec later.
This looks a little bit strange. Speed is increasing up to 12m/s. Too fast for turtle mode. I think it ist a Save circle thing. I would like to have the RemoteGPS data.

br HE
 
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Second file (00012):
This file contains two starts. First flight (05:03:54 to 05:06:38, duration 2:43) starts in Smart mode, switched to FollowMe at 05:04:14.

Second flight started at 05:08:04 already in FollowMe Mode which did not change until crash 22 sec later.
This looks a little bit strange. Speed is increasing up to 12m/s. Too fast for turtle mode. I think it ist a Save circle thing. I would like to have the RemoteGPS data.

br HE

I will have to wait until I get home tonight to send you the GPS logs. But that is what I was saying. The first flight (day 2) was perfect. The second went absolutely crazy and was going way too fast. 12m/s is quite fast and I had no control. It wouldn't ascend/descend, change direction or anything. Even just letting go of the sticks to let it correct itself. I'll upload the files when I get home.
 
By default, Smart mode is Follow me mode. However, AndyP has already indicated he did not move his position during the flight. If the aircraft was not responding to the sticks while outside the safe circle, there is a problem with the aircraft. The Remote GPS would confirm that, but the aircraft should never enter the safe circle if it is working properly.
 
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At the risk of wrath from others commenting here, I see nothing wrong with Smart mode so long as you understand how it functions. I've tested takeoffs and landings, flying straight while applying yaw, ascending and descending while moving sideways, trying to force it past the geofence and trying to fly it into the safe circle. It works as advertised. The only time Smart mode gets messed up is when you fly directly overhead because it has no reference to direction from the controller.
 
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CH4 in Remote_000xx.csv shows the FlightMode switch S4. It has 3 positions: 3412 (100%)=Smart mode, 2048 (neutral 0%)=Angle mode, 683 (-100%)=RTH. At 03:18:02 it was switched from Angle to Smart between flight 2 and 3.
FlightModeSwitch.png

In file 00012 the flight mode switch was always on smart mode (3412).

br HE
 
Did I read that you were flying in smart mode when you had this mishap?
In fact solar flares perturb the GPS satellites, before every flight I attention and red consult and according to the color so green no problem, yellow I stays in the ground or I flight) without GPS
 
At the risk of wrath from others commenting here, I see nothing wrong with Smart mode so long as you understand how it functions. I've tested takeoffs and landings, flying straight while applying yaw, ascending and descending while moving sideways, trying to force it past the geofence and trying to fly it into the safe circle. It works as advertised. The only time Smart mode gets messed up is when you fly directly overhead because it has no reference to direction from the controller.
I agree. There is nowt wrong with smart mode. When the aircraft is working properly it does exactly what it says on the tin. What I and others are saying is that smart mode should be avoided at least for the first few flights until a new user has familiarized him/herself with the aircraft operation and the pilot understands better how the aircraft works.
 
@AndyP , can you tell us where you were standing during this last flight? (00012)

View attachment 11227

Hey Steve,
First that is weird, because that looks like a combination of the first and second flight. The first flight is when I took off went forward, did some adjusting side to side, moved over, came back and landed back where it started.
The second flight is the one that rocketed off to the right on the picture before making a beeline for that other tree at the end (yellow). I never got it to go forward on the second flight. Immediately after takeoff, it went the wrong direction from where I pushed on the thumbstick, I let it go and it veered off and went haywire.

As far as where I was standing. The 2 black cross looking things are picnic tables. The one closest to the takeoff point (green), I was standing just off the concrete in front of it. Same location for both flights.
 
Steve I must say I am impressed on how you get that data turned into that map
I tried it a couple times lol
I guess I need to keep playing around with it
 
For a little more context, I labeled it. Down on the picture is the direction I was facing the entire time.
 

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Update. Yuneec Accepted my repair request. Received the RMA and waiting for the shipping label. Got send them the Diagnostic log from the controller when I get home.

Once I get it back, hopefully it'll stop trying to self-destruct and let me fly it, and I'll spend a great deal of time looking through the improved manual provided here.
 
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My first few flights were in Safe Mode. It scared the **** out of me a couple of times because I hadn’t yet learned how Safe Mode behaves. Yuneec did a rotten job of explaining it. Later I found some YouTube videos that filled in some mighty gaps and finally two manuals written by pilots that truly explained things.

After the first few flights I flew only Angle Mode.

It is natural for first time H pilots to start with Smart Mode. Most people are cautious with new aircraft and will start out in Smart Mode until they gain confidence.
 
I watched you tube video’s also very helpful
Hopefully they will cover his repair and he’ll be back flying in no time.
 

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