Motor Error during flight/Lost Mantis

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

Had a Motor Error midflight, RTH function took drone further from Home Launch point before losing signal and I lost visual due to trees. I've looked around the Last Known Location with no luck. I'm guessing that is just the last signal transmitted to my phone/controller, and it probably kept going.
The last flights Footprint also wasn't recorded for some reason. No access to PC to use flight log analysis. Does anyone happen to know if the drone automatically powers down after a certain time? I recall having 15-20 satellites, so I doubt it actually lost GPS, yet the malfunctioning motor didn't allow it to Return Home. Any ideas?

AeroJ · Jun 9, 2019

On a quad, all 4 motors need to be working to maintain flight, so if one motor failed and stayed failed , you can be fairly sure it would have dropped out of the sky where it was - there'd be no returning home at all. But if that motor fail was temporary, then it could have carried on.

Have you got data to analyze ? If you can upload telemetry we can take a look for you..

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

Is this what's needed? I'm fairly low tech, this is still a bit confusing to me.

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

I switched devices, and didn't log in prior to flight, but here's the complete flight log file.

AeroJ · Jun 9, 2019

I don't have the Mantis, so I can't check myself, but others of us do, and should be in a better position to help...

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

I appreciate it, hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

Neither of the files above produced data on my W10 PC. Refer to this post by @DoomMeister. Is this the same method you used?
How To: Retrieve Mantis Q Telemetry (Sensor) Files

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

WTFDproject said:
Neither of the files above produced data on my W10 PC. Refer to this post by @DoomMeister. Is this the same method you used?
How To: Retrieve Mantis Q Telemetry (Sensor) Files

Yes, the second .zip attachment is the entire contents of the FlightLog folder.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

This is the first time I tried to read Mantis files. I'm doing something wrong. I can get the program to open the files, but don't recognize the data display format.
I hope the more experienced users can be of more help.

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

Thank you for trying to help.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

USMC0351 said:
Thank you for trying to help.

I did get this visual trace that appears to be from midnight last night. Is this the same place you already looked?

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

WTFDproject said:
I did get this visual trace that appears to be from midnight last night. Is this the same place you already looked?
View attachment 17000

Yep, that's the location that I checked. Is there any way you can see the distance of that flight? Apparently, it's traveled a total of ~3900ft, while the 4 recorded flights only sum up to ~1200ft. That leaves 2752ft of unaccounted distance. I got a rough estimate of .3 miles with the chart that you've shown me, which was the flight that I'm missing on my Flight Record. Now, a straight line from the last known point to Home gave me roughly .2 mi. 2752ft is ~.52 miles. But given that odd path, it could be in any direction. Thank you very much for that flight path data, it's greatly appreciated.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

I'm learning the Mantis data as we go with this. I can tell it was flying level at ~200 ft at that last point, and at that moment was traveling in a straight line. It gave a "critical" message that it had received "Command 179" at the moment data stopped. I have not figured out what "Command 179" is.
I will try to figure out the distances. Does the Mantis total distances of flight series? Does it reset with each flight?

This is the APP log. It shows initial loss of manual control at 5 min 35 seconds after midnight. Three seconds later, the "critical message", then data ends. No idea what else is here, that was just a quick look at the end.

Obviously, I'm in this over my head. I hope someone who actually knows what they are talking about will join in soon.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

Found a reference that says "Mav_CMD_DO_Set_Home (179) is:
"Changes the home location either to the current location or a specified location."

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

WTFDproject said:
I'm learning the Mantis data as we go with this. I can tell it was flying level at ~200 ft at that last point, and at that moment was traveling in a straight line. It gave a "critical" message that it had received "Command 179" at the moment data stopped. I have not figured out what "Command 179" is.
I will try to figure out the distances. Does the Mantis total distances of flight series? Does it reset with each flight?

This is the APP log. It shows initial loss of manual control at 5 min 35 seconds after midnight. Three seconds later, the "critical message", then data ends. No idea what else is here, that was just a quick look at the end.

Obviously, I'm in this over my head. I hope someone who actually knows what they are talking about will join in soon.

As far as I can tell, the Mantis Flight Records, Last Known Point, and Total distance have been logged into each device separately. This is likely due to not logging in to my account after changing to a different phone. Either way, you're providing information that I was unable to obtain, and although you may be in over your head, you've been a huge help, I truly appreciate the effort you've put forth.

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

WTFDproject said:
Found a reference that says "Mav_CMD_DO_Set_Home (179) is:
"Changes the home location either to the current location or a specified location."

Oh man, upon first starting the app, my Home marker is on the Equator somewhere around Africa...

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

I misread your question about distance logs, it logs individual completed flights (Takeoff until landing I assume), and also has total distance traveled (which, in my case, reset and started over upon changing devices.)

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

Looks like the APP log and telemetry agree on the final distance, location recorded.
Whatever it decided was "Home Location" would be it's target a few seconds after loosing connection with the controller. I hope it chose "current Location" vrs "Equatorial Africa".

If it fell from 200ft., impact point would depend on a combination forward momentum and wind. It's still somewhat possible it is in the general area you already looked, but it's going to be harder to find. (I've been close enough to hear the beeps, know what tree it's in, and about how high, and still have a hard time seeing the actual drone.)

USMC0351 · Jun 9, 2019

The 179 command issued coordinates 28.9633754, -82.5305317, 31.58 as Home.... That would be in Egypt... I know what you mean about being hard to get a visual, and I'm still searching the area currently.

WTFDproject · Jun 9, 2019

Take off the (-) sign in front of the 82. designate as "N" and "W" in google maps. 31.68 meters would be height.
Don't know about elevation, but it was headed for your driveway if it was still alive. (Better than Egypt)