My q500 g sank... but it still flies!

[MrProvolone]

This past weekend I had an incident where my q500 g had a crashed into a dock, and it flipped over and went underwater, about 9 feet down.

The copter remained powered on while I dove in and retrieved it (in about 50 degree water, 40 degree air, brrrrrrrr). It was making the "flatline" sound (I believe this means it has gone into failsafe mode) when I got to it, and the LED's were still operating. As soon as I got it back on the dock, I turned the power switch off, pulled the batter out, drained any water I could find anywhere, and immediately ran up to the house and dried it off with a towel, then put it in front of a heater (low heat) AND dehumidifier for 14 hours. This was at about 6 pm.

The next morning at about 8 am, I checked it for moisture thoroughly, then hooked it up to my computer via the USB api cable. Everything seems to be working as expected! I recalibrated the accelorometer, then recalibrated the gimbal. Once it was off and detached from the computer I took it outside for a test flight.

Remarkably, it still flies!!!!! and the gimbal still works! WOW!

However, not as perfect as it used to. I have 2 questions:

1) There is a slight / medium vibration of the body of the drone (especially pronounced on the landing gear) when it is hovering, almost as if something is not balanced right. Any ideas on what this could be? (One note here: I did put two WHITE blades on that were for the q500 on as replacement blades, which is all I had, so there are two black q500 blades and two white q500 blades on the drone, maybe this has something to do with it?)

2) Are there any precautions or worries I should have about any parts failing due to taking on water? Everything appears to run just fine, exactly how it should, but I would hate for a motor to fail when it is 100ft up and that be all she wrote. Or a GPS unit to fail and to watch it go to the heavens forever...

Any help answering these two questions or giving me any more information about things I should look out for would be awesome! Thanks!!!

P.S. I can provide a video of it going under and coming back up if you want . The GoPro and the Memory card survived as well!

 

[Prairie Pyro]

Have you by chance balanced the blades? I always wonder about the different blades as how the other problem of materials in the differences in deflection that may make things a bit off. I spent a couple winters balancing and prepping blades for wind turbines.
You may have lucked out on the dunking this time.(I would be looking for another as I see drone only going for under $300)) I lucked out twice with Nikon cameras.

 

[MrProvolone]

I have not tried to balance them. I actually wouldn't even know how.

I have also been looking at getting another copter only. $300 is expensive after I already had one, but $500 REALLY hurts!

 

[Prairie Pyro]

Several youtube videos and probably links to how here abouts to do it properly. Balancers are about $24

 

[BEE]

Heres all ya need..

.Amazon.com: Yuneec Prop Balancer Rod Self Tightening Balancing Propeller: Toys & Games

http://www.amazon.com/Du-Bro-499-Tr...&qid=1455040910&sr=8-1&keywords=dubro+BALANCE

I'm assuming that was a fresh water dunk !!!

I would take off the props and run some tests like that !!!
good luck

 

[John K. Fitzgerald]

Probably props are out of balance, but i would re inspect the air frame especially around the motor pods and look very closely for hairline cracks. It is amazing that it still works after going for a swim (and still powered up)! You may also check to see if the gimbal came out of balance as well. on some of them there is a balance adjustment on the back, but I'm not familiar with the gimbal that holds the go pro.

 

[NRRTRAINS]

hi
i would change the 4 motors only because you can not see inside the can motors and the lubrication mixed with water could be a problem at a high RPM , i know they are sealed but the motors are not water tight .
fly safe

 

[Prairie Pyro]

hi
i would change the 4 motors only because you can not see inside the can motors and the lubrication mixed with water could be a problem at a high RPM , i know they are sealed but the motors are not water tight .
fly safe

I would have to agree that hot-warm running bearings hitting cold water usually will suck in water.

 

[Prairie Pyro]

There is a company that says they can make your craft water resistant.

 

[Johnny Jumpjet]

This past weekend I had an incident where my q500 g had a crashed into a dock, and it flipped over and went underwater, about 9 feet down.

The copter remained powered on while I dove in and retrieved it (in about 50 degree water, 40 degree air, brrrrrrrr). It was making the "flatline" sound (I believe this means it has gone into failsafe mode) when I got to it, and the LED's were still operating. As soon as I got it back on the dock, I turned the power switch off, pulled the batter out, drained any water I could find anywhere, and immediately ran up to the house and dried it off with a towel, then put it in front of a heater (low heat) AND dehumidifier for 14 hours. This was at about 6 pm.

The next morning at about 8 am, I checked it for moisture thoroughly, then hooked it up to my computer via the USB api cable. Everything seems to be working as expected! I recalibrated the accelorometer, then recalibrated the gimbal. Once it was off and detached from the computer I took it outside for a test flight.

Remarkably, it still flies!!!!! and the gimbal still works! WOW!

However, not as perfect as it used to. I have 2 questions:

1) There is a slight / medium vibration of the body of the drone (especially pronounced on the landing gear) when it is hovering, almost as if something is not balanced right. Any ideas on what this could be? (One note here: I did put two WHITE blades on that were for the q500 on as replacement blades, which is all I had, so there are two black q500 blades and two white q500 blades on the drone, maybe this has something to do with it?)

2) Are there any precautions or worries I should have about any parts failing due to taking on water? Everything appears to run just fine, exactly how it should, but I would hate for a motor to fail when it is 100ft up and that be all she wrote. Or a GPS unit to fail and to watch it go to the heavens forever...

Any help answering these two questions or giving me any more information about things I should look out for would be awesome! Thanks!!!

P.S. I can provide a video of it going under and coming back up if you want . The GoPro and the Memory card survived as well!

If that was salt water, it will in time,eat everything it touched. If not, then I would say that the motors, or a motor, was affected by the experience. If the drone stayed on and the props were not turning, one or more may have been over heated or something while dunked.

 

[Fezzik]

I would definitely like to see the video! Thanks for the story!

 

[Neo]

Testimony of Yuneec and GoPro. Amazing the GoPro made it without its case. Salt water is a killer and YES, let's see the vid. 9' free dive is testimony of the pilot. A man and his machine.

 

[AndrewKlc]

I just lost my Typhoon G. I did everything I was supposed to, I had a fully charged battery, fully charged controller, and literally no wind. I took off and was flying over a small (but deep) lake. After about two minutes I lost the connection to the drone (it was only about 100 yards away) and instead of returning to home, it drops like a rock into the water, and here I am on the side of the lake wondering what the crap happened. Anyone else experience this type of failure?
So now I am waiting on Yuneec's support team to call me back because I'm not sure if it will be covered under their warranty. It says they don't cover crashes, but what about a crash due to a failed system? I don't know, I'm just trying my best to not sit in the corner of my office with my knees up to my chest and rock back and forth muttering to myself.

 

[NRRTRAINS]

I just lost my Typhoon G. I did everything I was supposed to, I had a fully charged battery, fully charged controller, and literally no wind. I took off and was flying over a small (but deep) lake. After about two minutes I lost the connection to the drone (it was only about 100 yards away) and instead of returning to home, it drops like a rock into the water, and here I am on the side of the lake wondering what the crap happened. Anyone else experience this type of failure?
So now I am waiting on Yuneec's support team to call me back because I'm not sure if it will be covered under their warranty. It says they don't cover crashes, but what about a crash due to a failed system? I don't know, I'm just trying my best to not sit in the corner of my office with my knees up to my chest and rock back and forth muttering to myself.

hi
did you have a sd card in the ST-10 if so Yuneec will want to look at the files on it .