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Rookie Mistake

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So I ran the battery out on my ST16. Missed that it was low in pre-flight (need to make a visual check list). Got a low battery warning, but didn't look close and thought it was the initial drone warning. It was out a bit and I didn't immediately start back, when I did, the ST16 shut down. Drone stops for a bit then I see it ascending to RTH height, then slowly head toward me, turn around, back up to over the take off point and come down a little then it stops. And it stays there, just hovering pretty high up. Now I'm worried, started charging the controller directly to a USB port in the car, but it's slow and won't power up. Keeping checking while just watching the H sitting in space. Don't know why it isn't coming down. After maybe maybe 8 minutes, controller still won't power on and I notice the lights on the H flashing to indicate low battery. Now I'm afraid it's running out of battery at altitude and it's going to fall out of the sky. It finally did slowly land. Could it be that the takeoff/landing spot had a tree and bench kinda near behind it? Anyway, lesson learned, no damage done. Haven't looked at flight log yet.
 
So I ran the battery out on my ST16. Missed that it was low in pre-flight (need to make a visual check list). Got a low battery warning, but didn't look close and thought it was the initial drone warning. It was out a bit and I didn't immediately start back, when I did, the ST16 shut down. Drone stops for a bit then I see it ascending to RTH height, then slowly head toward me, turn around, back up to over the take off point and come down a little then it stops. And it stays there, just hovering pretty high up. Now I'm worried, started charging the controller directly to a USB port in the car, but it's slow and won't power up. Keeping checking while just watching the H sitting in space. Don't know why it isn't coming down. After maybe maybe 8 minutes, controller still won't power on and I notice the lights on the H flashing to indicate low battery. Now I'm afraid it's running out of battery at altitude and it's going to fall out of the sky. It finally did slowly land. Could it be that the takeoff/landing spot had a tree and bench kinda near behind it? Anyway, lesson learned, no damage done. Haven't looked at flight log yet.

Glad to read all turned out well for you and your aircraft.

It was waiting to regain connection with your ST16. After depleting power supply, had no choice but to save itself and land.

Glad you found the programming worked as written!

Good lesson learned, eh?

Happy flying!

Jeff
 
Glad to read all turned out well for you and your aircraft.

It was waiting to regain connection with your ST16. After depleting power supply, had no choice but to save itself and land.

Glad you found the programming worked as written!

Good lesson learned, eh?

Happy flying!

Jeff
Ah, OK, had assumed once it started a RTH due to loss of connection, it would proceed straight to landing.
 
Ah, OK, had assumed once it started a RTH due to loss of connection, it would proceed straight to landing.
If you select Home it will fly back and land. If it looses connection it will fly back, descend and then hover waiting for the signal to reconnect. When the battery get too low it will autoland.

It's a good idea to try the Home function a few times so you get a feel for how it lands. It has been my experience that it lands about 15' from the controller "in the line of flight" So if you took off while it was in front of you but then fly behind you, it will land behind you when it returns. Let us know what you find.

Also, you do have some limited control on descent while in Home mode.
 
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Might be worth getting a second battery and check that original battery isn't playing up. I power bank as a last resort plugged into the socket, might give a few valuable minutes to sort out a landing. If you have a 3rd party charger you can buy the leads to plug the battery in and charges quicker
 

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If you select Home it will fly back and land. If it looses connection it will fly back, descend and then hover waiting for the signal to reconnect. When the battery get too low it will autoland.

It's a good idea to try the Home function a few times so you get a feel for how it lands. It has been my experience that it lands about 15' from the controller "in the line of flight" So if you took off while it was in front of you but then fly behind you, it will land behind you when it returns. Let us know what you find.
I thought Home brought it back to where it took off from. That is where it ended up when it self landed, I will try the Home function as you suggest, hadn't tried it yet.

Thanks for the feedback/suggestions, gentlemen.
 
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With the Typhoon H the Home function (RTH) brings the aircraft back to the present location of the ST-16 if the controller is powered on and bound to the aircraft, and will land approximately 26 feet (8 meters) away inline with the aircraft’s position from the ST-16.

If the control link (2.4 GHz Zigbee RC) is lost or the ST-16 loses power and the TH has GPS lock, an autoRTH is initiated and the aircraft returns to the last known position of the ST-16. It will then hover waiting for connection to the ST-16. If connection is not regained the aircraft will auto land on the second low battery alarm.

If connection is lost and there is no GPS lock the TH will hover and drift with the wind until the second low battery alarm and then auto land.

Home mode operation is on page 31 and loss of connection is on page 28 of the attached User Manual (@ogrench ’s H480 bible).
 

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So I ran the battery out on my ST16. Missed that it was low in pre-flight (need to make a visual check list). Got a low battery warning, but didn't look close and thought it was the initial drone warning. It was out a bit and I didn't immediately start back, when I did, the ST16 shut down. Drone stops for a bit then I see it ascending to RTH height, then slowly head toward me, turn around, back up to over the take off point and come down a little then it stops. And it stays there, just hovering pretty high up. Now I'm worried, started charging the controller directly to a USB port in the car, but it's slow and won't power up. Keeping checking while just watching the H sitting in space. Don't know why it isn't coming down. After maybe maybe 8 minutes, controller still won't power on and I notice the lights on the H flashing to indicate low battery. Now I'm afraid it's running out of battery at altitude and it's going to fall out of the sky. It finally did slowly land. Could it be that the takeoff/landing spot had a tree and bench kinda near behind it? Anyway, lesson learned, no damage done. Haven't looked at flight log yet.

That's Amazing.
I am notsure what you meant about the tree /bench part of it.
Keith Kuhn
 
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That's Amazing.
I am notsure what you meant about the tree /bench part of it.
Keith Kuhn
Was he referring to the tree potentially blocking the signal and the bench possibly being metal causing interference?
 
Was he referring to the tree potentially blocking the signal and the bench possibly being metal causing interference?

I am really not sure,but at least it landed nicely.
I guess. When my battery in the drone gets low
It starts to do the toilet bowl thing.
Keith
 
It performed exactly as designed. Using Home mode it will land about 15’ away from the transmitter. Using lost link it will land, once the battery is depleted, at the last known location of the transmitter.

You got lucky with a three things: one, it successfully overcame your failure to properly pre-flight your system; two, it hopefully taught you to program an RTH altitude that will clear potential obstacles for the trip back; three, it provided solid reasons to RTFM.
 
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Was he referring to the tree potentially blocking the signal and the bench possibly being metal causing interference?

I believe the tree and bench were suspected of the reason the craft did not immediately land once home.

The hover until signal requisition or battery depletion, whichever comes first, has since deflected the OP’s question.
 
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I believe the tree and bench were suspected of the reason the craft did not immediately land once home.

The hover until signal requisition or battery depletion, whichever comes first, has since deflected the OP’s question.
^That.
I was sitting on the bench and there was a tree next to it. I had launched about 12' in front of me, which is where it returned to within inches. I had set the RTH height to more than enough to clear the trees and light poles in the area, just strange to see it floating there for so long before the battery ran down enough for it to land, since I didn't know at the time that's what it was doing. Lessons learned.
 
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