Typhoon H doesn't float ...

Pixaltitude · Aug 13, 2016

ChadSteele said:
As mentioned earlier if the electronics are wet, remove any batteries and put in plastic bag to keep wet. If possible use fresh water if distilled not available, worst case if it is sea water and nothing else is available the sea water it is. The moment things start drying out the salts start eating conductive paths, by keeping it wet it prevents this first step of destruction.

Once home or to a place you have access to distilled water, rinse the electronics again in fresh water then submerge in distilled water bath, agitate to transport the water throughout the electronics and leave for a day. If the original imersion was in salt water then I do it again with a clean batch of distilled water. At this point it is just a matter of drying out the electronics and pluging the battery back in to test. A week on top of the fridge usually does the trick.

I am still using electronic lights that were fully submerged in salt water for hours and they still work perfectly years later. If you get them cleaned with the distilled water quick enough they usually survive. Did the same with a calculator submerged in coke, big gulp spilled into a car console, rinsed it a bunch in distilled water and still use it today.

I am still using a laptop submerged in a serious flooding home incident, fully reimbursed by my insurance... (the insurance rep did not see any hope... my girlfriend neither).
This to say if a drone fell into water and can be fished out there is a 75% chance of recovery (if only the parts) and 99% chance of total recovery if proper care is given in the drying process.
The 1% left is because there will be a scar, imaginary on your part or not, due to a shellfish bumping into your cherished drone 30 meters down....
As for the lens, being a photographer, I know lens can be cleaned or replaced. It costs something like 150$ for a new Typhoon H replacement lens.
Taking apart of a DSLR or a Ricoh GR is also possible by a professional camera repair outfit.
My enthusiasm in responding to this thread is greatly because our world is geared up to think our "gadgets" are never fixable...
Consumerism.

stalley35 · Mar 22, 2017

Mizamook said:
Ummm ... don't continue reading if you don't want to think bad thoughts about someone. (me)

I've launched by hand both from land and from the boat (sailboat, so it is necessary to launch and retrieve by hand), and never had a mishap. Many launches.

Until last night, I don't know what I was thinking .. I wasn't drinking, but perhaps I was too relaxed in my thinking due to just having a nice relaxing day. For some stupid reason, I failed to throttle up with my left thumb after starting the motors, and simply let go of my H, stupidly watching it plunk into the water and disappear.

Idiot.

My question now is how best to proceed. Here are some details:

1. I have the GPS coordinates of the location on my chartplotter, but it's several hours away from here, in about 30' of saltwater, and I'm not sure it's worth retrieving ... is it? Real loss would be all the electronics, most likely the battery, but I could get the props and the Polar Pro ND filter ... worth it? (Plus a little less plastic littering up the sea)

2. I could replace the H as it stands, for about what, $400 or so?

3. I just sent a spare CGO3+ to have the lens upgraded, and I have set of LR antennas on the way to me.

Should I go ahead and buy a regular H, or should I go for the H Pro?

On that note, would it be worth finding a "drone only" H Pro, and use that with my ST16 and the LR antennas?

I would not mind having a spare CGO3+ stock as I do like a wide option (my original intent was to swap cameras depending on scene)

Opinions welcome (except the obvious .. I'm already beating myself up plenty)

Thanks!

I would say if its 30 feet of water, retrieve it and if nothing else you could refurb it for less than 300 (the cost of replacing the boards IF NEEDED). dont assume that the electronics are fried especially if you shut the motors down before sinking.

Brian Mackey · Mar 22, 2017

stalley35 said:
I would say if its 30 feet of water, retrieve it and if nothing else you could refurb it for less than 300 (the cost of replacing the boards IF NEEDED). dont assume that the electronics are fried especially if you shut the motors down before sinking.

fresh water?

Ty Pilot · Mar 22, 2017

I'm looking at getting one of these fishing rod recovery floats called "Getter Back". Under 20.00 bucks and works in water to 100 feet deep on items up to ten pounds. Might not save your craft but you could get it back.

NorWiscPilot · Mar 23, 2017

Ty Pilot said:
I'm looking at getting one of these fishing rod recovery floats called "Getter Back". Under 20.00 bucks and works in water to 100 feet deep on items up to ten pounds. Might not save your craft but you could get it back.

View attachment 5495

Ordered two of them today when they popped up for $17. For once those sometimes annoying "helpful suggestions" by Amazon paid off!