Unexpected crash without reason

[PatR]

I’m with you on this. No way a gimbal calibration should have any impact on flight control. The auto pilot is not slaved to the camera, or vice versa. There are very advanced systems that do that but Yuneec is not involved with any of them.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

It is not surprising that the explanation from Yuneec (if any) is perfunctory at best... when my H fell from the sky a year ago, their explanation is that the AC went into "emergency mode"... with no explanation of what that was, or how a pilot is supposed to recognize or respond to it.

I have since determined that emergency mode is when the camera is on, while the craft is in an uncontrolled descent and the pilot is witness to that sickening spinning blur on the ST-16. This inevitably results in the pilot verbally responding to the ST-16 with '"OHHHHHSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTT"

 

[Ty Pilot]

I think the fault was placed on a compass calibration rather than a gimbal calibration. This is how the Yuneec comments translate:


We have checked and evaluated the copter system
According to the error description we can detect an incompletely calibrated compass
The copter and the St 16 are working correctly CG03 + has been badly damaged
GPS has been rewashed
We have exchanged the CG03 + and reprogrammed
1 x Landing gear (mechanics) replaced
6 x air screws replaced
Test flight without error (see video in the ST - 16)
The system is working error - free and safe test OK

 

[DoomMeister]

That makes no sense either as there were no compass errors during the flight. In fact there were no errors until the craft was on the ground in the next flight log 00073 when 5 motor mode appeared.

One can only hope they did not charge mamarz for the repairs. From all appearances it looks like a faulty Flight Control.

 

[Steve Carr]

From all appearances it looks like a faulty Flight Control.

I'm not sure which telemetry file is associated with the crash???
In any case I would agree from the video that the flight controller seems to have failed. Neither the compass nor GPS will cause this kind of behavior.

 

[DoomMeister]

00072 is the one to use

 

[mamarz]

Thanks to all of you guys for all your answers.

Yuneec didn't charge me nothing, apart the whole month i'm without my H.

I can only say that i ALWAYS do a perfect compass calibration, cause if I "feel" or not hear good signal and sound from my H, i always turn off and turn on again all (St16 and drone).
So I'm sure I did compass calibration in right way.

However all is good what all ends good, my H is in the way back from assistance (maybe 5 days till) and when will be here I'll send you my feelings for the repair.

00072 is the one to use

Thanks for your deep analysis. Much appreciated.

 

[mamarz]

Hallo again friends, I'm so so sad.
After receiving the drone (one months for the assistance), on last Friday I flyght again and...

HAPPEN'D AGAIN.

THE DRONE FALLED AGAIN without a reason.

No compass error, no alarm nothing of nothing.

Suddenly after only 4 minutes of flight start to rotating strange itself, and losing height.

Crashed luckily on a greenhouse, but this makes me sad.
I packed it and send it back to Yuneec in Germany.

But this time I don't want another assistance, I want a new drone. I'll be not more self confident with it, I'm scared it can fall upon people or houses or cars.

What do you think?

 

[DoomMeister]

Sounds like a problem with the compass.

Was the compass calibration done in an open area away from power lines, buildings, and large metal objects?

Is this the same area you had the crash before? I have to avoid flying in my driveway due to some unknown interference. Under 30 feet (10 meters) my Breeze has trouble holding position and will try to fly off.

 

[mamarz]

Hallo DoomMeister,

yes i did the compass calibration in open field, without buildings, metal pylons and neither cows or sheeps.
Was another area, the first fallen was on Tuscany, this time a country near home in Rome. I flew here many times before, without problems.

This time was the first planned flight from the last crash, the first one after my H comed back home from Yuneec Assistance in Germany.

Looking at the other video, seem to be the same problem but, like the other way, I did compass calibration in right way, no error at the end, no blinkin white led and no other problem.

I ask to change the drone, I feel not more safe with this.

View media item 828

 

[DoomMeister]

mamarz,

Could you get the telemetry files from that flight for Remote, RemoteGPS, and Telemetry, then Zip them and upload in this thread?

Did you initiate the turn when the TH arrived at the white covered structure, or was that the start of the death spiral?

Any idea what was underneath that structure?

Right after the initial 180 degree yaw, the TH acted like it was struck by something like a fairly large bird. Is that a possibility?

 

[Dustoff]

mamarz,

Could you get the telemetry files from that flight for Remote, RemoteGPS, and Telemetry, then Zip them and upload in this thread?

Did you initiate the turn when the TH arrived at the white covered structure, or was that the start of the death spiral?

Any idea what was underneath that structure?

Right after the initial 180 degree yaw, the TH acted like it was struck by something like a fairly large bird. Is that a possibility?

Looks like something hit the aircraft

 

[rdonson]

How far was the H from the ST16? The video breaks are disturbing. Did you have VLOS?

It does seem like you might have suffered a bird strike.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

How far was the H from the ST16? The video breaks are disturbing. Did you have VLOS?

It does seem like you might have suffered a bird strike.

Agreed... telemetry will shed more light on it.

 

[JulesTEO]

This is definitely a defective unit. You are right to demand a new machine and not a "fix".

Best of luck!

 

[mamarz]

This is definitely a defective unit. You are right to demand a new machine and not a "fix".

Best of luck!

Yes Jules, I did!

I'm not more self-confident with it, I can cause damage to things or badder to PEOPLE and this CAN NOT BE.

However: i was about 200 meters from my H, i sit on the trees before the greenhouse, so really near and NO, absolutely NO BIRD strike. It did the same movement like the other times, maybe one or more motor stopped or something else, but no strike, no impact with cables.

Like the other time, i was ROUNDING the drone and it start did what it want.

However, attached the log again.


After the first assistance, my ST16 comed back like formatted, no more my old logs. And was only the video of the Yuneec technician testing it, but he did it for only 45 seconds!!!

Hope this time they will change it to me, even cause i bought 2 more batteries (and one of the first package i desire they change me, cause the battery began to swell ).

I'm really disappointed with Yuneec.

 

[DoomMeister]

mamarz,

Looking at your telemetry I can see no reason for the flight failure. Motor 3 shut off or failed, the emergency motor shutdown followed in less than a second. It should have entered 5-motor mode so you could effect a controlled landing. I agree that you should definitely be getting in contact with Yuneec and demand a replacement. They obviously did not correct the problem during the first return for service.

 

[mamarz]

Thanks DoomMeister, I really appreciate your help.
But, how you can read the log? which program u use? I download the yuneec software but my antivirus sais it has an old type virus inside...it's a false positive?
However, you use only this or something else?

I shipped my H to yuneec reseller again, and it will ship to yuneec again. Hope thay will be fast. I loose already 2 work for this... this is really annoying! loosing money for not having a good assistance....uff

 

[DoomMeister]

Thanks DoomMeister, I really appreciate your help.
But, how you can read the log? which program u use? I download the yuneec software but my antivirus sais it has an old type virus inside...it's a false positive?
However, you use only this or something else?

I shipped my H to yuneec reseller again, and it will ship to yuneec again. Hope thay will be fast. I loose already 2 work for this... this is really annoying! loosing money for not having a good assistance....uff

I use a program called Q500log2kml.exe by @h-elsner (Helmut Elsner). You can download it from his website Meine private Homepage - Programmierung, Kopter, Bilder in the downloads area. It is a stand-alone program flavors for Windows 32 and 64 bit, Linux, and iMac.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Thanks DoomMeister, I really appreciate your help.
But, how you can read the log? which program u use? I download the yuneec software but my antivirus sais it has an old type virus inside...it's a false positive?
However, you use only this or something else?

I shipped my H to yuneec reseller again, and it will ship to yuneec again. Hope thay will be fast. I loose already 2 work for this... this is really annoying! loosing money for not having a good assistance....uff

With all due respect, Mamarz...

You are losing money because you do not have a backup craft.

If nothing else, a “bind and fly” hull-only kit should still be available (without controller) allowing you to continue to fly and complete your jobs while your first craft is being evaluated and/or repaired. This is assuming you do not need to send the controller along with the failing H.

In situations where your controller is not available or is part of the problem, your business model needs to accommodate with a backup controller as well.

You will find plenty of references to the above, as far as advice for commercial operations.

Just trying to help.

Jeff