EVO Return to home speed against the wind is very slow...

[Heckmaniac`s Drone]

First i do totally understand that you should fly out against the wind and fly home with the wind. But what I don't accept that EVO cant handle a 15 mph head wind in RTH mode, without shutting off someone sensors in-order to get a faster speed.

Simply suggesting having Autel automate what you would have to do manually anyway in order to change the RTH speed/power. In order to go above 22mph in speed OA has to be shut off (since it can't effectively avoid obstacles when traveling faster) same for DJI drones. Everyone should set the RTH altitude default high enough to avoid any obstacles anyway. Every drone with 22mph RTH speed will certainly have significantly reduced speed in a 15 mph headwind. No drone is perfect, and in my opinion what the DJI Spark allows for is the best blending if RTH capability and the ability to increase speed and power if needed by simply pushing up your throttle stick (yes OA has to be shut off regardless of auto RTH or manual flight).

 

[G_G]

So why don’t you start a drone company and fix it? This entitled stuff is not constructive. Comparison and bashing is like Ford vs Chevy. Both companies make good products that serve the market and work as expected.
You want a fantasy drone? Go build it. There is a reason we buy developed products because no one has the time or money to stay on the curve. How about a little gratitude that we can even talk to their engineers. Try that with Yuneec, Parrot, or DJI. Learn to accept your parameters and pilot accordingly. My guess is it’s more about already flying outside of the guidelines hence the desire to make up for pilot arrogance and then blame the developers because they should do more to make it “better” for those who go out of VLOS and think RTH is SOP when it’s really a fail safe for you losing track of your bird.

Who said anything about entitlement? Not allowing user settings to survive even a battery change is either poor programming or a lousy way to do things! So, in order to critique and expose Autel's indifference to to user feedback, I have to start a drone company myself to fix it? How about the fact that every DJI aircraft since the Phantom 1 has allowed all user selected settings to survive everything except possibly a firmware update?

FYI: You cannot talk to any Autel engineer. Customer Support sends an email to a Chinese "engineer" who barely understands English, who, if you are lucky, might reply, to them, in Chinglish, and then Customer Support tries to make sense of what he wrote and then sends you an email "reply" that contradicts itself and is completely nonresponsive! Then, when you repeatedly send follow up emails asking for clarification, they will not reply back! Been there, done that!

 

[G_G]

Changing something that seems easy to the average user sometimes involves a major “rewrite”. I’m happy—having spent a relatively small sum of money—to see how things progress. Even if nothing changes, I have a drone that flies well and which, with a little patience, can do everything I want it to do. The alternatives have their downsides, too—and some of them cost a lot more.

That was my attitude as well. However, I have since learned that I have been deliberately mislead and outright lied to, by both their head engineer and customer support about things they intend to fix and explanations for behavior that is completely contradictory to the facts. They really haven't a clue about what they are doing! When confronted with their deception, ignorance, and lies, they go radio silent! I shouldn't have to do their tech support for them, figuring out all these things on my own, so I finally have a reasonable expectation of what the drone is and isn't capable of! Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining!

 

[CraigCam]

I’m tired of the DJI comparison that’s why the entitlement statement. It’s a waste of time. I enjoy flying and not asking other manufacturers to become their competition just because. Sell your Evo, get a Mavic and go away. Maybe you can’t get an answer from Autel because they are not interested in being DJI. You started with a query disguised as a complaint. Many folks came here and stated the facts but that’s still not good enough. Maybe some of us prefer that Autel not mimic DJI in every aspect. Learn to pilot.

 

[CraigCam]

And I do like that the OP is smarter then the engineers at Autel so as I said previously please build us your perfect drone then you can show those guys at Autel how much you know.

 

[nyg]

I've had my EVO for only a few weeks but I have to say I was surprised that my settings were reset after changing batteries. I very rarely use OA and would like to keep the setting off. It's unusual having to constantly change settings. I really like the drone but having the settings constantly reset shouldn't be considered normal.

 

[Nightbat2]

I've had my EVO for only a few weeks but I have to say I was surprised that my settings were reset after changing batteries. I very rarely use OA and would like to keep the setting off. It's unusual having to constantly change settings. I really like the drone but having the settings constantly reset shouldn't be considered normal.

On the other hand, checking your settings before each flight could help you avoid a costly mistake.

 

[pjeuck]

That is what i have been doing, but i was thinking if in standard speed with RTH enabled in a head wind it should go a lot faster it seems like a software fix could solve this problem? The wind is only 15 MPH. I also feel that stiffer propellers would be more effective.

My experience is to be cautious in wind. First wind conditions at altitude can be much different than at ground level. Second Autel’s waypoints and RTH are designed to fly at 22 mph calm weather. So if the drone has to fight a headwind the software was not designed to compensate. Like someone said before you might have to switch modes to ludicrous and bring it back manually. But a word of caution. Flying ludicrous downwind the drone maintains altitude. Flying ludicrous against headwinds you can drop altitude rapidly. I don’t know why that should be but it does. So keep an eye on your altitude when flying ludicrous against a headwind. You have to remember, while these devices are cool they each have limitations. They aren’t like the Commercial drones that are used for filming movies that cost $25 k and can handle almost any condition. I have a small Parrot Anafi that does better in flying windy conditions than the Evo. But it doesn’t film as well and has no collision avoidance. So each manufacturer has their own strengths. You’d think Autel would be able to build in some features to make it perform better in the wind.

 

[Kmikec]

I experienced a completly different problem with RTH. Sometimes when I activate RTH the drone returns in strange manner , a bit "twisted" ,in direction (Orientation)of its first right prop ,and the footage is sideways and it misses its RTH point for 7-8 m

 

[Heckmaniac`s Drone]

My experience is to be cautious in wind. First wind conditions at altitude can be much different than at ground level. Second Autel’s waypoints and RTH are designed to fly at 22 mph calm weather. So if the drone has to fight a headwind the software was not designed to compensate. Like someone said before you might have to switch modes to ludicrous and bring it back manually. But a word of caution. Flying ludicrous downwind the drone maintains altitude. Flying ludicrous against headwinds you can drop altitude rapidly. I don’t know why that should be but it does. So keep an eye on your altitude when flying ludicrous against a headwind. You have to remember, while these devices are cool they each have limitations. They aren’t like the Commercial drones that are used for filming movies that cost $25 k and can handle almost any condition. I have a small Parrot Anafi that does better in flying windy conditions than the Evo. But it doesn’t film as well and has no collision avoidance. So each manufacturer has their own strengths. You’d think Autel would be able to build in some features to make it perform better in the wind.

Rather than ludicrous mode I would go standard mode but shut off obstacle avoidance and change standards speed to 34mph. That way you won't lose altitude like you do in ludicrous mode and your battery won't drain as quickly. Standard @34mph should be enough power to fight fairly strong wind while maintaining decent speed.

 

[AnchorageAk]

Lost my first Evo 2 because of high winds in the mountains. Hard to judge the winds, because they change. Is the 22 mile rth mentioned in the manual? Now I am so careful I don't enjoy flying as much. I will start doing it manually. Thanks to everyone one for all the good info.

 

[G_G]

Lost my first Evo 2 because of high winds in the mountains. Hard to judge the winds, because they change. Is the 22 mile rth mentioned in the manual? Now I am so careful I don't enjoy flying as much. I will start doing it manually. Thanks to everyone one for all the good info.

Never, ever depend upon RTH to get your drone back efficiently! It doesn't know that you will be flying into a headwind on the return, and it won't fly any faster than a very inefficient 22 mph, and it doesn't know that flying lower reduces the headwind, even though it may be lower than your preset RTH elevation. After either a low battery RTH or a loss of signal RTH, cancel RTH and take over manual control immediately after the turn around or restoration of signal. RTH was never intended as a mindless return to home. Using it in that manner will and has led to the loss of your drone.

 

[AnchorageAk]

If I remember right I did go lower, looking for less wind. When your drone is doing 0-5 mph you have time to think. haven't read the manual for a while, but I don't remember seeing that it rth at that speed. I like many have the DJI drones, with sport mode. Just flip the switch.