Scary Moments

Russty · Dec 11, 2016

Figured I would start a Thread for a safe place to share your scary/ embarrassing moments. (Fly Aways, Crashes,Run-Ins with Humans against drones, Close calls, Etc)

We all will have them so spill the beans!

Ill start, Just got mine a couple days ago. Took it for its first flight and got pretty comfy with the controls quickly, Brought it back down and was flying about 20 ft off the ground. Well Idk what i did but the drone flew one way and came about 3" from hitting a Power pole transformer. I was quickly able to regain control but phew it was a close call!

RJ_Make · Dec 12, 2016

Great thread, thankfully I've not had any yet with my XSP.

TSmith · Dec 12, 2016

Being a new to drones, everything was a bit scary at first. Last week I was flying down at the harbor and bringing it back for a wrap when I saw something I wanted to take a picture of with the drone from about 80 ft. It hovered perfectly, but apparently the seagulls were not in the mood to have a drone in their sky. They started circling pretty close, but I was able to bring it down in a hurry and avoid a collision. Happy ending as I was down to just a few minutes left on the battery.

Amoxom · Dec 17, 2016

I got my drone late last summer and just in time for a trip up to Northern Mn for a camping trip I do every fall to photograph the scenery up there. The drone was to give me some new vantage points and different shots. I was at the place known as Shovel Point with the drone facing towards Pallisade Head (huge cliff face right at the edge of Superior. My XSP drone calibrated fine, and temperature was low 50's. I let it hover close by for a few minutes before I took it out over the lake. When it was 400yds out at approximately 300' the drone went ape **** and started veering left and right with no stick inputs working. Then it started heading towards the cliff face and losing height, and I thought it was going to be toast. I hit RTH,.... nothing. Hit it again, and luckily it finally halted and made its way home. Talk about a pucker moment.

captbill · Dec 17, 2016

Amoxom said:
I got my drone late last summer and just in time for a trip up to Northern Mn for a camping trip I do every fall to photograph the scenery up there. The drone was to give me some new vantage points and different shots. I was at the place known as Shovel Point with the drone facing towards Pallisade Head (huge cliff face right at the edge of Superior. My XSP drone calibrated fine, and temperature was low 50's. I let it hover close by for a few minutes before I took it out over the lake. When it was 400yds out at approximately 300' the drone went ape **** and started veering left and right with no stick inputs working. Then it started heading towards the cliff face and losing height, and I thought it was going to be toast. I hit RTH,.... nothing. Hit it again, and luckily it finally halted and made its way home. Talk about a pucker moment.

Curious: were there any power lines around you?

Bonsy · Dec 17, 2016

Russty said:
Figured I would start a Thread for a safe place to share your scary/ embarrassing moments. (Fly Aways, Crashes,Run-Ins with Humans against drones, Close calls, Etc)

We all will have them so spill the beans!

Ill start, Just got mine a couple days ago. Took it for its first flight and got pretty comfy with the controls quickly, Brought it back down and was flying about 20 ft off the ground. Well Idk what i did but the drone flew one way and came about 3" from hitting a Power pole transformer. I was quickly able to regain control but phew it was a close call!

You were in control all the time, you just did not realize it.

Bonsy · Dec 17, 2016

TSmith said:
Being a new to drones, everything was a bit scary at first. Last week I was flying down at the harbor and bringing it back for a wrap when I saw something I wanted to take a picture of with the drone from about 80 ft. It hovered perfectly, but apparently the seagulls were not in the mood to have a drone in their sky. They started circling pretty close, but I was able to bring it down in a hurry and avoid a collision. Happy ending as I was down to just a few minutes left on the battery.

I know what you a saying, I had a hawk chase mine for a brief moment. I still think about it all the time.

Amoxom · Dec 17, 2016

captbill said:
Curious: were there any power lines around you?

No power lines at all, I was at the end of a hike right at the waters edge. It was the most bizarre moment I have experienced with the XSP.

TomKnAL · Dec 20, 2016

I have had a number of "scary moments", the latest on Saturday. This one was 100% pilot error. I was flying backwards over a road that I thought was completely clear of trees. I was aware that there is some risk to flying backwards so I turned to face the direction of travel, but the camera was still tilted down. I was accelerating to catch up with the car as I raised the camera only to see a large tree getting larger and larger I reversed the stick and barely escaped disaster. On replay I noticed that even though I did not crash, I did clip a branch or two.

Go to 0:42 for the exciting part:

TomKnAL · Dec 20, 2016

Last week I had another scary moment that was not pilot error. The XSP entered "Go Home" mode, but did not start for Home. I was over water so tjis was a major concern! I tried to cancel it and start home manually but was unable to take control. I have read about similar incidents in which the XSP hovered until it crashed, so I turned off the remote in hope that the "Dropped Link" logic would actually initiate the RTH. After turning the remote off, I did not get feedback for a short while and I started walking towards the last known location. After a few minutes, I reconnected and was happy to see the XSP heading homewards. At about the same time I heard it approaching overhead.

Go to around 12:42 to see the initial problem. I turned off the remote at 13:44 and regained the link at 14:20, distance = 1981ft, 26% battery, 4 minute flight time.

Russty · Jan 10, 2017

Was your home point set to where you were? Ive noticed if you are close to your home wifi or another house sometmes your home point will jump around in the Xstar app.

PaulCobb · Jul 22, 2017

Amoxom said:
I got my drone late last summer and just in time for a trip up to Northern Mn for a camping trip I do every fall to photograph the scenery up there. The drone was to give me some new vantage points and different shots. I was at the place known as Shovel Point with the drone facing towards Pallisade Head (huge cliff face right at the edge of Superior. My XSP drone calibrated fine, and temperature was low 50's. I let it hover close by for a few minutes before I took it out over the lake. When it was 400yds out at approximately 300' the drone went ape **** and started veering left and right with no stick inputs working. Then it started heading towards the cliff face and losing height, and I thought it was going to be toast. I hit RTH,.... nothing. Hit it again, and luckily it finally halted and made its way home. Talk about a pucker moment.

Mine did the same 2 days ago, Launched my xsp from my boat and hit follow mode, it followed me for 2.6 miles on the lake no prob, we stopped and was getting our bowfishing gear out so I put it in orbit mode, it ACTED like it was going to work, then all of a sudden, it shot away, did a small curly q circle, then hit the water at about 30mph. Ive been diving with scuba gear trying to recover it for the last 2 days with no luck. not a very happy camper, made me sick to my stomache watching it hit the water like that......

PRMath · Jul 23, 2017

Russty said:
Figured I would start a Thread for a safe place to share your scary/ embarrassing moments. (Fly Aways, Crashes,Run-Ins with Humans against drones, Close calls, Etc)

We all will have them so spill the beans!

Ill start, Just got mine a couple days ago. Took it for its first flight and got pretty comfy with the controls quickly, Brought it back down and was flying about 20 ft off the ground. Well Idk what i did but the drone flew one way and came about 3" from hitting a Power pole transformer. I was quickly able to regain control but phew it was a close call!

If the battery was facing Away from you........ the controls were reversed. I learned the hard way

That's why my batteries are White ............(old eyes)