If you’ve ever witnessed a drone wildly soaring off into the sunset, you’ll understand how a drone pilot feels.
Drone flyaways, fortunately, are not common and, in most cases, could have been avoided.
I’ve seen a drone fly away, but not to the extent of losing it. I was fortunate. The most important thing is to remain calm. I, on the other hand, did not.
I was flying my own drone from my father’s steel-hulled narrow boat.
I had entirely neglected to examine my surroundings since I was too preoccupied with showing off my drone to my friends and family.
I set the drone down on the floor, which was covered in artificial grass, and powered it up.
The drone rocketed upwards into the sky and proceeded to fly away from me as it hovered approximately 4 feet above the ground.
I was furiously pushing everything (not the greatest option, I know) to get control, even the RTH function. Then, all of a sudden, it came to a halt, and I regained complete control.
Understanding how a drone operates requires practise.
However, you should make it a point to learn how to fly a drone in order to avoid future flyaways.
In this post, I’ll explain why your drone could have taken off and how you can prevent it from occurring again.
What Causes a Drone to Fly away
Drones take off when the radio link between the controller and the drone is broken.
This might be due to an external source interfering with the signal, such as a WiFi signal or a nearby metal building.
When the connection is lost, the drone is unsure what to do and, in most circumstances, will control itself.
Modern drones, on the other hand, contain a fail safe feature, and the drone should safely return to its house.
When it comes to a ‘flyaway,’ there are numerous possible causes. However, in fact, a drone fly away has just one definition: when a drone flies away without reason.
Essentially, I mean when no other elements are involved that you are aware of.
However, for the sake of this post, I will go through the many sorts of causes that might lead to this happening, as you can see below.
Here are the Five most typical reasons why your drone flew away.
- Error caused by Pilot ( human errors) and Any Technical Errors
- Signal Failure (Drone is disconnected from the controller)
- Due to a lack of GPS,
- Interference from Outside (Including Compass Calibration)
Drones can be useful tools, and I am all about useful tools. One of my mottos is ‘the right tool for the right job. – Martha Stewart
Even if you have the smallest inkling that your battery may be damaged, DO NOT use it. With LiPo batteries, you can expect a lifetime of about 300 charges.
Table of Contents
Pilot Error and Technical error
The most prevalent cause of a drone flying away is most likely pilot mistake. I know it’s something we don’t like to accept, but it’s true. Obviously, we do not make these mistakes on purpose (in most situations), but they do occur, and here are some of the most prevalent user blunders
- Flying a drone outside of its range
- The drone and batteries have not been updated.
- Your equipment is not fully charged.
- Taking off in inclement
- weather
- Ignoring warnings inside the drone app and flying out of sight
- After relocating, the Return-To-Home point is not updated.
- Flying in ATTI mode – This is a Flight Mode that most novice pilots do not employ this technique
These mistakes are readily avoidable if you take the time to get to know your drone. Learning how to operate your drone correctly, as well as completing a pre-flight checklist, may assist keep your drone from flying away.
Technical Errors
Drones, like any contemporary technology, may and do suffer technical flaws.
And one of these technological flaws may be in any component dealing with communication or flying, such as the flight controller or transmission system.
Technical difficulties, fortunately, are few, and to be honest, there isn’t much you can do about them.
If something is doomed to fail, it is doomed to fail.
Fortunately for us pilots, this is where the flight log comes in handy.
A drone flight log stores all of the data collected during each and every flight of the drone.
This includes the following:
- Flight Altitude Speed Date and Time
- Wind Speed on the Flight Path
This list is minimal in comparison to all of the information gathered, but it essentially shows you what information is logged.
‘I’m mentioning Flight Logs because they can be utilised if your drone flew away and it wasn’t your fault.
If you report the event to the manufacturer in the hopes of receiving a replacement, they may require your flight log.
The drone app allows you to view your flight logs. However, be aware that in most situations, you will need to collect your drone in order to receive a replacement.
Nowadays, DJI and insurance companies provide coverage for fly aways, but you must read your policy or call them to find out whether you are eligible.
There has been no reset of the Return-to-Home option.
According to the rules of drone operation, failing to set a Return-To-Home point will not result in your drone taking off.
However, if you shift places and fail to reset the home point, there’s a strong possibility that your drone will attempt to land at its last known position if the RTH button is hit on the controller.
When activated, the Return-To-Home function allows your drone to return to its last known landing spot, which is a helpful safety feature. Almost all mid- to high-end drones are equipped with this function.
There is generally an RTH button on the controller that may be pressed to access this feature. Simply push the button when the situation calls for action (you might have to keep it pressed for a number of seconds as this prevents it being caught by accident).
Another excellent RTH function on most drones is that if your drone loses its signal or becomes disconnected, the drone should automatically begin to return to its home base or location.
Similar considerations apply in the event that your batteries get depleted.
When I say “experience,” I mean it. In the course of my flight over a nearby lake, I decided to walk about 1 kilometre farther.
The battery life of the device began to dwindle, so I thought it was time to replace it. Due of my laziness, I just hit the RTH button and waited for the process to complete.
Because I’m one of those individuals who checks the little google map in the app on a daily basis, this is a blessing. After a few minutes, I realised that my drone had taken off in the direction I had just left.
Why? As a result, it was returning to the location where it had been last observed.
Certainly a human error, but it’s also a typical one that some operators may classify as a fly away because, well, their drone has taken off.
Drone Signal Has Been Lost
When a drone loses its connection, it loses the capacity to fly in the manner in which it was designed to. In order for a drone to operate, it must first receive instructions from the controller, such as going ahead or ascending.
When the drone loses signal, it will typically continue to operate according to the last direction it got (unless RTH kicks in).
For example, if you were flying ahead, the drone will continue to fly forwards until it either reconnects, the battery runs out, or, in the worst case scenario, it smashes into something.
Here are some of the most frequent difficulties that might cause your drone to lose its signal and go off into the distance:
- It is not possible to upgrade the drone, batteries, or controller.
- Updates and firmware upgrades might create problems.
- The drone application has not been updated.
- The USB cord that is commonly used (the one provided can cause problems).
- There is an excessive amount of WIFI.
- Interference
You have a technical problem with your flying environment. - If you want to avoid your drone losing its connection, be sure to check all of the items on this list, as well as your pre-flight check, and you should be OK.
- The only thing you can’t do anything about is a technological problem.
Additionally, keep an eye on your drone app on a regular basis for any warnings. In the event that something goes wrong, such as a shortage of GPS satellites, it should be the first place you look to find out.
Your Drone Isn't Equipped With GPS
We launch our drones into the skies as pilots. Mother Nature does her thing, while we are able to manage our drones to some level, thus it's normal for our drones to return to us and look a bit worse for wear. To make sure your drone is ready to fly, take the time to purify your drone, and care for it.
Almost all mid- to high-end drones are equipped with GPS, so you may be confident in your purchase. If this is the case, you can skip this section if you so want.
Drones require a link with a specific number of satellites above the earth in order to sustain a strong GPS signal. This may be verified inside your drone application, and it should be shown on your screen.
It is possible for your drone to enter ATTI (Attitude) mode if the GPS signal between it and the controller becomes weak or is lost altogether. This disables the majority of the safety mechanisms and, for those who are less skilled, may result in your drone flying away if you are not in complete control.
Another unpleasant consequence of losing a GPS connection is that your drone will not be able to determine its location and will attempt to land exactly where it is currently located. The location of your drone will determine if this is a positive or negative development.
A GPS signal is something that you have no control over. But you can keep an eye on your drone app and make sure you have a good GPS connection to keep an eye on things.
If your drone does exhibit a shaky signal, don’t be alarmed.
In the event that you still retain control of your drone, return it to a safe location, ideally back to you.
If you are unable to control your drone and it continues to fly, attempt to record the last place you saw it from inside the application.
It’s possible that you’ll have to go get it.
Pro Tip: Inspect them for cracks or warping before you re-install your propellers. Consider casting the propellers off and purchasing new ones if you see any damage. It might put you a few bucks back - but that's a little cost to avoid crashing your drone.
External Interference
Drones broadcast and receive signals using frequencies ranging from 2.4 to 5.8 GHz, which makes them susceptible to electromagnetic interference.
Here are a few examples of probable sources of interference that might cause your drone to take off and disappear:
- Electrical Transmission Lines
Objects Made of Metal
Slabs of Concrete (Some may contain steel rods) - Signals from other radio or WiFi networks
Structures made of steel (Bridges, Towers). - Buildings are a type of structure (they could be giving off signal from Cellphones, routers or microwaves)
- Electrical Transmission Lines
Interferences of this nature might cause a drone’s compass to malfunction. It’s possible that your signal or connection may be lost, and your drone will be forced to fly on its own.
Calibration of the drone’s compass and examination of the surrounding surroundings should always be included in your pre-flight inspection. If you discover any of the issues listed above when scouting your potential location, you’d be best off looking elsewhere.
In order to be aligned with the Earth’s natural magnetic North, a drone compass must be calibrated before to use. When calibrating the aircraft’s compass, the aircraft’s compass is offset against Magnetic North, which allows the drone to determine its real location.
This works because, while you are calibrating the compass, the drone is in a stable location (despite the fact that you are spinning it around), but the Earth’s magnetic fields are constantly shifting.
This is then mathematically separated, and the findings are stored within the drone’s internal memory.
Although drones taking off on their own is rare, it does happen from time to time, and it is not a pleasant experience for the drone operator.
Drones, like other electrical devices, are susceptible to mechanical failures, which are unique to drones.
Fortunately, there are a number of various methods for preventing, retrieving, and repairing your drone from being disoriented and running away at all times.
Although it is becoming much less prevalent as a result of technological development, you should always try to avoid it if at all possible.
Also Read...
Hi , I'm Manny
Hi, my name is Manny. I’ve owned quite a few drones over the past few years and love them. I’ve also been a habbyist photographer for over ten years, and I have plenty of experience I want to share with you. When I get the chance, you will find me outdoors somewhere acting like a big kid. I love being outdoors doing things like camping, kayaking, walking, swimming and best of all, capturing it.
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