Low Battery: Be VERY cautious

[Jre]

Hey guys. Was just flying my I1 filming a house. Had it out front and was getting a few more shots. Battery dropped to the RTH level and I was checking on the position of the craft and then looked down and realized I had missed the opportunity to cancel the RTH. The I1 started flying towards the home location. I had to fight with it on the sticks and skimmed over a few cars parked out front nearly hitting them. I believe that I effectively canceled the RTH by controlling the sticks, but had a few close calls in the process that could have been very expensive. I know a few other users on here have had some mishaps with low battery already, so be very careful.

I would suggest putting in earphones so that you can hear the RTH warning immediately and cancel it if necessary.

 

[johnmont250]

so your starting a new thread? do you have any video of this problem with your inspire? or do you just want attention?

if your unit does not rise to return to home, something is wrong, and you should find out whats up before flying, or test it out in a safe place and record it so someone can help you get it fixed.

 

[OnAnotherLevel]

You weren't charging for the pictures were you ? Because that would be illeagle

 

[Jre]

Starting a new thread cause I live in America and WWW doesn't stand for world wide Web it stands for wild wild west. That and I was anxious after it happened and wanted to share my story. Not so much for attention but more for an isolated safety warning to people filming houses or low shots with obstacles nearby or potentially in the way of a RTH path. I would like to make people aware that they can control the aircraft in RTH or cancel it within 10 seconds of the warning on the app, or supposedly cancel it by pressing the home button on the controller. My advice is just don't panic if this scenario happens, because if you don't take action your bird may fly straight into something or someone.

But hey if you want to call me an attention seeker go right ahead, that's your right, sir.

 

[Jre]

You weren't charging for the pictures were you ? Because that would be illeagle

Nope. Practice videos at a relative's house.

 

[Mazz]

Video would be great as I believe our two helpful DJI techs were looking for video of one of the occurrences. However the issue has been addressed and I am happy to say it sounds like it is being taken care of soon in a firmware update. Apparently when you touch the sticks you cancel the "Go Up" part of RTH.

 

[Tahoe Ed]

This was answered in the other RTH thread. You probably touched the "A" stick. That stops the ascent and it goes directly home from whatever height that is. This will be addressed in the next version of the firmware.

 

[SkySight]

JRE- Thank you for sharing your story and getting the word out. I'm glad your I1 is safe and sound. Good job!

 

[slim.slamma]

After around 80 take offs. I ate my first i1 crash. I panicked and forced a controlled crash. I knew it was trying to rth mode but couldn't understand why it wouldnt elevate. Low battery warning and rth mode is an accident waiting to happen im Assuming with the recent firmware update. I was on lake Ontario its frozen solid. Walked back to the parking lot from the lake. Didnt want to carry it so i was flying back to the lot with around 15 percent battery. It took off ,back towards the lake. Low battery warning im not using for future flights. I know at 30 % to be close to home. WHY DO I HAFT TO CONSTANTLY BE ON THIS FORUM DJI? Stop with the beta firmware updates i waited 2 weeks after to update. Still... i cant fully enjoy my craft. I got to be on this forum trolling thru post

 

[The Editor]

Set your critical level down to 10% (to stop forced landings higher up the discharge curve- far better to risk destroying a battery pack by over discharging it than risk the Inspire).
And you're right...... you shouldn't really be flying back to the car at 15% batt . It can go from 15% to very very little percent VERY quickly.
I have my low battery set at 28% and I land between 20-25%. My critical is set as low as it will go at 10%.

 

[Kilrah]

WHY DO I HAFT TO CONSTANTLY BE ON THIS FORUM DJI?

Because you don't seem to want to learn how the I1 works?

Sorry but it all worked as designed, nothing caused either by firmware upgrades or "beta". It is designed to RTH (unless you cancel it during the warning) before remaining battery is insufficient to come back to the home point without going below the critical level so that you don't freaking lose your machine or crash it on the way back if you don't pay attention to your battery level.
It's perfectly appropriate for the most common scenario of the pilot standing at one point for the whole flight.

If you understood that and realised your scenario is different you'd have taken that into account and either wouldn't have done what you did in the first place, would have set the home point close to you, or at least have been paying attention to the app to cancel RTH when it warned you about it.

 

[Mazz]

Set your critical level down to 10% (to stop forced landings higher up the discharge curve- far better to risk destroying a battery pack by over discharging it than risk the Inspire).

I have my low battery set at 28% and I land between 20-25%. My critical is set as low as it will go at 10%.

This seems like a pretty great solution for now.

 

[InspiredOne]

Set your critical level down to 10% (to stop forced landings higher up the discharge curve- far better to risk destroying a battery pack by over discharging it than risk the Inspire).
And you're right...... you shouldn't really be flying back to the car at 15% batt . It can go from 15% to very very little percent VERY quickly.
I have my low battery set at 28% and I land between 20-25%. My critical is set as low as it will go at 10%.

What is the altitude you have set for RTH?

The reason I ask is the need to get high enough to clear obstacles yet not so high that it burns up valuable battery time ascending and descending in those last critical minutes.

Sorry for the dumb question.

 

[slim.slamma]

Set your critical level down to 10% (to stop forced landings higher up the discharge curve- far better to risk destroying a battery pack by over discharging it than risk the Inspire).
And you're right...... you shouldn't really be flying back to the car at 15% batt . It can go from 15% to very very little percent VERY quickly.
I have my low battery set at 28% and I land between 20-25%. My critical is set as low as it will go at 10%.

It never did this or maybe its me i didnt notice. I normally try to keep it 5 to 10ft near me and completely discharge the battery. Not no more. I was just gone eat the crash as pilot error. Patients... 3to4 months since released.

 

[slim.slamma]

Because you don't seem to want to learn how the I1 works?

Sorry but it all worked as designed, nothing caused either by firmware upgrades or "beta". It is designed to RTH (unless you cancel it during the warning) before remaining battery is insufficient to come back to the home point without going below the critical level so that you don't freaking lose your machine or crash it on the way back if you don't pay attention to your battery level.
It's perfectly appropriate for the most common scenario of the pilot standing at one point for the whole flight.

If you understood that and realised your scenario is different you'd have taken that into account and either wouldn't have done what you did in the first place, would have set the home point close to you, or at least have been paying attention to the app to cancel RTH when it warned you about it.

your correct i missed it on the app but why didnt it elevate because i touched the stick. It wasnt doing that before or maybe its just me. You got it, i cant fight with you guys the only way i made it this far was by way of the forum. Im stuck with you and your stuck with us. Until the actual do something firmware update is released.

 

[The Editor]

What is the altitude you have set for RTH?

The reason I ask is the need to get high enough to clear obstacles yet not so high that it burns up valuable battery time ascending and descending in those last critical minutes.

Sorry for the dumb question.

I actually haven't touched the default setting for height as I have never run my battery low enough to trigger RTH. I always have my craft back to me around the 30% mark anyway (probably habit of years and years of flying heli's without telemetry and only on timers!). I know of old how quickly a lipo can dip once it gets near it's discharged state...... I don't like going there

 

[InspiredOne]

I actually haven't touched the default setting for height as I have never run my battery low enough to trigger RTH. I always have my craft back to me around the 30% mark anyway (probably habit of years and years of flying heli's without telemetry and only on timers!). I know of old how quickly a lipo can dip once it gets near it's discharged state...... I don't like going there

Point well taken. Thanks!

 

[blade strike]

I actually haven't touched the default setting for height as I have never run my battery low enough to trigger RTH. I always have my craft back to me around the 30% mark anyway (probably habit of years and years of flying heli's without telemetry and only on timers!). I know of old how quickly a lipo can dip once it gets near it's discharged state...... I don't like going there

I couldn't agree more.. I have been using lipo's since 2005 flying single rotor. What I have learned over the years is not to abuse them.. IMHO if your flying until LV RTH, your abusing your packs.

 

[Mazz]

I wish I kept all of the lipos and NiMH batts I have killed in the past 10 years just to show you guys. From ones that swelled up to twice their original size to one that burned a hole in the sponge at the bottom of my ammo canister. These things are expensive and finicky. If treated well they will usually treat you well. Do not leave your batteries sitting fully charged or fully discharged for more that five days. This kills the life of the battery. I know the DJI batteries have internal balancing capabilities and do not allow an over drain but even at the lowest voltage they can get, long term storage at either extreme is bad for your battery. Also, you do NOT need to drain your battery every time you use it. This can actually be bad for the battery as well. Most of us who use them regularly say that you should drain it 1 out of 5 times you use it. Hope that helps.

 

[blade strike]

I wish I kept all of the lipos and NiMH batts I have killed in the past 10 years just to show you guys. From ones that swelled up to twice their original size to one that burned a hole in the sponge at the bottom of my ammo canister. These things are expensive and finicky. If treated well they will usually treat you well. Do not leave your batteries sitting fully charged or fully discharged for more that five days. This kills the life of the battery. I know the DJI batteries have internal balancing capabilities and do not allow an over drain but even at the lowest voltage they can get, long term storage at either extreme is bad for your battery. Also, you do NOT need to drain your battery every time you use it. This can actually be bad for the battery as well. Most of us who use them regularly say that you should drain it 1 out of 5 times you use it. Hope that helps.

Yeah my big batteries for my s1000 are $500-600+ each, You have to treat them well. You lose a cell in on of these and it hurts pretty bad.