I was using my 3dr Solo in a small island a couple of miles out of Biscayne Bay called Boca Chita. I was hovering my drone for about a minute or so at about 15 feet getting a video of a lighthouse at Boca Chita. As soon as I started getting some altitude I started drifting the Drone left over the water. As soon as I started drifting left with a clear sky and the Drone about 15 feet away from me at an altitude of about 15 feet it's simply just fell. It just fell like it was Zapped from the sky. I had just also ordered and you fpvlr antenna that I will no longer have use for. I did a log request with 3dr. My GoPro hero4 silver is ruined and worst of all my SD card was also ruined. I'm saying this here publicly because after seeing what I saw I think that that scenario if flown over people would have been catastrophic should it have fallen on someone be very mindful that this has happened and I'm sure can happen again.
3dr solo just fell from sky to Ocean
- Thread starter Bigquick2010
- Start date
Sorry to hear of your situation. Let's hope 3DR can figure out what happened, and hopefully get you taken care of under warranty. If they seem to be taking too long to get back to you, use your ticket # and use chat to see what the status is of the logs you sent in. I wish you luck.
I do hope they determine it is covered
And I like your point, but it will fall on deaf ears
People will get hurt and property damaged because people just do not consider that this could happen to them
I saw a video yesterday of someone hovering a drone over a busy intersection to get video
And I like your point, but it will fall on deaf ears
People will get hurt and property damaged because people just do not consider that this could happen to them
I saw a video yesterday of someone hovering a drone over a busy intersection to get video
After seeing that honestly I cannot trust the technology even if it's another more reputable brand. I'm just glad no one got hurt I think of times that I would have had the drone hovering over me to get a selfie. It is what it is I will be posting a video on YouTube hopefully in a couple of days of my fishing video which has a small portion of the 3dr crash on it.
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That's too bad, I've been there, done that. I've lost two in the water for different reasons unrecovered. Both of which 3DR said was pilot error. I've been flying six SOLO's since it came out 2 years ago and 99% of the flights have had great outcome.
With that said I'm still very confident with the SOLO, although my batteries are wearing out.
I've got 10 on the shelf awaiting 1st charge.
I hope 3DR can come up with a replacement for you.
With that said I'm still very confident with the SOLO, although my batteries are wearing out.
I've got 10 on the shelf awaiting 1st charge.
I hope 3DR can come up with a replacement for you.
I Also purchased the total package "$1875" when it first came out July, 2015 & Never Ever had any mishaps or unexpected results since then.
I truly feel that i made the right investment "Not buying the P3"
Most errors are user errors, not all, but most.
Bigquick2010 You haven't told us enough info, to just give our opinions to what may have happen "Just fell out of the Sky"
If you would like to up your Logs here, then we can read them & give you a better understanding what happend.
I truly feel that i made the right investment "Not buying the P3"
Most errors are user errors, not all, but most.
Bigquick2010 You haven't told us enough info, to just give our opinions to what may have happen "Just fell out of the Sky"
If you would like to up your Logs here, then we can read them & give you a better understanding what happend.
Here is the video I was going to be making if you guys fast forward to about 7 minutes you can see where the 3dr crashed and get a better understanding of my location I will get my logs submitted sometime later today I just need to figure that out.
I live in Hawaii and i love taking over the water shots. I'm dreading something like this happening to mine. Might be buying a backup in the near future.
I put money it was your gps or motor failure. I think 3DR said some had imu failures.
3DR support has been pretty good. When my had a gps issue and did a bunny hop on landing they sent me new props.
3DR support has been pretty good. When my had a gps issue and did a bunny hop on landing they sent me new props.
I think you're onto something because earlier in the day I was at a fishing spot in the open ocean and I wanted to get Drone footage of my vessel while I was fishing. The whole time I was there it failed to connect to solo. Eventually I gave up and settled to do the video at Boca Chita which is very nice as you can see in the video. It was hovering for about two and a half minutes and then it just fell. The main reason I bought that drone was because I wanted to get footage of me out in the water but if it does not work outside of the city it makes no sense for me. I sent them a log request yada yada but honestly I'm not expecting much they said it's going to take 2 to 3 weeks which is absurd.
They will know within a couple of days. Your video editing looks pretty good. How long have you been flying? Is your gps rev a or b? I have uav app that also monitors solar flares. Not much u can do about it besides not fly during those times. If u have rev b I would think imu or motor pod failure.
I have been flying a mavic for a while now but I just thought that I liked the GoPro footage Factor with my editing setup. That's why I went with the solo I like the unit alot it just gave me an oh my God moment when that thing just fell on unannounced after that I will never ever fly any drone over people
Easter Sunday I was flying on Lake Huron and mine suddenly fell from altitude and crashed. I am still waiting on 3DR with a response. They told me they were busy and it would take time. I would just like to know if it was something I did or if it was hardware failure.... the day before Easter I flew in treacherous wind and it flew perfect. Easter Sunday. Light wind and it drops like a stone! Will let yo know when I do from 3DR.... still love my SOLO and would buy another in a heartbeat. Just sucks I lost a GoPro and the SDCard......
I wish there was a way to create a pad that would make it float when it hits the water. It would probably weigh it down, block gps, and create stress on the battery but it would help with recovery. Maybe a small rocket that attaches to the Go Pro and it ejects like a fighter pilot seat......
just for recovery sake, maybe pool noodle foam glue around it..for visability on the drone too....(not a bad idea wonder if it would mess with antenna and compass?) and velcro-secure in the gopro somehow...... you would still get water damage but recovery would be a lot easier if it did float! still waiting on 3DR for a reply.
there is a item that's been on the market for a while. Looks like a tube of lip chaps "not too noticeable",attache it to anything "Your Solo", if it gets wet, A large orange ball inflates 12", the ball to attached to a nylon string 100 ft or more. , if your Solo decides to take a dip in a Lake or worst, the ocean, Then just look for that Orange ball & pull it up!.. Most of all Solo that fell in a Lake "Fresh water" worked again "Properly dried" but any that fell in the ocean "SaltWater" most of them didn't make it.... Some survived with flushing with freshwater soon after the dip..... Can't remember the name, but is was on the market about 2 years ago. Many who owns drones & fly over water a lot bought .
Steve,
I have the "GetterBack" from Amazon. Weighs 11 grams and just velcros to the Solo leg. Was designed for fishing rod recovery, but works great in our application. Will allow you to recover the Solo in up to 100' of water. Copter electronics and GoPro will likely be damaged in salt water but plenty of other parts can be salvaged. I also paid for the extended warranty at Best Buy on the GoPro so they will replace it or give me back the $ as long as I can produce the camera.
I posted some photos on the forum a few months back if you want to search on my name or "GetterBack".
Just spitballing without seeing the logs here.. is it possible it thought it landed due to rotor wash and the barometer? Still super odd but aside from pilot error, or some kind of pod or hardware failure, that's all I can think of.
Only reason I suggest that is because when I had gotten my first solo I was flying super timid at a LOW altitude of maybe 6 inches, just trying to figure out the controls and such. I hovered there for a few moments and then the solo disarmed itself. Of course it then plummeted like a huge rock from the sky and horrifically crash landed on all 4 legs. (Jokes of course). I've never been able to do it again and after looking at the logs I found no indication of a failure of hardware, it simply sat there in loiter till it disarmed.
Only reason I suggest that is because when I had gotten my first solo I was flying super timid at a LOW altitude of maybe 6 inches, just trying to figure out the controls and such. I hovered there for a few moments and then the solo disarmed itself. Of course it then plummeted like a huge rock from the sky and horrifically crash landed on all 4 legs. (Jokes of course). I've never been able to do it again and after looking at the logs I found no indication of a failure of hardware, it simply sat there in loiter till it disarmed.
Mike,
I just was speaking to Amazon corporate regarding my issue with the 3dr solo drone. I spoke with them and they assisted me with my issue regarding the Drone falling out of the sky unannounced.
They say their policy isn't to return or refund drones but since your email says that it malfunctioned they made a one-time exception.
I explained to them that the Drone just fell unannounced and could potentially kill someone if falling over people.
They have asked me to gather the parts I was able to retrieve and send to them. It is unfortunate that you as the manufacture did not do the right thing and try to assist me with my issue.
I will be using the emails that you have issued me via 3dr and willl use them in a review on YouTube. I understand you just work for this company but people need to know that this product is defective and can malfunction and gravely hurt people.
Regards,
Alfred Montaner
I just was speaking to Amazon corporate regarding my issue with the 3dr solo drone. I spoke with them and they assisted me with my issue regarding the Drone falling out of the sky unannounced.
They say their policy isn't to return or refund drones but since your email says that it malfunctioned they made a one-time exception.
I explained to them that the Drone just fell unannounced and could potentially kill someone if falling over people.
They have asked me to gather the parts I was able to retrieve and send to them. It is unfortunate that you as the manufacture did not do the right thing and try to assist me with my issue.
I will be using the emails that you have issued me via 3dr and willl use them in a review on YouTube. I understand you just work for this company but people need to know that this product is defective and can malfunction and gravely hurt people.
Regards,
Alfred Montaner
Your specific drone was defective, not the entire product. Do not assume that every drone 3DR made is defective because that is simply not true.
Literally any drone can malfunction and gravely hurt people, that isnt limited to just this drone.. That is why you are not supposed to fly over crowds of people.
But by all means, go ahead and post a negative review of a perfectly fine drone platform, it will just continue to lower the price for those of us that believe in the product and want to continue flying them
And I dont think you have uploaded your logs to the community for review as someone earlier in this thread suggested. Is there any specific reason as to why you have not done so? There are some very knowledgeable people on this forum that would almost certainly provide you a faster response time than you would get from 3DR.
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