Prop Protecters in Winds

[Cynthia Farr]

I have had a crash it had been suggested that my prop guards caught the wind and caused my solo to crash has any body else had this happen even though I had a GPS lock on or I believed that a GPS Lock help stabilised the craft

 

[SteveReno]

I never heard of prop guards causing a crash before now.
If you can upload your log files here, after you make a ticket with 3DR, then we can tell you what really happened.

Hope this helps

 

[Solo Keith]

I can say that I got rid of my prop guards after the first time I used them. Made Solo extremely unstable IMO. I'm sure they serve good while hovering around obstacles. But those particular ones for Solo make Solo almost uncontrollable @ the slightest push of thrust

 

[erikgraham]

Looked like a motor pod failure to me, but i don't have experience with prop guards on Solo, so maybe that's it.

Assuming the Solo survived mostly intact, try firing up each motor separately (props off) using Mission Planner. If one sounds out of tune with the others, it's time to replace the motor pod.

 

[Cynthia Farr]

Hello Cynthia,

Thank you for contacting 3D Robotics Tech Support, my name is Manuel, and I'll be assisting you.
I'm sorry for the issues your Solo had.

After analyzing the logs you sent, I could see that the motor pod #3 failed and shortly after that the Solo started to fall from the sky. The GPs loss you experienced happened after the Solo malfunction, the high vibrations caused by the instability affected Solo's sensors.
This failure usually happens when the Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) has a short circuit or the motor had mechanical issues, this unstabilize the motor and the Solo can't compensate for the movements and started to lose altitude.

Since the crash was caused by a hardware malfunction we'll replace the damaged propellers and motor pod; the motor pod can be replaced by following these instructions [https://3dr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/3DR_MotorPOD_QSG_R4.pdf].

 

[Cynthia Farr]

RESPONSE FROM 3DR
Hello Cynthia,

Thank you for contacting 3D Robotics Tech Support, my name is Manuel, and I'll be assisting you.
I'm sorry for the issues your Solo had.

After analyzing the logs you sent, I could see that the motor pod #3 failed and shortly after that the Solo started to fall from the sky. The GPs loss you experienced happened after the Solo malfunction, the high vibrations caused by the instability affected Solo's sensors.
This failure usually happens when the Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) has a short circuit or the motor had mechanical issues, this unstabilize the motor and the Solo can't compensate for the movements and started to lose altitude.

Since the crash was caused by a hardware malfunction we'll replace the damaged propellers and motor pod; the motor pod can be replaced by following these instructions [https://3dr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/3DR_MotorPOD_QSG_R4.pdf].

 

[Solo Keith]

Is that all that was damaged in the crash?

 

[Cynthia Farr]

Yes and I thank the prop guards for saving the other motors now I have to learn how to install it when my new motor arrives

 

[Solo Keith]

Yes and I thank the prop guards for saving the other motors now I have to learn how to install it when my new motor arrives

Wow! That's good to hear. And I'm now eating my words

 

[Charingo]

Just want to add my two cents. I'm a new Solo pilot and recently put on new prop guards to give them a whirl (hehe). I launched from a building top (5 stories) which probably wasn't the best idea, but the first minute of the flight everything seemed to be normal, then I flew the drone just past the edge of the building about 4 meters above the height of the building and there must have been some kind of strong downdraft. Solo began rocking violently from side to side and started to rapidly descend...out of my field of view. I hit return to home button but nothing. Ran downstairs and found the camera on the ground and the drone across the street in a mini park...miraculously on its feet! The only thing damaged were the props and the legs extenders had broken off. Looking at the footage the drone struck the building on its way down and the camera fell out. I'm not sure if it hit the building as a result of my pressing the return to home as it was trying to get back or if it was just part of its free fall. Afterward, I brought Solo to an open park, changed the props, fitted the camera, and removed the prop guards and gave it a 5 minute run with no problems. I believe that the prop guards caused extra resistance in unusual/strong wind conditions which destabilized Solo and caused the crash. I found it strange that Solo destabilized and just began to sink like a stone. The only theory I have about why it descended is that there was a strong downdraft along the side of the building. Any thoughts/comments welcome.

 

[Joe Horn]

Charingo: At the moment that your Solo descended out of view next to the building, it would have instantly lost view of half of the sky, so it probably lost GPS at that time. It also lost connection with your controller of course, since the building was between it and your Solo. Just thinking out loud here... perhaps its only option was to try to land immediately since it couldn't hover in place (no GPS) or return to home (no GPS) or return to you (no connection to controller).

 

[Charingo]

Charingo: At the moment that your Solo descended out of view next to the building, it would have instantly lost view of half of the sky, so it probably lost GPS at that time. It also lost connection with your controller of course, since the building was between it and your Solo. Just thinking out loud here... perhaps its only option was to try to land immediately since it couldn't hover in place (no GPS) or return to home (no GPS) or return to you (no connection to controller).

Thanks Joe Horn. I think you are probably right about the GPS after it got below building level, but it was already in descent at about 4 meters above the level of the building. Does solo normally try to land if it becomes unstable? The only other thing that seems likely is magnetic interference from the actual building had some cause there.

 

[Joe Horn]

Does solo normally try to land if it becomes unstable?

I hope others who have experience with GPS loss will chime in here. I've never lost GPS, so I don't know what happens then. I lose connection with the controller all the time, and when that happens, my Solo simply Returns To Home (and then automatically lands unless connection is reestablished and I press FLY to stop the Return To Home).

 

[andrew.baker.142]

If Solo loses GPS connection, but still has a solid connection with the controller, it will try and maintain altitude, but will drift with the wind. Some folks call this mode "Manual". If the Solo loses link with both GPS and the controller, it will go into land mode, but will drift with the wind until it hits the ground (or something else).

 

[Craashegt]

I have had a crash it had been suggested that my prop guards caught the wind and caused my solo to crash has any body else had this happen even though I had a GPS lock on or I believed that a GPS Lock help stabilised the craft

You are indeed correct I installed propeller props on my solo and it crashed 3 minutes later I think it had something to do with the Wind

 

[Craashegt]

You are indeed correct I installed propeller guards my solo and it crashed 3 minutes later I think it had something to do with the Wind

I mean propeller guards

 

[Craashegt]

I have had a crash it had been suggested that my prop guards caught the wind and caused my solo to crash has any body else had this happen even though I had a GPS lock on or I believed that a GPS Lock help stabilised the craft

I had the same similar experience I put the propeller guards on lift it up and it just crashed but it was kind of windy and violent crash