Discussion
Ari said:
It's really not complicated, and I'm genuinely curious about the issue, since it's a major deterrent to buying one.
There are many reports of these things unintentionally going down. You've claimed that they're bulls
t before admitting that, err, it's happened to you too!
So either they are (and whether that's a fundamental fault with the machine or an ongoing issue with the control of the things is largely irrelevant when you're staring at the spreading ripples across 20 metre deep water where your multi-hundred pound drone used to be).
OR it's, as you say, all bullst - presumably therefore including your own experience since you've admitted that it happened to you (albeit you managed to recover it before it disappeared completely).
And to bring the discussion back on track, assuming that it isn't mass DJI Phantom inspired 'bullst', then if the GoPro Karma has a better designed control system that means people aren't accidentally losing control the things, or doesn't have whatever flaw it is that causes these things to drop out of the sky, (or better yet is waterproof and floats, but presumably they're have mentioned it if it was) then that's a pretty major plus if (as I would be), you're planning to fly them regularly over deep water (which is why I've not bought one yet).
Ok, let's try for the last time. I'll capitalise the important parts so you can hopefully spot them There are many reports of these things unintentionally going down. You've claimed that they're bulls
t before admitting that, err, it's happened to you too! So either they are (and whether that's a fundamental fault with the machine or an ongoing issue with the control of the things is largely irrelevant when you're staring at the spreading ripples across 20 metre deep water where your multi-hundred pound drone used to be).
OR it's, as you say, all bulls
t - presumably therefore including your own experience since you've admitted that it happened to you (albeit you managed to recover it before it disappeared completely).And to bring the discussion back on track, assuming that it isn't mass DJI Phantom inspired 'bulls
t', then if the GoPro Karma has a better designed control system that means people aren't accidentally losing control the things, or doesn't have whatever flaw it is that causes these things to drop out of the sky, (or better yet is waterproof and floats, but presumably they're have mentioned it if it was) then that's a pretty major plus if (as I would be), you're planning to fly them regularly over deep water (which is why I've not bought one yet).Edited by Ari on Saturday 24th September 11:36
DJI PHANTOMS DROPPING FROM THE SKY LIKE FLIES - THAT (as in your statement) IS BULLs
t. Not the fact that it is possible and I'm sure it happened to many owners, but for every one that lost their drone and went to the internet, there will be thousands that didn't. Apparently DJI is aiming to sell 500.000 drones THIS YEAR ALONE. How many reports worldwide have you read? How many are from actual owners and how many are from people scaremongering and repeating after others like you do? Now how many of the actual accidents were caused by human error but people don't realise it or don't want to admit it? Do you see where I'm going with it?Another thing that you try so hard not to see in my post: MY PHANTOM DIDN'T FALL FROM THE SKY ON ITS OWN. It was my error both times and even then it worked very well after the accidents. Phantom did everything it could to go safely home even when I FAILED.
Since you have never used one, Let me also tell you that the CONTROL over Phantom is actually VERY RELIABLE. You might lose video feed, you'll have no idea where you're going or where the drone is but I've never experienced a situation that the control was lost and I couldn't get it home by a button on the controller and then land it manually when I got to see it.
I get the potential human error point. But what you seem unable to grasp is that it doesn't matter! Or as you might put it, IT DOESN'T MATTER!
We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
Ari said:
I get the potential human error point. But what you seem unable to grasp is that it doesn't matter! Or as you might put it, IT DOESN'T MATTER!
We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
Well, I'll continue to happily fly my drones, from DJI, Parrot and soon GoPro and enjoy it, while you sit there worrying and reading about them... I'm happy with that We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
Edited by rottie102 on Saturday 24th September 17:42
rottie102 said:
Ari said:
I get the potential human error point. But what you seem unable to grasp is that it doesn't matter! Or as you might put it, IT DOESN'T MATTER!
We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
Well, I'll continue to happily fly my drones, from DJI, Parrot and soon GoPro and enjoy it, while you sit there worrying and reading about them... I'm happy with We're on one single tiny thread on an obscure section of a motoring forum that isn't even about DJI Phantoms, and there are two, possibly three, reported incidents right here in this thread - your own being one of them FFS!
The bottom line is, whether the reason those drones are (potentially) at the bottom of a lake is down to operator error or a fault with the machine, until such time as a magic drone fairy replaces every one lost to operator error, then the nett result is exactly the same. You've lost your drone and are going to need to stump up £xxx for a new one, quite apart from the inconvenience, lost footage and whatever else.
I'm not trying to talk the Phantom down (pardon the pun), in fact I'd be very happy to be reassured - I'd like a drone and the Phantom is a hell of a lot cheaper than the Karma (which is unproven anyway so who knows if it might display similar traits).
But so far I've not been, despite your valiant use of capitals. It would appear that the chance of sinking one may be small, but it's very very real.
I still sport my Phantom2 because gopro gives me cineform but I can't shoot in 4k because props will appear in frame and I can't control the camera once it's in the air.
So a little vid like this is all guess work before take off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kVEzRof8kc and I could have made that so much better.
Now the Karma will give me 4k (for framing) control mid air and Glonass. I hope it's good and works well with a Hero 4 but I suspect the session 5's in body stabilisation might work along with the gimbal for even steadier shots if that is even possible.
Edited by V8A*ndy on Saturday 24th September 18:04
The only time I have seen a Phanton fall out the sky is when the idiot put it into emergency powerdown mode which is where a lot of this will have came from. The changed the shut down process to avoid this and you now need to use the home button as part of the process.
With any drone you have to be comfortable with the fact you may lose it at some point unless you are a very cautious pilot
With any drone you have to be comfortable with the fact you may lose it at some point unless you are a very cautious pilot
uber said:
The only time I have seen a Phanton fall out the sky is when the idiot put it into emergency powerdown mode which is where a lot of this will have came from. The changed the shut down process to avoid this and you now need to use the home button as part of the process.
With any drone you have to be comfortable with the fact you may lose it at some point unless you are a very cautious pilot
Lot of issues with the battery connections inside the Phantom failing though.With any drone you have to be comfortable with the fact you may lose it at some point unless you are a very cautious pilot
Also flying with a partly charged battery that has been lying around for a week or so, suddenly goes to Zero charge mid air.
That is a user error, however it's something that wasn't that well documented and if you havn't had much experience with Lipos you wouldn't really have thought about it.
DJI would have you believe you just charge and fly especially in the early days. Best to read up as much as possible and do your homework before each flight.
What I'm eager to find out about the Karma is it's flight controller.
rottie102 said:
V8A*ndy said:
What I'm eager to find out about the Karma is it's flight controller.
Those sticks don't look too good for precise navigation 
But the clamshell idea is great! Especially if it will fit in cargo shorts pocket!It will be interesting to know if they used another manufacturers or developed their own.
uber said:
With any drone you have to be comfortable with the fact you may lose it at some point unless you are a very cautious pilot
A fair summary. But I still have the same issue that my intended use is over water (I'd like to be able to film my boat underway, I think that would be awesome) so if I do lose it, it's gone for good.Also, the system that automatically returns the drone 'home' in the event of issues isn't much use on a boat as you're very unlikely to be where you started (even at anchor you drift about).
I totally appreciate that these are perhaps problems specific to me, and if you're flying over land the likelihood is that you just have to go find where it crashed and pick it up which is an entirely different situation.
But I'm still stuck with the situation that any problem (including one normally automatically resolved by the drone returning to its start position and landing) is extremely likely to result in the loss of several hundred pounds of equipment.
Ari said:
A fair summary. But I still have the same issue that my intended use is over water (I'd like to be able to film my boat underway, I think that would be awesome) so if I do lose it, it's gone for good.
Also, the system that automatically returns the drone 'home' in the event of issues isn't much use on a boat as you're very unlikely to be where you started (even at anchor you drift about).
I totally appreciate that these are perhaps problems specific to me, and if you're flying over land the likelihood is that you just have to go find where it crashed and pick it up which is an entirely different situation.
But I'm still stuck with the situation that any problem (including one normally automatically resolved by the drone returning to its start position and landing) is extremely likely to result in the loss of several hundred pounds of equipment.
...and if you used one instead of just reading horror stories about it, you would have known that you can set a DYNAMIC HOME POINT which means that the drone will return to where the controller is, not where it started from. And you can still control it while it's returning home, otherwise it would never be able to land safely on a boat - GPS is good but not that good.Also, the system that automatically returns the drone 'home' in the event of issues isn't much use on a boat as you're very unlikely to be where you started (even at anchor you drift about).
I totally appreciate that these are perhaps problems specific to me, and if you're flying over land the likelihood is that you just have to go find where it crashed and pick it up which is an entirely different situation.
But I'm still stuck with the situation that any problem (including one normally automatically resolved by the drone returning to its start position and landing) is extremely likely to result in the loss of several hundred pounds of equipment.
Wonder if the Mrs would notice!
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