Two Flyaways in a row!!!!!!!!

[RikMac]

8/18/14Blade 350QX with about 50 minutes of mixed total flight time, in Smart Mode, using Spektrum DX6i. Original 2200 LiPo fully charged and balanced. New batteries in Spektrum. No camera. Just an unpowered EBay gimbal attached.
Wide open field of 5 acres. Took blade up, down, all directions and turns with the rudder control. About 5 min. into flight, the 350QX started climbing over 200ft, banked slowly to left and regardless of my commands, just kept going away. I flipped the "Return Home" switch. NOTHING! Turned off the DX6i. Nothing.


Alas…fading out of sight over woodlands. Never to be seen again.


My SAD day


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8/25/14


The latest:


I contacted the tech dept. at Horizon. Explained my predicament and how I had done everything by the book. Also, I said that same morning, I contacted Horizon and purchased their latest (Blade 350 QX2 for $448) The tech guy I was talking with said "Rik, give me a moment." and went off line. A few minutes he came back on and said "Rik, seems you did everything right. How about we give you a refund of 50%, making your cost $224 ???"


WOW… I agreed to that and waited for my new Blade 350 QX2 to arrive.
Several days later, it arrived and I went to the hobby shop where I purchased the original and asked them to "Bind" this copter. Took a few minutes and I was off to head home.


OK… here is the "kicker" folks…


I pulled into the parking area of our private senior community where there are two adjacent 2-½-acre grassy fields where I have flown my previous copter before.


Put in the battery and started the new 350 QX2 as usual in Safe Mode, for its' first flight. No camera. Just the copter. Got it up about 30 ft. and decided to just cruise around overhead in a circle. The end on the second circle, the copter decided to straighten out and head North to the right, without me giving it any other commands.


SH-T. I thought… I tried to give a sharp left aileron and before I knew, my copter had landed in the topmost of a large birch tree about 80 ft away. Fortunately, I didn't give a command to head higher to avoid trees, 'cause if I did, the copter would have been another "gonner".


Long story a little shorter, I got it down and the next day, I took it to the hobby shop. The manager got out a Blade Micro Copter, put it on the floor of the shop, took my controller I brought. The copter started, rising up waist high and stayed there. The manager brought it down and turned it off. Said, "Rik, looks like the controller is OK."


In my mind, since two copters had a "flyaway" problem, and I truly believe I did everything by the book, the problem MUST be with the controller! I didn't think that trying out the controller with a different model copter and not out doors under same conditions would relieve the controller of a possible defect. However, since the shop manager knew more about RCs, I asked him to take both my copter and controller for a few days to test more thoroughly.


Right now, I'm hoping for some good news soon!

Comments/suggections??


Rik

 

[Buzz_Roavr]

Or a location problem?


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[RikMac]

Or a location problem?


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Hi Buzz,

Location: farmland, 1 mile from small city center. No industry close.

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have my quad back and my controller as well.

on aside…????? Maybe I should attach a fishing line to the legs?

Rik

 

[Ronan]

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Hi Buzz,

Location: farmland, 1 mile from small city center. No industry close.

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have my quad back and my controller as well.

on aside…????? Maybe I should attach a fishing line to the legs?

Rik

Good way to get that tangled up in the props.

 

[tstrike]

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on aside…????? Maybe I should attach a fishing line to the legs?

Rik

I'd maybe try and learn how to bind your copter and controller first. How can you know you did everything by the book if the book didn't teach you that basic rc skill set?

 

[RikMac]

I'd maybe try and learn how to bind your copter and controller first. How can you know you did everything by the book if the book didn't teach you that basic rc skill set?

I stood right next to the manager of the hobby shop and watched him Bind both quads (on separate days/weeks.)

I'm an 80+yr old codger and when I can get kowledgable help, I take full advantage of it. Sorta makes up for the terrible instructional video (by Horizon) on how to bind on the Spektrum DX6i controller!

BTW….What "Book"

RikMac

 

[RikMac]

A joke, Ronan.

Rik

 

[dazzab]

What flight controller are you using and what mode were you flying in? Over time it seems to me that the general consensus regarding flyways is to suspect either GPS issues or radio interference. So I'd start there. Did you do a range test with your Tx? Have you set up and _tested_ failsafe behaviour? How many satellites are you getting before take off? Even if you don't use GPS mode it needs to know where home position is for RTL to work. It's possible some sort of failsafe is tripping and it's flying to it's home position which could be anywhere is GPS isn't working. Lastly, do you have any logs to check?

 

[Buzz_Roavr]

Flight controller is built in Blade tech. I've ah done of these for over a year with no bother.

IMO Safe mode is a liability and not fly able. In their attempts to make a quad idiot proof they have made it very easy to get disorientated.

Once you get sorted practise flying in blue stability mode. Forget safe mode and test RTH on the first flight.

How have you got your switches set up on the DX6i as it does not have a 3 position switch?

I have stability and safe on one switch and agility on another.

I use the 350 for hard training and sporty flying and it's a great wee quad.


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[RikMac]

Hi,

Please see my complete thread. Spektrum DX6i, Safe Mode always, I have not hooked up any FPV system yet. As for the original Blade 350QX, I have, since first flight, landed with a "Return Home" setting of the DX6i. I have no idea as to the number of sats. I do start only when the green light is solid. I haven't need for logs yet. Only about 50 min. total flight time with the 350QX original.

Put another steak on the barbie for me. Will ya!

RikMac

 

[RikMac]

Hi Buzz (fello Scotsman!),

Since Safe Mode is for "beginners" I have stayed with same until I'm comfortable with the whole system. All my switches on the DX6i are set Back. I'm interested in several subjects with my quad.

1. FPV on vacations at the ocean, mountains, lakes, etc.

2. FPV for agility challenges. There are numerous ways: Quad golf, Quad basketball, Quad agility (flying thru hoops, over "jumps", under objects., etc. etc.
All the above can be done in a timed competition with others. Yes!

Much more fun than doing just flips and rolls. Don't you think?

RikMac

 

[Ronan]

A joke, Ronan.

Rik

Well i have seen people do it so... :black_eyed:

 

[dazzab]

Flight controller is built in Blade tech. I've ah done of these for over a year with no bother.
IMO Safe mode is a liability and not fly able. In their attempts to make a quad idiot proof they have made it very easy to get disorientated.
Once you get sorted practise flying in blue stability mode. Forget safe mode and test RTH on the first flight.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have any experience with that flight controller so I can't help you out, sorry. It sounds like some of the terminology is a bit different as well.
I'm not sure what you mean by safe mode but personally I think that any copter that doesn't provide geofencing and a proven ability to recover from loss of signal just isn't safe to be flying. I might add logging to that statement as well.

 

[dazzab]

Hi,
I haven't need for logs yet. Only about 50 min. total flight time with the 350QX original.
RikMac

Well, yes and no. Logs would certainly help to diagnose why it was flying away. As you say, given it doesn't have telemetry you were lucky the second time that a tree stopped it. I hope you figure this out or every time you fly you could be putting people in danger and risking losing your copter. You said the people at the hobby shop were helpful. Have they given any further feedback?

 

[Old Man]

Doing the same thing over and over the same way expecting a different result might have a familiar ring to it. Time to move away from the brand or try doing things a different way.


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[Buzz_Roavr]

View attachment 20033Dont knock the 350 it's a great wee quad. It sounds like there is a tx setup issue as it does not come with the DX6i as standard.

You obviously bought it bind and fly? Did the hobby shop set up the tx?

I'd be checking the settings... the settings for the DX6i are in the manual.

 

[tstrike]

I'm an 80+yr old codger and when I can get kowledgable help, I take full advantage of it. Sorta makes up for the terrible instructional video (by Horizon) on how to bind on the Spektrum DX6i controller!

BTW….What "Book"

RikMac

That'd be the manual for you dx6i. You say all the switches are back, you need to figure out what switches do what or you'll have nothing but frustration.
sorry if I came across like a ****, aside from it being my nature.

 

[RikMac]

This reply to all…
I do have the DX6i manual. I know all the switch positions for mode setting. If one is remotely familiar with what a controller is and supoosed to do in each configuration, then I'd confess I'm on the stupid side…but I have stated in the beginning, I am a total neophyte when it comes to the RC world. Both with quads, Binding, language, controllers, TXs, goggles, electronics….. SOOOOO….

I've chosen to take IT step-by-step, starting in Safe Mode.

I'm starting my "second childhood" at 80+ years and are hoping to have a little fun before my last "Flight".

I'm not giving up, but hope somehow, my problems will be resolved and I can get back to "Reality".

RikMac

 

[tstrike]

Rik, here's the pdf manual for your 350...http://www.bladehelis.com/ProdInfo/Files/BLH7800_Manual_EN.pdf the binding process is on page 8 and it's an involved process on this one.
Not only are you binding your transmitter with the controller, you're calibrating your sticks and setting your gps functions. Don't rely on a guy behind a counter to know any more about these than what he's seen on a utube video or read in the manual (ever been to home depot and ask a 17 year old about plumbing?).
When you hit the return to home did you hold the switch like it says to on page 14?
I was like you 3 years ago, the only remote control I used was the tv, but you get schooled a bit about these gizmos and you find they're quite fun!

 

[RikMac]

I have the manual. The"behind-the-counter guy" is very knowledgable. I also believe when he tried my DX6i controller with a Blade Micro quad in the shop, that it was not a good enough demo that the controller was OK for my Blade 350QX2. That's why I left the quad and controller with him. I'm not saying that there might be an underlying problem the manager hasn't found. If it gets to that point, I'm contacting Horizon Hobby for a RMA so I can return it to them for a thorough checkup or a new replacement.

As fot the "Return Home" switch? On the DX6i, it is just a two position toggle with no requirement to hold it in position. The only other switch which requires a "hold" is the Trainer switch in the left rear.

RikMac