Bad idea turning off TX in flihgt?

Carapau

Tek care, lambs ont road, MRF Moderator
I see a lot of people like to turn off their TX whilst flying their MRs, principally to test the got to home feature. This has never sat particularly easy with me as whilst most of the time I can see this working well, it just doesn't seem like good airmanship to kill the command link on purpose. In my mind, the return to home switch is adequate to test the aircraft's ability to return to base and then using the configuration software you can see the settings the aircraft will go to on a TX failure thus I don't see the need to do a live test so to say. However, this is just one view and so I am curious to see what others views are on this.
 

Zaidy

Member
I see a lot of people like to turn off their TX whilst flying their MRs, principally to test the got to home feature. This has never sat particularly easy with me as whilst most of the time I can see this working well, it just doesn't seem like good airmanship to kill the command link on purpose. In my mind, the return to home switch is adequate to test the aircraft's ability to return to base and then using the configuration software you can see the settings the aircraft will go to on a TX failure thus I don't see the need to do a live test so to say. However, this is just one view and so I am curious to see what others views are on this.

+1
Well said, I couldn't agree more.
Its a last resort action to carry out if all fails !!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Tomstoy2

Member
I'm a lot older school than that. It's never a good idea, period. Even after you have lost control there is ALWAYS a chance of regaining, but NEVER a chance with the transmitter off! That's just AM experience speaking, but still apply's today. Trust what your screen tells you. If it enters failsafe when selected in fight manually then it stands to reason that it should also do the same if signal is lost.
 

jbrumberg

Member
+1
Well said, I couldn't agree more.
Its a last resort action to carry out if all fails !!

We are responsible for our aircraft operation at all times or should be responsible. I could see someone telling a judge (here in the litigious USA). Yes your honor I did terminate my personal control over my multi-rotor causing these damages and injuries. Owner/operator failure in judgement.
 

Carapau

Tek care, lambs ont road, MRF Moderator
Although in the UK regs it states that the aircraft should return home on a comms link failure, it is interesting to see that the EuroUSC guys seem to have a similar view to ours ie they flick the go home switch in order to test rather than ask you to turn off the TX- well, they did during my flight test at least.
 

gtranquilla

RadioActive
While it is conceivable that proper system configuration and testing on the bench should prove, beyond all possible doubt, that an RC com link failure will cause the FC to bring your MR back home for a safe landing, how else can you be 100% certain it works in real flying conditions unless you turn off your RC transmitter? And IOC Home mode or switch activation of RTH will not function once RC radio link is lost. On the otherhand why push ones luck by constantly turning your RC transmitter off to demonstrate this capability in front of a crowd in a congested flying area!!!
 

goldcountrymult

New Member
The test can be done within LOS and at low altitude in an unpopulated area. Seems like it's a good idea to make sure RTH works in the event of a connection break when done in the right conditions. Doing this in a park surrounded by houses is clearly a bad idea but doing it out in the middle of nowhere should be fine.
 

Top