DJI F550 Crash!

[bassboy_pete]

Hi,
I am new to the DJI F550, but not new to flight with multirotors or helicopters.

Over the past few weeks I have built a new DJI F550. Its all stock, using 8 inch blades, Naza-M w/ GPS using spektrum dx8 radio. Using videos and guides I have found online, I have successfully been able to program my radio for fail safe and the 3 different modes. I did have quite a bit of trouble getting the GPS to calibrate, but I believe I had that fixed just yesterday when I fine tuned the direction of the GPS for my magnetic declination. Wasn't getting any errors anymore. I was still having major issues getting it to hover and lock in a specific spot, but that is for another day.

Yesterday I took it out for a quick flight. Winds were moderate to low speeds, and it turns out I accidently hit the fail safe switch. Panicking, I tried to flip between flight modes thinking I hit manual or something, but I couldn't get any response from the copter and it did a very steep tilt to the right and quickly went down, breaking a few arms.

The problem I have is why did it tilt to the right and crash when fail safe was engaged? The GPS signal was good. In programming the Naza, I did choose the return to home fail safe. In any case, I understand if it would hover and decrease altitude or even stay at a constant hover. But at the moment when I flicked the switch, it wasn't even moving in that direction. I have a gimbal and FPV equipment, but none of it was installed as I am still learning. I've read through the manual, and wiki pages, so I was sure I had it all correctly calibrated.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[helloman1976]

There's absolutely no way to know without more information. I can only guess it was not setup properly or in all your flipping and freaking out you crashed it on accident. When you are in failsafe and you regain control the Naza will let you take control back if you are moving the sticks and it sense it.

 

[bassboy_pete]

Well what other information could I give? It crashed because I didn't realize that failsafe was activated. What I am trying to understand is why when failsafe was activated it behaved like it did. What information can I provide?

 

[helloman1976]

Well what other information could I give? It crashed because I didn't realize that failsafe was activated. What I am trying to understand is why when failsafe was activated it behaved like it did. What information can I provide?

I gave you some reasons, when the Naza goes into failsafe if it detects you regained control it'll let you have control. You said you were flipping switches and panicked that's probably what happened. Had you tested failsafe and RTH before this or was this the first time?

 

[tstrike]

helloman's right, you probably got it put into manual and fat fingered it, it'll go all the way around upside down in manual, no stopping it like the other modes.
sorry bout the crash though.

 

[bassboy_pete]

Sorry, but thats not what happened. When I said I was fliping switches, I should have been more specific. I was only switching the mode switch and it never stayed in Manual mode. As well, when it was out of control, the control sticks were center and also throttle was low.

I did test the failsafe mode in the software and when going into failsafe, all the channels were centered and throttle about 15%.

 

[helloman1976]

Sorry, but thats not what happened. When I said I was fliping switches, I should have been more specific. I was only switching the mode switch and it never stayed in Manual mode. As well, when it was out of control, the control sticks were center and also throttle was low.

I did test the failsafe mode in the software and when going into failsafe, all the channels were centered and throttle about 15%.

When you flipped the mode switch you probably regained control and didn't know it which IS what we are saying probably happened. You shouldn't have a switch that allows it to go into failsafe mode unless you are testing it and only for that one time. If you do have a switch for that it should never be used and should be a switch that is not the same as your mode switching switch which requires some mixing on your radio etc. It's just not a good idea to have a switch at all when you can, in a worst case scenario when you'd use it anyway, turn your radio off and hope it comes back. That's my 2 cents...

PS - If you had never actually tested your RTH then who knows what happened since we dont even know if it was working to begin with. Read the manual on RTH and how it works and what happens when you move the sticks or regain control etc.

 

[tamulmol]

It'll drop if your throttle is low when you regain control, happened to me.