DJI F550 Hexacopter crash after flight above the clouds @StefanEkstam

Stefan Ekstam --- PLEASE READ ALL INFO BELOW BEFORE POSTING! ---

I planned to perform a short GPS controlled high altitude flight, going straight up, and then straight down again.

When initating the descent, something did not work out as expected, and less than ten minutes later the hexacopter crashed because the failed descent attempts had drained the battery.

Technical explanation to what actually happened:

The GPS mode prioritized staying in place over descending. The winds were so strong that the engines had to work hard to keep the multirotor in place. When I told the multirotor to descend it basically said "I'm afraid I can't do that, because you told me to stay in this position, and if I slow down the motors to descend, I would also start moving sideways with the wind". The solution was to disengage the GPS mode.

Important background information:

This video depicts a very dangerous situation that could have ended up much worse than it actually did.

I was very lucky not to cause any damage on the ground to either living beings or property.

I am not proud of this particular flight, and my main reason for putting the video on YouTube is to inform others and hopefully help them avoid making the same mistake(s) I did.

My arguments for performing a high altitude flight at all were as follows:
- No airplanes in this area ever fly as low as I did in the video
- There is generally not much air traffic in this area at all
- I checked with flightradar24.com before flying
- Military, police, and emergency flights are virtually non-existant in this area
- The multirotor was supposed to go straight up and straight down again

Knowing all of this, I still realize it was a mistake flying that high, especially on this particular occasion. The wind on the ground was not very strong, but higher up, the wind was so strong that the hexacopter had to struggle to stay in position. When I started descending, the hexacopter did not seem to respond to my command, and the only way to make it respond was to disconnect the GPS mode. It then started descending, but it also started moving away with the wind.

Facts to be noted before commenting on the video:

I DO NOT PERFORM HIGH ALTITUDE FLIGHTS ANYMORE, NOR DO I FLY OVER POPULATED AREAS. Hence, it is unnecessary to ask me to stop flying like I did in the video, since it definitely won't happen again anyway. The crash was a harsh wakeup call that totally made me rethink my attitude towards multirotor flying, and I realize now that high altitude flights and flights over populated areas are way too risky and dangerous.

THE MULTIROTOR DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE ON THE GROUND, TO EITHER PEOPLE, ANIMALS, OR PROPERTY. Having said this, I am fully aware that something disastrous could have happened, and there is no need to keep reminding me about that fact.

I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE MULTIROTOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY PERFORM A CONTROLLED LANDING IF THE BATTERY LEVEL REACHED ITS SPECIFIED MINIMUM. After reading the documentation, I felt reassured knowing that I had specified two battery level limits, where the second (lowest) limit, if reached, would initiate a forced automatic landing. Apparently this never happened, so this was either a misunderstanding on my behalf, or unclear documentation, or a combination of both.

Also, I do not live in the US, so the FAA will probably not be too interested in this flight.

My advice to any and all multirotor flyers out there: Never ever take any unnecessary risks. It is never worth it. I got away with it this time, but I could as well have ended up hurting or even killing someone on the ground.

00:00 - Ascent
01:09 - Through the clouds
02:20 - Above the clouds
03:10 - Problems start
04:07 - GPS disconnect
04:16 - Slow descent
05:18 - Return To Home activated
06:20 - Manual descent
07:47 - Below the clouds
08:05 - Batteries almost depleted
08:44 - Batteries die
09:12 - Aftermath
09:41 - Crash in slowmotion

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

updated 10 years ago

DJI F550 Hexacopter crash after flight above the clouds

Stefan Ekstam 2014-03-02 | --- PLEASE READ ALL INFO BELOW BEFORE POSTING! ---

I planned to perform a short GPS controlled high altitude flight, going straight up, and then straight down again.

When initating the descent, something did not work out as expected, and less than ten minutes later the hexacopter crashed because the failed descent attempts had drained the battery.

Technical explanation to what actually happened:

The GPS mode prioritized staying in place over descending. The winds were so strong that the engines had to work hard to keep the multirotor in place. When I told the multirotor to descend it basically said "I'm afraid I can't do that, because you told me to stay in this position, and if I slow down the motors to descend, I would also start moving sideways with the wind". The solution was to disengage the GPS mode.

Important background information:

This video depicts a very dangerous situation that could have ended up much worse than it actually did.

I was very lucky not to cause any damage on the ground to either living beings or property.

I am not proud of this particular flight, and my main reason for putting the video on YouTube is to inform others and hopefully help them avoid making the same mistake(s) I did.

My arguments for performing a high altitude flight at all were as follows:
- No airplanes in this area ever fly as low as I did in the video
- There is generally not much air traffic in this area at all
- I checked with flightradar24.com before flying
- Military, police, and emergency flights are virtually non-existant in this area
- The multirotor was supposed to go straight up and straight down again

Knowing all of this, I still realize it was a mistake flying that high, especially on this particular occasion. The wind on the ground was not very strong, but higher up, the wind was so strong that the hexacopter had to struggle to stay in position. When I started descending, the hexacopter did not seem to respond to my command, and the only way to make it respond was to disconnect the GPS mode. It then started descending, but it also started moving away with the wind.

Facts to be noted before commenting on the video:

I DO NOT PERFORM HIGH ALTITUDE FLIGHTS ANYMORE, NOR DO I FLY OVER POPULATED AREAS. Hence, it is unnecessary to ask me to stop flying like I did in the video, since it definitely won't happen again anyway. The crash was a harsh wakeup call that totally made me rethink my attitude towards multirotor flying, and I realize now that high altitude flights and flights over populated areas are way too risky and dangerous.

THE MULTIROTOR DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE ON THE GROUND, TO EITHER PEOPLE, ANIMALS, OR PROPERTY. Having said this, I am fully aware that something disastrous could have happened, and there is no need to keep reminding me about that fact.

I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE MULTIROTOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY PERFORM A CONTROLLED LANDING IF THE BATTERY LEVEL REACHED ITS SPECIFIED MINIMUM. After reading the documentation, I felt reassured knowing that I had specified two battery level limits, where the second (lowest) limit, if reached, would initiate a forced automatic landing. Apparently this never happened, so this was either a misunderstanding on my behalf, or unclear documentation, or a combination of both.

Also, I do not live in the US, so the FAA will probably not be too interested in this flight.

My advice to any and all multirotor flyers out there: Never ever take any unnecessary risks. It is never worth it. I got away with it this time, but I could as well have ended up hurting or even killing someone on the ground.

00:00 - Ascent
01:09 - Through the clouds
02:20 - Above the clouds
03:10 - Problems start
04:07 - GPS disconnect
04:16 - Slow descent
05:18 - Return To Home activated
06:20 - Manual descent
07:47 - Below the clouds
08:05 - Batteries almost depleted
08:44 - Batteries die
09:12 - Aftermath
09:41 - Crash in slowmotion

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

Shtandart - A Russian training ship

Stefan Ekstam 2021-03-01 | In the summer of 2019 the Russian training ship Shtandart visited the archipelago of Stockholm. My friend Jesús and I brought our Mavics and got some nice shots of it.

Trip to South Africa

Stefan Ekstam 2019-07-23 | My trip to South Africa in June of 2019.

Places featured in the video:
- Sausage Tree Safari Camp (https://www.sausagetree.co.za)
- Soweto Towers (https://sowetotowers.co.za)
- Cycle in Soweto (cycleinsoweto.com)
- Colin's Horseback Africa (horsebackafrica.com)

Equipment used:
- Canon EOS R / Sigma 60-600mm
- DJI Mavic Pro 2 Zoom
- DJI Osmo Action
- GoPro Hero 7
- Insta360 EVO
- iPhone XS Max

Edited and graded with DaVinci Resolve.

0:00 Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
0:40 Drakensberg (drone shots)
1:22 Sausage Tree Safari Camp
3:16 Cycling in Soweto
4:29 Colin's Horseback Africa (drone shots)
6:55 End titles

DJI Mavic Pro Goes West

Stefan Ekstam 2017-09-05 | A short clip from my recent roadtrip to California, Arizona and Nevada.

And don't worry, I didn't break any FAA rules or regulations, at least not that I'm aware of. The footage from Death Valley was actually shot just outside the actual national park, so no problems there I hope. :)

Liveström från Stefan Ekstam

Stefan Ekstam 2017-07-25 | ...

DJI F550 Hexacopter 360 Video Test

Stefan Ekstam 2016-08-03 | This is my first test of using the Samsung Gear 360 camera mounted to a multirotor.

The quality clearly isn't very good, but the Gear 360 is an entry level VR camera, and as far as I know it also suffers from some problems, especially when filming grass from a distance.

Later this month (August 2016) I hope to get my hands on a GoPro Omni VR camera, which should change the quality of any upcoming videos quite noticeably. :)

Equipment used:
- DJI F550 multirotor
- Samsung Gear 360 Virtual Reality camera

Parasailing at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida

Stefan Ekstam 2015-12-25 | I wanted to know what it felt like to hang up there all by myself being dragged around by someone else, just like one of my multirotors. :)

3D Printed Multirotor Flight Test

Stefan Ekstam 2015-12-18 | This is my first attempt at 3D printing a multirotor.

The 3D model can be found here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:793425.

The electronics are the same as for the DJI Flamewheel F450.

Comin Round the Mountain - Modern av Kevin MacLeod licensieras under licensen Creative Commons Attribution (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
Källa: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100817
Artist: http://incompetech.com

DJI F550 Hexacopter Parachute Test

Stefan Ekstam 2014-11-12 | This was my first test of a multirotor parachute.

The parachute is a Mars Mini, from marsparachutes.com.

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 8"

Flying a Real Airplane

Stefan Ekstam 2014-08-26 | I went on an airplane trip, and got to pilot the aircraft for some 15 minutes. A fun experience!

Airplane: Piper Cherokee 180G

Flying a Real Helicopter

Stefan Ekstam 2014-08-26 | I went on a helicopter trip, and got to pilot the aircraft for some 20 minutes. An interesting experience!

Helicopter: Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger

Midnattsloppet 2014

Stefan Ekstam 2014-08-16 | Midnattsloppet (The Midnight Run) 2014.

This was my first live streaming event on YouTube.

Equipment used:
- iPhone 5S with a 4G (LTE) connection
- Teradek VidiU
- GoPro Hero3+
- Steadicam Curve

Since the GoPro had to be connected to the VidiU through a cable, the Steadicam Curve could not perform as well as it would have done without any cables.

DJI F550 Hexacopter Night Flight

Stefan Ekstam 2014-07-22 | My first night flight with the F550 hexacopter.

This flight was performed when I still thought it was ok to fly above residential areas. This is not the case anymore though.

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

RIB tour in the archipelago of Stockholm

Stefan Ekstam 2014-07-17 | This is a short clip from my recent RIB tour in the archipelago of Stockholm.

DJI F550 Hexacopter flight over abandoned airfield

Stefan Ekstam 2014-06-23 | A short flight over the abandoned Tullinge airfield south of Stockholm.

The winds were actually a bit too strong for flying, but no real problems were encountered during the flight.

Flytrex mission data:
http://www.flytrex.com/mission/hexacopter-dji-f550-stefan-ekstam-40638

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

DJI F550 Hexacopter crash after failed loop attempt, burning LiPo battery

Stefan Ekstam 2014-06-15 | I finally tried that loop outside of the simulator, but failed miserably. A silly and unnecessary mistake: I should have been at least twice as high before attempting a loop.

Well, lesson learnt. Next time I won't fail. Well, at least not for the same reason anyway...

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

DJI F550 Hexacopter Ladybug Landing

Stefan Ekstam 2014-06-12 | I managed to land my hexacopter right next to a ladybug in the grass.

DJI F550 Hexacopter Box Drop

Stefan Ekstam 2014-05-03 | I have mounted a simple dropping device on my multirotor, and these are the first tests of the device.

The first item dropped is a teddybear, and the second item is a high altitude ballooning payload box with cameras and sensors.

Stay tuned for more information about the high altitude ballooning project!

Equipment:
- Frame: DJI F550
- Gyro: DJI Naza v2 with GPS
- Gimbal: DJI Zenmuse H3-2D
- Camera: GoPro Hero3, Black Edition
- Radio: Futaba T14SG with receiver R7008SB
- Battery: Li-Po 4S (14.8V), 6200 mAh
- Motors: Stock F550 (DJI 2212/920)
- Esc: Stock F550 (DJI ESC 30 amps OPTO)
- Propellers: Stock DJI 10"

DJI F550 Hexacopter Deer Surprise

Stefan Ekstam 2014-04-08 | I was doing some trimming tests on my hexacopter, and when looking through the footage afterwards, I suddenly noticed this surprised deer family in my neighbor's garden. :)

Murning

Stefan Ekstam 2009-08-19 | Murning av LECA Isoblock.

Uppläggning inför murning

Stefan Ekstam 2009-08-11 | Lecablock och murbruk läggs upp inför murningsarbetet.

Frigolitflytt

Stefan Ekstam 2009-08-02 | Vi flyttar frigolitblock för glatta livet.

Gjutning

Stefan Ekstam 2009-07-27 | Grunden gjuts av Hubbas gäng.

Värmegolv

Stefan Ekstam 2009-07-26 | Här läggs vattenvärmegolv och armering inför gjutningen av bottenplattan.

Grundisolering

Stefan Ekstam 2009-07-21 | Hubbas gubbar lägger isoleringsmaterial inför gjutning av grunden.

Melkers - Min Klocka

Stefan Ekstam 2008-05-25 | Another amazing video from Melkers - Probably the best band in the world.

Melkers - Silver och Guld

Stefan Ekstam 2008-04-03 | Another amazing video from Melkers - Probably the best band in the world.