Your drone is gone? Don’t panic! Find out how to recover it quickly and efficiently. With our tips, (almost) no drone goes missing. Read on and get your drone back.
Despite all modern technology, a drone can still get lost. Be it due to an operating error or a technical problem. The most important thing is to stay calm. There are many ways to find your drone again. We will show you the simplest methods and give you tips on how you can avoid losing your drone if possible.
3 easy ways to find your drone again
“Find my Drone” function
Probably the easiest way to find your lost drone is to use the drone’s own on-board tools. Many manufacturers, such as the market leader DJI, offer the “Find my Drone” function for their drones. This allows you to quickly display the last reported location of your drone on a map in the respective drone app (e.g. DJI Fly app), giving you a very precise position.
The following video explains this function very clearly and vividly.
Using the camera and recordings
If the exact position cannot be determined from the GPS data of the drone itself, the drone’s recordings can of course also help to find the crash site. If the drone is still transmitting images after the crash, the live image can help to determine the crash site.
If you no longer receive a signal, the cached images on your smartphone or remote control can help you to find out where the drone might be. Tip: To be on the safe side, you can also run a screen recording on your smartphone or remote control while you are recording the drone normally. This way, you always have access to the latest images, even if your drone does not allow a preview on your smartphone or remote control and you lose contact.
View flight log
Another option is to call up the last flight log in the app you use to control your drone. Here you will also find information about your last flight, usually including coordinates and a map. You can then use this information as in the first tip to find your drone again.
With DJI drones, you can access the flight log in the DJI Fly app via the home screen, by clicking on “Profile” and then on “More”.
How do I prevent losing my drone?
With the following tips, you can reduce the likelihood of losing your drone in the first place. Even if there is certainly no guarantee, it is advisable to pay attention to a few points.
Pay attention to the battery status
A common reason why a drone ends up somewhere you don’t want it to: a low battery. As soon as a certain threshold is exceeded, many drones make an emergency landing. No consideration is then given to the surroundings. Before the battery runs out completely and the drone crashes, it goes down.
You will be warned of this early enough and should take this advice seriously. It is better to land early and change the battery instead of trying to squeeze out a few more seconds.
Make sure you have an up-to-date home point and the correct RTH settings
Drones above the toy category usually have a return-to-home function. This function marks the starting point of the drone and the drone remembers it. If the battery reaches a critical level, the drone flies back to this point automatically. Alternatively, you can force a return by pressing a button. However, this only works properly if the RTH point is set correctly and the RTH settings are selected appropriately.
This means that the RTH point should actually be set so that it ideally marks your position. For the RTH settings, you should set suitable values depending on the environment in which you are flying. This applies above all to the RTH altitude. This is the altitude to which the drone climbs before it returns. A value that is too high in combination with a very low battery level and a long distance can be a nasty mix.
Pay attention to the weather conditions
The weather has a big influence on your drone flight. If it is too dark, too windy or visibility is poor, you can quickly lose sight of the drone or even lose control of it. So don’t overestimate your skills, keep an eye on the weather and check the forecasts. This way, you can adapt to the flying conditions and adjust your flight route accordingly to avoid losing your drone in the first place.
Only fly by sight
And speaking of visibility: If you are flying in the Open category, the following applies anyway – only fly within visual range! If you always keep an eye on your drone, you will always be able to find it again.
Pay attention to the connection quality and GPS signal
Last but not least: pay attention to the quality of the connection between the remote control and the drone and the signal strength of the GPS connection. Otherwise, the drone may lose its “orientation”, resulting in a so-called flyaway. The drone then drifts away from the actual flight path without you being able to influence this. This can quickly lead to you finding yourself back at the beginning of this article and having to read the tips for finding your drone 😜.
Do you have any other tips on how to find your lost drone? Or has your drone ever flown away? Feel free to share your experiences in our forum below this article and discuss them with our community. 👇
