Let’s talk about one of the most important systems that quadcopters have, namely the return home function. Not all device owners understand how to use this feature. We hope that our article will help you understand all the intricacies and nuances of the return home mode.
Return-to-base function types
1) Return home if the battery is almost dead. The mode is activated at the moment when the battery level drops very low. The DJI GO 4 app displays a critical battery remaining message. If the owner does not cancel the action within 10 seconds, the device will begin to descend and return to the starting point. If the charge is at zero, then the quadcopter will land on its own. It is better to keep an eye on the battery level and land your drone in a timely manner.
2) Return home if the signal is lost. This mode automatically turns on after 3 seconds if the signal from the remote control was lost, or after 20 seconds if the Wi-Fi signal was lost. This mode has two settings:
- The quadcopter starts flying towards the owner on its own;
- The device hangs in the air, which allows the owner to get to his device. With a very small charge, the device will begin the landing procedure;
- The drone will start auto landing.
Smart homecoming. When the owner of the device turns on this mode through a mobile device or remote control, the device will automatically return to the point of origin. The owner can interrupt the process at any time. If the quadrocopter is at a distance of 20 meters from the owner, then when this mode is activated, the device will simply land. If the terrain does not allow for a landing, then the drone will start looking for an acceptable place or will simply hang in the air until its owner turns on manual control.
How to set up RTH in DJI GO/4
The quadrocopter has a special “Enable Vision Positioning” function, which allows you to eliminate problems that may arise when the device is landing. However, this mode should be turned off if you are going to fly over water, because light is reflected from the water surface, and this may lead to incorrect operation of the mode.
The second feature worth mentioning is called “Landing protection”. If you activate this mode, the device will begin to scan the surface to select a place for its landing. If the terrain is not suitable for landing, then the quadcopter will look for another place.
The “Precision landing” feature allows the aircraft to hover in the air for a few seconds to take a picture of the surroundings. This way, the device will know where it needs to return to.
Another useful feature is the RTH Obstacle Check. The device will scan the path, identifying all available obstacles. If the quadcopter senses an obstacle in front of it, it automatically rises higher.
All of the above features are present in modern drone models. They are very important for the safe management of the device, so it is strongly recommended not to disable them. Other than that, the best solution is to occasionally check to see if these features are disabled.
How to use the return home function correctly
The first step is to note where the base will be located, where the drone can return. The owner of the device can mark a certain place or make the remote control a return point. It is important that the function that allows the device to automatically fly over obstacles in its path works. You are now ready to launch the quadcopter.
It is worth noting the Spark drone. It works a little differently. If the device has a return home, and the drone itself is at a distance of up to 20 meters from the owner, then it will land. If the “Current Altitude” function is active, then the device will fly to a height of up to 2.5 meters. If the quadcopter is further than 20 meters from the owner, then it will rise higher, and only then will it fly to the base. It is important to understand that if Spark is more than 100 meters from the base, then its flight speed will be 10 meters per second, and it will not be able to dodge objects in its path.
The return home function is a very important and useful feature for any modern quadcopter. With this feature, you can seriously improve the security of your device.
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