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Karma took off full speed by itself disappeared forever lost

Tahani

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Ok guys I’ve been flying drones for 3+ years ima reporter , I just purchased a Karma set it up ,updated everything , went through all set up steps flew it first day went fantastic but only about 200’ distance . Yesterday at a news event I’m reporting on set up the Karma ... every step was done pre flight steps . Great launch sight everything was fantastic , took it up 143’ directly above me that’s all I needed everything going great vide feed clear contact to satellites perfect .... then I hear Lost GPS reading land now manually ... ok landing dropped about 14’ it stopped jumped up about 11’ still saying land now using joy stick and I’m doing that but Nothing is working . Suddenly it tilts to the SE takes off full speed no control what so ever . It should have hovered or returned but being no GPS none of it was working . The drone raced fast to the SE until we could no longer see it straight into the Ozark national forest . The drone flat failed to function at the very least it should have hovered . It flat took off full speed and I’m holding the controller at that point not touching anything hoping it would hover allowing the unit to do what it should . I called GoPro they downloaded my flight log .... the controller recorded my attempts but the drone itself failed to record a single thing it stated NA ...NA . So now they are reviewing the problem they can’t review the problem being the drone did not record a thing ... 90 day no fuss replacements I hope so I’m Not happy with this . I read a lot of stories of loosing connection but the drone would hover or return only 2 reports of complete loss of the drone itself . So yes it happens that drone flat failed to function yet the controller had no problems recording my attempts .
Again I’ve been flying drones for over 3 years and have commercial license my favorite unit is the 3DR I have 2 of them fit with GoPro cameras , range extenders , WIFY extender chips installed in the 3DR . Real shame 3DR abandoned their drone because I’ve used them for 2+ years and had nothing but amazing success .
So the first full flight 4 day ownership the Karma drone itself failed terribly . The other reporters standing with us wide eyed one also a drone pilot was shocked it would not respond or hover or return it flat took off on its own and flew far far away .
Please think before you reply I’ve been building drones and updates for television stations for a good while I know the in and outs of upgrades installations so on . I read a lot of manuals and other pilots reports . I still am blown away that drone just shot off the way it did .
Now mind you I’m not giving up on this drone I want the new unit to work properly I have great trust in GoPro they have built one fine drone despite reports I see mostly pilot errors not failures of the system other than the recall when they were dying in the air . So I’ll update this event as soon as GoPro sends me a new unit . I i don’t surrender im a Navy VET i dig in and work with any advice except this one is weird indeed . I have my YouTube page feel free to go look at my movies I’ve done outside my television shots I can’t post them they are licensed . All my cameras are GoPro I have a 3 , 4, 4+ and decided why not upgrade the entire drone unit to the newest drone which comes with the newest camera and GoPro stick . I’ll let ya know what happens and I trust GoPro they are amazingly great people as well . I enjoyed my long discussion with tec support folks real nice folks
Here’s my YouTube name. Lyle Stevens My videos will appear . Thanks and please feel free to comment .. sometimes hardware simply are defected but I got to say I felt helpless watching that unit raceaway so far we could not see it at all
 
Hopefully you'd got round to putting your name and phone number on the Karma Lyle? Both mine have Dyno tape labels on, though I think engraving may be better.
 
Hopefully you'd got round to putting your name and phone number on the Karma Lyle? Both mine have Dyno tape labels on, though I think engraving may be better.

No I had it 4 days ... the unit raced into the national forest there are no homes there it’s all national forest land . I watched it until it was a tiny dot then could not see it any longer . Perhaps a hunter might find it nd if so the serial # can be reported . I seriously doubt
anyone would report it . Weather will most likely destroy the entire system
 
I have never flown Karma without GPS but today I tried to launch in my back yard (a really wooded area with rainforest-like canopy but with a bit of space under to navigate). Karma could not connect to GPS so I launched anyway.... and indeed drone went off in one direction.... since I had no GPS signal from launch I was only about five feet off the ground and quickly slammed drone into the ground. No damage but I am afraid of what might happen if I lose GPS in mid flight at a higher altitiude. I don't want to bother anybody because I don't have a solution but I'm just stating that I've seen this happen as well and If a remedy is found I'd like to be in the loop.
 
35023CBA-8AA7-46C4-AA7B-43F9FEB0F935.jpeg As you can see it was recovered by the cleanup crew at the tornado damage area where we were filming . 1.7 miles th the SE this deputy found the unit it hit a tree and tore it up pretty good . All blades were broken one motor was damaged the nose was cracked the camera gimble was hit but the camera itself was ok . Soon after I get a message from GoPro they analyzed the flight log sent me the arc photo showed pretty dang close to where it was located . So the Karma does record very well it’s flight path . The officer brought it to me he drove the 37 miles . Said the chip in the camera showed my GPS reading in one flight in front of my house from my old 3DR . They figured out where I was but my FB page he was part of BackRoads of Arkansas and contacted me . Amazing yes ! He also stated the departments drone a much bigger drone has also lost GPS in flight .... yep 5000$ zip gone but they to recovered it twice . I’m telling ya these flight logs are amazing with these drones . GoPro is sending a new unit and gimble . So things turned out pretty good giving the situation . Still that drone should have hovered and not shot off like it did . I’ve never had one do that so there seems to be a connection problem perhaps clouds not sure but the southern horizon was very clear where all satellites are positioned . Next flight I’m going to,be quite cautious .
 
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Here’s one of my other 3DR videos using a GoPro 4+ I love these cameras and I use the GoPro editing programs as well . Love gopros music selection
No matter what GoPro to me is a great company ✌
 
Ok guys I’ve been flying drones for 3+ years ima reporter , I just purchased a Karma set it up ,updated everything , went through all set up steps flew it first day went fantastic but only about 200’ distance . Yesterday at a news event I’m reporting on set up the Karma ... every step was done pre flight steps . Great launch sight everything was fantastic , took it up 143’ directly above me that’s all I needed everything going great vide feed clear contact to satellites perfect .... then I hear Lost GPS reading land now manually ... ok landing dropped about 14’ it stopped jumped up about 11’ still saying land now using joy stick and I’m doing that but Nothing is working . Suddenly it tilts to the SE takes off full speed no control what so ever . It should have hovered or returned but being no GPS none of it was working . The drone raced fast to the SE until we could no longer see it straight into the Ozark national forest . The drone flat failed to function at the very least it should have hovered . It flat took off full speed and I’m holding the controller at that point not touching anything hoping it would hover allowing the unit to do what it should . I called GoPro they downloaded my flight log .... the controller recorded my attempts but the drone itself failed to record a single thing it stated NA ...NA . So now they are reviewing the problem they can’t review the problem being the drone did not record a thing ... 90 day no fuss replacements I hope so I’m Not happy with this . I read a lot of stories of loosing connection but the drone would hover or return only 2 reports of complete loss of the drone itself . So yes it happens that drone flat failed to function yet the controller had no problems recording my attempts .
Again I’ve been flying drones for over 3 years and have commercial license my favorite unit is the 3DR I have 2 of them fit with GoPro cameras , range extenders , WIFY extender chips installed in the 3DR . Real shame 3DR abandoned their drone because I’ve used them for 2+ years and had nothing but amazing success .
So the first full flight 4 day ownership the Karma drone itself failed terribly . The other reporters standing with us wide eyed one also a drone pilot was shocked it would not respond or hover or return it flat took off on its own and flew far far away .
Please think before you reply I’ve been building drones and updates for television stations for a good while I know the in and outs of upgrades installations so on . I read a lot of manuals and other pilots reports . I still am blown away that drone just shot off the way it did .
Now mind you I’m not giving up on this drone I want the new unit to work properly I have great trust in GoPro they have built one fine drone despite reports I see mostly pilot errors not failures of the system other than the recall when they were dying in the air . So I’ll update this event as soon as GoPro sends me a new unit . I i don’t surrender im a Navy VET i dig in and work with any advice except this one is weird indeed . I have my YouTube page feel free to go look at my movies I’ve done outside my television shots I can’t post them they are licensed . All my cameras are GoPro I have a 3 , 4, 4+ and decided why not upgrade the entire drone unit to the newest drone which comes with the newest camera and GoPro stick . I’ll let ya know what happens and I trust GoPro they are amazingly great people as well . I enjoyed my long discussion with tec support folks real nice folks
Here’s my YouTube name. Lyle Stevens My videos will appear . Thanks and please feel free to comment .. sometimes hardware simply are defected but I got to say I felt helpless watching that unit raceaway so far we could not see it at all

Hello

My first Karma, bought in June 2017, had a lot of compass problems. It was replaced in September 2017. In the beginning of October, it disappeared more or less under similar circumstances as you describe. It was replaced, but my 3rd Karma lost radio signal all the time. Now I have got my 4th Karma. It has worked without problems. Please enjoy the video, containing timelapse and drone footages.
 
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The sheriffs department found the drone and contacted me . GoPro is replacing the core it really took off and crashed hard .
 

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Hello

My first Karma, bought in June 2017, had a lot of compass problems. It was replaced in September 2017. In the beginning of October, it disappeared more or less under similar circumstances as you describe. It was replaced, but my 3rd Karma lost radio signal all the time. Now I have got my 4th Karma. It has worked without problems. Please enjoy the video, containing timelapse and drone footages.

I hope this core has been Tested seems each should have been tested prior to placing on the market , flying a heavy object that could easily cause both property and personal damage to a living being should be pre tested . As with firearms each is pre tested . The drone was located by the clean up crew in the tornado damaged area we were filming . They turned it in to the sheriffs department and found me with my GPS marking on one of the videos on the chip . It’s on its way to GoPro they uploaded the flight log could easily see it in fact took off on its own .
 

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