Got hung in tree and rained on

Skudie · Mar 20, 2018

Now I have heard of them being completly submerged and come out working so I am hopeful. I was flying in to the evening hours and got to close to tree and had exposure to low didn't see a branch and well got stuck 35 feet up upside down in a tree.... I couldn't get with the little daylight that was left and it rained good on it. Luckily the battery died before it started to rain so no power should have been flowing when it got wet I took it apart and have it drying with warm air threw fans not hot just barely warm. I have it broke down to where you can see in pictures below. Is there any other suggestions on what I should ways to check and see what components may be damaged with out bringing system all the way back online to avoid further issues. I am pretty good with stuff so any suggestion should be in my scope of knowledge and ability thanks guys fly safe don't be dumb like me. lol

xspwhite · Mar 20, 2018

Was it pretty wet inside when you took it apart?

Skudie · Mar 20, 2018

There was defiantly some moisture not to terrible but defiantly was present.

xspwhite · Mar 20, 2018

I've read of people soaking electric boards in rice, but that's only when it's all taken apart.

joshmentele · Mar 20, 2018

Wait for at least a couple of days before trying to power up just to make sure it is dry. Take apart everything possible.

Be sure to let us know how it works when you do test it!

Cori · Mar 20, 2018

I hate it when those darn trees just jump right out and grab our drones!

xspwhite · Mar 20, 2018

Cori said:
I hate it when those darn trees just jump right out and grab our drones!

Yep, mine landed in a tree yesterday without even asking.

Skudie · Mar 21, 2018

I will defiantly let you guys know I am planning on posting a step step process of what I do if I am 100 percent successful in recovering this or worst case scenario what you can expect to have to replace if you have similar situation play out. I am really hopeful since power was off before water got to it as long as I dry everything proparley I will be good to go. I will say so far autel stuff is tough no structural damage at all and camera doesn't have a scratch.

joshmentele · Mar 21, 2018

xspwhite said:
Yep, mine landed in a tree yesterday without even asking.

Any damage? The X-Star is a tough bird.

xspwhite · Mar 21, 2018

joshmentele said:
Any damage? The X-Star is a tough bird.

No Damage. I Think the tree saved it.

PRMath · Mar 21, 2018

Unscrew the lens cover...... wipe dry then blow completely with a hair dryer on low......
Samething happened to me last spring.
7 Days submersed in rice...... all is fine, except the battery (DOA)

Jegs · Mar 21, 2018

Sorry to hear about it, best of luck I got mine back from Autel 3 weeks ago after a tree crash and I still haven't flown it (biting nails!) also kinda chilly up here in MN yet!

Skudie · Mar 23, 2018

Alright guys first test are in plugged in battery it took charge awesome assembled drone back together everything went smooth. Turned battery on inside drone cut motors and let it hover holding steady in the wind discharged complete battery. Normal flight time 20 minutes tested waypoint RTH POI evrything seems good it flies just like before. I won't know for sure until a few more flights but I am tipping hat to autel on making a good bird here reguardless it has done better than the fate of many others that get caught in the elements

And recovery was rather straight forward recover it has fast as possible get it opened up and let sit in constant air flow for 36 to 48 on the mother board and blowing inside the battery port.
Put camera and battery in rice for the whole 72 hours and I had taking hair dryer to evrything a couple times to try to bring the moisture out if it was in there.

Old Bama Dude · Apr 26, 2018

I got mine hung up in a tall pine a couple of years ago, couldn't see it, thought it had fallen out and someone got it. It was up there about a week, got rained on a few times until I was finally able to see it and got a tree climber to get it for me. I dissasembled it, washed it out with alcohol and dried it out. Only damage was to the battery. Still flying good.

PRMath · Apr 26, 2018

Old Bama Dude said:
I got mine hung up in a tall pine a couple of years ago, couldn't see it, thought it had fallen out and someone got it. It was up there about a week, got rained on a few times until I was finally able to see it and got a tree climber to get it for me. I dissasembled it, washed it out with alcohol and dried it out. Only damage was to the battery. Still flying good.

Same here..... RTR #17 and counting

Old Bama Dude · Apr 26, 2018

PRM! How's it going! You gonna buy an EVO?

Jagerbomb52 · Apr 26, 2018

Nice to see you posting again OBD. You take the winter off? Have not seen you for a long time.

PRMath · Apr 27, 2018

Old Bama Dude said:
PRM! How's it going! You gonna buy an EVO?

Saving my money but gonna wait and see. My younger son got a Mavic Air and it is really great.
My older son had a job to change out a 3700lb AC unit about 300 ft atop a condo on the beach. A was “hired for free” to shoot it all. Very interesting.....