There are few things funnier to a drone enthusiast than watching someone like-minded crash their device in the most dramatic manner possible. That is, of course, until it happens to you. We all like to indulge in a little schadenfreude, so here are some of the best videos on the ’net showing epic crashes and fails, followed up by some tips to make sure you don’t end up making the same mistakes.
Favorite Fails
Let’s start off with a bang by looking at some of the most hilarious and insane crashes, skids, and fails that some poor drone owners have had to suffer through.
This video includes a whole host of crashes, some due to pure bad luck, some perhaps attributed to unskilled users. At 2:22, you see a perfect example of why flying high on a windy day isn’t always the smartest move. We’ve been there too.
The fail featured at 3:58 on this video shows some pretty innovative use of a drone in a water slide. But it’s a shame it ends in a long and undoubtedly expensive bath.
High-speed drone photography as shown at 2:20 is a great way to create some exciting footage. Just don’t be like the goof in the video and make sure you’re not flying head-first into a concrete wall.
Pre-Check List for Preventing Fails
You, too, could be featured on a video montage of drones behaving badly if you fly like any of the enthusiasts shown above. Of course, you could just as easily avoid those kinds of mishaps. All it takes it a little forward thinking, practice, and some checks before you take to the skies.
- Running out of battery life: Some of the crashes above are the result of poor flying, poor weather, or just poor luck. However, some also show what happens when a drone runs out of battery while the camera is still running. You’ll drop right to the ground; so make sure you have fully recharged your batteries and pay attention to your flight time (and distance from you if you want it to fly back).
- Avoid flying near hazards: You might consider yourself a pretty skilled flyer, as many of the pilots featured in the video undoubtedly did. However, hazards like trees, people, animals, vehicles, and buildings prove to consistently be the downfall of even the most practiced drone owners. Be aware of any potential hazards and stay far away from them if you don’t want to produce a similar fail.
- Do a proper pre-flight check: There are some flights that might seem like they weren’t the fault of the flyer. In many cases, however, it’s down to damaged equipment. Jammed and chipped propellers can cause you to spiral out of control. Damage to the sensors, gyroscope, or accelerometer can result in a very unsteady flight. Closely examine your drone before you take to the skies to catch these issues before they become expensive problems.
You can avoid ending up on a YouTube channel for the world to see your fails by simply being a little more careful before every flight. That said, if you do crash, be sure to upload the footage so we can all have a good chuckle.
