What happens when a drone loses signal or gets lost?

Many drones crashed during the April 30 performance incident. Photo: Diem Quynh .

Combining technology and art, drone performances are becoming more and more popular at large-scale events in recent years. This type of performance brings audiences a new experience and unique visual effects.

However, incidents of drones losing control during performances still occur occasionally. Late last year, about 2,000 drones fell out of the sky over Guangzhou, China in an incident. Earlier this year, several drones crashed and caught fire during a rehearsal for a Tet program in Hanoi.

Most recently, many drones crashed and landed in the wrong place, causing them to be lost during a performance on the evening of April 30 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Why drones lose control

During a drone show, the operator from the ground center will send signals in real time, ensuring that the drone flies in the correct pre-programmed trajectory. Therefore, an important cause of drones losing control is radio interference.

The radio environment is often complex with many different frequencies, including those not registered with the Radio Frequency Directorate, or jammers. This interference can come from other radio devices, electromagnetic interference sources, or natural phenomena such as lightning.

These factors can also cause interference with GPS signals, which help drones determine their exact location and fly in a programmed trajectory. This signal is easily affected or obscured by objects such as buildings, trees, or electromagnetic interference.

According to the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, a technical problem on the night of April 30 caused the Organizing Committee to decide to stop flying and recall the drone to ensure safety.

The incident during the rehearsal of the 10,500 drones performance was said to be due to interference. Photo: Social Network.

Additionally, errors in the control code can cause the drones to deviate from their orbits and collide with each other. Drone demonstrations require careful programming and design. If the central processor fails, the entire formation can shut down and the show will fail.

Environmental factors such as wind, humidity, and weather also play an important role in the success of the demonstration. For example, strong winds can cause the drone to deviate from its flight path or lose control. High temperatures can cause the motor to overload. High humidity can easily cause electronic components to become damp and operate unstable.

Regardless of external factors, the failure of a drone show also depends on the role of the operator. If they lack technical skills and expertise, they can mishandle or misjudge the situation during the show. In addition, if the preparation process before the show is inadequate, the risk of errors will increase significantly.

What happens after drone loses signal

Most professional drones are pre-programmed to return to their takeoff location if they lose signal. This feature, called Return to Home (RTH), allows the drone to record its home point if it has a GPS connection at that time. This is the most common method used in large shows to limit risks.

According to Drone Kenner , when RTH is activated, unless it has already flown higher, the drone will fly to the minimum set altitude. The device will then travel in a straight line at that altitude, and eventually land back at the starting point.

In the event of a temporary loss of signal, some drones can be programmed to remain airborne and wait for the connection to be restored. However, this feature is not recommended for use during large-scale demonstrations.

In a large demonstration space, the drone "hanging" in the air in a situation where the signal is lost makes it difficult for the operator to know its location, making it difficult to make an urgent decision. In addition, when one or more drones suddenly hover in place, they will block the flight path of the team, easily causing a series of collisions.

Drone image before the rehearsal on the evening of April 28. Photo: Phuong Lam.

When programmed, the device can land safely on the spot (safe-landing). This also happens when the drone loses signal, hangs in the air for a long time, leading to battery exhaustion.

In the worst case scenario, the drone can fall freely or fly erratically. In that case, the positioning and control system is completely disabled, causing the device to lose the ability to determine its location, flight direction and target.

A drone falling suddenly would act like a heavy object, posing a danger to spectators. This is why shows are usually held in areas with no audience below, or at a safe distance.

In short, drones losing control during a performance can be caused by many reasons. To minimize this risk, organizers need to synchronously deploy many measures from increasing supervision, optimizing positioning systems, to technical preparation and human training.

Drones 'fell like rain' after a performance on the evening of April 30 in Ho Chi Minh City. A few minutes after the performance, many drones suddenly fell on people standing at the Saigon River park. The organizers are searching for and recovering these drones.

Source: https://znews.vn/dieu-gi-xay-ra-khi-drone-bieu-dien-mat-song-that-lac-post1550424.html