Happy Hump Day  ~  247

Disaster struck yesterday and 100% of the blame rests with me.

There is a project underway to apply for some grant money and Dubuque County, Jackson County, and Jones County are teaming up to work in tandem trying to secure some of the grant money to develop parks and trails.   I was asked if I would be willing to fly my Phantom over some of the areas they are working on for their proposal.

I made two flights and everything went perfectly.  I was able to capture the video that was wanted and it came out looking pretty good.  The image above was made at the “duck pond.”   I have to admit I had never seen it from over head.  It is bigger than I perceive it to be at ground level.

Now for the bad news.  I was asked to go to the Maquoketa Caves.  Descend to bottom level and then take some video rising out of the cave.  I was a little Leary, but I was there to help so I walked down to the floor of the cave.  There were some young children there with adult chaperones and of course they were interested in what we were doing.

I had a bad feeling about the caves as there wasn’t much maneuver room on either side of the opening.  So I got everything set up but I couldn’t get any satellite connection.  The rule of thumb is that if you don’t have satellite connection do not fly.  And if you do fly, fly in a big open area where there are not any obstacles.

I told the guy who was with me I didn’t think I was going to be able to fly.  I could tell he was disappointed and so always the one who wants to help I said I’d give it a try.    I got it airborne but it was obvious that it was going to require more flying skill than I had.  At one point in the video you will see me look down at the monitor (fatal mistake.)  I started drifting and then over corrected until I crashed into the cave wall.  Watch the video it is pretty short.

So the Phantom ended up in about two feet of water upside down.  A couple of the kids went and retrieved it (thankfully) I don’t think I could have done it.  Tore up all the props, damaged the video transmitter (yes another one) plus the worst of it is that all the electronics were underwater for about 10 minutes.  Dirty water at that.

When I got home I took the Phantom completely apart and buried all the electronics in rice.  I’m not optimistic that it will ever fly again but I thought I would give the rice a try.

I think the camera is toast as well but it is also in the rice so we’ll give it a couple of days and see what happens.

Such a terrible waste of a brain.  <sigh>  😦

That’s all I have for you today.  Thanks for stopping by the blog.  Enjoy your day and be careful.