The thrill of hearing your drone’s propellers and motors spool up is unrivaled. Nothing compares to the disappointment of your drone floating away as soon as it takes off.
Here are seven reasons why your drone won’t stay put and won’t keep its place. When you raise the question, “Why does my drone fly backward?” you’ll learn exactly what’s crucial.
Drifting is a regular occurrence when flying a drone, and it may be caused by a variety of faults or variables relating to the drone and the flight circumstances.
Table of Contents
How to stop your drone from flying backward?
Here are all of the reasons why your drone can be flying backward after takeoff, as well as what you can do to prevent it from happening again!
1. Accelerometers must be calibrated before use
Accelerometers are found in every drone and play a critical role in assessing the drone’s flying stability.
The accelerometers measure the rate of change of movement. Hence, if you keep the drone steady (in any position), the sensor will not detect any movement.
This brief movie demonstrates the reaction to movement quite well:
Due to software and hardware variances, each drone is calibrated slightly differently. However, they all follow the same basic principles:
Make sure the drone is in the same orientation that the software you’re using to calibrate the accelerometer says it should be.
Place the drone on a level, solid surface and make sure it doesn’t move.
Start your drone’s software calibration procedure.
Some tasks include turning the drone off and on again. Follow the software’s instructions to the letter.
2. Transmitter configurations
If the rearward drifting isn’t caused by something in the drone, the transmitter may be commanding the drone to move.
The drone would travel very slowly in this situation since the transmitter would be delivering the signal.
Your drone’s controller’s transmitter settings should be double-checked.
If you’re creating your drone, you’ll need to pay close attention to the transmitter settings.
If you have a DJI or other commercial drone, use the Remote Controller Calibration portion of your settings panel to verify the trim and calibrate the remote.
To calibrate your remote controller, go to Settings > Remote Controller Settings > Remote Controller Calibration (in DJI GO 4 app).
Take the effort to look out the transmitter’s name and serial number on the internet, or look up device-specific instructions for your drone and controller.
Look up ‘how to trim’ the drone you’re flying on the internet.
3. Issues with the motor or the ESC
There is a delicate balancing act between the ESC (Electronic Speed Controller), the motors, and the propellers.
If any of these drone components are not communicating properly with one another or are malfunctioning in any way.
The ESC is a small electrical component that regulates the motor’s speed.
Despite its small size, it performs hundreds, if not thousands, of computations every second to keep the drone going smoothly.
The information received by the ESC must, of course, be turned into movement by a motor.
A stator and a rotor are the two main components of drone motors. These interact with magnets and electricity to move the blades and force the drone to lift off.
Drifting might occur if there is a little problem with the signal or the movement of the four motors. Look up frequent problems on the internet.
4. Problems with propellers
Drone propellers are similar to vehicle tires. They’re vital, but they’re also easy to ignore.
On a drone, it’s easy to overlook the basic things, so have a look at the propellers, a small piece of plastic that does all the work.
Check for damage
It’s critical to inspect your propeller blades for microscopic cracks or hairline fractures. The simplest method is to use your fingers and fingernails.
Feel for any damage or difficulties by running your fingertips over every portion of each blade. You want to ensure sure the blades’ surfaces are smooth and free of lumps and imperfections. Then look for chips or pieces of the blades that have been damaged by a collision with bugs or other impediments.
The best tool you have to examine your propellers is your fingers!
Double-check propeller positioning
Okay, there are two techniques to check propeller placement:
Verify that the propellers are attached to the correct motors.
Make sure the propellers are firmly attached to the motors.
Most drone models include indicators that indicate which propeller should go where. The marks on the DJI drones, for example, correspond to the markings on the motors.
Check to see whether yours are on the correct motors as well.
Second, double-check that the propellers are properly attached to the motors.
Hold the motor stationary and wiggle the propellers slightly.
Do they move about a lot?
Some blades move faster than others. This might indicate a connection crack.
If you’re not sure, try flying your drone with a new set of propellers.
These may be bought at a low price at the various drone and gadget stores.
5. You’re not in GPS mode
GPS is used by a lot of drones to maintain their position.
According to the US government, a drone can attain 3-meter accuracy 95% of the time or better when using GPS.
In general, 3 meters = 9.8452 feet is the GPS accuracy.
The GPS is backed up by picture and video analysis to determine accurate locations.
The DJI drones, for example, offer a return to home capability as well as a precise landing function that causes the drone to snap images of its takeoff spot.
This allows it to land exactly where it took off, which is more precise than if the drone relied just on GPS to land.
Your drone will precisely forecast its location. It will require around 8 GPS satellites.
You may, however, go before that time.
The drones will utilize pictures and video to retain their location, although they may have difficulty picking out fixed things to compare their position to (especially inside).
The drone may wander and go backward as a result of this.
One way to verify this is to wait until your drone’s software confirms that it utilizes GPS positioning before taking off.
6: Avoiding stumbling blocks
Sensors on commercial and professional drones prevent colliding with people, buildings, and other items.
Obstacle avoidance is another feature of the DJI drones, which allows them to move around an object – pretty impressive, right?
Sensors such as thermal, LiDAR, Time-of-Flight, and multispectral sensors can be installed on drones.
They’re introducing a slew of new features and operational advantages to various industries.
However, each additional sensor on the drone can introduce a new sensing difficulty.
Take a peek at your drone’s forward-facing sensors. Is there anything on the sensor that might be causing it to overestimate the distance between the drone and something?
Here’s how to keep your drone clean:
- Wipe the sensor’s cover with a tiny microfiber cloth to remove any fingerprints.
- Remove any particles lodged in the margins of the drone sensor with compressed air or a blower.
7. Balance and placement
Small drones, in particular, are extremely sensitive to where objects are inserted in the drone’s body and arms. Any tiny shift in the drone’s weight distribution might cause it to wander.
Take a look at how a minor change in cable location may lead this small drone to drift backward:
Take the time to inspect your drone or quad copter’s body and limbs. Look for any additional tape or anything else that caused the problem.
This is less of a concern with larger drones with stronger motors, but it is still a good idea to examine your drone and its body for any minor weight distribution imbalances.
Final Words
That concludes our discussion. Look into the possibility that anything is causing your drone to fly backward.
Always check the obvious items first; you’d be shocked how frequently the silly things can create all kinds of problems.
How do I change the direction of my drone?
You can change the direction of your drone by changing the rates at which each of its propellers rotates. While a drone is hovering, adjacent propellers rotate in opposite directions to keep the drone stable. By changing the rate of each of the motors, we can manipulate the drone through the air in all three dimensions.
How do I make my drone fly forward?
On most drones, it is achieved by using the left throttle stick either to the left or right. Pitch – This is the quadcopter’s movement, either forward or backward. Forward Pitch is generally achieved by pushing the throttle stick forward, making the quadcopter tilt and move forward, away from you.
What causes drone drift?
Drones have a lot of sensors, all working together to maintain flight efficiency.
Calibrating a drone’s IMU and compass is the process of correcting the errors that cause inaccurate sensor measurements.
The sensors may drift in response over time due to vibrations, aging, and various impacts.
Why does my drone fly to one side?
Since drones require perfect orientation and alignment to stay level, they may tilt due to discrepancies with the Accelerometer, Propellers, Motor, Controller, IMU and Compass, Gyroscope, or their Center of Gravity as slanted surfaces, unfavorable weather, and electromagnetic interference.