Drone crashed on a job site in Phoenix last Tuesday

Was using a Skydio 2 to survey a foundation pour. Got too close to a rebar cage and the sensors went crazy. It fell right into wet concrete. Cost me $1200 to replace the drone and we lost half a day cleaning up the mess. Anyone have tips for flying around metal on active pours?

2 comments

2 Comments

lane.angela11d agoTop Commenter

Happens all the time with tech that's supposed to make life easier but can't handle real-world conditions. Rebar and concrete are basically a nightmare for any drone's obstacle avoidance, and it's wild how quickly a small mistake turns into a huge loss. Just goes to show you can spend all you want on fancy gear but it still can't beat plain old common sense.

the_john11d ago

@lane.angela you're spot on with that. I've seen guys lose drones worth more than my truck just because they got cocky with the obstacle avoidance. Rebar is like kryptonite to those sensors, it just doesn't register right until it's too late. Concrete dust and debris mess with the camera lenses too, same thing happens. All that money on the latest GPS and collision tech and a simple metal rod takes it out. Common sense about when to just pull back and use your eyes instead of trusting the autopilot is what saves you in the end.