# 3. Emergency & FailSafe

The beauty of FPV lies in its freedom, but risks are always present. When signal loss occurs or unexpected situations arise, knowing the correct response can save your drone and prevent safety incidents.

***

## 1. Understanding Failsafe Mechanisms

Failsafe is the most fundamental safety net for FPV drones. When the receiver stops receiving a signal from the radio controller for a set time (usually **0.4s - 1.0s**), the Flight Controller (FC) automatically takes over.

GEPRC drones typically ship with one of two default protection logics, depending on the model:

### A. Drop (Freefall) - Default Setting

> **Applicable Models:** MARK5, Cinebot, Cinelog, DarkStar, TinyGO, and most non-GPS models.

* **Behavior:** The motors stop spinning immediately, and the drone falls like a stone.
* **Why this setting?** For drones without GPS, this is the safest option. It prevents the drone from maintaining throttle and flying away ("Fly Away") or drifting into people/property when control is lost.

### B. GPS Rescue Mode

> **Applicable Models:** MOZ7, Crocodile Series, and Cinebot30 (GPS Version).

* **Behavior:**
  1. The drone rapidly **climbs** to a set altitude (usually 20-30 meters above the max altitude of the flight).
  2. It automatically turns towards the **"Home Point"** and flies back.
  3. Once within signal range, you can move the sticks to regain control.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING:**\
Betaflight's GPS Rescue is not DJI RTH. It is "dumb" and "aggressive." It has **NO obstacle avoidance**. Landing is often rough (frequently a controlled crash). Use this only as a last resort. You **MUST** wait for a GPS 3D Fix and confirm the Home Point is set before taking off — otherwise the drone may fly away.
{% endhint %}

***

## 2. Emergency Procedures (S.O.P.)

If you encounter the following situations in the air, **stay calm** and follow these standard operating procedures:

| Situation                     | Symptoms                                                                | Suggested Action (S.O.P.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Video Loss (Black Screen)** | Goggles show static (snow) or a black screen, but control link is fine. | <p><strong>1. Don't Panic:</strong> Do not move the sticks wildly.<br><strong>2. Angle Mode:</strong> Immediately switch to <strong>Angle Mode</strong> (Self-leveling).<br><strong>3. Throttle Up:</strong> Gently raise the throttle to gain altitude (signal is better higher up).<br><strong>4. Listen/DVR:</strong> If video doesn't return in seconds, <strong>DISARM</strong>. Use Goggle DVR to find the crash site.</p> |
| **RxLoss (Signal Critical)**  | Radio announces "Telemetry Lost" or "RF Signal Critical".               | <p><strong>1. Raise Radio:</strong> Adjust antenna orientation (Antenna side facing drone, don't point the tip at it).<br><strong>2. Turn Back:</strong> Turn around immediately. Do not hesitate.<br><strong>3. Climb:</strong> Increasing altitude can help clear line-of-sight obstructions.</p>                                                                                                                              |
| **Stuck in Tree**             | Drone is stuck in branches, props cannot spin.                          | <p><strong>1. DISARM NOW!</strong><br><strong>2. NO Throttle:</strong> If motors are blocked, forcing throttle will <strong>burn the motors or ESC within 3-5 seconds</strong>.<br><strong>3. Wiggle:</strong> Use "Turtle Mode" to gently pulse motors. If it doesn't move, give up and climb the tree.</p>                                                                                                                     |
| **Intruder Alert**            | A person or child enters the flight area.                               | <p><strong>1. Land Immediately:</strong> Even crashing into the grass is better than hitting a person.<br><strong>2. Hover High:</strong> If you cannot land safely, fly high and hover until the area is clear.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

***

## 3. Crash & Recovery

Crashing is part of the FPV life. Here is how to handle it.

### The Savior: Turtle Mode (Flip Over After Crash)

When the drone lands upside down, you don't need to walk over to pick it up. You can flip it remotely.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Disarm

Ensure the drone is disarmed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Switch ON

Flip the "Flip Over After Crash" switch on your radio (usually on an AUX channel).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Push Stick

Push the Roll or Pitch stick fully to the side. Two motors will reverse spin to "flip" the drone upright.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Switch OFF

Once upright, turn off the Turtle Mode switch.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Re-Arm

Arm and take off.

Note: Be careful in tall grass. Long grass can wrap around motors and cause burnout.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### How to Find a Lost Drone?

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Motor Beacon

Even if the battery is connected, disarm and flip the assigned "Beeper" switch. The motors will emit a beeping sound (Dshot Beacon). It's quiet, but audible in silence.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### DVR Replay

Your goggles automatically record video. Take them off and replay the last few seconds of footage. Look for landmarks to pinpoint the location.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### GPS Coordinates

If you have GPS, check the last known Latitude/Longitude on your radio screen. Enter them into Google Maps on your phone.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Autonomous Buzzer (Optional)

We recommend advanced pilots install a self-powered buzzer (like **VIFLY Finder**). Even if the main battery is ejected during a crash, it will beep loudly for 24+ hours.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
"Better to crash the drone than to hurt a person."

If you feel you have lost control, **DISARMING** is always the cheapest option. Replacing a few parts on a MARK5 costs a little money, but hospital bills and legal liabilities cost far more.
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.geprc.com/01-getting-started/fpv-safety-guide/3.-emergency-and-failsafe.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.