This is Why ...

... I can't have nice things.

Patty's brother Doug and his wife gave us a drone for Christmas (we had dinner with them yesterday).

A Syma X5C Explorers to be specific.

The very helpful (helpfulness not included) manual, which did have all English words, informed me that:

"This R/C flying model is a high dangerous commodity." 

"Keep it far away from the barrier or crowd."

"Keep it far away from the moisten environment."

"Keep it far away from the high-speed rotating part and heat source."

"Use this product correctly and avoid operating by your own."

Never-the-less it is a very nice piece of kit. And the info I found on the web was all positive, repeatedly stating it was a perfect choice for the first time pilot. A mid level model at an entry level price. So I charged up the battery and headed out to give it a go.

And it started well, we have liftoff (click "liftoff" to see)!

But it was all downhill form there.

Nowhere in the manual did it mention anything about snow.

Although it did help cushion the crash.

Nor were there any warnings about trees.

See it up there (look for the green lights in the center tree)?

And there it remains, it's lights blinking forlornly, battery slowly draining, its motors not strong enough to disengage it from the snare of branches. And me down here, powerless to do anything but wait for the next wind storm.

The manual states that you get seven minutes of flying time on a fully charged battery. I think I got three minutes before my Charlie Brown moment occurred.

But I can't wait until I get it back.