How to Exceed Max Altitude for Mountain Flying?

[WolfgangStiller]

I have posted video of flying the Mavic about 14,000 feet here in Colorado. And the 500 meter above take off point limitation is a problem for me too at times. When I take off at a lower elevation intending to follow the mountain side up, I am fully legal since I am never above 400 agl, but the limit stops from going as far up to reach the summit (or forcing me to start at a higher but less desirable location).

 

[tcope]

There have been documented flights of Mavic at 14000-18000+ feet above mean sea level.

If you would not mind, please post links to that documentation. Thanks.

 

[AyeYo]

I did'nt say it was'nt possible. to achieve these hieghts.. but a cautionary comment...
Perhaps the members who seek these flying height should ask those who have achieved it, as to how they overcame the limitations of the app

They likely didn't. You can be at 18,000ft MSL and yet only 1ft AGL if you're flying off the top of a mountain.

 

[ferraript]

Any (worthwhile) suggestions?

yeah, you have 3 options:
1. you need to wait until somebody breaks the firmware so it will be possible to change that limit
2. buy P3A or P3P (if you don't have one already) - with both of them it's possible to fly higher than 500 m (some modifications need to be done of course)
3. buy another type of drone with no such a restrictions

 

[4wd]

If you would not mind, please post links to that documentation. Thanks.

Trekking with Mavic Pro at 5000m Height

 

[tcope]

Trekking with Mavic Pro at 5000m Height

I reread your post. I was under the impression that the thread was talking about AGL.Not sure why you changed it to above sea level. This is not what the OP as talking about. He states he as at the base of a mountain and wanted to explore up the mountain. He then also spoke of the 400' restriction ground limit from the FAA. He then goes on and mentions AGL many times.

The OP is asking how to break the 500m above ground limit built into the firmware.

It cannot be exceeded at this time, period.

 

[Canucklehead]

Shoot. I have a cabin that is at the base of a rather large slope... about 3000ft high. I was hoping to be able to fly from the cabin to the summit (you can drive to top lookout), but looks like I'll only be able to fly DOWN to the cabin from the top. The lateral distance is only about 1km.

How would that work if I take off at 4000+ ASL, fly down to 1000ft ASL, and hit RTH? I'll try it in the spring, but curious minds want to know.

 

[tcope]

How would that work if I take off at 4000+ ASL, fly down to 1000ft ASL, and hit RTH? I'll try it in the spring, but curious minds want to know.

mavic would fly up to the RTH altitude (which is your preset height above the home point and then fly back. So if you have RTH set to 100' and fly down 1000', the Mavic would fly up 1100' and RTH.

 

[Robbyg]

The OP is asking how to break the 500m above ground limit built into the firmware.

It cannot be exceeded at this time, period.

It's a bad idea to make blanket statement without thinking it through. You can theoretically break the 500m barrier and go as high as the rotors will take you without hacking the firmware. Think about it, because i am not posting that kind of info and it would not be a simple task to do it.

 

[Cimriver]

You're confusing altitude above sea level, for altitude above take-off.

Not sure where you are getting this from the persons post. I believe what he was referring to is that the air is thinner at higher elevations. If I am at my home location (5780 feet above sea level) my Mavic is going to have to work harder to get to 10 feet (5790 feet). It is going to have to work harder than if I launched it at sea level (0 feet above sea level) and climbed to 10 feet (10 feet above sea level). Again the air is thinner at higher elevations. That results in shorter duration flights. I believe that was the point he was trying to make.

 

[tcope]

It's a bad idea to make blanket statement without thinking it through. You can theoretically break the 500m barrier and go as high as the rotors will take you without hacking the firmware. Think about it, because i am not posting that kind of info and it would not be a simple task in anyway.

Theoretically? I was stating a fact at this time... not commenting on theories.

This question gets asked a lot. It then leads to people posting about possible ways around it. More people ask how it can be done. So on and so forth. Better just to shut it down with the simple fact.... you can't defeat the 500m firmware limit at this time.

 

[tcope]

I believe what he was referring to is that the air is thinner at higher elevations.

Go back and read it again. the OP clearly mentions limits from the FAA on above ground level. The OP also specifically states above ground level. The OP then asks about landing (resetting the ground level) and taking off again in order to beat the 500m (above ground level) limit.

 

[Cimriver]

Go back and read it again. the OP clearly mentions limits from the FAA on above ground level. The OP also specifically states above ground level. The OP then asks about landing (resetting the ground level) and taking off again in order to beat the 500m (above ground level) limit.

Perhaps you should go back and look. I wasn't quoting the OP. I was commenting on a comment halley made about a post from mikee1554. He was talking about battery flight times at higher elevations. I think you perhaps are the one who needs to go back and read the thread.

 

[Xanth]

Wow! This conversation has really gone gang busters while I was away. As the OP I feel somewhat responsible to clarify some things. Most importantly are the distinctions between ASL, AGL, and ATOP (above take off point). My driveway sits at 4,637 ft ASL or 1413 meters. So obviously the Max Altitude restriction is not based on ASL. The information that has been posted about a true ceiling for the Mavic is interesting, but based on my experience, not a concern for me. The highest I'd be going is <7500 ft ASL, and so far I've found no noticeable impact on performance or flight time while flying above 6000 ft.

The real issue was the 500m ATOP restriction. I fully expect that the suggestion of driving to the top of the mountain and flying down would work...in theory. Unfortunately, I live on the closest road to the summit. Not to mention that the beauty of the Mavic is that it makes true Doc Brown's famous line, "Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads."

I'm very grateful for the info about not being able to land to reset the take off point. That saves me a lot of potential anguish. Though I think it should work since it adds a sensible impediment to those that might use unlimited altitude improperly.

Ultimately, it looks like it comes down to the exchange between tcope and Robbyg. Can the firmware be changed or circumvented, and if it could, given the potential harm it could do to dronedum (and humanity), would anyone do it?

 

[Ozz]

Fake?

 

[Robbyg]

Theoretically? I was stating a fact at this time... not commenting on theories.

Ok it's not a theory it can be done. People have done it but of course they are not posting any videos or boasting about it on forums. I have no interest in doing it myself for those same reasons. Sure it would be great to use it going up a mountain side but the method involved is complicated and no longer makes a Mavic controllable like a Mavic so you might as well go buy an old P2 and use that.

 

[MoOriginal]

I have read and seen video where the drone is put in a vacum sealed box- pressure taken out to fool the pressure sensor and then take off immediately....

 

[halley]

Fake?

Yes.

Curvature of lens matches a GoPro, not a Mavic.

 

[younumpty]

Fake?

Fake
Yep. Skyline curved. GoPro not DJI camera. Possible with my flame hex with 10" props and big motors dual 6600mah batteries on DJI lite v2 flight controller.
Not with Mavic it's not capable of the battery power to deliver that flight.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[Ozz]

Yes.

Curvature of lens matches a GoPro, not a Mavic.

Ah yes - of course - I was thinking though it might have been low cloud/fog and he was actually going 420m high not 4200m - but yeah.