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Nearly doubled my previous distance record!

Lapeer20m

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my previous record of one way flight while trailing mavic in an automobile over rural farm fields was

37,259 feet

Today, I flew

65,884 feet and landed with 11%

The first flight was done at approximately 20mph in p mode with little to no wind.


Today I had a 14mph tailwind according to nws and flew at max speed in sports mode. I figured 40mph ground speed was still only about 20-25 mph faster than the wind.

Flight lasted just shy of 24 minutes with 11% remaining.
 
my previous record of one way flight while trailing mavic in an automobile over rural farm fields was

37,259 feet

Today, I flew

65,884 feet and landed with 11%

The first flight was done at approximately 20mph in p mode with little to no wind.


Today I had a 14mph tailwind according to nws and flew at max speed in sports mode. I figured 40mph ground speed was still only about 20-25 mph faster than the wind.

Flight lasted just shy of 24 minutes with 11% remaining.
I just flew 12,000ft and was acting like a little school girl I was so happy. This... This is unbelievable!! Would you mind telling us what your set up was. Thanks and by the way; why stop there! haha
 
I just flew 12,000ft and was acting like a little school girl I was so happy. This... This is unbelievable!! Would you mind telling us what your set up was. Thanks and by the way; why stop there! haha

Completely stock Mavic.

Sport mode, full throttle (39.9 mph) 14mph tail wind on the ground according to nws, 24 minutes flight time, 213 feet agl (although I went up/down some gentle hills so the ground level varied slightly but mavic continued on a level flight)

I was just reading a thread about a science project where 30 mph was generally accepted as the best speed to travel for maximum distance in no wind. It was suggested that finding a speed which keeps you in the air for the maximum amount of time is the best way to maximize distance with a tailwind. In my case, approximately 40 mph gave me both mavic top speed as well as nearly max flight time, since mavic only needed to travel 20-25 mph faster than the wind.

It could fly a little bit further, but I stopped a few times either because mavic outran our vehicle (stop signs) or when I lost sight of mavic and stopped and got out to regain visual.

I also stopped and brought her down when there was about 16% battery remaining. There were trees up ahead and a much more narrow window for landing, so I chose to stop while still surrounded by large fields.
 
And what is the point of this?
Just to say you did it?
I can say that I climbed Mount Everest !
I didn't, but if it makes you feel better that I said it, then more power to you! Lol!
,
 
And what is the point of this?
Just to say you did it?
I can say that I climbed Mount Everest !
I didn't, but if it makes you feel better that I said it, then more power to you! Lol!
,

Record breaking is fun, even if it's just a personal record. I thought others may find it interesting. This is a forum where drone owners like myself talk about their aircraft and the things they have accomplished.

Or are you claiming that the photo I posted of my flight log is somehow a forgery or fraud?
 
I'm new to this hobby and was really excited to fly over 1km and so pleased when she returned home safely .. I really can't see y wolf would take time to comment negatively ..
 
Great! Do you have airdata from this? I am curious how the signal strength is over such a distance.
 
Nice - I've wondered about doing this. I had the idea of making a video of a long route, about 70 miles which would take quite a few flights/batteries. If you can really go 12 miles per battery, I just have to fly it north to south which typically has a strong tailwind in the afternoons. Thanks!
 
Great! Do you have airdata from this? I am curious how the signal strength is over such a distance.

From my reading he drove along with it staying visual and therefore radio range not a problem. Hence he mentioned a slight tail wind because not returning into a corresponding head wind. Just a one way flight.
 
I posted this in another place, but it looks like Lapeer20m confirms the theory: Go Faster = Go Further

I had an interesting chat with a real helicopter pilot on fuel consumption.

The key principal was that there was a sweet spot for FUEL BURN RATE and from memory that was somewhere half speed. Stay up longer, but don't go far.

But for BEST RANGE (mpg) he said near 'flat out' gave the most distance. The longer TIME you are in the air, the more fuel you use fighting gravity.

Not sure where, but I read on a discussion place that someone did a "range test flight" and planned a Return To Home with a safe battery level, BUT to save battery slowed down the automatic return speed (Wrong!) and just squeaked home with about 10% battery instead of the planned +30% and wondered why!

Like the real chopper pilot said, we get further going faster because we are less time up there fighting gravity. Opposite mentality to driving a car.

In this long distance case Lapeer20m "flew at max speed in Sports Mode"

Whilst an academic topic, it could be a handy tip if you need the distance.
Also "don't return slow if your battery low".
 
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Record breaking is fun, even if it's just a personal record. I thought others may find it interesting. This is a forum where drone owners like myself talk about their aircraft and the things they have accomplished.

Or are you claiming that the photo I posted of my flight log is somehow a forgery or fraud?

This isn't a record? You drove under your Mavic? I think you're missing the point of the thread you were reading.

The point, you standing in one spot, and flying your Mavic the furthest away, and making it back.

It's an exercise in antenna reception and battery management.

Also one way flights are pretty normal. People do that all the time.

If this is to test how much ground the Mavic can cover in a battery, no one here will tell you that full throttle is the way to go.
 
I posted this in another place, but it looks like Lapeer20m confirms the theory: Go Faster = Go Further

I had an interesting chat with a real helicopter pilot on fuel consumption.

The key principal was that there was a sweet spot for FUEL BURN RATE and from memory that was somewhere half speed. Stay up longer, but don't go far.

But for BEST RANGE (mpg) he said near 'flat out' gave the most distance. The longer TIME you are in the air, the more fuel you use fighting gravity.

Not sure where, but I read on a discussion place that someone did a "range test flight" and planned a Return To Home with a safe battery level, BUT to save battery slowed down the automatic return speed (Wrong!) and just squeaked home with about 10% battery instead of the planned +30% and wondered why!

Like the real chopper pilot said, we get further going faster because we are less time up there fighting gravity. Opposite mentality to driving a car.

In this long distance case Lapeer20m "flew at max speed in Sports Mode"

Whilst an academic topic, it could be a handy tip if you need the distance.
Also "don't return slow if your battery low".

Yes okay, go faster go further, AS long as your driving along with it. The thread he's referring too is a thread about distance and antenna reception. You know "how far can you go and get back safely?". The question was "what's the best speed to battery consumption ratio to get the Mavic the furthest away and still have enough to return home?".
 
I posted this in another place, but it looks like Lapeer20m confirms the theory: Go Faster = Go Further

I had an interesting chat with a real helicopter pilot on fuel consumption.

.



Like the real chopper pilot said, we get further going faster because we are less time up there fighting gravity. Opposite mentality to driving a car.

Fly faster fly further seems to be the case.

One difference between jet fuel and battery power is that the total energy available to extract from jet fuel is the same regardless of burn rate. While a battery will often give up more total power if the discharge rate is decreased. This is particularly true of lead acid batteries. I don't know if the same theory applies to lipo batteries.
 
Great! Do you have airdata from this? I am curious how the signal strength is over such a distance.
Ummm maybe im missing something.. i read he trailed the mavic in a vehicle. Signal strength would probably be really high since he could see it. Just saying.
 
I actually think this is a good test.
 
All these 'record breaking' attempts to me sound like pointless male pissing contests leading people to break drone laws/regulations left, right and center.
This is the kind of behaviour getting drones banned!
 
Completely stock Mavic.

Sport mode, full throttle (39.9 mph) 14mph tail wind on the ground according to nws, 24 minutes flight time, 213 feet agl (although I went up/down some gentle hills so the ground level varied slightly but mavic continued on a level flight)

I was just reading a thread about a science project where 30 mph was generally accepted as the best speed to travel for maximum distance in no wind. It was suggested that finding a speed which keeps you in the air for the maximum amount of time is the best way to maximize distance with a tailwind. In my case, approximately 40 mph gave me both mavic top speed as well as nearly max flight time, since mavic only needed to travel 20-25 mph faster than the wind.

It could fly a little bit further, but I stopped a few times either because mavic outran our vehicle (stop signs) or when I lost sight of mavic and stopped and got out to regain visual.

I also stopped and brought her down when there was about 16% battery remaining. There were trees up ahead and a much more narrow window for landing, so I chose to stop while still surrounded by large fields.
I heard that the best speed for endurance is 22MPH and the mavics flight time is shortened by just hovering, its efficiency really kicks in when your moving forward
 
All these 'record breaking' attempts to me sound like pointless male pissing contests leading people to break drone laws/regulations left, right and center.
This is the kind of behaviour getting drones banned!

I don't understand? FAA, when they had the authority to regulate hobby drones, allowed piloting the aircraft from a moving vehicle in rural areas.

Now they don't even regulate this behaivior.
 
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