VLOS

[mithatrone]

I know I have seen the mini complain about low signal when it hasn't been far away at all (nothing that couldn't be sorted by changing the antenna angle, but a warning!)

I have experienced this a lot with my Mavic Mini and I should say the £10 range extenders you could buy from Amazon do help a lot!

 

[Olav van Gerven]

Please do not take this as an offense, but I think younger you are, more you tend to trust technology and rely on it to do what it should do than worrying about "What if it fails"!!
Having said that, I have seen a few people complaining about their Mavic Pros dropping down from the skies due to swollen batteries. This happening when the quad is out of VLOS could be very dangerous!!!

Nope, I do not take it as an offens, and being 60 (physical, my wife says I am still a child...) I do not tend to take "impel risks". This one was a well calculated risk, at a time and place that I was certain that IF something would go wrong, I would only have to regrett my €1.000 going for a swim. I do agree with you, that flying outside VLOS is very dangerous.

 

[ChipDjipro]

Please do not take this as an offense, but I think younger you are, more you tend to trust technology and rely on it to do what it should do than worrying about "What if it fails"!!
Having said that, I have seen a few people complaining about their Mavic Pros dropping down from the skies due to swollen batteries. This happening when the quad is out of VLOS could be very dangerous!!!

We all trusted technology. That’s the reason why they keep coming out with bigger and better drones technology is much better. Doesn’t mean they’re 100% bulletproof. But that’s all you got. Do I trust it absolutely that’s the reason why I buy DJI. If I didn’t trust it I wouldn’t buy it. Will it fail eventually it will. Man makeable man breakable. ? As far has a swollen battery any failure for that matter doesn’t matter whether you are out a half a mile or 2 miles the outcome is still going to be the same the drones coming down and there’s nothing you’re going to do to stop it. Only difference is visual line of sight you’re going to physically see it happen. The outcome is still going to be the same.

 

[catowner7]

Today I decided to set the maximum horizontal flight length permitted to 200m in DJI GO 4. Then I used the same app to define a pre planned flight using waypoints, but I was surprised to find that the app let me set waypoints far beyond the 200m limit. At the moment I'm unable to test what happens when the drone reaches such limit, so that's my first question. The second is if the VLOS rules apply equally for pre planned flights. Thanks.

 

[dawgpilot]

The VLOS rules apply to every flight, it doesn't matter if you are flying a mission or not.

 

[Lurch003]

For a small, light coloured drone like a Mavic Mini on a cloudy day, VLOS can be as little as 100m. On another day it could be five or six times that though. It's important because it means you know whether you're about to hit anything and anything is about to hit you (such as another drone, or a landing aircraft which has come below the 500' minimum height for manned aircraft).

I've had exactly that too- some days I can see it, others I'm guessing... educated guessing of course!

Would be worried if an aircraft was landing randomly, but also excited to catch the footage on the drone! Unless you mean near an airfield, but that would be a NFZ so wouldn't be flying there anyway!

 

[Ars3nal3432]

I think a lot of flyers disobey this rule. I'm about to buy my first drone and the only reason I am strongly considering the Air 2 with occusync is to provide safer connection when flying. I could care less about the distance it can go. I will stay in vlos, I'm sure that's easier said than done, but its a law here in the US.

 

[strdr]

VLOS is kind of like "The Pirates Code". The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.

 

[Ars3nal3432]

VLOS is kind of like "The Pirates Code". The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.

I wish that were true, but it's not a guideline.

According to Section 107.31 -

(a) With vision that is unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, the remote pilot in command, the visual observer (if one is used), and the person manipulating the flight control of the small unmanned aircraft system must be able to see the unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight in order to:

(1) Know the unmanned aircraft’s location;

(2) Determine the unmanned aircraft’s attitude, altitude, and direction of flight;

(3) Observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards; and

(4) Determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another.

 

[serioussam909]

What is the point of OccuSync 2 etc?

Stronger signal. Better resistance to interference. And you can always apply for permission from your local CAA and fly BVLOS. Just like your car can go faster than the speed limit. But if you want to legally drive at your car's max speed then you need to either go to a closed track or drive down a road where that's legal - like a German Autobahn.

I know a lot of people that fly miles out for years have never had a problem. Does that make those people bad people absolutely not.

Yes, they're bad pilots. If they were good pilots then they would have got a permission from their local CAA.

 

[UAS_Dude]

Have the VLOS rules changed recently in the U.S.? I have just finished watching yet another "range test" video on Youtube where the guy believes that it's ok to lose VLOS because he has a spotter a couple of miles downrange in contact via two-way radio. Is this setup now legal and are the VLOS rules the same for recreational and Part 107 drone flights?

 

[dronerdave]

Have the VLOS rules changed recently in the U.S.? I have just finished watching yet another "range test" video on Youtube where the guy believes that it's ok to lose VLOS because he has a spotter a couple of miles downrange in contact via two-way radio. Is this setup now legal and are the VLOS rules the same for recreational and Part 107 drone flights?

Here is a similar discussion about 107 rules:

Spotter rule

When flying missions on a site with buildings where it is impossible to always have visual line of site (VLOS), is it ok if the spotter is in a different location than the pilot providing that either the spotter or pilot always have VLOS and if the pilot can visually see the spotter?

mavicpilots.com

For rec fliers probably not unless he had some sort of authorization.

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

The rec rules state:

"Keep your drone within your visual line of sight, or within the visual line-of-sight of a visual observer who is co-located (physically next to) and in direct communication with you".

 

[serioussam909]

Nope - both EVLOS and BVLOS flights need permission from the local CAA. I don't know a jurisdiction where BVLOS is legal.

All those youtubers are flying illegally.

 

[catowner7]

Here in Spain you must have passed a professional and medical exam before you can fly EVLOS and BVLOS. For EVLOS any observer needs to have the same background. And to fly BVLOS you need to submit a NOTAM (NoticeToAirMen) request to the authorities well in advance. Max height is always 120m (400ft) whether you are professional or not. I presume these requirements are probably more or less the same in most parts of the world.