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Why does DJI allow you to change max altitude to 1640 ft?

kykayak

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FAA guidelines state you should fly below 400 feet, correct? Why does the DJI GO app allow you to change your max altitude to 500 meters? Looks like if the FAA didn't want recreational pilots flying above the 400 feet height restriction then they wouldn't allow you to change the setting so easy. At least put a restriction on it like they do to fly within 5 miles of an airport. In which case you have to obtain a verification code from DJI. Anyone share why this is?


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FAA guidelines state you should fly below 400 feet, correct?
That's 400 feet AGL (not above the takeoff point). It's not uncommon for me to fly above 600 feet where I live. If I could only fly at 400 feet, I'd hit the side of a mountain :)
 
AGL - Above Ground Level? Where I fly there are hills that are over 400 ft high. There may be a need to go over the 400 ft to clear the obstacle. So in this case it's ok to fly over 400 ft? Why would one ever need to fly 1640 ft?
 
AGL - Above Ground Level?
Correct.

There may be a need to go over the 400 ft to clear the obstacle. So in this case it's ok to fly over 400 ft?
The FAA never wants hobbyists to fly over 400 feet AGL. While it's not a law, it's a good idea to follow their recommendation.

Why would one ever need to fly 1640 ft?
There are many mountains (for example) that exceed that altitude in the US.
 
Thanks Msinger. Say I'm at an overlook. And said overlook is 300 ft above the area below. If for some reason I have to hit return to home, my return to home altitude is set at 150 ft. Say the UAV is 100 ft below where I took off from when return to home is initialized. Will the Mavic climb to 150ft above the height where it took off from and return to home?


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Will the Mavic climb to 150ft above the height where it took off from and return to home?
Yes. The RTH altitude is always the altitude above the takeoff point.
 
Thanks Msinger. Say I'm at an overlook. And said overlook is 300 ft above the area below. If for some reason I have to hit return to home, my return to home altitude is set at 150 ft. Say the UAV is 100 ft below where I took off from when return to home is initialized. Will the Mavic climb to 150ft above the height where it took off from and return to home?


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Yes. Everything altimeter-related on the Mavic is relative to the takeoff point (ATO), not the ground (AGL), not the sea (barometric ALT). However, the UAV laws are typically relative to the ground (AGL). It's the pilot's responsibility to figure out how to rectify these two standards, and nearby terrain or obstacles. The firmware has some built-in leeway to ensure you can do that, even in mountainside circumstances.
 
Great, so even if the Mavic is below the level it took off from it will not affect the RTH?
 
This is the kind of cycle of question which is best answered by a little experimentation. Find a small grassy hillside and work with altitude differences like 15 feet instead of 150 feet. See what it does. Report back.
 
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Rather than experiment with my $1000 Mavic I was hoping to just ask those that know more about it than I do. :)


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Under Part 107, there are exceptions under which you can fly over 400' AGL. If you are within 400' of a structure, you can fly up to 400' above the top of that structure, no matter how high the structure is.

So, there may be cases in which a pilot "needs" to fly about 1,600 feet.
 
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Under Part 107, there are exceptions under which you can fly over 400' AGL. If you are within 400' of a structure, you can fly up to 400' above the top of that structure, no matter how high the structure is.

So, there may be cases in which a pilot "needs" to fly about 1,600 feet.
part 107 doesn't apply to hobbyist though.
copied and paste
I think a lot of people get mixed up on what are rules and what are guide lines. It seems to me that if you fly for Hobby then these are just safety guidelines
FLY FOR FUN
Safety Guidelines
  • Fly at or below 400 feet
  • Keep your UAS within sight
  • Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports
  • Never fly over groups of people
  • Never fly over stadiums or sports events
  • Never fly near emergency response efforts such as fires
  • Never fly under the influence
  • Be aware of airspace requirements

Fly for Work/Business
Operating Rules:
  • Class G airspace*
  • Must keep the aircraft in sight (visual line-of-sight)*
  • Must fly under 400 feet*
  • Must fly during the day*
  • Must fly at or below 100 mph*
  • Must yield right of way to manned aircraft*
  • Must NOT fly over people*
  • Must NOT fly from a moving vehicle*

The FAA has partnered with several industry associations to promote Know Before You Fly, a campaign to educate the public about using unmanned aircraft safely and responsibly. Individuals flying for hobby or recreation are strongly encouraged to follow safety guidelines, which include:

  • Fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
  • Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight at all times
  • Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations
  • Don't fly within 5 miles of an airport unless you contact the airport and control tower before flying
  • Don't fly near people or stadiums
  • Don't fly an aircraft that weighs more than 55 lbs
  • Don't be careless or reckless with your unmanned aircraft – you could be fined for endangering people or other aircraft
Can someone actually show me a law that says HOBBYIST must stay under 400 ft and in line of site.
There may be a new law but I haven't found it.
Don't get section 107 mixed up for Hobbyist
 
The OPs question here is about why the Mavic allows you to exceed 400ft ATO. Not what Part 107 or Hobby Guidelines say.
Because people keep quoting 107 as a reason for the 400' limit. Which is a law when flying under part 107 for Business or commercial use. For hobbyist part 107 doesn't come into play the 400' is a safety guideline not a law it's like a car driving instructor telling you to keep both hands on the steering wheel. More Mavics are sold to hobbyist than commercial use, I don't even look at it as why does the Mavic allow something but why does the Mavic have limits that keep you from using it to it full potential.
 
FAA guidelines state you should fly below 400 feet, correct? Why does the DJI GO app allow you to change your max altitude to 500 meters? Looks like if the FAA didn't want recreational pilots flying above the 400 feet height restriction then they wouldn't allow you to change the setting so easy. At least put a restriction on it like they do to fly within 5 miles of an airport. In which case you have to obtain a verification code from DJI. Anyone share why this is?


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Because the entire world is not regulated by the FAA?
 
Different countries, different rules plus many of us go on vacations to countries a lot more....flexible.


Mavic - North Bay, CA
 
Simple answer: The Mavic, and every other DJI drone made, does not calculate AGL. There are many times where you can exceed 400' ATO without exceeding 400' AGL.
 
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