765,000 Volts

designit777 · Dec 18, 2017

This post I originally put on the Spark forum because the video was done with a Spark. I was very close to taking out my Mavic but chose the Spark because of portability. What happened to me could have just as easily happened with the Mavic. Went for a Sunday ride out in the beautiful Arizona desert with my son and neighbors and could not resist taking a drone with me and chose to take the Spark. We made a pit stop to wait for some others and I decided to take up the Spark. I did notice high power lines close to us but figured I would TRY to not get close to them. I told my son to go for a little ride and I would follow him with me staying put and manually fly to stay with him. At about 1600 feet out lost site of him and shortly lost connection then quickly came back. Then I noticed I was to close to the power lines and was very hard to see them on my phone so quickly decided to turn back and go up. I thought at the time I did fine until I came home and reviewed the video and could not believe how stinking close I was to Sparking out the Spark. Made it back safely. These were high power transmission lines which can carry between 155,000 to 765,000 volts. Goes to show that you can fly close to high power lines but would not recommend it.
Fly safe !!!

sar104 · Dec 18, 2017

That was one lucky flight. The voltage on the lines would have had no effect on the aircraft even if it had touched them, but collision with one of those towers or conductors would likely have been terminal for the props.

BerndM · Dec 19, 2017

Absolutely correct sar104.
Unless you can get phase to phase or phase to ground, its no biggie at all.
After all little bitty birdies sit on these things all the time.

MAvic_South_Oz · Dec 19, 2017

So did you have control between 0:45 and 1:08 ?
Just wondering if you saw this on screen, guess not at all as you would have surely right sticked directly away !!

Very lucky when you passed below middle lines and above far lines !!
Must have been less than an inch in it !!

choo choo · Dec 19, 2017

I'm surprised that you didn't stop when you saw the pylons rather than plough on regardless. And 1600 feet out is a long way out to still have visual of a spark. You were lucky this time. Next time maybe plan what you want to film a little better to take into account any obstacles. After all, safety when flying must ALWAYS be your first consideration.

Haloweenhamster · Dec 19, 2017

Looks good though

53-63-6f-74-74 · Dec 19, 2017

BerndM said:
Absolutely correct sar104.
Unless you can get phase to phase or phase to ground, its no biggie at all.
After all little bitty birdies sit on these things all the time.

Maybe, but consider this. I was on a job near 765kv lines, my aluminum-capped truck parked underneath on the access road for a while. When I returned to the truck and touched the cap I received a mild electric shock. These lines also can be heard 'crackling' sometimes in various conditions. Getting close CANNOT be good for a little flying camera.

designit777 · Dec 19, 2017

At some point I did loose visual contact with the Spark and that's why I got so close to the lines but so many times you just want to keep going especially when you are out in the middle of no one around and open space. You all are correct safety first. Thank you for the replies HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

choo choo · Dec 19, 2017

I understand. It's sooo tempting to just push it that little bit further given that there's not a soul about and unrestricted airspace. Best wishes, happy holidays and wishing you many more happy flying hours... but watch out for the darn pylons.

sar104 · Dec 19, 2017

53-63-6f-74-74 said:
Maybe, but consider this. I was on a job near 765kv lines, my aluminum-capped truck parked underneath on the access road for a while. When I returned to the truck and touched the cap I received a mild electric shock. These lines also can be heard 'crackling' sometimes in various conditions. Getting close CANNOT be good for a little flying camera.

The effects you describe are likely due to your truck being grounded through the tires while you possibly were not grounded and acquired a raised potential either due to regular static build up. There's no credible way I can think of for the voltage on the lines to couple capacitatively to an insulated object on the ground. Either way - the reason that the Mavic would be unaffected is that its capacitance is far too low to lead to any significant current flow between it and the lines.

Haloweenhamster · Dec 19, 2017

sar104 said:
The effects you describe are likely due to your truck being grounded through the tires while you possibly were not grounded and acquired a raised potential either due to regular static build up. There's no credible way I can think of for the voltage on the lines to couple capacitatively to an insulated object on the ground. Either way - the reason that the Mavic would be unaffected is that its capacitance is far too low to lead to any significant current flow between it and the lines.

Rubber insulates not conducts, the vehicle will have a slight potential induced, you may be ground depending on the material your footwear sole is made of

The mavic may be effected by such power lines as they might effect the compass

ThreeGs · Dec 19, 2017

YEIKES! Too close for comfort.

sar104 · Dec 19, 2017

Haloweenhamster said:
Rubber insulates not conducts, the vehicle will have a slight potential induced, you may be ground depending on the material your footwear sole is made of

The mavic may be effected by such power lines as they might effect the compass

Vehicle tires are designed to be conductive to avoid static build up on the vehicle. Agreed on the footwear - that may or may not be conductive.