Actual max speeds for Mavic

[Calhoun Ranger]

Kind of just for fun . . . just got my Mavic, explored Sport Mode. The display showed in excess of 50 m.p.h. with no wind. Is that just calibration error until everything settles in for my new Mavic, or are other flyers showing that kind of speed?
And for those who are still on the fence about Mavic and needing some positives: I AM LOVING THIS MAVIC . . . . . no crashes, no fly-aways, no problems.

 

[Egika]

This is km/h displayed at mph

 

[erkme73]

This is km/h displayed at mph

The speed on the R/C itself is correct. The speed on the app is in FEET PER SECOND - which is slightly slower than KPH.

For example, 42MPH is 63 FPS, and 69KPH.

FPS is 1.5 x MPH
KPH is 1.64 x MPH

 

[Nirwin]

My apparent top speed is 62.4 MPH! bahahahaha!
Was a very windy day with a tail wind mind...!

 

[Flying Irish]

My apparent top speed is 62.4 MPH! bahahahaha!
Was a very windy day with a tail wind mind...!

Yea, it was down around Saragosa, me and my wife, Morgan Fairchild.

 

[erkme73]

My apparent top speed is 62.4 MPH! bahahahaha!
Was a very windy day with a tail wind mind...!

Was that displayed on the RC or the app? I think the MP prevents ground speeds in excess of 45mph. If you're flying with a 20MPH tailwind, you'd expect to see a 60+ MPH speed on the RC. Yet, even in those conditions, it doesn't go above 45. But, if you fly into that 20MPH wind, the RC will show 22MPH. Somehow it uses GPS to throttle-back on the forward speed.

 

[triafgg]

42mph with a 12mph tail wind, showing on Healthy Drones.

 

[erkme73]

42mph with a 12mph tail wind, showing on Healthy Drones.

So was that a total speed of 54MPH? Or was the MP speed 30MPH with a 12MPH push? I'd still like to know if anyone has ever seen the R/C showing more than 45...

 

[Mavicsailor]

Was that displayed on the RC or the app? I think the MP prevents ground speeds in excess of 45mph. If you're flying with a 20MPH tailwind, you'd expect to see a 60+ MPH speed on the RC. Yet, even in those conditions, it doesn't go above 45. But, if you fly into that 20MPH wind, the RC will show 22MPH. Somehow it uses GPS to throttle-back on the forward speed.

Yep, that's correct. I've done a bunch of testing on speed in sports mode, and even with a strong tail wind you won't get much more than 40mph. Think I got 43mph once.

If you view the data file downloaded from the Mavic you can see that the pitch angle is not as great while running with the wind, so the max speed is regulated to about 40mph. Typically in no wind, or into a head wind, the pitch angle is about -32 degrees as the AC claws its way into the wind. Going with the wind, to maintain about 40 mph it might only be -25 degrees. The data files will also show that speed is not constant, even with the right stick fully forward for seconds at a time. You may only hit 40mph for a second. This variability in speed as shown in the data file is consistent with the variable noise pitch that can be heard with full right stick.

I assume the Mavic regulates speed as part of its optical avoidance algorithm, although OA is inactive in sports mode. With a 20 mph tail wind in gps Atti mode without speed regulation, the ground speed could be 40 mph. At this speed, the OA would fail to stop in time if confronted with an obstacle. Maybe they also use this regulation in sports mode so the AC doesn't get away from the pilot too quickly.

 

[triafgg]

No Healthy Drones shows correct speed so 42mph, didn't look at the app speed, too busy watching the drone

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Top ground speed (which is what the app reports) I've seen is 65 km/hr (40.4 mph).
It's my understanding that MP limits _groundspeed_ since it does not have an airspeed sensor (I'm sure it can guess that from rotor rpm).

I've also had high current warnings at least 3 times while sport mode flying with a pinned stick ...

 

[Mavicsailor]

Top ground speed (which is what the app reports) I've seen is 65 km/hr (40.4 mph).
It's my understanding that MP limits _groundspeed_ since it does not have an airspeed sensor (I'm sure it can guess that from rotor rpm).

I've also had high current warnings at least 3 times while sport mode flying with a pinned stick ...

Out of curiosity, were you flying in cold temps when getting the high current warning? Seem to hear that more in extreme cold (below OC) or heat.

Would be interesting to determine the threshold for this warning. Must be in the very high 20s for amperage. I purposely gave full elevator and throttle and the max current was 28 amps, but only for a split second. Still didn't get an error. Normally my max current with full elevator (attempting to hit 40 mph)in sport mode is about 22 amps. Its about 10 amps when just cruising around in gps Atti mode.

These higher amperages have also been related to compass issues, as well as gps health dropping. These issues probably have to do with the lay of the wiring going to the motors, but this has yet to be confirmed, and we may never truely know.

 

[Oyibo VFX]

Mine did 64km/h in sport mode today


Adventure is just bad planning

 

[DerekG]

My highest in sport mode so far is 43.0mph (69.2km/h) - Had maybe a 10-15mph tailwind and about 1/4mile to get up to that speed. The little dome was also on (figured less drag / easier on the gimbal not having to fight the wind) though I can't prove this helped at all

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Out of curiosity, were you flying in cold temps when getting the high current warning? Seem to hear that more in extreme cold (below OC) or heat.

Would be interesting to determine the threshold for this warning. Must be in the very high 20s for amperage. I purposely gave full elevator and throttle and the max current was 28 amps, but only for a split second. Still didn't get an error. Normally my max current with full elevator (attempting to hit 40 mph)in sport mode is about 22 amps. Its about 10 amps when just cruising around in gps Atti mode.

These higher amperages have also been related to compass issues, as well as gps health dropping. These issues probably have to do with the lay of the wiring going to the motors, but this has yet to be confirmed, and we may never truely know.

2 high current warnings were at about -8 .. -6°C - one was at about +4°C.

High current should put stress on some components and can also be hard on the batteries.

I suspect hard maneuvering at high speed in gusty winds will give you the most likely high current warning.

As to warnings there is probably a minimum period of high current needed to trigger a warning.

 

[Egika]

The app shows you your and your Mavic's top speed (in case you own more than one) in the flight record overview:

Mine has done 66.1 so far

 

[Neto]

Mine 71.2 km/h

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[cobra46]

Was that displayed on the RC or the app? I think the MP prevents ground speeds in excess of 45mph. If you're flying with a 20MPH tailwind, you'd expect to see a 60+ MPH speed on the RC. Yet, even in those conditions, it doesn't go above 45. But, if you fly into that 20MPH wind, the RC will show 22MPH. Somehow it uses GPS to throttle-back on the forward speed.

I wonder if motor current draw would confirm this artificial reduction in throttle?

 

[Mavicsailor]

I wonder if motor current draw would confirm this artificial reduction in throttle?

Yes, the AC is drawing less current when there is a tail wind while attempting to maintain about 40 mph. When flying with the wind the pitch angle is less, and it's not working as hard.

If interested in the techy side of this, check out BudWalker's CvsView program on this forum. Excellent tool for analyzing flight data and finding out the details of how your Mavic is operating.

 

[cobra46]

Yes, the AC is drawing less current when there is a tail wind while attempting to maintain about 40 mph. When flying with the wind the pitch angle is less, and it's not working as hard.

If interested in the techy side of this, check out BudWalker's CvsView program on this forum. Excellent tool for analyzing flight data and finding out the details of how your Mavic is operating.

Yes I have used that as well as had some conversations with him regarding some issues I had. It is a great tool for analyzing the innards of our toys.