AGL

[R M Ford]

I cant find videos or info in the DJI manual that answers this question........... If i am on a montain and set the drone to 100 feet AG in intelligent flight will it maintain the level of where it started or drop down in to the valley until it reaches 100 feet AGL in that new area? DJI Mini 3 Pro

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Have you seen this thread?

Height setting

Obvious I guess to most but I just need clarification. When i set a height is that AMSL or AGL. Does the drone [mini 2] take in to account rising terrain and continue rising at the preset height? What happens if it encounters steeply rising terrain? For simplicity, if I set 400ft height, and...

mavicpilots.com

 

[R M Ford]

Have you seen this thread?

Height setting

Obvious I guess to most but I just need clarification. When i set a height is that AMSL or AGL. Does the drone [mini 2] take in to account rising terrain and continue rising at the preset height? What happens if it encounters steeply rising terrain? For simplicity, if I set 400ft height, and...

mavicpilots.com

No. I will go to it now. Thanks.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

All heights are relative to the take off point. If you fly horizontally up in the slope direction the AGL will decrease, if you fly in the downslope direction the AGL will increase.
Fly horizontally off the top of El Capitain and you would quite quickly be 3000ft + AGL and in deep do da if caught, but a Spock like dive might be good video with the FPV.

 

[Meta4]

I cant find videos or info in the DJI manual that answers this question........... If i am on a montain and set the drone to 100 feet AG in intelligent flight will it maintain the level of where it started or drop down in to the valley until it reaches 100 feet AGL in that new area? DJI Mini 3 Pro

Your drone has no way to tell how high it is above the ground below it.
That's up to you to manage.

 

[Fergus]

All heights are relative to the take off point. If you fly horizontally up in the slope direction the AGL will decrease, if you fly in the downslope direction the AGL will increase.
Fly horizontally off the top of El Capitain and you would quite quickly be 3000ft + AGL and in deep do da if caught, but a Spock like dive might be good video with the FPV.

As long as you stay within 400' of the cliff you're perfectly fine flying at that 3000' AGL. Flying in a national park in the first place is what will get you in "deep do da". Regardless of the altitude.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

As long as you stay within 400' of the cliff you're perfectly fine flying at that 3000' AGL

Where? Europe maybe(?) but I believe that 400ft AGL is the legal limit for a hobby flier in the USA and the OP seems to be in the USA. Or have things changed?

Flying in a national park in the first place is what will get you in "deep do da". Regardless of the altitude.

Thanks, I was aware of that, citing El Capitain was in jest, hence the reference to Spock's dive.

 

[JoelP]

The only time a DJI drone knows the AGL is when it is relatively close to the ground such as when it is landing or when you are otherwise flying near the ground. That number is displayed in the app in addition to your height relative to your home point. It lacks any long distance rangefinder. I am not sure if all models of DJI drones have this feature.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Where? Europe maybe(?) but I believe that 400ft AGL is the legal limit for a hobby flier in the USA and the OP seems to be in the USA. Or have things changed?

Thanks, I was aware of that, citing El Capitain was in jest, hence the reference to Spock's dive.

He did not state 400ft AGL he stated 400ft away from the cliff edge ie. launch point. So a perimeter, not height above.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

He did not state 400ft AGL he stated 400ft away from the cliff edge ie. launch point. So a perimeter, not height above.

I too think the Fergus means that the closest ground should be within a sphere of radius 400ft centred on the drone.
But it is my understanding that, for a hobby pilot, that is not the applicable rule in the USA and that the applicable rule is AGL and only AGL.
If I am correct and then any height relative to the edge of a tall cliff, be that cliff vertical or overhanging, with more than 400ft of air beneath the drone, would be illegal.

 

[moldorf]

am I being unreasonable by suggesting that a premium level consumer drone should come with a laser range finder on the belly of the drone?

I understand there would be some engineering issues but having a laser measuring AGL at say, one second intervals, would be extremely practical and I'd suggest a lot of people would be willing to pay for that feature

 

[JimSteadman]

Agree that 400 ft AGL means 400 ft above the ground going straight down, not a nearby cliff. But I also have to say that many of the best videos we see on these postings appear to be somewhat in violation of that rule. Maybe they are all from some place where the rule does not apply.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

am I being unreasonable by suggesting that a premium level consumer drone should come with a laser range finder on the belly of the drone?

I understand there would be some engineering issues but having a laser measuring AGL at say, one second intervals, would be extremely practical and I'd suggest a lot of people would be willing to pay for that feature

What's a premium level drone? DJI compared to the rest or a Mavic 3, or better, compared to a Mini 3 etc. etc.?

I doubt that enough people would be willing to pay for it or perhaps too few to make it a viable option as an included feature, I think DJI drone's are already expensive enough for hobby pilots.

 

[moldorf]

What's a premium level drone? DJI compared to the rest or a Mavic 3, or better, compared to a Mini 3 etc. etc.?

I doubt that enough people would be willing to pay for it or perhaps too few to make it a viable option as an included feature, I think DJI drone's are already expensive enough for hobby pilots.

I was thinking the Mavic 3 vs the Mini 3

you may be right, but it would depend on the added cost. If it was under $300 I'd certainly be willing to consider it considering that would be less than 15% of a FMC. I don't know if one could be added for that price and I'm not sure how accurate lidar would be bouncing off of the terrain below a drone. It might not be reflective enough

 

[Fergus]

Where? Europe maybe(?) but I believe that 400ft AGL is the legal limit for a hobby flier in the USA and the OP seems to be in the USA. Or have things changed?

Thanks, I was aware of that, citing El Capitain was in jest, hence the reference to Spock's dive.

In the U.S. the legal limit is 400' AGL unless you're within 400' diameter of a tower or structure (or cliff), in which case you can fly next to and up to 400' above that object. Find a 1000' tower and, assuming there are no other airspace restrictions, you can fly up to 1400' AGL as long as you stay with 400' of it.

I figured you knew about national parks, but I had to throw that in since the 400' question is the least of the worries.

 

[Azarov]

According to CASA (Australia) regulation, when you're planning your flight operation and if you need to take into account the height limit in a restricted airspace.
You have to set up the drone height limit = (AMSL - AGL) all over the area of you operation.
The max allowed in Australia is 400 ft AMSL.
Which means if you're planning to fly in a restricted airspace from the top of a hill 400ft AMSL you'll not get authorised by CASA for flight mission.
That's as far as I understand the rules.

 

[Meta4]

According to CASA (Australia) regulation, when you're planning your flight operation and if you need to take into account the height limit in a restricted airspace.
You have to set up the drone height limit = (AMSL - AGL) all over the area of you operation.
The max allowed in Australia is 400 ft AMSL.

So no-one in Australia can fly a drone unless they are at something less than 400 ft above sea level?
Too bad if you want to fly anywhere away from the coast.

 

[Azarov]

So no-one in Australia can fly a drone unless they are at something less than 400 ft above sea level?
Too bad if you want to fly anywhere away from the coast.

I'd like to emphasise, the limit implies in a restricted/danger (PRD) area.
I'm not sure if DJI will allow you to fly above 400 ft height limit in a non-PRD area in Australia.
But I will check it on occasion.
In my experience, I was allowed by DJI to fly in a PRD zone on spot but never tried to fly above 400 ft limit.

 

[Meta4]

I'd like to emphasise, the limit implies in a restricted/danger (PRD) area.
I'm not sure if DJI will allow you to fly above 400 ft height limit in a non-PRD area in Australia.
But I will check it on occasion.
In my experience, I was allowed by DJI to fly in a PRD zone on spot but never tried to fly above 400 ft limit.

You said "The max allowed in Australia is 400 ft AMSL."
It would be ridiculous if that was true.

 

[AnzacJack]

I'd like to emphasise, the limit implies in a restricted/danger (PRD) area.
I'm not sure if DJI will allow you to fly above 400 ft height limit in a non-PRD area in Australia.
But I will check it on occasion.
In my experience, I was allowed by DJI to fly in a PRD zone on spot but never tried to fly above 400 ft limit.

No. You cant fly in an active PRD zone without clearance. But it should be pointed out that not all PRD areas are active from SFC. If a PRD is 1000-7500, then you could certainly fly under this area to 400ft
Dji drones allow you to set the height you want to limit, but this in relation to height above takeoff point and nothing to do with rules/laws. It gets its height information from a barometer reading in relation to pressure reading at take off. It has no idea of AMSL or elevation at take off point. Just comparing two pressure readings of take off point and its current location.
Dont assume that because the dji drone is letting you fly somewhere, that it is a legal flight.
Where are you sourcing your information?
Im wondering if you have just misinterpreted something, or has someone taught you that?