Air 2 Almost lost it during a flight against strong headwinds

[Steve F]

How fantastic it is to be able to pull an MA2 out of your backpack whilst skiing in the back country and to take footage like that, something that you will enjoy watching for years to come. Add a GoPro to your kit and you have the complete package. Pity no tracking whilst on the skis! Thanks for posting. I have the same drone. Super gear. ????

Yeah I hear you. This MA2 is awesome for this type of travel. I have a few GoPros for this sort of thing, but so far have used them more for my motorcycle videos (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUBgAiHTD6BFbw_7xLvJAjAEUtuQcVrvr).

 

[Steve F]

I can kind of relate. I live in the Colorado mountains and the wind blows here at the house almost constantly. On the rare days where there's little to no wind there can still be quite a bit of wind up at altitude. Several times I've launched with barely a breeze only to find my drone to be drifting and struggling to hold position, at which point I RTH so that I can fly another day.

Yes, it makes one pay much more attention to the dynamics of the wind as you approach these ridges. I probably need to pack a tablet for flying in these conditions, as it is hard to notice these conditions as easily when flying with your phone screen. I noticed on my last flight that if I stay below the ridge line, especially when passing by some of these cols, there is less buffeting. But then again the footage isn't as dramatic.

 

[Steve F]

Hard to imagine you could maintain VLOS at that distance! Hah!
I’ve been in similar situations with my drones (and in a hang glider), recalling wind resistance along a ridge is a combination of headwind as well as lift. Somewhat equal forces as these drones don’t descend very rapidly in normal mode. RTH altitude would also be an issue in the event of signal loss if it ascends into stronger winds. Switching to Sport mode is critical. Also, tacking would help a bit if you have the lateral airspace to do so.
It’s great to fly in remote locations, but always consider the difficulty of locating and retrieval in the event of flyaway or crash... a lesson I’ve had to learn several times.

Yeah, I think I have already used up a few lives on this drone. It would be a pain to recover this, as the find-my-drone capability telemetry would be lost if it got blown beyond recovery on the other side of the ridge. One would probably have to wait to do a search in the early summer, and then probably have a large area to comb over. I have placed some reflective orange tape on the drone to make it more visible if this was to happen after an earlier experience with an unplanned landing.

 

[macfawlty]

Yeah, I think I have already used up a few lives on this drone. It would be a pain to recover this, as the find-my-drone capability telemetry would be lost if it got blown beyond recovery on the other side of the ridge. One would probably have to wait to do a search in the early summer, and then probably have a large area to comb over. I have placed some reflective orange tape on the drone to make it more visible if this was to happen after an earlier experience with an unplanned landing.

Stability in wind is critical IMO. Seems like most of the time I fly, wind is a factor. I want to be confident that my drone can cut through the wind and the gimbal will remain stable. Two summers ago I was flying the North shore of Maui, past Kapalua. The wind blows there 25+ mph with gusts all the time. No way I wasn’t gonna fly my M2P every day of my 2 island vacation. I recall looking up at it seeing it was bouncing all over the place, but the footage was smooth as silk. Truly remarkable!
Recovery is an issue I’ve thought a lot about. I’m often concerned more with losing footage than the drones (which are insured), hence the 2nd drone as backup. Hence, multiple cards. On at least a few occasions, I’ve been in areas with no cell service, making it difficult to pinpoint last known location. Hence, Firehouse strobes/audio signal. Water landing/submersion a couple times, hence PhantomRain wetsuit/rescue jacket. My next purchase before spring will be Marco Polo. I do take risks with my drone (not to people/property) flying close to trees, along ridges, over water, sideways, gimbal down, etc. Crashes are always a possibility, recovery essential.

 

[Lets Fly]

Great video and loved the view of those mountains, and yes at 3:00 was the only time you see evidence of the wind coming over the mountain at the bottom of the frame. Cool, (no), very cold.