Altitude

[Galopin]

There, I'm confused about that graph. If you launch from point A and go up at 100 feet AGL, you are 300 feet below the legal altitude. But if you fly vertically above point B, you are illegally 100 feet above the legal altitude, being at 500 feet AGL. If you launch from point B, you may go at 400 feet AGL legally. And if you try flying your drone from B to A, you will barely reach the summit, except if you change the max altitude on your DJO Go 4.0 application. But the graph is ok, if you follow the dotted line being then legal and being most of the time at 100 feet AGL.

 

[jason38]

If you fly above an hilly terrain, there's no height problems, because you should fly VLOS...
But yep, above a cliffy terrain, it could be a problem...
As I fly often above mountain areas, I always asked to myself if the max flight height was from take of point, or from drone's position.
With this post , it's clear now...
Thanks!

So if you take of from the top of a 600ft height Cliff, I think that you become illegal at the point where the drone goes over the Cliff... For me its a non sense regulation, because planes must fly to a distance from that cliff...maybe except for gliders or paragliders... In this case, just watch out for them before and during flight.
I made my own "rule", trying to not go more than about 50-70 aside the Cliff...

 

[Skywatcher2001]

X2. It would make it much easier and safer to fly in hilly terrain. In the past I had hoped to see a side allowance such as what 107 operators have but the hobby folks don't have that luxury.

X3. . . I completely agree and would love to see a terrain view screen.

 

[AnthonyTalerico]

This has completely clarified what I was talking about. Especially the graph! Thank you all. One more question. Why bother giving it an altitude limit of over 1600 feet? I understand it for the hilly terrain, but even that would have its limit. Why not remove the limit altogether? There are drones that have no limiter. Also, is there ANY time where someone is allowed to fly above the ceiling? If so, how would one go about obtaining permission? I’m not trying to lose this thing in a plane of course but I would like to learn to fly a little higher. I’ve done it. I’m guilty I’ll be honest but I try not to and I NEVER go to unsafe heights where I’m uncomfortable. So like I said, is there a way to do it legally?

 

[Bigbird48]

wouldn't it be easy enough for the mfg's to add an altimeter so the drone always know it height above the ground. I mean come on my car gps know my altitude.

 

[AnthonyTalerico]

wouldn't it be easy enough for the mfg's to add an altimeter so the drone always know it height above the ground. I mean come on my car gps know my altitude.

Alright I second that one all day long. That’s a solution to everything we’ve talked about. Still want input on getting above 400 legally!

 

[DanMan32]

wouldn't it be easy enough for the mfg's to add an altimeter so the drone always know it height above the ground. I mean come on my car gps know my altitude.

Altimeters do not automatically show AGL when ground level above MSL changed. Altimeters are based on barometric pressure and need frequent adjustment relative to change in atmospheric pressure and ground level above MSL. That or altimeter registers height above MSL and pilot has to account for the higher than MSL ground level.

If the altimeters do adjust, they would have to have a map/database providing ground height.

 

[Bigbird48]

true but they would be adjusted from were your flying and at least they would give you a basic idea how high you were better then nothing. Like I said my car gps give me an idea of my elevation, not perfect but an idea.and as always if you can see your drone, which you are required to do it should be a problem .

 

[LeRoytheBoy]

Check this out.

 

[AnthonyTalerico]

Check this out.

That’s what I’m talking about! So how do you do it legally and why hasn’t nolimitdronez opted to do an altitude limit removal since they did on other models?

 

[dronerdave]

No true. He could go 400 feet from take off point. That is the rule or law.

The most simple way to think of it is to imagine a 400' string (that hangs straight down) attached to the drone. No matter where you are at the string needs to be touching the ground as you fly. Once it lifts off the ground by an inch you're in violation.

 

[Meta4]

One more question. Why bother giving it an altitude limit of over 1600 feet? I understand it for the hilly terrain, but even that would have its limit. Why not remove the limit altogether?

DJI probably feel that with no limits, a lot more irresponsible users could send their drones up where they would cause more trouble with aviation.
And we already see plenty of cases where flyers lose their drones because they don't understand how wind speed increases with altitude.
If there was no limit, we would see more cases of blown away drones.
500 metres is a good compromise between practical and safety requirements.
If you really need to go higher, there are drones that can.

wouldn't it be easy enough for the mfg's to add an altimeter so the drone always know it height above the ground. I mean come on my car gps know my altitude.

1. If your car could display it's height above the ground, the display would always show the same number (and it wouldn't need any expensive sensors to calculate it.
2. You can get what you want ... it's going to cost a bit more than you would be prepared to pay and really needs a bigger drone to carry it but it's available now:

Radar Sensors and FPGA-based Flight Controllers Complete The Collision Avoidance Solution for UAVs - Aerotenna

Developing autonomous drones? Looking for innovative solutions for collision avoidance? Check out Aerotenna radar sensors and FPGA based flight controllers

aerotenna.com

 

[Bigbird48]

But make sure some stray cat doesn't grab that string and run off with your drone

 

[DanMan32]

true but they would be adjusted from were your flying and at least they would give you a basic idea how high you were better then nothing. Like I said my car gps give me an idea of my elevation, not perfect but an idea.and as always if you can see your drone, which you are required to do it should be a problem .

A car's GPS can give you elevation above sea level. However if you took that GPS to a building of unknown height, the GPS would show the building's roof altitude above sea level. Now you don't know the altitude above sea level of the base of the building and no practical way to find out from where you are on the roof. How do you know how high the building is with just the GPS?
GPS provides a relative altitude, with reference being sea level.
Assuming stable weather related pressure altimeters provide altitude relative to the location where they were calibrated. In the case of our quads, that calibrated reference is from the takeoff point.

 

[superstarpup]

For me its a non sense regulation, because planes must fly to a distance from that cliff...maybe except for gliders or paragliders... In this case, just watch out for them before and during flight.
I made my own "rule", trying to not go more than about 50-70 aside the Cliff...

How far do you think planes need to stay from cliffs? Also, your own rule is non-sense.

I’m guilty I’ll be honest but I try not to and I NEVER go to unsafe heights where I’m uncomfortable. So like I said, is there a way to do it legally?

You don’t seem to know what an unsafe height is.

Yes there is a way for some to do it legally-

Part 107 Waiver

www.faa.gov

 

[Bigbird48]

A car's GPS can give you elevation above sea level. However if you took that GPS to a building of unknown height, the GPS would show the building's roof altitude above sea level. Now you don't know the altitude above sea level of the base of the building and no practical way to find out from where you are on the roof. How do you know how high the building is with just the GPS?
GPS provides a relative altitude, with reference being sea level.
Assuming stable weather related pressure altimeters provide altitude relative to the location where they were calibrated. In the case of our quads, that calibrated reference is from the takeoff point.

gotcha OK

 

[superstarpup]

In regards to waivers, the highest one i found was to 1500’, with a 750m radius-

https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/part_107_waivers/waivers_issued/media/107W-2019-01991_Thomas_Joseph_CoW.pdf

 

[deleted member 877]

I made my own "rule", trying to not go more than about 50-70 aside the Cliff...

Just wanting to know if you meant that as a joke. The FAA regulations apply to everyone. You can't just pick and choose and "make up your own rules".

 

[Meta4]

The problem with the rules is that they cannot describe in fine detail every possible scenario and require a small amouty of common sense.

Just wanting to know if you meant that as a joke. Do you understand that you are compelled to adhere to the FAA regulations? You can't just pick and choose and "make up your own rules".

Flying 50-75 feet from a cliff face seems like a perfectly good commonsense thing to do.
There certainly won't be any risk of encountering any real aircraft doing that.

 

[superstarpup]

Flying 50-75 feet from a cliff face seems like a perfectly good commonsense thing to do.
There certainly won't be any risk of encountering any real aircraft doing that.

Is that sarcastic?