Capturing a shot at 400m directly overhead

[Detroitechno]

Client wants one single shot at 400 meters. Drone is Mavic 2 Pro.

I have spoken with the local authorities on obtaining a permit for a flight that is 400 meters.

They are fine with the height but I will not be able to move from the take off site. It will be straight up to capture it.

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or comments on this so I can avoid complications or disaster during this commercial activity.

Thanks for any help!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

You might find sitting in a camp chair or such will allow you to sit back a bit and with controller antenna almost straight up as far as they will come on the controller (ie 90 degrees to above), it will help, and stop you neck craning too !!
Or flat out front, as long as they are flat 90 degrees to above =

The antenna being in the front legs means they will sort of be pointing downwards, not the best, but may be enough with controller set well.

I'd try this to whatever altitude you can do so before the day, see if it drops at all with the antenna like bleow.

Worst possible alignment . . .

|| drone

|| controller antenna


And . . .

Best possible directly underneath . . .

|| drone

= controller

Obviously if signal were dodgy and it lost contact, it will failsafe RTH straight down, so no big problem there.

The best way to do it would be to be a bit offset, like this . . .

|| drone front legs


__ __ __ __ // controller

Probably can't talk them into it if your initial tests see a significant fall in signal ?

 

[CactusJackSlade]

What South Oz said.... I've done building inspections on sky scrapers and if you are up there for long your neck will get tired! Just keep your antenna perpendicular as if you were lying on your back and all should be well.

 

[Detroitechno]

Thanks for the info!

I guess with the RTH safeguards in place it will just return to home if I have a critical loss of signal.

It's only one shot so it's not like I need to be up there for an excessive amount of time.

Thanks again for the help on this!!!

 

[Meta4]

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

Optimum signal is maintained with the antennas of the controller and drone are parallel and facing each other.
Straight up above you is the worst possible geometry and the higher you go, the trickier it is to maintain signal properly.
It would be better if you can launch from somewhere further back, fly to the point below the target location and go straight up from there.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

It would be better if you can launch from somewhere further back, fly to the point below the target location and go straight up from there.

Ideally, if the powers that be could agree to it . . .
From the OP "but I will not be able to move from the take off site", maybe that means he could place the drone near the subject, move a distance away, start it, do the flight and back down.
Maybe having a spotter left at the launch point, to keep an eye directly above would be a good idea.

Even getting 200m away from take off point with the M2P facing you would be considerably better.
And that's not too far depending on where it is, what's around (buildings etc).

And also IF it's a problem.
Why I feel a bit of a test under worse and best case antenna position is worth doing, see if at 120m there is any decilne in signal.

The other thing is, Singapore ?
If metro, and those typical tall buildings, lots of other electronic signals around, could make the situation worse than if in a more rural or open area.

 

[Meta4]

Ideally, if the powers that be could agree to it . . .
From the OP "but I will not be able to move from the take off site", maybe that means he could place the drone near the subject, move a distance away, start it, do the flight and back down.

I read the initial post and wondered if it really meant that he can't fly around all over the sky once he's up there.
Surely flying low from point A to point B, 50 metres away and then going up and down would be OK?
But since it's Singapore, flying 50 metres away might be a problem.

 

[Van Belle Jean Marc]

Client wants one single shot at 400 meters. Drone is Mavic 2 Pro.

I have spoken with the local authorities on obtaining a permit for a flight that is 400 meters.

They are fine with the height but I will not be able to move from the take off site. It will be straight up to capture it.

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or comments on this so I can avoid complications or disaster during this commercial activity.

Thanks for any help!

i use Mavica Pro, older one. Is no issue because i am sometimes ‘tolerated’ to go more than 1 km high for an aerial picture that i provide to the community self yhem and hgive them author righhts. Please put on ID identification and some option to be informed about aerial trafic (other flying objects) and i use my Bulgarian phone number and have an official with me in that case.

If others want to do is, the rule is:
1. permission about preplanned time and location
2. just up and down, no going around and full battery of course
3. be sure you take the risk you still come before court to explain it, because this tolerance is in fact not really allowed and can ev br considered as corruption
4. do not use easily the photos or pictures unless they are measurements with equipment hanging on your drone with a public interest (like CO2 because being sceptical nowadays become an emotional problem with some stupid legalist people, be afraid of politicians as well and use your deepest conscience in this, NEVER selfishness or selfies can be a reason). +je

 

[Van Belle Jean Marc]

i use Mavica Pro, older one. Is no issue because i am sometimes ‘tolerated’ to go more than 1 km high for an aerial picture that i provide to the community self yhem and hgive them author righhts. Please put on ID identification and some option to be informed about aerial trafic (other flying objects) and i use my Bulgarian phone number and have an official with me in that case.

If others want to do is, the rule is:
1. permission about preplanned time and location
2. just up and down, no going around and full battery of course
3. be sure you take the risk you still come before court to explain it, because this tolerance is in fact not really allowed and can ev br considered as corruption
4. do not use easily the photos or pictures unless they are measurements with equipment hanging on your drone with a public interest (like CO2 because being sceptical nowadays become an emotional problem with some stupid legalist people, be afraid of politicians as well and use your deepest conscience in this, NEVER selfishness or selfies can be a reason). +je

PS: In mountains like Eagles Eye in BG, the 120 m counts to the left and right of the mountain in Rhodope so you can fly above this one officially, Best is to start from top (there are 4x4 jeeps who can bring you there when there is no snow) so you can go down with your DJI 750 m, otherwise DJI app will not allow you crossing 500 m. See pics annex from down and above. +je

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I read the initial post and wondered if it really meant that he can't fly around all over the sky once he's up there.

I wondered that for a second too, but reading the following, figure the OP was going to be / required to be right under the drone at the take off point.

They are fine with the height but I will not be able to move from the take off site. It will be straight up to capture it.

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

 

[Meta4]

I wondered that for a second too, but reading the following, figure the OP was going to be / required to be right under the drone at the take off point.

I can't see reason why he should be required to be directly below the drone.
Some people might assume directly below but it's not like it would make any important difference.

 

[hawkinsuk]

Client wants one single shot at 400 meters. Drone is Mavic 2 Pro.

I have spoken with the local authorities on obtaining a permit for a flight that is 400 meters.

They are fine with the height but I will not be able to move from the take off site. It will be straight up to capture it.

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or comments on this so I can avoid complications or disaster during this commercial activity.

Thanks for any help!

Presumably this is in Singapore? What is the minimum altitude for Light Aircraft in Singapore? Just another little something I'm sure you'll factor into the equation )

 

[Deleted member 137163]

This brings up a side somewhat related question not directly related to the OPs original concerns/questions. Having been a long time manned aircraft pilot I have had the use of Vertical Velocity Indicators both old fashioned and digital. It indicates that I am climbing at say 500' per minute etc. What rate of climb does say a Mavic Air 2 or comparable have and is it relatively constant as you gain altitude. Not shifting the conversation but a legitimate curiosity question related to a long climb. It also plays into how much time/battery use in the time to climb and descent.

 

[cgmaxed]

Client wants one single shot at 400 meters. Drone is Mavic 2 Pro.

I have spoken with the local authorities on obtaining a permit for a flight that is 400 meters.

They are fine with the height but I will not be able to move from the take off site. It will be straight up to capture it.

Is anything I should do to maintain a signal with the drone directly overhead at 400 meters?

I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or comments on this so I can avoid complications or disaster during this commercial activity.

Thanks for any help!

I don't see why you would have any signal issues going straight up with a M2Pro. I really doubt you would have any interference from other wifi signals and onbviously you won't have any objects in the signal's way. I've know plenty of people that have done this with a M2P. They didn't have any signal issues, regardless of drone type (except super cheap ones). Don't expect any signal problems.

 

[Meta4]

What rate of climb does say a Mavic Air 2 or comparable have and is it relatively constant as you gain altitude.

The air 2 climbs at 4 metres/sec - 13.1 ft/sec
The rate is constant

 

[Meta4]

I don't see why you would have any signal issues going straight up with a M2Pro.

Why was explained in post #5.

 

[cgmaxed]

This brings up a side somewhat related question not directly related to the OPs original concerns/questions. Having been a long time manned aircraft pilot I have had the use of Vertical Velocity Indicators both old fashioned and digital. It indicates that I am climbing at say 500' per minute etc. What rate of climb does say a Mavic Air 2 or comparable have and is it relatively constant as you gain altitude. Not shifting the conversation but a legitimate curiosity question related to a long climb. It also plays into how much time/battery use in the time to climb and descent.

I haven't done a climb like that in years. But if I remember correctly, I think the M2Pro will climb at 11-13mph or about 16ft per second? Maybe someone else will confirm that. It maintains a constant steady unwavering climb speed. It doesn't use that much of the battery. Maybe 6-8 percent at 500 meters.

 

[skyscapist]

To the OP, are you doing in the CBD (central business district)? Generally the CAAS (authorities) wouldn’t restrict u from only flying the drone directly above you. In fact part of the rules is that you do not fly above people.

perhaps you could launch the drone straight up, but stand a distance away. Just have your visual observer at the launch site when you launch I guess?

just to clarify, I’m a drone pilot in Singapore too, with a UOP and a UAPL

 

[cgmaxed]

Optimum signal is maintained with the antennas of the controller and drone are parallel and facing each other.
Straight up above you is the worst possible geometry and the higher you go, the trickier it is to maintain signal properly.
It would be better if you can launch from somewhere further back, fly to the point below the target location and go straight up from there.

I never had issues with signals at high altitude. In fact , the signal seems to improve. Yes, I do point the antennas in the manner you described. But due to lack of obstructions and reduced radio interference from that on the ground, I have never had my signal "crap out" on me. I also note, if I am flying at a distance away from the home point, the signal improves the higher I go. It's all the ground clutter (tree tops and errant wifi signals) that causes poor signal reception.

 

[Deleted member 137163]

Meta4 thank you the reply. The climb rate is actually pretty amazing. A typical single engine Cessna or Piper you are looking at +/- 500' per minute for a cruise climb. For many reasons it is not a constant. Drones are amazing little aircraft. Learning more everyday. Thanks again.