Do you fly within VLOS?

[GadgetGuy]

You know you don't have to swap to camera on the viewing device to take a photo, even while a video is recording ?
All you do is click the camera photo button on the RH side of the controller, video is stopped and it takes a pic.

I actually only just realised this myself a couple of weeks ago, when I accidentally did this while videoing !!

I'm not 100% sure, but I expect if you then clicked the video button on the LH side of the controller, it would resume video again (new clip).

Thanks! I wasn't aware of that! I wonder if it also works for interrupting video recording, to start recording a preset panorama. Great shortcut, if it works, because I am doing that all the time, and have been using the onscreen touch buttons to stop video recording, toggle to photo, and start the preset spherical panorama photo, toggle back to video and restart video recording. I like your method a lot better! Quicker and simpler!

 

[GadgetGuy]

@ GadgetGuy Were you trying to quote what I said about RC glider pilots? Many of the glider guys in the past often flew at 1000-2000' AGL on flat terrain. From what I've been told by those guys is it was common.

I as refering to your quote of "I still don't know how many of these slope fliers or glider folks deal with the 400' rule. They generally keep w/i VLOS but fly well above 400' or at least in the past they did." I probably misunderstood, I was thinking of a slope flier as a someone ascending a mountainside, where the AGL could remain constant, but the elevation above the launch point could easily legally be up to 500m. My bad.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks! I wasn't aware of that! I wonder if it also works for interrupting video recording, to start recording a preset panorama. Great shortcut, if it works, because I am doing that all the time, and have been using the onscreen touch buttons to stop video recording, toggle to photo, and start the preset spherical panorama photo, toggle back to video and restart video recording. I like your method a lot better! Quicker and simpler!

No probs, good when one discovers things like this accidentally.
Was only on my last flight this happened.
I would use the touch screen too before to do this, and it is a pain taking hand off stick to do it.

Not sure about being able to set up pano as a default for camera button, worth seeing if it can be programmed like some others.
Maybe quite probable that if your camera is already set for pano, it will remain on that and go to it automatically ?

Again, I usually video, but when I do take a pic now and then just have the largest res camera up, have only taken a few panos (must do more of all the special pics to test).

 

[Sergeant]

I'm flying within VLOS until I can't see my drone any longer

 

[GadgetGuy]

No probs, good when one discovers things like this accidentally.
Was only on my last flight this happened.
I would use the touch screen too before to do this, and it is a pain taking hand off stick to do it.

Not sure about being able to set up pano as a default for camera button, worth seeing if it can be programmed like some others.
Maybe quite probable that if your camera is already set for pano, it will remain on that and go to it automatically ?

Again, I usually video, but when I do take a pic now and then just have the largest res camera up, have only taken a few panos (must do more of all the special pics to test).

Indeed! Learning symbiotically together! I set up my Pano Sphere photo setting as the still photo selection default, either during my launch sequence, or when shooting the first one. I don't mind ending the video recording by shooting a default normal still, to immediately get to the Stills menus, for the first one, if I didn't do it at launch. Every second saved by shortcuts without taking the hands off the sticks is critical. I am almost certain your method would also work to start a preselected Pano type, as the photo button retains the last photo type setting. Will try it on my next flight!

 

[Kilrah]

I wouldn't assume a pilot will see your drone, especially if it's below the horizon. Like birds, they're visible once you see them, but they don't easily catch your attention and you should just assume they won't be noticed by a pilot.

That's why I mentioned a powerful fast flashing strobe.

 

[sdold]

That's why I mentioned a powerful fast flashing strobe.

That would be visible at night, but probably not during the day. Even the strobes on radio towers aren't that obvious in bright sun, I usually see the tower before I see the strobe, and they're a lot brighter than one on a drone. Safest thing is just assume you won't be seen.

 

[BigAl07]

That would be visible at night, but probably not during the day. Even the strobes on radio towers aren't that obvious in bright sun, I usually see the tower before I see the strobe, and they're a lot brighter than one on a drone. Safest thing is just assume you won't be seen.

This is majorly OT but what aircraft is that in your Avatar?

 

[sdold]

It's a Cessna 140. It's like the Ford Pinto of airplanes. I sold it a few years ago and bought a 150 so I could carry bikes, but the 140 looked better. It's the avatar I use on other forums so I wanted to be consistent

 

[Floater]

Once upon a time, RC aircrafts would operate in what is called ATTI mode

Not even that good. Old R/C were not ATTI mode for any of the three axes, and worse that that, they are all different from each other. The closest to ATTI would be yaw (rudder); control applied relatively constant angle to the course. Pitch (elevator) was closest to the rudder in that elevator control would set the angle of attack or lift coefficient, but consistency would be thwarted by gravity and the non-linearity of the lift curve slope. Roll (aileron) was simply a rate control; apply a control input and the response would be a roll rate. Remove the control and the rate would go to zero at whatever angle it was in. At least for a second or two before secondary effects started to accumulate and it would either increase bank and spiral tighter (more likely) or slowly roll back level. I short, they few like airplanes.

One had to do better than just see it; you had to be able to determine orientation. Is it turning toward you or away? Hard to tell when all one sees a silhouette. One had to figure that out as the restoring commands are opposite.

Those flying no gyro helicopters had it even harder as they are actively unstable in two axes (pitch and roll) and neutral in the third complicated by intense control coupling with power. Fortunately, they tended not to fly so far away.

 

[Endeavor]

In general no and if people were honest they would also say no. your flying around buildings, objects of all types and a thousand feet or more from your view point. No there is no way to fly VLOS at all times and the honest answer is almost never.

 

[Mapleman231]

Splainit to me...

 

[BigAl07]

In general no and if people were honest they would also say no. your flying around buildings, objects of all types and a thousand feet or more from your view point. No there is no way to fly VLOS at all times and the honest answer is almost never.

I'm going to have to adamantly disagree. Just because the aircraft CAN fly out 10,000+/-' doesn't mean that everyone does. Just like the aircraft being able to fly up to 1,620' doesn't mean that everyone does that.

Just because you make the decision to consistently fly outside of FAA regulations doesn't mean everyone else does by default. That's not how this works.

Many people have posted saying they fly within the rules. And for the record, there is an allowance (at least in Part 107) for those times when the aircraft momentarily fly behind a building/structure/hill etc. Your required to re-establish VLOS A-S-A-P.

 

[passedpawn]

I'm going to have to adamantly disagree. Just because the aircraft CAN fly out 10,000+/-' doesn't mean that everyone does. Just like the aircraft being able to fly up to 1,620' doesn't mean that everyone does that.

Just because you make the decision to consistently fly outside of FAA regulations doesn't mean everyone else does by default. That's not how this works.

Many people have posted saying they fly within the rules. And for the record, there is an allowance (at least in Part 107) for those times when the aircraft momentarily fly behind a building/structure/hill etc. Your required to re-establish VLOS A-S-A-P.

I do it regularly. I have trees around my house and I fly around them. Wooo, I'm a loner, a rebel. You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me, Dottie.

I'm betting most people do the same, perhaps on a regular basis.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

In general no and if people were honest they would also say no. your flying around buildings, objects of all types and a thousand feet or more from your view point. No there is no way to fly VLOS at all times and the honest answer is almost never.

You are right in what you say . . . I think I've already admitted I'm not 100% VLOS all the time, and agree almost all pilots would be the same, once past any nervous flyer thing.

Mostly, I feel it's to do with flying FPV, which technically flying using a monitor / viewing device with our controller is too.
I video almost all the time aloft, very occasionally taking a photo or two.
No way am I not watching that screen and constantly framing shots, adjusting a whole lot of aspects of moving that drone / gimbal etc, almost 100% of the time.
About the only time I watch for the drone is on the return, when I sight it to land.

I always know where it is from the map etc, direct line home showing, orientation on device and to the land, but when looking up from a device, it's very hard to spot until it gets pretty close again.
Usually about the time you can hear it, unless there is some good white fluffy cloud out (against the MP grey).
The strobes I have ordered should help a heck of a lot relocating it when looking.

In very remote desolate type regions, I have flown a fair way out, well beyond strobe reach in daylight too I imagine, longest 1000m, maybe 10m to 20m AGL almost the whole flight.
I actually ran this past a CASA rep once, and the story behind the indiscretion, to get his feedback on that one flight.
He said that's not what they are concerned with. At all.

This CASA rep was pretty high up in the drone dept, was at an aerospace type mini expo.
I was pretty happy the more we talked about a whole range of drone things.

 

[Endeavor]

I'm going to have to adamantly disagree. Just because the aircraft CAN fly out 10,000+/-' doesn't mean that everyone does. Just like the aircraft being able to fly up to 1,620' doesn't mean that everyone does that.

Just because you make the decision to consistently fly outside of FAA regulations doesn't mean everyone else does by default. That's not how this works.

Many people have posted saying they fly within the rules. And for the record, there is an allowance (at least in Part 107) for those times when the aircraft momentarily fly behind a building/structure/hill etc. Your required to re-establish VLOS A-S-A-P.

I did say if people are honest they would agree. I am a 107 certified pilot and have done work for law enforcement and municipalities where the drone is behind buildings and trees so even if it's 100 feet away it's out of sight. I very much doubt very many would say the are 100% compliant if they are honest. The FAA ruling is similar to loud pipes on harleys, a rule not enforced or enforceable.

 

[BigAl07]

....The FAA ruling is similar to loud pipes on harleys, a rule not enforced or enforceable.

Really? Well I guess the Noise Ordinance tickets I got (and paid for) a few years back were completely figments of my imagination. What did happen was I modified my exhaust system to not ruffle as many feathers.

The rest of your argument is futile and we'll just be going around in circles and we both have better things to do with our time.

 

[dronerdave]

I did say if people are honest they would agree. I am a 107 certified pilot and have done work for law enforcement and municipalities where the drone is behind buildings and trees so even if it's 100 feet away it's out of sight. I very much doubt very many would say the are 100% compliant if they are honest. The FAA ruling is similar to loud pipes on harleys, a rule not enforced or enforceable.

I don't think the FAA expects operators to visually look at the aircraft 100% of the flight when there are several valid reasons to pay attention to your screen stats from time to time. However I doubt they would allow blindly flying around (out of VLOS) in the national airspace even if it is below 400'AGL. I do agree I spend more time at the screen to pilot the drone and capture a photo/video, but like any pilot I'm also looking for other aircraft and paying attention to the surrounding area my drone is in. I've always figured the reason to fly VLOS is to be able to make way for manned aircraft. Rather than compare to loud pipes on a bike (which I have been ticketed for) think more of a stock Dodge Challenger with a 500hp motor in it. Fine you can go fast but prepare to pay a hefty fine if you're caught breaking the law.

 

[okw]

What did happen was I modified my exhaust system to not ruffle as many feathers.

On behalf of all of the other ruffled feathers, thank you.

 

[Endeavor]

Really? Well I guess the Noise Ordinance tickets I got (and paid for) a few years back were completely figments of my imagination. What did happen was I modified my exhaust system to not ruffle as many feathers.

The rest of your argument is futile and we'll just be going around in circles and we both have better things to do with our time.

I guess honesty is a sin and only resistance is futile ?