Flying 2 mtrs above water???

[Mycallhill]

Any tips on flying over water;I have been told to turn off downward sensors??

 

[Mrveronn]

You cannot turn off the (5) infrared sensing system, but you can cover the sensors to stop them from working...there is a video online demonstrating this...

 

[old man mavic]

You cannot turn off the (5) infrared sensing system, but you can cover the sensors to stop them from working...there is a video online demonstrating this...
View attachment 87962

Yes you can cover them but if you do be warned the landing will be a bit hard if you do a RTH as it will not stop as it can’t tell where the ground is

 

[Mossiback]

Any tips on flying over water;I have been told to turn off downward sensors??

No need to turn off the sensors. Some do because they are known to be inaccurate over water but turning them off won't fix the problem of an inattentive pilot flying into a wave.

Flying over water is no different than flying over land with a few exceptions:
• Reflected light may affect anti-collision sensors (not applicable to the MM)
• Wreck retrieval may not be possible for a Refresh claim and to recover the SD card
• Emergency landing options are not available

Since the downward sensors may be inaccurate it is up to the pilot to maintain height above water. It is not uncommon for a drone to slowly change height due to GPS accuracy fluctuation. If you are going to do a lot of over water flying you might consider attaching a Marco Polo type device or other flotation. More to keep it from sinking than for landing on water.

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

Here's a great guide directly from DJI How to Fly Safely Over Water - DJI Guides

Depending on which AC you have some of the advice may not apply (ex. Mavic Mini doesn't have all of the same sensors).

But general guideline - be overly cautious when near water.

 

[Deleted member 109934]

Any tips on flying over water;I have been told to turn off downward sensors??

I fly a lot over water, most of my flights are over water.
There is a difference between a lake and fast river. When flying, you will not feel much in both cases just keep flying, but once you stop and hover, sensors will/might get tricked by moving or reflective water and MM might drift very quickly.

Don't panic when MM starts to drift, but increase the altitude asap, do not start to change direction etc. in most cases it will not work or you will just make it worse, it might feel you have lost control, but Increase altitude to 15m and you will be safe regaining full control.

If you are planning to fly low between water and eg. branches of trees, I would suggest don't do it or cover sensors with tape.

 

[hactick]

My mantra is “upstick to safety”. No other stick movement will help if you get in trouble over water. Get your height set and don’t touch that side of the controller unless it’s to mash it upward in the event of trouble

 

[JoostGT3]

My mantra is “upstick to safety”. No other stick movement will help if you get in trouble over water. Get your height set and don’t touch that side of the controller unless it’s to mash it upward in the event of trouble

This.
I have done a lot of flights over water, some at high speed at 30cm (1foot) over water... At most occasions, I found that the Mavic (2) pro started to slowly lower altitude in the process. The weird thing is that you notice it, but it takes some time to sink in before you react. 2m is quite a safe altitude, but still be prepared to increase altitude if the need arises.

 

[pmshop]

Just be prepared for any sudden drops in altitude.
I am so glad I read about this before trying.
Sure enough, my Spark tried to go swimming but I was ready.
Eventually, I could do this:

 

[Blume TMS]

I'm not the original poster but this was very helpful to this newby ...thanks for y'alls advice... and great video pmshop!

 

[Mycallhill]

Thanks for all postings;;so what is the lowest flight altitude without any issues15 mtrs???

 

[old man mavic]

if you were flying over any sort of water area whether it is fresh or sea water ,you still have to fly according to the drone code if there are people or craft in the water in the UK that is 150ft above and away from them ,if on the other hand you were in a deserted area where there was no one else around then you could fly lower, say over a deserted lake or waterway,but even then i would not fly any lower than 20 ft and be aware that the sensors will react differently in certain conditions

 

[25Vettes]

I try to fly no less than 25' over open water. Once in a while I get brave and go lower, but the thought of it hitting the water and losing it quickly brings me to my senses. "There's no better co-pilot than altitude"....

 

[bartjes]

Thanks for all postings;;so what is the lowest flight altitude without any issues15 mtrs???

I flew lower than a meter over a glacier lake without issues (Original Mavic Pro). There was virtually no wind for this to be successful. Start over land to get the right altitude (without the drone attempting to land), then fly in the direction you want. Be aware there may be a lag in video communication so the drone may be a bit closer to obstacles (icebergs) than can be seen on the screen. I did not cover any sensors by the way.
The water was about 4 degrees C so start with a full battery and make sure your return to home has sufficient juice or fly over land. Recovery is probably not possible due to water temperature and depth so accept a loss. The video is a bit accellerated.
Open the video by clicking it

 

[Thomas B]

@bartjes ... Open the video here, thx.

 

[batman305]

Any tips on flying over water;I have been told to turn off downward sensors??

I'm in Miami and have flown over the water quite a bit. I have flown it at 3-6 feet without any problems, or modifications to the drone. This was in a protected bay so the water was pretty calm, and the winds were minimal. I have tried to fly it over the ocean by me, but the winds are too strong - 20-30mps consistently. I haven't found a calm day since, so I haven't flown. Usually the swell around me is 2-3 feet. I would think about 10 feet up would be idea, there is a fair ammount of moisture close to the ocean waves/swell.

 

[Deleted member 109934]

I was flying so low I actually touched the water for a moment, I didn't know when you fly that low MM wants to actually land and you hear beeping in the controller, you can allow it to land while still moving or recover and go up.

 

[Thomas B]

Low for sure!