Mini Flying down through the fog to check the cows.

[TommyP]

No cows were hurt in the making of this video.

Launched from a hill above the fog and reset the RTH to the driveway at the house down below.
The fog was about 60m thick above the ground level and 20m below the launch site.
RTH took the mini down to the house and I flew across the paddock and landed safely on the driveway.

 

[Saladshooter]

It doesn't spook the cows at all?..... how high above the cows are you flying?

In the US this type of flight is not legal as UAVs are not allowed to fly through fog.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[slup]

Yeah ... flying in fog is always tempting, but just a couple warnings related to that.

1. Flying in humid foggy weather when close to freezing can mean either free fall or force landing due to prop icing.
2. It's common that the downward sensors perceives the fog as either and obstacle or solid ground ... meaning:

a. The AC will not descend, just pull back up to move away every time you try to command descent.
b. The AC behaves exactly as it does when you land ... it goes to 0,5m above ground (but here fog), & when you continue to command left stick down it goes in for landing & shuts the motors off ... (but as it's only fog, no solid ground = free fall)

Have this in the back of your mind & turn off OD sensors & the landing protection if you can.

 

[iamcostas]

Legal or illegal, risky or safe, you captured the magic, lucky you ??

 

[Saladshooter]

Legal or illegal, risky or safe, you captured the magic, lucky you ??

Just making note that he is in New Zealand..... I have been there a couple of times and the opportunities for beautiful drone footage are endless. We have lots of beauty here in the states but so much of New Zealand is rural pasture, untamed rivers, tall mountains and volcanic action even rainforest. It is a small enough place that you can experience many different environments within a days journey. If it sounds like I am envious.... yup.

 

[DaveS]

You had a lot of "Moooovement" in that shot. I know, that was a terrible pun. Very mellow cows.

 

[TommyP]

It doesn't spook the cows at all?..... how high above the cows are you flying?

In the US this type of flight is not legal as UAVs are not allowed to fly through fog.

Thanks for sharing.

They were not worried, some looked up but most carried on eating.
Flying over them was about 10m above.
All done on private land, under 120m above ground.
Thanks.

 

[TommyP]

Yeah ... flying in fog is always tempting, but just a couple warnings related to that.

1. Flying in humid foggy weather when close to freezing can mean either free fall or force landing due to prop icing.
2. It's common that the downward sensors perceives the fog as either and obstacle or solid ground ... meaning:

a. The AC will not descend, just pull back up to move away every time you try to command descent.
b. The AC behaves exactly as it does when you land ... it goes to 0,5m above ground (but here fog), & when you continue to command left stick down it goes in for landing & shuts the motors off ... (but as it's only fog, no solid ground = free fall)

Have this in the back of your mind & turn off OD sensors & the landing protection if you can.

It is the middle of summer here. About 18`C so no worries about freezing. I don't fly in winter fog for that reason.

If there was a problem I could always fly back to the launch site and land.
As soon as I saw the buildings appear through the fog I aborted the RTH and flew into the paddock above the cows.
Checked the flight data and no warnings. Landed by hand control. Still had the RTH to land if I had problems.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[aledgavi]

Legal or illegal, risky or safe, you captured the magic, lucky you ??

I agree with you!

 

[micinqld]

Tommy, how did you set the RTH at the house from your launch site?

 

[TommyP]

Legal or illegal, risky or safe, you captured the magic, lucky you ??

If it dropped out of the sky it may have hit a cow. The fog was clear at ground level so I could see where to land.
The RTH would have landed it safely.

 

[eaglesurfing]

And it was heard in the distance...... "Here comes that stupid drone. Every ignore it and it will go away."

 

[TommyP]

Just making note that he is in New Zealand..... I have been there a couple of times and the opportunities for beautiful drone footage are endless. We have lots of beauty here in the states but so much of New Zealand is rural pasture, untamed rivers, tall mountains and volcanic action even rainforest. It is a small enough place that you can experience many different environments within a days journey. If it sounds like I am envious.... yup.

So much to film. 4 hours drive from one side to the other. Leave the beach, pass through pastures, forest, mountains and down to the beach again. Everything in an afternoons drive.
Hope to get some spare time to do some filming in the mountains later in the year.

 

[TommyP]

You had a lot of "Moooovement" in that shot. I know, that was a terrible pun. Very mellow cows.

Most of the cows are very friendly. Open the gate and they walk to the milking shed on their own.
Rush to get milked and back to eating again. Silage time and they all moooooo.

 

[TommyP]

Tommy, how did you set the RTH at the house from your launch site?

The RTH was not far from the launch. There is a setting on the Mini 1 and can be changed on the map when the mini is connected to the RC.
On the Mini, go to settings, safety at the top, then change RTH on the map.
Move the RTH to where you want it.
Try it in an open space.

 

[TommyP]

And it was heard in the distance...... "Here comes that stupid drone. Every ignore it and it will go away."

Some look up but most are too busy eating. I have had them come to the drone to investigate.

 

[DronePhotosNZ]

They were not worried, some looked up but most carried on eating.
Flying over them was about 10m above.
All done on private land, under 120m above ground.
Thanks.

Hi Tommy,
Nice video
We all do the occasional thing we aren't supposed to ( as the policeman who stopped me for speeding at the weekend reminded me ) but maybe best if you don't upload a video proving you did such a thing
What you do over your land is your business and I'm not commenting on you doing so. What I am advising against is uploading proof to the net
The New Zealand CAA rules regarding drones specifically state :- You must be able to see your unmanned aircraft with your own eyes at all times. Don’t watch it through binoculars, a monitor or smartphone. Do not fly it behind objects or through or above fog and cloud
Just saying...
Respectfully, Stu

 

[TommyP]

We all do the occasional thing we aren't supposed to ( as the policeman who stopped me for speeding at the weekend reminded me ) but maybe best if you don't upload a video proving you did such a thing
What you do over your land is your business and I'm not commenting on you doing so. What I am advising against is uploading proof to the net

Ok Stu, thanks for that. Must remember it.

 

[TS_Thomas02]

When you have a large such a large tract of land, I'm a little more in favor of using your drone as you deem fit. So this was really quite an entertaining view of the tranquility of a herd in the field. Having said that, I've collected moisture drops on my drone on a very humid cloudy morning and I know that my horizontal vis was probably 3 miles or more, but I'd say the vertical vis was just not sufficient so I brought her back down. That was when I decided that moisture and drones probably will lead to problems. I get to fly IFR in manned aircraft and I just have to resist the temptation to push these little craft into situations where I ought not be so comfortable. I enjoyed your video though!

 

[TommyP]

When you have a large such a large tract of land, I'm a little more in favor of using your drone as you deem fit. So this was really quite an entertaining view of the tranquility of a herd in the field. Having said that, I've collected moisture drops on my drone on a very humid cloudy morning and I know that my horizontal vis was probably 3 miles or more, but I'd say the vertical vis was just not sufficient so I brought her back down. That was when I decided that moisture and drones probably will lead to problems. I get to fly IFR in manned aircraft and I just have to resist the temptation to push these little craft into situations where I ought not be so comfortable. I enjoyed your video though!

Thankyou for your comments.
I checked the drone for moisture but it was dry by the time I got to it.
The temp was a mild 18`C and the battery was warm so kept most off the dampness out of the drone.
I always leave the mini turned on for about 5 minutes after a flight, it gets very warm and I hope keeps it dry.