Flying in high altitude

[TonyPHX]

Hello,

I have done some forum searching and observed some discussion, but want to take this is a slightly different direction. I had reason to fly the Mini2 and found the controls to be sluggish as expected due to the thinner air. My additional observation is that in addition to the sluggishness of the controls, the drone (a Mini2 in thise case) was not able to hold a straight line forward very well at all and required numerous inputs to correct the flight. Altitude was 7,400ft and I was at approximately 200ft AGL. This particular drone always has had a bit of a pull but at altitude it was very pronounced.

Since this was my first time flying in that high of an altitude, I'm wondering if this is a normal experience for the flight controls. Anything I can do to mitigate it and make it feel more like normal altitude flying?

 

[slup]

As the air will be thinner the higher you go it means that the props will "bite" less in the air ... they will create less thrust & the motors will need to rotate faster to compensate.

When you give a control input to your Mini 2 it will execute that by changing the motor RPM's ... & if the air is thinner, the props bite less, it will be a increase in the delay between that you do the command & the Mini 2 manage to execute. This will also turn up as a slower responsiveness when it comes to straight flight where the Mini 2 must counter outside coming forces like wind for example.

You can't do much about this beside knowing that this is how it is flying in thinner air & by that count in longer braking distances & a somewhat less responsive Mini 2.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

What was the mechanism of its going off course, side slip or yaw?
What was the wind like?
How confident are you that you yourself did not introduce sideslip?

 

[old man mavic]

@TonyPHX according to the specs in the manual the max service ceiling for the Mini 2 is 4000m so you were quite a good way up at the height you were flying at
and also at that sort of height the motors would have been spinning faster just to maintain a hover and finally the temperature would have had a role to play as well

 

[TonyPHX]

As the air will be thinner the higher you go it means that the props will "bite" less in the air ... they will create less thrust & the motors will need to rotate faster to compensate.

When you give a control input to your Mini 2 it will execute that by changing the motor RPM's ... & if the air is thinner, the props bite less, it will be a increase in the delay between that you do the command & the Mini 2 manage to execute. This will also turn up as a slower responsiveness when it comes to straight flight where the Mini 2 must counter outside coming forces like wind for example.

You can't do much about this beside knowing that this is how it is flying in thinner air & by that count in longer braking distances & a somewhat less responsive Mini 2.

Thank you! Good point about the delay, I think I failed to take this into account as well. All great points. I needed this walk through, I try to be pretty smart about this stuff, but needed the brain power today. Thank you for sharing!

 

[TonyPHX]

What was the mechanism of its going off course, side slip or yaw?
What was the wind like?
How confident are you that you yourself did not introduce sideslip?

Darn good question. I was trying to fly in a straight line and kept noticing it slipping off to a side. I dont think it was yaw.

I am wondering the same if my controller input was just a touch heavy to introduce this. I may have added to my own concerns. Good points also thank you!

 

[slup]

Darn good question. I was trying to fly in a straight line and kept noticing it slipping off to a side. I dont think it was yaw.

I am wondering the same if my controller input was just a touch heavy to introduce this. I may have added to my own concerns. Good points also thank you!

All this easily checked by pulling the flight log & upload it to PhantomHelp & study your stick inputs there ...

 

[TonyPHX]

@TonyPHX according to the specs in the manual the max service ceiling for the Mini 2 is 4000m so you were quite a good way up at the height you were flying at
and also at that sort of height the motors would have been spinning faster just to maintain a hover and finally the temperature would have had a role to play as well

Yes, I figured I was giving it a good workout. Being from Arizona, anything less than 60F is cold but yes, this was in snow country so I knew I was flying it beyond normal service expectations. Great point also about the motors having to work harder.

 

[edfrombama]

Good morning to all-
Tony- Were you flying up at Flag or the White Mountains? I would have loved to have had my drone when I was out there in 2017. Some gorgeous flying country in AZ for sure.
Ed

 

[TonyPHX]

All this easily checked by pulling the flight log & upload it to PhantomHelp & study your stick inputs there ...

Lol! Yes, but then everyone will laugh at me. : )

Good morning to all-
Tony- Were you flying up at Flag or the White Mountains? I would have loved to have had my drone when I was out there in 2017. Some gorgeous flying country in AZ for sure.
Ed

I was coming home from Apache county and wished I had taking the Flagstaff I-40 route. Got caught in a giant traffic snarl and wanted a look around.

 

[slup]

Lol! Yes, but then everyone will laugh at me. : )

You know ... if uploading your log there you don't necessary need to stand here at the forum with your hat in your hand & blushing cheeks ... you can just drag that green handle under the sat. picture by yourself & check how the stick graphics move.

 

[TonyPHX]

Lol! Yes, but now I am laughing at myself! : )

 

[slozukimc]

Darn good question. I was trying to fly in a straight line and kept noticing it slipping off to a side. I dont think it was yaw.

I am wondering the same if my controller input was just a touch heavy to introduce this. I may have added to my own concerns. Good points also thank you!

I find myself pushing slightly to the left when intending to go straight forward sometimes. It is hard to break myself from doing.

Mike

 

[Meta4]

Altitude was 7,400ft and I was at approximately 200ft AGL. ... I'm wondering if this is a normal experience for the flight controls. Anything I can do to mitigate it and make it feel more like normal altitude flying?

The Mini 2 has a Service Ceiling of >13000 feet.
AT 7400 ft any altitude effects would have been insignificant and too small to notice.
Altitude wasn't the cause of whatever you noticed.

 

[TonyPHX]

I find myself pushing slightly to the left when intending to go straight forward sometimes. It is hard to break myself from doing.

Mike

I think I may have done that. I will be looking at the log today in Flight Reader. I am thinking this was altitude, wind, cold, and perhaps me. Either way, it was just different and so less responsive.

 

[TonyPHX]

The Mini 2 has a Service Ceiling of >13000 feet.
AT 7400 ft any altitude effects would have been insignificant and too small to notice.
Altitude wasn't the cause of whatever you noticed.

Cool. Well, it was for sure the highest area I had flown that little drone. I just didn't like how unrepsonsive it was and how prone it was to drift.

 

[lilewis]

The winds at 7,400 ft would likely be stronger than where you were standing, making it even harder for the drone to compensate.

 

[TonyPHX]

The winds at 7,400 ft would likely be stronger than where you were standing, making it even harder for the drone to compensate.

I think it was all wind related. I looked at my flight in flight reader and comparing my direction with my inputs, well, I was pushing that little drone too hard.

 

[lilewis]

I think it was all wind related. I looked at my flight in flight reader and comparing my direction with my inputs, well, I was pushing that little drone too hard.

I use an Iphone App called UAV forecast. It gives wind speed and direction at many altitudes

 

[Chaosrider]

Hello,

I have done some forum searching and observed some discussion, but want to take this is a slightly different direction. I had reason to fly the Mini2 and found the controls to be sluggish as expected due to the thinner air. My additional observation is that in addition to the sluggishness of the controls, the drone (a Mini2 in thise case) was not able to hold a straight line forward very well at all and required numerous inputs to correct the flight. Altitude was 7,400ft and I was at approximately 200ft AGL. This particular drone always has had a bit of a pull but at altitude it was very pronounced.

Since this was my first time flying in that high of an altitude, I'm wondering if this is a normal experience for the flight controls. Anything I can do to mitigate it and make it feel more like normal altitude flying?

This is very interesting. I also fly the Mini-2.

I fly from 5200 ft MSL, and it seems pretty zippy to me! But at 6200 ft MSL (under 400 ft AGL) the controls do seem to be a bit more sluggish. Not as bad as you describe, but I can easily extrapolate that mine might do the same thing at 7200 ft MSL.

Thanks!

TCS