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Flying over the ocean? Tips?

HappyHours

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Ok I see all kinds of unfortunate pilots posting their misfortunes. A lot of them are pretty dated. I have the latest software and firmware.

Is there an issue with the drones stability over rough water?
Should I shut off the vision assist?
How high is too low?

I just plan on fishfinding, so a hundred feet or so, and some glamor shots of the boat running through the waves, maybe as low as 60 ft?

Landing manually back In the somewhat stationary boat.

Just the facts and please have the latest firmware[emoji4]

I could imaging the vision assist system might get confused because the whole world won’t stop moving, ha ha

I flew tonight in my back yard with it off and I could definitely see that it’s a little drifty as compared to having the vision assist on, but it was only slightly drifty.

Being a 3D heli pilot it was nothing, it still flies itself.
 
Boats and Drones are a disaster, IMHO do not launch from one or try to land on one unless you are prepared to go diving for the carcass.

It is below 30' when things get funky, and the DPS do not like reflective surfaces such as water. Many people shut the downward sensors off when over water.

Have you seen the devices to carry line/hook/bait a distance to where the fish are?
 
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Landing manually back In the somewhat stationary boat.

It would be a good idea to be comfortable hand catching. Even small swells make landing on a boat a challenge. Plenty of threads discussing it here.
 
Is there an issue with the drones stability over rough water?
Should I shut off the vision assist? How high is too low? I just plan on fishfinding, so a hundred feet or so, and some glamor shots of the boat running through the waves, maybe as low as 60 ft?

There should be no stability problem over rough water if you are flying at or above 100' as you mentioned. 60' should also not be a problem. If you are going to be hand landing, then you might shut off the sensors.

Landing manually back In the somewhat stationary boat.

As @neggy said, Boats and Drones are a disaster. There are many pilots who take off and land on boats, but they know that one dumb thumb movement and you're into a mast, antenna, sail, or worse, into the drink. Many boat/pilots use the help of someone to hand launch and hand catch it. Again, a risky proposition the first times you try it.

My tips for over-the-water flying:

  1. Get State Farm before your first outing. Im putting this first for a reason.
  2. Do a mock fishing trip flight plan from a land base, climbing out to altitude, tilting the gimbal, and doing everything you would plan to do on your fishing trip. Practice will lower the initial anxiety of the real thing.
  3. Anchor your boat, if possible.
  4. Make your first leg into the wind.
  5. If the boat doesn't have a wind speed indicator, bring an anemometer with you to check wind speed. If it is blowing steadily in any direction higher than 20 mph, you might think twice about that flight.
  6. It its gusty, the takeoff will be interesting, and the landing will be like trying to do a carrier trap in an F18 at night in high seas.
  7. Plan to land with 40% battery just in case of emergency, or botched approach.
  8. Depending on water temperature, bring a mask fins and snorkel.
  9. Use extra caution if going fishing that the line doesnt get fouled in your props.

Good luck in your outing.
 
Boats and Drones are a disaster, IMHO do not launch from one or try to land on one unless you are prepared to go diving for the carcass.

It is below 30' when things get funky, and the DPS do not like reflective surfaces such as water. Many people shut the downward sensors off when over water.

Have you seen the devices to carry line/hook/bait a distance to where the fish are?

These are tuna:).
 
Landing manually back In the somewhat stationary boat.

It would be a good idea to be comfortable hand catching. Even small swells make landing on a boat a challenge. Plenty of threads discussing it here.

I have practiced both hand launch and land as well as launching and landing in the boat:)
 
There should be no stability problem over rough water if you are flying at or above 100' as you mentioned. 60' should also not be a problem. If you are going to be hand landing, then you might shut off the sensors.



As @neggy said, Boats and Drones are a disaster. There are many pilots who take off and land on boats, but they know that one dumb thumb movement and you're into a mast, antenna, sail, or worse, into the drink. Many boat/pilots use the help of someone to hand launch and hand catch it. Again, a risky proposition the first times you try it.

My tips for over-the-water flying:

  1. Get State Farm before your first outing. Im putting this first for a reason.
  2. Do a mock fishing trip flight plan from a land base, climbing out to altitude, tilting the gimbal, and doing everything you would plan to do on your fishing trip. Practice will lower the initial anxiety of the real thing.
  3. Anchor your boat, if possible.
  4. Make your first leg into the wind.
  5. If the boat doesn't have a wind speed indicator, bring an anemometer with you to check wind speed. If it is blowing steadily in any direction higher than 20 mph, you might think twice about that flight.
  6. It its gusty, the takeoff will be interesting, and the landing will be like trying to do a carrier trap in an F18 at night in high seas.
  7. Plan to land with 40% battery just in case of emergency, or botched approach.
  8. Depending on water temperature, bring a mask fins and snorkel.
  9. Use extra caution if going fishing that the line doesnt get fouled in your props.

Good luck in your outing.

All good advice, I’ll have to ponder the State Farm, is that 30 a month or a year?

I’ll probably try it inshore to get comfortable before offshore, flat ocean out here are 4-6ft

The wind is defiantly an issue as it is rarely still but 10-12mph is normal, 20 and it starts gettin snotty and we are usually headed back
 
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All good advice, I’ll have to ponder the State Farm, is that 30 a month or a year?

I’ll probably try it inshore to get comfortable before offshore, flat ocean out here are 4-6ft

The wind is defiantly an issue as it is rarely still but 10-12mph is normal, 20 and it starts gettin snotty and we are usually headed back
$60 per year.
 
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Ok I see all kinds of unfortunate pilots posting their misfortunes. A lot of them are pretty dated. I have the latest software and firmware.

Is there an issue with the drones stability over rough water?
Should I shut off the vision assist?
How high is too low?

I just plan on fishfinding, so a hundred feet or so, and some glamor shots of the boat running through the waves, maybe as low as 60 ft?

Landing manually back In the somewhat stationary boat.

Just the facts and please have the latest firmware[emoji4]

I could imaging the vision assist system might get confused because the whole world won’t stop moving, ha ha

I flew tonight in my back yard with it off and I could definitely see that it’s a little drifty as compared to having the vision assist on, but it was only slightly drifty.

Being a 3D heli pilot it was nothing, it still flies itself.


We fly out over the lake a few times a week for the last 2 years, best to keep all the sensors turned off and the VPS .

Flying at 100 ft is no safer than flying at 10 ft if you have clean visual sight and the wind is under control

The number one thing that gets pilots in trouble is the Take Off.

Magnetic interference can sometimes flash on the screen and than be gone and you and will think its ok to continue to fly but the fact is once that error message flashed, your drone is now in jeopardy so it is always best to watch carefully for the flash of an error and move your drone to another spot for take off.

We have learned that certain Piers are just impossible to take off from do to magnetic Interference, boats, concrete, rails can all cause the flash to occur and most think since it gone your good, dont believe it , we have plenty of videos on are website that show how the compass gets whacked and now your half way across the water and your in ATTI mode, no fun .

Phantomrain.org
Approved vendor
 
Drone and boats does add another level of unpredictability. Wind and wave changes. You could do it a dozen times and not have a problem. But one error could end in disaster. e.g, just about to hand catch your drone, and a sudden wave lifts the boat up a foot, fingers get whacked by props, hand withdraws, drone in water. Tears of pain and loss.
 
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"Flying at 100 ft is no safer than flying at 10 ft if you have clean visual sight and the wind is under control"

Most if not all of us were referring to VPS range where water surface can confuse it.
 
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There should be no stability problem over rough water if you are flying at or above 100' as you mentioned. 60' should also not be a problem. If you are going to be hand landing, then you might shut off the sensors.



As @neggy said, Boats and Drones are a disaster. There are many pilots who take off and land on boats, but they know that one dumb thumb movement and you're into a mast, antenna, sail, or worse, into the drink. Many boat/pilots use the help of someone to hand launch and hand catch it. Again, a risky proposition the first times you try it.

My tips for over-the-water flying:

  1. Get State Farm before your first outing. Im putting this first for a reason.
  2. Do a mock fishing trip flight plan from a land base, climbing out to altitude, tilting the gimbal, and doing everything you would plan to do on your fishing trip. Practice will lower the initial anxiety of the real thing.
  3. Anchor your boat, if possible.
  4. Make your first leg into the wind.
  5. If the boat doesn't have a wind speed indicator, bring an anemometer with you to check wind speed. If it is blowing steadily in any direction higher than 20 mph, you might think twice about that flight.
  6. It its gusty, the takeoff will be interesting, and the landing will be like trying to do a carrier trap in an F18 at night in high seas.
  7. Plan to land with 40% battery just in case of emergency, or botched approach.
  8. Depending on water temperature, bring a mask fins and snorkel.
  9. Use extra caution if going fishing that the line doesnt get fouled in your props.

Good luck in your outing.

I'm one of the idiots who have lost a drone at sea - my own fault as I'd forgotten to take off my radio antenna and then I couldn't get the drone into tri-pod mode for more control. I may try again but wondering if anyone has tried catching the drone with a flat (horizontal) net on a pole? I haven't tried manual catching yet. Seems like that might be dodgy on a rocking boat as well.
 
Flying over water is a sinch, even hand catching from a boat. It's all in your head to think otherwise, have confidence in your AC and your flight abilities and you'll have no problem. Get on the horse Tonto!

Your post is good for my business. Hand catching on a pitching and rolling platform with ocean breezes... lol
 
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