Flying your drone 1 to 2 miles away during the day ! : The Trick

[Deleted member 137163]

107.31 Visual line of sight aircraft operation.

(a) With vision that is unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, the remote pilot in command, the visual observer (if one is used), and the person manipulating the flight control of the small unmanned aircraft system must be able to see the unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight in order to:

(1) Know the unmanned aircraft’s location;

(2) Determine the unmanned aircraft’s attitude, altitude, and direction of flight;

(3) Observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards; and

(4) Determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another.

(b) Throughout the entire flight of the small unmanned aircraft, the ability described in paragraph (a) of this section must be exercised by either:

(1) The remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small unmanned aircraft system; or

(2) A visual observer.

I think I will take my guidance from VIC MOSS who "kinda" knows what the heck he is talking about!!!! He may just have some credential/credibility if you check (ha ha). I am out on any further discussion as well. No more argumentative trolls for me thanks.

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

With Vic!
As a side note, I put the bright white on the Upper rear of the drone. I don't fly long distance BVLOS, but sometime on a bright day, if you temporarily lose sight of the drone with the bright background, you can yaw until you see the strobe to regain site of it's location, and at the same time knowing the strobe is on the rear you also regain orientation of the drone.

 

[NDWildBill]

If you can only see the light when the drone is going away from you, how do you get it back and still maintain your so called VLOS? Asking for a friend...

 

[GFields]

Why would anyone have the need? Search and rescue perhaps but not the average drone operator/photographer

 

[sar104]

Why would anyone have the need? Search and rescue perhaps but not the average drone operator/photographer

It is sometimes necessary for SAR, but then we do that under an SGI VLOS waiver with a TFR to keep manned traffic out of the area.

 

[cgmaxed]

Correct. I have tested this out at my farm, where I have unlimited distance (not really, but easily a mile). I’m a relatively young guy with good eyesight, and I lost it just short of a mile. I got the BigAl recommended strobes and they help, but still, beyond about a mile, I can’t see it. And even though there’s no real danger flying BVLOS where I am (my farm is literally in the middle of nowhere), there are a lot of birds who are way too curious. Anyone claiming they can see beyond a mile in daytime is lying. My cousin, who was an F14 pilot (the rules have changed but at that time you had to have perfect uncorrected eyesight to fly for the Navy), was with me and confirmed about a mile was as far as he could see it.

(If it wasn’t clear I always follow FAA rules. I don’t fly BVLOS and this was a test so I knew what my limit was.)

Did he say how far he could see a 3000 lumen laser or spot light. This thread is about high intensity drone lights. Here is another thread:

Mavic at 3 Miles! . . . VLOS

Lots of talk about how far you can go VLOS. Currently the Canadian rules say VLOS but "no more than 500m from the operator", My SFOC simply says VLOS, so I've been developing procedures for FVLOS. Forward Visual Line O Sight, is when a Forward Observer (FOBS) will pick up VLOS while he is...

mavicpilots.com

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

If you can only see the light when the drone is going away from you, how do you get it back and still maintain your so called VLOS? Asking for a friend...

If your referring to my post, I stated when you have a temporary loss due to for example a sun glare and have to reacquire your drone. Then you can use the strobe to locate it and determine it's orientation. The strobes (Cree) that I use were tested by VIC when they first came out. In a controlled test, not flying, it was seen at 3 miles.

 

[vindibona1]

Something that I think needs to be said is that at any reasonble distance you not only have to have the ability to see it, but you must be able to relocate it in the sky should you look away. I use strobes 99% of the time and can visually follow my drones during an overcast day out to about 1600', but if I take my eyes off of it at that distance it isn't always that easy to reacquire it in the sky. In bright sunlight, it all depends on the surroundings.

Just yesterday I was doing some test flights ahead of a filming project and had TWO VO's dedicated to helping me. Even at the close distances of the flights I knew I needed VO's because my head would be largely buried in the screen paying attention to the filming aspect as I flew. There were multiple times when I had to ask my VO's to point to where the drone was in the moment... and it was maybe 50' up and 100' out... but lost in front of the trees. The strobes on it at that distance allowed me to pick it up again after being pointed to where it was. My point being, again, keeping your drone in sight is different than having the ability to be able to see it at distance.

FWIW, the easiest flight I ever had for maintaining VLOS at distance was a night flight over water where I could actually spot it at will up to 10,000 feet out. The brighter the sky the less far you can see your UAV.

 

[Wild Drone Pilot]

Using a 3000 lumen rated spot light (1500 lumen constant output), in my case the FENIX G35, 5oz, cost 70 U.S dollars. Feel free to buy other lights, this is no ad for fenix. You can achieve VLOS at distances up to 1 mile in total sunlight and 2 miles on overcast days. The experiment was repeatable and duplicated several times. You will have to fly from a place that is high enough to reduce the angle you will need to keep a visual on the drone's light. Also, the light you use must be able to maintain a minimum of 1500 lumens. Some have heat sensors, that drop a light's lumens well below 1500 lumens when they get too hot. Anyway, I Fly from a 2nd and or 3rd story balcony, above the local tree line, so I only need 2-4 degrees of an angle to see the drone 2 miles away on an overcast day. I attach the light to the side of my M2Pro and attach it to the underside of my EVO2Pro. I use 10lb rated velcro to attach the lights. I had to use a stronger adhesive to attach the velcro to the lights because their aluminum housing is kinda slick. I face the lights backwards toward my home point at all times when flying to my destination, then fly home backwards to maintain a visual on the light and drone. This technique is just for those who want to check out stuff further away, it's not for cinematographers who will need to constantly change the position of their drones while in flight. I have also done it with an MAV AIR 2 and AIR 2 S. These two drones can lift the light, but it's weight will reduce the flight time a bit more than the larger M2P and E2P drones. Happy long distance flying. Please attach your lights securely.

Included is a pic from a cell phone (poor quality), eyesight is better to see the light. You can see the light orb in the center of the sky. It's 1 mile away in broad daylight, noon.

 

[Kmarrott]

Am unsure why this thread is allowed to continue. VLOS when flying these small drones is way short of a mile AND the hazards and risks greatly increase beyond that. We can tease our self into thinking that we can meet the FAA UAV rules by doing this or that with the drone's configuration but we are just teasing our self.

 

[NDWildBill]

If your referring to my post, I stated when you have a temporary loss due to for example a sun glare and have to reacquire your drone. Then you can use the strobe to locate it and determine it's orientation. The strobes (Cree) that I use were tested by VIC when they first came out. In a controlled test, not flying, it was seen at 3 miles.

No, I was referring to the OP. I use a strobe on my MA2 for the same reasons as you, not to see how far I can fly, I also have a bright orange skin on my drone to make it more visible to my old eyes.

 

[kevinjames]

Well done. Oh.

 

[KJack91986]

I’m just gonna say it: Clever, cool and innovative. I appreciate the very detailed explanation of how you put it all together. I agree with the words of caution, and I think it’s something one should only consider if they were way out in a low-population density area. I think you are in a rural area so you know your area well. Another consideration would be to not do this anywhere near military training areas. Like most situations, knowing your drone’s capabilities, being honest with yourself about your skill level and maintaining good situational awareness are key.

 

[PeP]

1. Fly only for recreational purposes (enjoyment).
2. Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized Community Based Organization (CBO).
   Note: We have not yet begun officially recognizing CBOs. Recreational flyers are directed to follow the safety guidelines of existing aeromodeling organizations or use the FAA provided safety guidelines per Advisory Circular 91-57B.
3. Keep your drone within the visual line of sight or use a visual observer who is co-located (physically next to) and in direct communication with you.
4. Give way to and do not interfere with manned aircraft.
5. Fly at or below 400' in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) only with prior authorization by using LAANC or DroneZone.
6. Fly at or below 400 feet in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace.
   Note: Flying drones in certain airspace is not allowed. Classes of airspace and flying restrictions can be found on our B4UFLY app or the UAS Facility Maps webpage.
7. Take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and carry proof of test passage (coming soon).
8. Have a current registration, mark (PDF) your drones on the outside with the registration number, and carry proof of registration with you.
9. Do not operate your drone in a dangerous manner. For example:
   1. Do not interfere with emergency response or law enforcement activities.
   2. Do not fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Just my take and a observation of the actual "rules", excluding what ifs and all that, but as he is flying within guidelines as they are presented as of now IMHO. But will be informed and corrected if someone can show any exclusion or incite with fact. I will also state that I find no reason why one would want to conduct such "tests" or sight seeing flight, nor do I condone them

It seems relevant to remind posters that this is not a US forum. This is an international forum, and those who post, based on a specific national context, should mention this, or start separate threads where the country in question is mentioned in the thread title.

 

[lookout]

But you need lighting that is visible from 3 miles away to fly at night even if you can't fly that far away.

 

[RPSM]

I will not doubt regret writing this but… I don’t believe for a second that people who claim to only fly VLOS do so. That is 150-300m. Before you reply remember that there is a world beyond the continental United States. I have flown for many, many years, BVLOS in a dozen countries, sometime far out to sea, sometimes high mountain ranges, and sometimes skirting beautiful cities. Somehow the CIA manages to do so half-way around the world, quite successfully. I appreciate the law is the law, in certain countries, but let’s not pretend that people don’t violate it regularly, nor that where it isn’t the law it somehow entails the death of a myriad of humans.

 

[cgmaxed]

If you can only see the light when the drone is going away from you, how do you get it back and still maintain your so called VLOS? Asking for a friend...

Fly backwards

 

[Jostro65]

If you can only see the light when the drone is going away from you, how do you get it back and still maintain your so called VLOS? Asking for a friend...

Cant drones fly backwards?

 

[cgmaxed]

Am unsure why this thread is allowed to continue. VLOS when flying these small drones is way short of a mile AND the hazards and risks greatly increase beyond that. We can tease our self into thinking that we can meet the FAA UAV rules by doing this or that with the drone's configuration but we are just teasing our self.

The experiment was repeated and duplicated several times with different operators. None lost site of the drone at the distances described and all had excellent perception of the surrounding airspace. In my opinion, yes, my opinion, maybe only my opinion, the experiment succeeded in showing that a drone operator at least 2 stories up or more can see over the tree line and can see a constantly on, high intensity tactical spot light at 2 miles or less without ever losing sight of it. You all may dismiss these claims, but those that do, have never spent 100 dollars on a high intensity tactical light and attached it to their drone and maintained it's direction toward the operators home origin point.

 

[cgmaxed]

Cant drones fly backwards?

lol