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Forest survey with Mavic2 pro - benefits of a 2nd controller?

Pollenman

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Joined
Dec 5, 2019
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Age
65
Location
florida
I want to use my Mavic 2 pro to survey tropical rainforest canopies. I intend to fly the drone at 60 m altitide true to land surface, which will give me 10m clearance of the tallest tree. There are no artifical structures in the area. The landscape is flat and so I cannot see the drone once it moves off the take-off point. Maintaining line of sight is not an option (yes I know the issues, but there are no other aerial vehicles etc to contend with in this part of Amazonia). I use Litchi to fly a pre-programmed grid 100 m x100 m with a maximum distance from the take off point of 200 m, but am concerned that signal interference from trees and foliage will be a major problem. Would a slave controller previously set up in the middle of the area being surveyed provide the best boost to RC signal? Better than a boosted signal using RaptoXR for example?
Thanks
 
doesnt the drone continue its mission in litchi if controller reception is lost?
 
Litchi can be programmed to either continue the mission or RTH if the control signal is lost.

But there’s also another option... extend the controller antennas up higher into the canopy by using a lightweight cable and pole, or perhaps with another drone?
 
Thanks for your replies. Yes I believe Litchi missions will continue, I just hate to have no control of the drone. Lifting antennas into the canopy on another drone is worth thinking about.
 
Thanks for your replies. Yes I believe Litchi missions will continue, I just hate to have no control of the drone. Lifting antennas into the canopy on another drone is worth thinking about.

Hey- look into using a tethered drone for hoisting that antenna cable...
 
I will have to dig into figuring out what antenna cable would work, and whether a drone would lift it...would you still need two? I can see tangling being an issue.
 
I will have to dig into figuring out what antenna cable would work, and whether a drone would lift it...would you still need two? I can see tangling being an issue.

Tangling is definitely an issue. If the canopy is mostly closed, you may have to rope up and use ascenders!

Curious, is it just a canopy mapping survey or are you using LIDAR as well?
 

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