help with setting

[akawho]

Hello,

Hope this message finds everyone high and dry =)
I'm trying to adjust the max altitude and I found some info that requires adjusting parameters within DJI Assistant which I'm comfortable with doing - my only question, is that the only place to adjust the settings? I wanted to be sure before I bricked anything lol
Could someone please offer assistance?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PhantomFandom]

Hello,

Hope this message finds everyone high and dry =)
I'm trying to adjust the max altitude and I found some info that requires adjusting parameters within DJI Assistant which I'm comfortable with doing - my only question, is that the only place to adjust the settings? I wanted to be sure before I bricked anything lol
Could someone please offer assistance?

Thanks in advance!

I think we need more details on what you're actually trying to do.

Max altitude in general is not set from DJI assistant but rather from the DJI Go or DJI Fly app.

 

[akawho]

I think we need more details on what you're actually trying to do.

Max altitude in general is not set from DJI assistant but rather from the DJI Go or DJI Fly app.

That's good to know, thank you.
I can't find the setting within the Fly app but I'm guessing that's where the remove geo comes into play.

I would like to increase the max alt ceiling from 500 to like 750 or whatever is required at the time of need and if possible/simple enough to be able to then change it back to 500 afterwards for safety.
I want to do some flying that would perhaps require a higher altitude in mountainous terrain. I don't know if I'll have have the need to adjust it but if I have to in a pinch I want to be prepared knowing.

Thanks for your assistance!

 

[PhantomFandom]

I would like to increase the max alt ceiling from 500 to like 750

Ah Ok, that was the missing information. You cannot change it to higher than 500m.

FYI: You may be breaking multiple FAA regulations by doing so, including flying more than 400 feet AGL (depending on the terrain), and also flying beyond VLOS.

Hacking your drone is done at your own risk. It is not supported by DJI and if you end up bricking your drone, DJI will not fix it under warranty.

 

[akawho]

Ah Ok, that was the missing information. You cannot change it to higher than 500m.

FYI: You may be breaking multiple FAA regulations by doing so, including flying more than 400 feet AGL (depending on the terrain), and also flying beyond VLOS.

Hacking your drone is done at your own risk. It is not supported by DJI and if you end up bricking your drone, DJI will not fix it under warranty.

It would be considered a hack?
I consider it as more of a safety feature that I need to adjust in a time of need.
I wouldn't be in any violation of FAA.

If the time ever came where I was in need of doing this then
voiding my warranty would be a lower concern most likely if the situation arose.

Could you please direct me to how I can adjust this?

 

[PhantomFandom]

It would be considered a hack?

Yes it would. DJI sets the maximum possible altitude in firmware to 500m. Attempting to change that would be a hack.

I wouldn't be in any violation of FAA.

Well this really comes down to how and where you would be flying. If you are flying up the side of a steep mountain, then it is very likely that you would at some point be more than 400 feet AGL. With a shallow slope you could easily stay within 400 feet AGL.
At a distance of even 500m (laterally or vertically) it would be very difficult to stay within the FAA regulations of VLOS. At that distance the MA2 is barely a speck in the sky.

Could you please direct me to how I can adjust this?

Unfortunately I cannot help you there. There have been companies that provided hacks, but they have been getting more locked out with the newer DJI drones. I am not sure how much can be changed by these packages on a MA2.

 

[Starz]

Just a curiosity question.
How would you consider a greater altitude limit a safety feature?

 

[akawho]

Just a curiosity question.
How would you consider a greater altitude limit a safety feature?

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. I never stated that a greater altitude limit would be a safety feature.
I consider the limit to be a safety feature.
Sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

[akawho]

Yes it would. DJI sets the maximum possible altitude in firmware to 500m. Attempting to change that would be a hack.


Well this really comes down to how and where you would be flying. If you are flying up the side of a steep mountain, then it is very likely that you would at some point be more than 400 feet AGL. With a shallow slope you could easily stay within 400 feet AGL.
At a distance of even 500m (laterally or vertically) it would be very difficult to stay within the FAA regulations of VLOS. At that distance the MA2 is barely a speck in the sky.


Unfortunately I cannot help you there. There have been companies that provided hacks, but they have been getting more locked out with the newer DJI drones. I am not sure how much can be changed by these packages on a MA2.

You've been of great help. I'll research more into the 2nd section of what you said to do better due diligence, that was very helpful.

I saw a couple of sites but they felt really gimmicky plus they don't have MA2 listed as compatible.
Are you saying in order to accomplish this, it would require addl external hardware to change, if it could be changed?

The more I think about this the more its starting to bother me if I am being honest.
I feel it's comparable to if a car company selling you a car that is capable of doing more than 70mph, shows on the speedometer it can go 120mph, but has a standard governor limiting its speed to 70mph at all times. There's a reason why there have been many failed attempts to do this in the history of automotives.

If you build in the capabilities and its made known of the specs, then it is the responsibility of the purchaser to act within lawful reason from that point onwards. Or don't make it capable, as well as spec'ing it for, of being able to do it. Then I would have made my purchase accordingly.

I still love this drone - I just don't like paying top dollar and then being throttled without any human accessed override in case of xyz.
But I still love it =) Just pissed now lol

 

[akawho]

For the record, I don't disagree with there being an altitude ceiling limit feature. I just disagree with a purchaser not
having the ability access something I purchased if the legal and lawful use of the need arose.

 

[PhantomFandom]

f you build in the capabilities and its made known of the specs, then it is the responsibility of the purchaser to act within lawful reason from that point onwards. Or don't make it capable, as well as spec'ing it for, of being able to do it. Then I would have made my purchase accordingly.

I still love this drone - I just don't like paying top dollar and then being throttled without any human accessed override in case of xyz.
But I still love it =) Just pissed now lol

BIG differences between a car and a drone. You are physically a passenger in the car you drive, and as such you would not take undue risks which could jeopardize your own life. With a drone, you are not endangering your own life but that of others. Since you are disconnected from the vehicle itself, it is easier to do things that are riskier.
Also if you do crash your car, you may kill yourself, your passengers, and perhaps a few other innocent bystanders. If your drone manages to take down a commercial airliner (yes it would be difficult but not impossible to do) then you are potentially risking the lives of hundreds of other people.

I just disagree with a purchaser not
having the ability access something I purchased if the legal and lawful use of the need arose.

"Legal and lawful" are the key words there. It is not legal or lawful to fly above 400 feet AGL here in the USA. So how could it be legal to fly above 500 meters? If there was such a legal and lawful case, you could most likely provide documentation to DJI and ask them to remove that limit from your equipment.

 

[Starz]

just disagree with a purchaser not
having the ability access something I purchased

I’m pretty sure that information would have been available to you prior to your purchase with a bit of research.

 

[iaincaradoc]

"Legal and lawful" are the key words there. It is not legal or lawful to fly above 400 feet AGL here in the USA. So how could it be legal to fly above 500 meters? If there was such a legal and lawful case, you could most likely provide documentation to DJI and ask them to remove that limit from your equipment.

I can think of a few cases where it'd be entirely legal for a Part 107 pilot to fly 2300 feet or so AGL, since it's conceivable they'd be hired to do a tower inspection.

 

[PhantomFandom]

I can think of a few cases where it'd be entirely legal for a Part 107 pilot to fly 2300 feet or so AGL, since it's conceivable they'd be hired to do a tower inspection.

Yes but that is not what the OP was looking to do.

 

[iaincaradoc]

Yes but that is not what the OP was looking to do.

This was the specific assertion that I was addressing:

“It is not legal or lawful to fly above 400 feet AGL here in the USA.”

 

[PhantomFandom]

This was the specific assertion that I was addressing:

“It is not legal or lawful to fly above 400 feet AGL here in the USA.”

Yes I see what you mean. Sometimes there needs to be context around a statement. Just like when we give advice based on the country where the pilot lives. In this case the OP lives in the USA, made no mention of needing to inspect towers, and my assumption was that he is not a licensed part 107 pilot. I know it is only an assumption, but I think it's fairly clear (at least to me) he is not.

As such, in that context, the statement is valid.

 

[Geekser]

This may be completely wrong, but is it possible that if you are going up a mountain side, if you have the ability - couldn't you bring the drone down to the ground, land, then take off again? When taking off this time, wouldn't the AGL be reset to the location where you just took off from?

I am guessing here - and being new, I could be completely wrong. I realize it also might not be possible to land after flying up the mountainside.

Is this possible or just evidence that I don't know what I am talking about ?

 

[PhantomFandom]

This may be completely wrong, but is it possible that if you are going up a mountain side, if you have the ability - couldn't you bring the drone down to the ground, land, then take off again?

Yes indeed you could do this, if the terrain is such that you can land safely and maintain VLOS.

When taking off this time, wouldn't the AGL be reset to the location where you just took off from?

Yes it would.

 

[Starz]

Would you not need to power down the ac to reset the home point and the altitude reading?

 

[NLOL]

I think AGL is mis-intrepreted by DJI. DJI's limit is actually ALP - above launch point. In steep country one can easily exceed 400' AGL with a very short distance horizontal flight, or, be able on uphill flights be able to 400' AGL with very little horizontal displacement.

Is a 500 meter limit above launch point reasonable? I dunno, depends on your VLOS ability, I suppose... and your preference for hard limits in your aircraft.

One thing is clear to me. Much of the user manual and related app leaves a lot to be desired. This AGL usage is just one more example.