How to descend most rapidly?

[Made2Phly]

When I need to descend quickly (and am thus in sport mode), will I lose altitude quickest by: 1) descending straight down, or 2) full forward pitch plus full down throttle?

Seems obvious that it should be option 1. But given my dearth of knowledge of the M2P flight efficiency, and having forgotten all of high school vector physics, it seems a question worth asking.

 

[StubbornSwiss]

I think the fastest way to descend would be the second option actually, that is forward pitch plus down throttle. That way you are avoiding the prop wash created by the props, and are descending in clean air.

I may be wrong, and am open to correction.

Stay safe!

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

When I need to descend quickly (and am thus in sport mode), will I lose altitude quickest by: 1) descending straight down, or 2) full forward pitch plus full down throttle?

Seems obvious that it should be option 1. But given my dearth of knowledge of the M2P flight efficiency, and having forgotten all of high school vector physics, it seems a question worth asking.

Descent rate doesn't change in either scenario. Only advantage to #2 is the aircaft isn't in it's own downdraft. I suspect DJI calculated the safest descent rate based on vortex ring state to prevent the blades from stalling on a direct descent.

Vortex ring state - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Best way to increase descent rate is to manually edit settings with DJI Assist but you do so AYOR. If the AC descends faster and is susceptible to VRS then you MUST have forward flight to prevent it from dropping like a rock.

 

[dirkclod]

I have flown a whole lot since the MP first came out in all types
of ways and have yet experienced VRS like we did with the Phantoms.
Had almost forgot about it.

 

[Meta4]

When I need to descend quickly (and am thus in sport mode), will I lose altitude quickest by: 1) descending straight down, or 2) full forward pitch plus full down throttle?

For most DJI drones, it's the same as mentioned in post #3 and it's easy to prove with testing since the flight data shows all the details.

But if you have the Air 2, it has a new trick.
It's specs show something different from all the others:
Max Descent Speed
3 m/s (S Mode)
3 m/s (N Mode)
5 m/s (S Mode during a sharp descent)
3 m/s (all modes at elevations over 4500 m)

 

[Oakley75]

For most DJI drones, it's the same as mentioned in post #3 and it's easy to prove with testing since the flight data shows all the details.

But if you have the Air 2, it has a new trick.
It's specs show something different from all the others:
Max Descent Speed
3 m/s (S Mode)
3 m/s (N Mode)
5 m/s (S Mode during a sharp descent)
3 m/s (all modes at elevations over 4500 m)

Interesting. Meaning full descent with forward momentum?

 

[old man mavic]

as others have mentioned ,purely from avoiding VRS forwards motion during descent is best, but also if you were at 400ft max altitude and 400ft distance from home then the shortest distance between the two points would be forwards and descend on a 45 degree flight path

 

[Malcx]

The fastest way to descend is to pull both sticks down and inwards ?





EDIT: This is a JOKE

 

[ninja_geezer]

The fastest way to descend is to pull both sticks down and inwards ?

best not put things like that someone will try it !!

 

[Erk469]

Why not do a test and view the results. I would do about 5-10 descents and then take the average.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

The fastest way to descend is to pull both sticks down and inwards

or outwards?

best not put things like that someone will try it !!

Moi

With the mini and the CSC response set to "EMERGENCY ONLY" it is a controlled descent with the motors running, it even slows down when it gets near the ground as the landing thing gets going.
Let the sticks go at any point and it hovers.

DO NOT try it in "ANYTIME" mode or you maybe be bringing it home in pieces. There will be no video of it so do not waste your time asking.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

For most DJI drones, it's the same as mentioned in post #3 and it's easy to prove with testing since the flight data shows all the details.

But if you have the Air 2, it has a new trick.
It's specs show something different from all the others:
Max Descent Speed
3 m/s (S Mode)
3 m/s (N Mode)
5 m/s (S Mode during a sharp descent)
3 m/s (all modes at elevations over 4500 m)

Yes we have noticed on the Air 2 the Decent is very slow and controlled , Good call.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

How do you trigger that descent in the air 2?

 

[Meta4]

How do you trigger that descent in the air 2?

I haven't seen any details except what's there in the specs.
It's somehing for an owner to test.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Ah ok, it suddenly occurred to me I was leaving my self wide open to a RTM response, lol, lucky escape

 

[Oakley75]

Anyway... trying to get clear verification of the spec.

"5 m/s (S Mode during a sharp descent)"

 

[Made2Phly]

as others have mentioned ,purely from avoiding VRS forwards motion during descent is best, but also if you were at 400ft max altitude and 400ft distance from home then the shortest distance between the two points would be forwards and descend on a 45 degree flight path

Yep, as you say, Pythagoras showed us that the hypotenuse is always shorter than the two right angled legs, So, unless straight down throttle without pitch is slow enough to offset the shorter distance, then the hypotenuse wins. That seems to be the consensus here.

Going beyond topic: the wrench in the works, as a practical matter, will be that full down throttle plus full forward pitch, is typically not going to bring the AC right to to me. My on-the- fly trigonometry (see what i did there?) is not good enough to begin the hypotenuse descent at the point where it will bring the AC to me.

Thanks for all the input.
Ed

 

[Deleted member 103366]

I dont know if this quote will work as this is from another thread Descend: Normal vs Sport Mode

Just tested forward travel in Sport while descending. Descend speed is indeed faster.

 

[Skywalker]

The fastest way to descend is to pull both sticks down and inwards ?

. Yup, that’s how I read it. Thought it was a trick question.

 

[Hookela]

The fastest way to descend is to pull both sticks down and inwards ?

??