How to maintain constant AGL in hilly terrain

[wingbotics]

Hi there,

At the takeoff, I set my Mavic pro at 350 feet AGL but as it flies into a mountainous area, its current AGL variates. How to closely if not accurately adjust the AGL, say within 5-10 feet? I may miss some key control feature(s) of the drone.

Please advise And thank you.

 

[Meta4]

At the takeoff, I set my Mavic pro at 350 feet AGL but as it flies into a mountainous area, its current AGL variates. How to closely if not accurately adjust the AGL, say within 5-10 feet? I may miss some key control feature(s) of the drone.

Your Mavic has no sensor that can detect the ground if it's more than 43 feet up.

 

[wingbotics]

Got it and thank you! Wonder if anyone did mods to add such an ability.

 

[Meta4]

Got it and thank you! Wonder if anyone did mods to add such an ability.

It would be difficult.
Here's a cheap, lightweight radar altimeter: Garmin - GRA-55 Bundle
It weights 75% more than the Mavic 2 pro and costs 7 x the price of the Mavic 2 pro.

 

[AMann]

Hi there,

At the takeoff, I set my Mavic pro at 350 feet AGL but as it flies into a mountainous area, its current AGL variates. How to closely if not accurately adjust the AGL, say within 5-10 feet? I may miss some key control feature(s) of the drone.

Please advise And thank you.

If you are using a pre-planned course, like with the Lichi app or DJI wayponts feature (when it becomes available), you could program in your AGL’s on it, for each waypoint, otherwise as mentioned before, doing it above 43 feet would be hard to accomplish.

 

[AMann]

It would be difficult.
Here's a cheap, lightweight radar altimeter: Garmin - GRA-55 Bundle
It weights 75% more than the Mavic 2 pro and costs 7 x the price of the Mavic 2 pro.

I know where there’s an abandoned drone outfitted with a laser pulse doppler radar capable of precision flying at any AGL. It’s owner is finished with it, so it is free for the taking, but its recovery may be a bit difficult because its wrecked and laying on Mars.

 

[meeestermike]

Your Mavic has no sensor that can detect the ground if it's more than 43 feet up.

When flying in hilly terrain and trying to map a road, can you maintain the same altitude above it for an accurate map?

 

[Meta4]

When flying in hilly terrain and trying to map a road, can you maintain the same altitude above it for an accurate map?

There is no way to maintain a constant distance from the ground because there is no sensor that can measure your distance from the ground.
But that shouldn't prevent mapping accuracy.
If you want to, you could fly a series of strips at different altitudes and combine them.