I hit a power line with my Air 3S!

[Puppy59]

And just in case you're not aware of it, there's a feature with the 3S and most late-model DJI drones where you can display the OA cameras views (B&W, not stabilized), which may be a good visual check in situations like this, especially if you're using tracking with the main camera which will take care of the shot.

I've done this, using Focus Track POI (I think that's what it's called) to be the "camera man" while I focus on flying... I put the OA image in the direction I'm flying sideways full screen, with the main camera image in the small inset lower left.

Practice this a bunch first. Like anything, you can get some skill watching and interpreting that admittedly inferior image from the OA cameras.

Never thought this feature would really be useful, just a gimmick, until I, well, tried to make it useful.

I did know about this,but haven't used it. I'll look into this for future flights,but I said previously,I just panicked and flew up!

 

[Droning on and on...]

Interesting. I have no doubt that your equipment is capable of detecting EMI at such a great distance. But the question is, would EMI adversely affect a DJI drone?

While there are harmonics, the EM radiation is most powerful at 60Hz in the US and most of the world, 50Hz in the UK and a few other countries.

The bigger problem is inductive interference throughout the drone's electronics, particularly longer PCB traces and wires. This can trash digital signals, rendering the systems inoperative even if not damaged.

Also, the oscillating magnetic field doesn't play well with the very sensitive magnetic flux compass, or the accelerometer.

All of this is directly related to the power traversing the lines.

 

[hank970]

It does.
At what distance is a calculus of factors.

For instance, as a child, my middle school had high tension lines going across the school property.

When it was really foggy, we could get fluorescent tubes, and they would light up when we walked into the energy field! (You could also feel and hear it).

This being the era of when star wars came out... it became a problem quickly as you might surmise.

I understand that there are electromagnetic fields surrounding powerlines, perhaps enough, as you mention, to snap, crackle and pop on humid days and even to energize fluorescent tubes. And crashing into a wire can obviously result in a crash. But... are such emissions strong enough to adversely influence the control of a DJI drone? I have evidence, admittedly on only one occasion (enough, for my purposes), to suggest that they aren't. Based on that experience, was I simply lucky, are the innards of DJI drones somehow shielded from harmful radiation, or are the risks of flying a drone near or even among high voltage lines overblown?

 

[Felix le Chat]

I understand that there are electromagnetic fields surrounding powerlines, perhaps enough, as you mention, to snap, crackle and pop on humid days and even to energize fluorescent tubes. And crashing into a wire can obviously result in a crash. But... are such emissions strong enough to adversely influence the control of a DJI drone? I have evidence, admittedly on only one occasion (enough, for my purposes), to suggest that they aren't. Based on that experience, was I simply lucky, are the innards of DJI drones somehow shielded from harmful radiation, or are the risks of flying a drone near or even among high voltage lines overblown?

There's only one way you're going to find that out for definite... the hard way and for yourself.

From personal experience, I've had a Mavic 2 go haywire twice when launched near a HT pylon. Both times it displayed a violent yaw error and headed full pelt straight for the pylon (best guess: magnetic field playing Hob with the compass). Insanely lucky on both occasions - managed to ground the drone without damage before it hit anything.

Once is an unlucky coincidence. Twice makes you sit up and take it seriously.

 

[High_Order1]

While there are harmonics, the EM radiation is most powerful at 60Hz in the US and most of the world, 50Hz in the UK and a few other countries.

You make great points. I want to expand on this a little.
In the radio world, powerlines can wreak havoc. What happens is a connection can grow in impedance over time. This can be seen with a thermal, but the mismatch can create a nonlinear junction that can spew RF broadly, not just at 60Hz.

...and loudly.

Here is the first youtube video I came to. It's a little technical, so scroll to a little past 13 minutes to hear it swamp that guys scanner. It interferes with his car stereo, and his amateur radio.

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(pinpointing power line noise)

That is a small pole / small problem. Now imagine a HV line with the same problem. These drones are amazing with regards to receivers, and I have read some of their specs, but

Out thar be whales, and I don't have a compelling reason to tempt them.

Also, just for context, if it was a cheap drone like a gnat against an elephant, no one cared about drones, and crashing one / being observed doing whoops around the yardarms wasn't a Big Deal, I probably wouldn't say anything.