Let's see some unmodified round trip distance records

[BigSexyHouse]

I'm curious what kind of round trip distances people are getting on a stock, unmodified MA2? I had a 55,346ft round trip recently. Let's see them!!

Airdata Link:

 

[PhantomFandom]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

As a new pilot perhaps you are not aware of the FAA regulations in the USA regarding UAS flights. So please let's not encourage others to perform the same illegal type of flight as you just posted here.

At the very least you broke one regulation in that you must always have the UAS in your visual line of sight. You flew out over 5 miles and thus way way way beyond visual line of sight.

It does seem like a very rural area so we cannot tell for sure, but you could easily have flown over people and/or moving vehicles without knowing it during that long distance flight. That also is against FAA regulations.

Please familiarize yourself with FAA regulations and fly safe.

 

[Rattydude77]

I dont know were the log is lol but 4.5 miles with my mavic zoom and smart controller it was a nail biter hahahaha

 

[CountryGuy]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

As a new pilot perhaps you are not aware of the FAA regulations in the USA regarding UAS flights. So please let's not encourage others to perform the same illegal type of flight as you just posted here.

At the very least you broke one regulation in that you must always have the UAS in your visual line of sight. You flew out over 5 miles and thus way way way beyond visual line of sight.

It does seem like a very rural area so we cannot tell for sure, but you could easily have flown over people and/or moving vehicles without knowing it during that long distance flight. That also is against FAA regulations.

Please familiarize yourself with FAA regulations and fly safe.

I have to say that this response is about as good as it gets with respect to calm, non-accusatory, explanatory points made. Especially as opposed to some other responses I see (not on this forum) where anyone posting this type of message would be attacked with all manner of derogatory comments. Good job. Can only hope the posted gets the point.

 

[Rattydude77]

I have to say that this response is about as good as it gets with respect to calm, non-accusatory, explanatory points made. Especially as opposed to some other responses I see (not on this forum) where anyone posting this type of message would be attacked with all manner of derogatory comments. Good job. Can only hope the posted gets the point.

Dont let the mall cops bother you I dont hit the search bar top right to see some distance other than that welcome

 

[BigSexyHouse]

Dont let the mall cops bother you I dont hit the search bar top right to see some distance other than that welcome

Mall cops.......I'm dying. LOL

 

[DanaMc]

The rules are clear and we all know them. But who has never, ever flown out of VLOS (Visual Line Of Sight)? Ever? Ever flown around the corner of your house practicing? Who has vision sharp enough to actually see there craft @ 200’+ altitude and perhaps 100+ yds away unobstructed? I’m not challenging any responses. They’re all correct for sure. But I struggle with the strict interpretation. I think it’s more reasonable to always weight the complexity of a proposed flight. Think of the key points - busy roads and people plus their property. Crossing a road is nearly unavoidable anywhere. RR tracks and trains are especially risky for direct overhead flight - FAA & Homeland Security. But again, crossing paths can be impossible to avoid at times. Just not at 50’. This particular account was as truly harmless as it gets. But technically it was a no-no. I envy your area with such open spaces.

 

[Squidinc]

Impressive. 55,346 ft = 16.8694608 km
I’ve so only managed around 4 km = 13,123 ft so far with my MA2 in Australia.... but obviously it depends on a plethora of conditions.

 

[Angelus00]

8.5km

 

[PhantomFandom]

But who has never, ever flown out of VLOS (Visual Line Of Sight)? Ever?

Yes absolutely true and agreed. It is difficult at times to remain precisely within the letter of the law. However this was different.

Ever flown around the corner of your house practicing?

Actually that is somewhat worse because an object can cause signal loss. That's a completely different discussion.

But I struggle with the strict interpretation. I think it’s more reasonable to always weight the complexity of a proposed flight. Think of the key points - busy roads and people plus their property. Crossing a road is nearly unavoidable anywhere. RR tracks and trains are especially risky for direct overhead flight - FAA & Homeland Security. But again, crossing paths can be impossible to avoid at times. Just not at 50’. This particular account was as truly harmless as it gets. But technically it was a no-no. I envy your area with such open spaces.

There is a big BIG difference between the small, inadvertent, accidental, or unavoidable transgressions and the conscious, deliberate effort to set distance records and fly out OVER FIVE MILES ! This applies equally to altitude violations. If you stray a bit and hit 427 feet will it likely hurt anyone? No. If you fly up to 5,200 feet on purpose that is completely different. It comes down to intent and level of risk. The intent here was to fly as far as possible with nor regard for the regulations or possible consequences.

 

[Rattydude77]

My self I think I wanted to see if my drone would do it ever since that flight I havent been that far but since I bought an Inspire I would never attempt that kind of flight this thing is massive compared to my mavic zoom but 95 percent of the time I fly VLS but I been doing more pictures and some videos instead of just buzzing around.

 

[Geekser]

I am new to flying drones and in all honesty, prior to buying the MA2 (while waiting for it to arrive in Shipping) I spent a l ot of time watching videos and saw many of the distance videos others have done - and honestly, watching them I could not help but be impressed by how far these drones were able to fly.

I thought I might try to do one too some day - but frankly, when I received the drone finally and began flying it, the thought of attempting that kind of flight scares the bejeezus out of me - even if I were in a rural area I would be afraid of so many different things - thinking about how it might crash, how I could lose the drone and not find it again, how it might crash and hit someone, crash into a car driving by, and on and on.

That's just me - if in fact it is a rural area - no roads - no people - I can see how someone would feel safer flying distances in those conditions - but if there is even one road - one path with the possibility of people on it - IMHO, those are all the reasons someone should need to keep the drone within their range of sight. I don't judge anyone else for any decision they make when they fly, I just hope they will think about what COULD happen - if there is ANY chance something bad could happen, why risk it?

 

[Ben Anderson]

Nice flight. Helps to be in such a rural area with no interference. The longest flight I have seen recorded on video is 8.5km which is basically the same distance as yours. Must have been ideal conditions. I live in a city and have not seen anything close to that.

 

[Adgej123]

I am new to flying drones and in all honesty, prior to buying the MA2 (while waiting for it to arrive in Shipping) I spent a l ot of time watching videos and saw many of the distance videos others have done - and honestly, watching them I could not help but be impressed by how far these drones were able to fly.

I thought I might try to do one too some day - but frankly, when I received the drone finally and began flying it, the thought of attempting that kind of flight scares the bejeezus out of me - even if I were in a rural area I would be afraid of so many different things - thinking about how it might crash, how I could lose the drone and not find it again, how it might crash and hit someone, crash into a car driving by, and on and on.

That's just me - if in fact it is a rural area - no roads - no people - I can see how someone would feel safer flying distances in those conditions - but if there is even one road - one path with the possibility of people on it - IMHO, those are all the reasons someone should need to keep the drone within their range of sight. I don't judge anyone else for any decision they make when they fly, I just hope they will think about what COULD happen - if there is ANY chance something bad could happen, why risk it?

I think my logic is that even if signal is lost, it has the RTH GPS information. As long as the height is set correctly, why is the risk anymore than flying within LOS?

Any failure to that safety system is just as likely as your Mavic just dropping out the sky surely?

Each to their own but I just don't understand the danger of flying far away. If it's coming down it's not coming down because you've lost signal. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't be hovering over a motorway from 5km away, but similarly I wouldn't be doing that 100m away. Common sense prevails. If your battery is healthy, RTH GPS is set and the drone is operating normally, what's the worry?

Any random event that will cause a crash is just as likely within line of sight.

Imagine if Mavic created a drone that could only fly within realistic line of sight, 200m or so, no one except photographers would buy. I bought my drone for fun, not for photography.

Appreciate it is against the regulations but so is driving your car 1mph over the speed limit.

 

[Ben Anderson]

VLOS is different from "maintain visual contact with the aircraft at all times." With RC I strictly adhere to the latter and the plane is rarely more than 200 feet from me. VLOS means that there must be an unobstructed line between the pilot's eye and the drone. The drone may not be flown behind buildings, trees, people, clouds, airplanes, etc because VLOS would be lost. However, even if the drone becomes a tiny dot in the sky, an airplane is much larger and more visible. If a plane is seen near where the drone is located, then the drone needs to be lowered to a safe altitude or landed.

The fact is that drones are not flown like RC, mainly because a drone can hover safely in place without any input from the pilot. Most drone pilots very quickly take their eyes off the drone and track the drone progress from the video and GPS data being transmitted from the drone. I have tried to fly my MA2 purely by sight and it gets very difficult to determine the drone's orientation, altitude and distance from objects once it gets about 500' away. It is far safer to fly with reference to the data shown on the DJI Fly screen than to visually try to determine what the drone is doing and what it is flying over.

 

[Adgej123]

VLOS is different from "maintain visual contact with the aircraft at all times." With RC I strictly adhere to the latter and the plane is rarely more than 200 feet from me. VLOS means that there must be an unobstructed line between the pilot's eye and the drone. The drone may not be flown behind buildings, trees, people, clouds, airplanes, etc because VLOS would be lost. However, even if the drone becomes a tiny dot in the sky, an airplane is much larger and more visible. If a plane is seen near where the drone is located, then the drone needs to be lowered to a safe altitude or landed.

The fact is that drones are not flown like RC, mainly because a drone can hover safely in place without any input from the pilot. Most drone pilots very quickly take their eyes off the drone and track the drone progress from the video and GPS data being transmitted from the drone. I have tried to fly my MA2 purely by sight and it gets very difficult to determine the drone's orientation, altitude and distance from objects once it gets about 500' away. It is far safer to fly with reference to the data shown on the DJI Fly screen than to visually try to determine what the drone is doing and what it is flying over.

Well put. I cant honestly see how it could be made any safer than it is now?

Use common sense, stay at a legal altitude and avoid airports/airways if applicable.

 

[Adgej123]

Yes absolutely true and agreed. It is difficult at times to remain precisely within the letter of the law. However this was different.


Actually that is somewhat worse because an object can cause signal loss. That's a completely different discussion.


There is a big BIG difference between the small, inadvertent, accidental, or unavoidable transgressions and the conscious, deliberate effort to set distance records and fly out OVER FIVE MILES ! This applies equally to altitude violations. If you stray a bit and hit 427 feet will it likely hurt anyone? No. If you fly up to 5,200 feet on purpose that is completely different. It comes down to intent and level of risk. The intent here was to fly as far as possible with nor regard for the regulations or possible consequences.

Completely understand your logic, but look at the flight path in the OP. Who is at any risk from that flight aside from a few cows?

Even if signal is lost it's not going to drop out the sky.

Altitude is another story, and I would not recommend deviation from the law, but distance should not be treated the same.

 

[dirkclod]

OK guys enough with the reports. We have long range threads for all the other models and see we are going to have to have one for this one. Till Admin logs on this stops now.
Guys no one seems to remember Guideline # 15 even as much as i have posted it.

15. The Community Owners strongly encourage users to obey all federal and local laws and regulations when flying. It is a helpful service to the community when members guide others in understanding and following the regulations. Meanwhile, fully understanding all international rules and regulations is complex and it is not the responsibility of the community owners, moderators or community members to police and enforce these rules and regulations. Any violation of another community rule, even if in the context of attempting to help enforce flying laws and regulations, is prohibited.

​