MA2 Max Speed With Tail Wind

[maintenanceguy]

Went out this afternoon to see how fast I could fly with the wind. Wind is about 20 mph and MA2 has an "official" max speed of 45mph. I've never been able to get mine over 42, but close enough.

I flew into the wind for about 3/4 mile in sport mode, stick all the way forward. Max speed into the wind was 22mph. Makes sense: Max speed is 45, into 20mph wind, gives a max speed over ground of about 25.

But on the way back I still only got a max speed of 42mph. I expected 45 drone speed + 20mph wind speed = 65 speed over ground. I'm guessing the software caps the max speed over ground. Was surprised by this.

 

[Meta4]

Went out this afternoon to see how fast I could fly with the wind. Wind is about 20 mph and MA2 has an "official" max speed of 45mph. I've never been able to get mine over 42, but close enough.

I flew into the wind for about 3/4 mile in sport mode, stick all the way forward. Max speed into the wind was 22mph. Makes sense: Max speed is 45, into 20mph wind, gives a max speed over ground of about 25.

But on the way back I still only got a max speed of 42mph. I expected 45 drone speed + 20mph wind speed = 65 speed over ground. I'm guessing the software caps the max speed over ground. Was surprised by this.

From about five years ago, DJI implemented GPS braking to keep speed at or about the max speed in the specs, even with a tailwind.
With a very strong tailwind,iIt's possible to go just a little faster.
But if GPS is not acting on the drone's speed (you are flying in atti mode, you can achieve much greater tailwind speeds.

The reason you can only achieve 42 mph is that the published max speed for your drone is 19 metres/sec which equals 42.5 mph.

 

[zeusfl]

I 100% agree with @Meta4

 

[Deleted member 103366]

It might be useful/informative for you to look at the angles of tilt in the logs if they are included.
I flew a mini upwind on an outward leg of a flight and it executed an entirely automated RTH return journey (downwind) in a near hover position, quite funny to see.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Went out this afternoon to see how fast I could fly with the wind. Wind is about 20 mph and MA2 has an "official" max speed of 45mph. I've never been able to get mine over 42, but close enough.

I flew into the wind for about 3/4 mile in sport mode, stick all the way forward. Max speed into the wind was 22mph. Makes sense: Max speed is 45, into 20mph wind, gives a max speed over ground of about 25.

But on the way back I still only got a max speed of 42mph. I expected 45 drone speed + 20mph wind speed = 65 speed over ground. I'm guessing the software caps the max speed over ground. Was surprised by this.

So the speed is limited on the drone by DJI as others have mentioned. , Here is a video of a long Distance Flight with telemetry that shows this really well. Here is the Post its a really good watch. Lots to learn from.

 

[Korrd]

Hmm. Given that the drone is groundspeed limited, I wonder if it is possible to take advantage of this when flying with a tailwind by going out high and far, and coming back low in order to save on battery.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

If you wish to use a full battery's worth of charge it is better to fly the outward leg into wind and have the homeward journey with the wind. This holds in most cases but especially when intending the push the boundaries.

 

[Meta4]

Hmm. Given that the drone is groundspeed limited, I wonder if it is possible to take advantage of this when flying with a tailwind by going out high and far, and coming back low in order to save on battery.

How would that give any advantage?

 

[Korrd]

By lowering wind resistance on the way back, and using the wind to go out. Since it's limited to a certain max speed, the aircraft should reach it using less power.

If you wish to use a full battery's worth of charge it is better to fly the outward leg into wind and have the homeward journey with the wind. This holds in most cases but especially when intending the push the boundaries.

Yeah. But I've been faced with scenarios where you must fly against the wind in order to reach your intended target.

 

[Meta4]

By lowering wind resistance on the way back, and using the wind to go out. Since it's limited to a certain max speed, the aircraft should reach it using less power.

OK .. it wasn't clear that you meant to go out into a headwind.
That's always a good practice regardless of the drone being groundspeed limited.

 

[z28lt1]

From about five years ago, DJI implemented GPS braking to keep speed at or about the max speed in the specs, even with a tailwind.
With a very strong tailwind,iIt's possible to go just a little faster.
But if GPS is not acting on the drone's speed (you are flying in atti mode, you can achieve much greater tailwind speeds.

The reason you can only achieve 42 mph is that the published max speed for your drone is 19 metres/sec which equals 42.5 mph.

Yes, and you will notice that the maximum speed a drone can have to meet the new European C1 class is....19 m/s. Limiting to that speed isn't a coincidence.

 

[zeusfl]

The speed limit by FAA is 100 mph. I am not sure but for R/C airplanes/ Helicopter and Jets was 199Mph I don't know why is different for drones.

 

[Korrd]

That explains why my mini can no longer "warp". I used to take advantage of winds at different altitudes in order to be able to go faster than its max speed, and it used to work until recently. Right now, no matter what I do, it will not go faster than its spec'd max speed. If other pilots can confirm it, then we can discard either a local phenomenon or me doing it wrong. Although hypotetical, I wonder why do that on the mini's FW too, as it is way slower than 19m/s

 

[zeusfl]

Well. I just learn something new today. I just hang the phone with Tyler Dobbs, Government Affairs Director from AMA and he clarified my question.

If you are flying under the Recreational rule, there is no speed limit by law when you fly except for the R/C turbine jet waiver that limits the jets to 200Mph. So basically you can fly your done as fast as you can as long as you can maintain control over it.

He mentions the pylon racing they perform in events they fly up to 215mph all the time because that's the top speed of the planes. There is no limit when flying recreationally. Also, he mentions this applies to any place you can fly safely. You do not need to be necessary for an AMA sanctioned field so you can fly anywhere allowed to do so without a problem.

If you fly under Part 107, you are limited to 100 Mph.

 

[Meta4]

That explains why my mini can no longer "warp". I used to take advantage of winds at different altitudes in order to be able to go faster than its max speed, and it used to work until recently.

That sounds unlikely.
DJI drones have been groundspeed limited since about 2015.

Right now, no matter what I do, it will not go faster than its spec'd max speed.

You can check your saved flight records to see if your drone ever really went faster than the published max speed.

 

[Korrd]

That sounds unlikely.
DJI drones have been groundspeed limited since about 2015.

You can check your saved flight records to see if your drone ever really went faster than the published max speed.

There you go. Mavic mini on a tailwind going faster than its max rated speed.

It seems it is still possible to exceed maximum rated speed, to a point.

 

[Meta4]

There you go. Mavic mini on a tailwind going faster than its max rated speed.
It seems it is still possible to exceed maximum rated speed, to a point.

It is .. as you've shown.
You went east at 8.3-9.7 metres/sec.
The drone was working hard against a headwind showing a pitch angle of around 25 degrees.
It came back west at 14-15.3 metres/sec with a more relaxed pitch angle of 15-20 degrees.

That fits exactly what I said back in post #2:
From about five years ago, DJI implemented GPS braking to keep speed at or about the max speed in the specs, even with a tailwind.
With a very strong tailwind, it's possible to go just a little faster.

But if DJi alowed you to select Atti Mode for the Mini, it could achieve something like double the max speed with a good tailwind rather than just a 17% boost.

 

[DronePhotosNZ]

It is .. as you've shown.
You went east at 8.3-9.7 metres/sec.
The drone was working hard against a headwind showing a pitch angle of around 25 degrees.
It came back west at 14-15.3 metres/sec with a more relaxed pitch angle of 15-20 degrees.

That fits exactly what I said back in post #2:
From about five years ago, DJI implemented GPS braking to keep speed at or about the max speed in the specs, even with a tailwind.
With a very strong tailwind, it's possible to go just a little faster.

But if DJi alowed you to select Atti Mode for the Mini, it could achieve something like double the max speed with a good tailwind rather than just a 17% boost.

Yep, was out on a drone shoot last week when an unexpected wind came up, arriving rather quickly at about 30-35kph ( guessing here )

I had read this thread a few days earlier so figured it would be a good time to find out myself....

Headed upwind at about 6m/s

But max downwind with a STRONG wind behind me was still only 18.6m/sec

So as earlier posts have suggested, I believe it is GPS limited for whatever reason.....

( Using MA2 )

Stu

 

[NG Wildman]

From about five years ago, DJI implemented GPS braking to keep speed at or about the max speed in the specs, even with a tailwind.
With a very strong tailwind,iIt's possible to go just a little faster.
But if GPS is not acting on the drone's speed (you are flying in atti mode, you can achieve much greater tailwind speeds.

The reason you can only achieve 42 mph is that the published max speed for your drone is 19 metres/sec which equals 42.5 mph.

Absolutely, and if it was possible to view at the time, the RPM would be drastically lower on return (a tell tale for pre-set ground speed)