Mavic 3 Range test - 30,000 ft - REPORTED TO FAA

[Chaosrider]

Not doing it again after read the rule carefully. Rules has been changing. It was legal before. At least I did it in a safe place with spotters thinking the rule still apply in that way. If something went wrong only trees will be affected.

Trees are always the only thing at risk when I fly.

Well, them, and the rocks...

;-)

TCS

 

[jonatious]

That doesn't seem likely, if it is only using O2.

So basically what I was told is that the range is because of the transmission on the drone itself and the RC Pro will just be a bit more stable in terms of connectivity. But they confirmed that the advertised range is not impacted by using standard vs RC Pro controller

 

[MARK (LI)]

Actually, as discussed in another thread, I think the requirement is for the operator to be ABLE to see it, not that they have to constantly have it in sight.

If you watch that video for which I posted a link in Post#4 ...what you are saying is accurate...IF the operator has a VO in close proximity and able to communicate without any technical assistance...in other words within hearing range...not miles away......I am not tryng to split hairs here ...the regs may have seemed vague and were not changed, but clarified earlier this year...We don't have to like all the regulations....but they exist for valid reasons and everyone's safety is probably the top reason...when one in a million accidents do take place ...it is bad enough when all the rules were followed...let the operator be in violation of one obscure reg and it brings the fury of hell from the media and lawmakers down on the entire Hobby and industry

 

[sar104]

So basically what I was told is that the range is because of the transmission on the drone itself and the RC Pro will just be a bit more stable in terms of connectivity. But they confirmed that the advertised range is not impacted by using standard vs RC Pro controller

I thought that Occusync was a protocol, in which case O3 would need to be working at both ends. Or maybe not. But on balance - I suspect that the rep was obfuscating.

 

[Kirill]

That actually makes the marketing seem a little deceptive. The M3 specs clearly indicate O3, and yet the stock controller is only O2.

May be O3 provides more data than O2, but range is the same due to better antennas on drone ?

 

[slozukimc]

Dont feel bad Zues as I to was duped and to be honest I blame it on the FAA this whole notion of the word Spotter was stupid on there part.

Do you know how many videos on youtube including mine took the pain staking time to get Spotters ? To many to list

Had there never been the Confusion of Spotters I would have never taken a single long distance flight , but its a hot mess and the FAA seem to love it like that.

To help spread the word I am making these T shirts to help the FAA spread the message .
Will have them posted soon on the website soon with Prices , Let Stop the Spotter Virus dead in its tracks.

View attachment 138386

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain , Capture the Lighting and fly in big Circles now.

Hey Coal maybe that @ should be an &? Or am I missing something?

Mike

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I was not sure if I was making an email for those of us with PSDT who flew with spotters and loved ones that helped us do it, Lol Edited. Thank you.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic 3 in the Rain. Capture the storm.

 

[smashse]

Wow, great test. I'd love to know as well on the return if you were adjusting altitude or if that was all automatic. This video makes me consider ordering an M3 today...

As I understand the rules, you can't use VOs to extend flight in the US, people around where I live also average 80 mph in a 70mph zone. The thing is, if there is a collision with a manned aircraft, the drone operator is wrong, doesn't matter if it is 100' from you or 30,000' feet horizontally, you are wrong. But just like speeding, the rule is there to guide someone to help ensure safety, and if you follow it, they can sometimes overlook your liability in a collision. The speed limits are there to give guidance on what any capable driver should be able to do and maintain control...

Just like if you were in a 45 mph zone and hit a person. If you were doing 90 mph, you are in deep, reckless endangerment, negligent homicide, all sorts of charges. But if you were doing 43 mph, and depending on circumstances, you may not even get a ticket from it.

That's my take on the legality, I don't break the rules, as close as I can interpret them, and realize this is for manned aircraft safety. But really, one person saying "This wasn't legal" with a link to clarify, is more than enough and do we really need 2 pages of discussion on it? OP agreed they misunderstood or misinterpreted the rules.

Anyway, amazing video, all legal questions aside.

 

[GFields]

I think IF I were to do such a test, the last thing I would do is post it where professional pilots could see it

 

[JohnnyD913]

I performed yesterday a range test on my Mavic 3 in sport mode with a battery that only has 1 cycle.
multiples spotters help me with this test. Thanks to my wife, daughter and friends.

The weather was perfect, 70 degrees, 1-3 Mph wind, The OccuSync3+ is incredible.
The video can be seen up to 5.1K

As you can see the battery is the limit. I may have archive another 1,000 FT but I don't want to push to much the first time without know the drone. I returned with 17% of battery left.

I need to test in normal mode but can be risky the return.

Enjoy the video !!

Is that 30,000 there and back?
I can can do tgat with my Mavic pro and 3 year old batteries..
I would think ur good for at least another 20,000 feet

 

[JohnnyD913]

I performed yesterday a range test on my Mavic 3 in sport mode with a battery that only has 1 cycle.
multiples spotters help me with this test. Thanks to my wife, daughter and friends.

The weather was perfect, 70 degrees, 1-3 Mph wind, The OccuSync3+ is incredible.
The video can be seen up to 5.1K

As you can see the battery is the limit. I may have archive another 1,000 FT but I don't want to push to much the first time without know the drone. I returned with 17% of battery left.

I need to test in normal mode but can be risky the return.

Enjoy the video !!

I did my 32,000 in regular mode tho..
U prolly burned up battery quicker in sport mode

 

[zeusfl]

Is that 30,000 there and back?
I can can do tgat with my Mavic pro and 3 year old batteries..
I would think ur good for at least another 20,000 feet

30,000+ ft one way. 60,000+ both ways.

 

[zeusfl]

I did my 32,000 in regular mode tho..
U prolly burned up battery quicker in sport mode

I am pretty sure you can do even more in normal mode, but the test can be risky coming back. Is a very long distance to trust the weather and algorithm.

 

[zeusfl]

Hello Zeusfl:

Thanks for sharing the video and your experiment. I have a couple of technical questions if you don’t mind:

1. Was the return flight done completely via “Return to Home”? I noticed the return speed seemed to be an impressive 30+ mph and am curious if that is what the drone “chose” as an efficient RTH speed.

2. Related to #1 - When the drone is around 6 to 10 thousand feet out, the trajectory seems to be angling down towards the RTH point (altitude decreasing) - which is what I understand the new RTH algorithms do. Interesting to me is that there seems to be point when the drone bumps up a bit apparently to clear some trees surrounded by water (at about 3 to four thousand feet). Is that possible avoidance behavior part of the RTH flight without input from you?

3. I noticed you may have recorded the complete flight at 5K 50 fps. Do you recall how much storage that complete recording took, and was it split up into multiple smaller files?

Thanks! You’re a brave person to make such a flight.

Best Wishes,

Howard

Answering the questions,
1- Returning, I did press return to home to point the drone in the correct direction, and the drone does not pass 28mph and I canceled and keep manually.

2- When the drone ask to return to home because the battery I let them take control again but I notice little late, was going up passing the 400ft (from the take off low ground) to 417ft even when when the drone ground level was below 400ft but I canceled the RTH and keep manually descending to 300ft. Also I keep descending and the bumps was the drone avoiding the trees. That's great.

3- The recording was spited in 7 files, 6 of them with 3.5GB and one with 2.5GB.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

And the odds of that happening are probably a million times less likely than hitting the Powerball.

Someone usually ’wins’ Powerball every time it’s drawn, this gamble mixing with a potential disaster is not something you want to win (lose).

 

[Howard70]

Answering the questions,

Thanks!

Howard

 

[tlswift58]

Spotters in the trajectory of the flight keeping VLOS is legal yes. No binocular used. Just eyes keeping constant communication between all of them.

According to the TRUST Test - only a spotter WITHIN talking / hearing distance of the pilot is allowed. No walkie talkies, phones, etc.

 

[tlswift58]

Someone usually ’wins’ Powerball every time it’s drawn, this gamble mixing with a potential disaster is not something you want to win (lose).

Seems to not happen very often here in the US for any of the "lottery offerings" all across the country. Many times the prize goes exceptionally high as nobody has won in awhile..

Sadly, there will always be someone who has to test the "DJI Range" limit and then post it here.

And NO we are not the VLOS police as some folks comment - we just fly our drones and try to keep the fed's off our backs so we can fly. Hate VLOS, but until we can get it changed / eliminated - kind of stuck with it. (Maybe in the outback, you may get away with it - LOL).

 

[EricJT]

You are allowed to operate from a moving vehicle...so if you found enough open road you could do it and follow it

Or follow in an aircraft.

 

[slozukimc]

Or follow in an aircraft.

Reminds me of a guy I met who was convinced he was going to build a drone he can ride in to go to town to avoid getting a drivers license.