Mavic Range

[RamItOne]

I've gone just shy of 3,000 feet. This may be a basic question but in the flight log is there a running data source to show signal quality throughout the flight?
Thanks!

 

[RobertD]

View attachment 8070

A good tail wind. That's why I pushed it to 42%. I landed at 6%. I pushed it a little further than I should have.

I saw the photo and was thinking, "Return to Home! Return to Home!"

 

[Grey Wolf]

You need clear line of sight. Even trees which are not blocking line of sight, but very near the sight line will reduce the signal significantly. I reached over 22,600 today in Palo Alto at only 164 ft altitude. I flew right over downtown and still had signal. You need to keep the remote aimed directly at the craft and antenna straight up and parallel. I rely heavily on my compass/radar view to keep controller lined up.

" I flew right over downtown and still had signal."

You realize of course you were breaking all the rules set out by the FAA and common sense?
Might as well enjoy it now while you can because It is my opinion, that the FAA will issue new directives soon like those in Canada which pretty much ended the recreational drone industry.
A lot of you have criticized my posts and a lot have also supported them.
The bottom line is that the Mavic has opened up a whole lot of new fliers to the industry and unfortunately has created confusion about laws and regulations.
It's not always the fault of the operator when we hear of these types of flights. I believe the responsibility also lies on the governing body of each country as well as the manufacturers. However, with all the. bad publicity flying around about drones, it is quite evident that anyone with a Mavic should now be aware of at least the common sense rules about flying if nothing else.
I see the day very soon where manufacturers will lock the machine similar to buying software whereby it will be unlocked once you purchase it and a serial or code is sent to you via email.
In this case, the bird won't turn on until you upload proof of insurance, and proof of a registered ground school completed course.
This will be the only way that preserves this industry otherwise it will be shut down.
The part that really gets me here is the total lack of concern should something happen to the craft when it is so far away.
This is why insurance should have been mandated years ago.
If the thing falls and hits someone, you could be ruined financially for life. Some of you just don't get the seriousness of this.
Also, you could be in the flight path of a helicopter picking up a patient and landing at a hospital. You wouldn't even know it.

I love this industry just as much as you but we all must fly with common sense. I know, it's a lot of fun flying these incredible devices, I get it, but I also understand the need for better legislation.

Don't forget that with certification such as a 107, SFOC, or others from various countries, you can fly outside the realms of what is mandated if you really need to get that shot. You just have to apply for it in your request and as long as you show to them that you are aware of the rules, and you've filed several applications with success, they probably will grant you a permit to fly that particular mission on a one time basis for that period of the day.
If you're flying for fun, it's not necessarily necessary but you still need to fly within the rules of your country.

I know I've come across as rather rude and terse sometimes and it seems I've offered nothing positive and exciting. I'm sorry about that and I joined this forum originally to do just that and offer suggestions as well as ask for them but when I see what's going on within this particular forum, I just couldn't let it rest.
Hopefully, new legislation will make this industry safer for all of us and also offer pleasure and satisfaction while flying and we can get back to the original reason for having forums, to mingle with fellow pilots about flying drones.
Thank you!

Fly safe and have fun!

 

[HFMan]

Might as well enjoy it now while you can because in about week, the FAA will issue new directives like those in Canada which pretty much ends the recreational drone industry.

From where did you get this info about new directives from FAA?

 

[Grey Wolf]

From where did you get this info about new directives from FAA?

I don't have any proof. It just stands to reason that it probably will happen soon.
You missed the point in this thread. You seem fixated on implications of new laws whereby you should be focused on flying safely.
Enjoy your day!

 

[SRJ_Mavic_PRO]

It was all over the CLSF network....
C=Chicken
L=Little
S=Sky
F=Falling

 

[HFMan]

You missed the point in this thread. You seem fixated on implications of new laws whereby you should be focused on flying safely.
Enjoy your day!

What a SNOBBY response. I'm not fixated on anything, but you certainly are. I simply asked a question based on a statement you made suggesting new laws were coming. Pull your head out and get off the soapbox.

 

[Grey Wolf]

What a SNOBBY response. I'm not fixated on anything, but you certainly are. I simply asked a question based on a statement you made suggesting new laws were coming. Pull your head out and get off the soapbox.

Not even going to bother answering this guy.
Let's try and be civil here ok?
We are all in this together and snobby remarks are not welcome here!

 

[HFMan]

Fine with me. Just take a dose of your own medicine please.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Fine with me. Just take a dose of your own medicine please.

What medicine are you referring to?
I've already explained the reason for my recent posts and how some of them might have come across a little sharp but I apologized but I also pointed out the need for discretion and common sense.
Perhaps you don't understand that?

 

[Jaysjob]

Wi-Fi signals affect your connection. Often the signal will stabilize once you get past interference point. If you set your return to home parameters well, you will be fine in the event your signal is lost. The drone will elevate to specified attitude in your return to home settings and come back. Often the signal soon reconnects once drone elevates or comes back slightly. You can then cancel RTH and continue your mission. When signal gets unstable, try adjusting your positron to ensure the controller is aiming in the right direction. Use the compass to orient toward the drone if the compass is working properly. Antennae should be parallel and pointing straight up.

Nate. Have you found that if you lose the signal for other reasons like magnetic or signal interference AT the drone not just a distance issue that it will still return? I get a lot of interference at the drone even flying close by. At least that's what the warning says. Is that it's at the drone end. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[CyberNate]

" I flew right over downtown and still had signal."

You realize of course you were breaking all the rules set out by the FAA and common sense?
Might as well enjoy it now while you can because It is my opinion, that the FAA will issue new directives soon like those in Canada which pretty much ended the recreational drone industry.
A lot of you have criticized my posts and a lot have also supported them.
The bottom line is that the Mavic has opened up a whole lot of new fliers to the industry and unfortunately has created confusion about laws and regulations.
It's not always the fault of the operator when we hear of these types of flights. I believe the responsibility also lies on the governing body of each country as well as the manufacturers. However, with all the. bad publicity flying around about drones, it is quite evident that anyone with a Mavic should now be aware of at least the common sense rules about flying if nothing else.
I see the day very soon where manufacturers will lock the machine similar to buying software whereby it will be unlocked once you purchase it and a serial or code is sent to you via email.
In this case, the bird won't turn on until you upload proof of insurance, and proof of a registered ground school completed course.
This will be the only way that preserves this industry otherwise it will be shut down.
The part that really gets me here is the total lack of concern should something happen to the craft when it is so far away.
This is why insurance should have been mandated years ago.
If the thing falls and hits someone, you could be ruined financially for life. Some of you just don't get the seriousness of this.
Also, you could be in the flight path of a helicopter picking up a patient and landing at a hospital. You wouldn't even know it.

I love this industry just as much as you but we all must fly with common sense. I know, it's a lot of fun flying these incredible devices, I get it, but I also understand the need for better legislation.

Don't forget that with certification such as a 107, SFOC, or others from various countries, you can fly outside the realms of what is mandated if you really need to get that shot. You just have to apply for it in your request and as long as you show to them that you are aware of the rules, and you've filed several applications with success, they probably will grant you a permit to fly that particular mission on a one time basis for that period of the day.
If you're flying for fun, it's not necessarily necessary but you still need to fly within the rules of your country.

I know I've come across as rather rude and terse sometimes and it seems I've offered nothing positive and exciting. I'm sorry about that and I joined this forum originally to do just that and offer suggestions as well as ask for them but when I see what's going on within this particular forum, I just couldn't let it rest.
Hopefully, new legislation will make this industry safer for all of us and also offer pleasure and satisfaction while flying and we can get back to the original reason for having forums, to mingle with fellow pilots about flying drones.
Thank you!

Fly safe and have fun!

No argument from me on your points. I'm well aware that I'm taking risks. It's not something I do regularly. I do keep it low when flying that far out to stay below any flight paths. I was at around 160ft AGL. Anyway, I appreciate your tone in this case. In other posts you've been a bit offensive with the whole "I've reported your video to the FAA!". That just makes people not want to share on this forum.

 

[CyberNate]

Nate. Have you found that if you lose the signal for other reasons like magnetic or signal interference AT the drone not just a distance issue that it will still return? I get a lot of interference at the drone even flying close by. At least that's what the warning says. Is that it's at the drone end. Any help would be appreciated.

Any break in the communication will result in Return to Home, provided that is the option you've chosen in the settings. The other option is for the drone to hover at the point the signal was lost. This latter option is good for nearby flight with obstructions where you can walk toward the drone and around obstruction to recover signal.

Interference can be caused on either end by many sources, especially those signals in near 2.4 GHz. Magnetic interference, well that could affect your compass, but that should be a locality issue and once the Mavic moves away from it, the compass should correct. I haven't seen issues with my compass.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Might as well enjoy it now while you can because It is my opinion, that the FAA will issue new directives soon like those in Canada which pretty much ended the recreational drone industry.

Not sure where you get this notion: "pretty much ended the recreational drone industry" in Canada.

As I've already pointed out to you when you made a similar erroneous blanket statement, I can drive for a few minutes from my house in the suburbs of Montreal and fly all I like, quite legally.

This summer I'm planning to go to a few spectacular locations not far from here. The new rules won't stop me there either.

As to the FAA they seem 1000X more reasonable than the idiots in the Canadian government.

 

[Jaysjob]

Any break in the communication will result in Return to Home, provided that is the option you've chosen in the settings. The other option is for the drone to hover at the point the signal was lost. This latter option is good for nearby flight with obstructions where you can walk toward the drone and around obstruction to recover signal.

Interference can be caused on either end by many sources, especially those signals in near 2.4 GHz. Magnetic interference, well that could affect your compass, but that should be a locality issue and once the Mavic moves away from it, the compass should correct. I haven't seen issues with my compass.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Grey Wolf]

Not sure where you get this notion: "pretty much ended the recreational drone industry" in Canada.

As I've already pointed out to you when you made a similar erroneous blanket statement, I can drive for a few minutes from my house in the suburbs of Montreal and fly all I like, quite legally.

This summer I'm planning to go to a few spectacular locations not far from here. The new rules won't stop me there either.

As to the FAA they seem 1000X more reasonable than the idiots in the Canadian government.

Agree, except that the idiots in the Canadian government are only going by what they've heard about drone operators. Some truth to it but mostly not.
None of this would have happened if the operators flew their craft responsibly.
Marc Garneau I admit reacted in a knee jerk manner and should know better. I agree.
Perhaps an amendment will be made.
I fly commercially and there are several places nearby where I can test my drones legally.

 

[Fletcher500]

I am on week two, and travelled about 1,000 ft. away, and I was a bit nervous doing it.
I notice people are showing their course vectors, out and back.
Maybe am I missing this, but I don't recall seeing the course line, just the red arrow on my ipad mini.
Is this a standard display on the screen, or another map you are loading, or method you are using?

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Agree, except that the idiots in the Canadian government are only going by what they've heard about drone operators. Some truth to it but mostly not.
None of this would have happened if the operators flew their craft responsibly.
Marc Garneau I admit reacted in a knee jerk manner and should know better. I agree.
Perhaps an amendment will be made.
I fly commercially and there are several places nearby where I can test my drones legally.

I will be composing a reasoned letter to the Hon. Astronaut (after my SFOC is approved).

 

[m0j0]

I fly commercially and there are several places nearby where I can test my drones legally.

Interesting, I'm curious. What exactly do you mean you can go somewhere nearby and test. Please explain.

 

[m0j0]

I am on week two, and travelled about 1,000 ft. away, and I was a bit nervous doing it.

Good, don't do anything to fast. If you aren't comfortable don't do it.