Max Distance Mavic is visible?

Mako79 · Dec 1, 2016

The mavic is a stealthy slippery sucker!

150m - 200m in blue skies
20-50m when there are trees in the background
0m when under water.

Just ordered some bright red decals similar to the Taco-tangerine ones that lightspeed has on his. Hopefully this will help spot it.

Nathan Hoover · Dec 1, 2016

I really thought it would be harder to see than a Phantom but in good conditions it's not. I can see a Phantom at 2500' against blue sky, but the Mavic is visible for me at 3300'. At 3500' I was losing it. It depends a lot of the conditions (and of course your eyes - my son can see a Phantom at 3500').

Cookedinlh · Dec 1, 2016

Downunder said:
Your eyes are more sensitive to movement when not looking at the object. It's from when we were eaten by predators a long time ago. If you look at your TV you will see no flickering but when you look at your TV from the side of your eyes you can see it flickering. So spotting objects moving is better if you are looking to one side as above.

Yes . . was aware of that and tried various means to re-aquire once I look away. Movement helps the most so far but I'm convinced good strobes will extend range a bit more. That little all-in-one mini-strobe package is quite good and light as a feather for a secure velcro attachment. . . but I'm coming to the realization that VLOS is really ( in all practical sense) a feel good exercise for regulators and law makers. The Mavic display and data capture is far more accurate and relevant to flight safety than the ability to see a "dot in the sky". A pair of "Mark 1 Eyeballs" have practically NO depth perception beyond a few hundred feet so recognizing a potential course conflict with an aircraft in the area, is equally impossible and of little value. The display would tell you far more about a potential mid-air than your eyes.

bakerboy · Dec 1, 2016

yup, 300m on a good back ground, bugger all against the trees haha

Strobe time I think

DrPeppar · Dec 1, 2016

There's one member that has a major hard on for the lume cubes. Very expensive but by the way he tells it, the darn things will polish your knob after each flight.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

TheLightSpeed! · Dec 1, 2016

DrPeppar said:
There's one member that has a major hard on for the lume cubes. Very expensive but by the way he tells it, the darn things will polish your knob after each flight.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

I have a set for my Phantom. Although I sold the phantom. They are the brightest LOS tool I've seen

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

bakerboy · Dec 1, 2016

DrPeppar said:
There's one member that has a major hard on for the lume cubes. Very expensive but by the way he tells it, the darn things will polish your knob after each flight.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

I'll take 3! hahaha

Cookedinlh · Dec 1, 2016

Got the Larson to try and alone with the motorcycle Strobe Pair . . the tiny "Strobon" WINS! . . more with a short video here. I'll post some operational visible distance tests with video in daylight and dusk/dawn here soon as I can

Reaper Two Seven · Dec 2, 2016

At night time the bright red front LEDs can be seen by my naked eye at a mile and a half.

Nathan Hoover · Dec 2, 2016

Reaper Two Seven said:
At night time the bright red front LEDs can be seen by my naked eye at a mile and a half.

WOW! I should try that just to see.

Dronebow · Dec 2, 2016

I sent mine in to RMA and I have no idea how far it is but I can't see it at all.. very sad too..

Cookedinlh · Dec 4, 2016

New video and Strobe testing on my blog page here

voxelman · Dec 4, 2016

LakeTravis said:
I ordered a pair (both white) of these a week or so ago, and received the pair last Friday. I used double stick clear velcro that I trimmed to be as small as possible and affixed one to the upper rear and one to the back end, lower portion. They are really small and super bright, pretty unobtrusive and (at least I think) really cool . On a rather hazy day, I duplicated my test mentioned a few posts above and could see the Mavic even better above the island so I sent it a little farther. I got it out to about 12,000 ft away and right at 300 ft AGL and could still spot the flashing, though it was getting pretty faint. I turned around and headed back and could no longer see it. I really didn't want to put one on the front--thought the flash might get faintly captured by the camera. I may move the top rear one to the top front, see if that helps when it is flying toward me. Just my two cents worth!

Great suggestion. I'll order mine tomorrow. OBTW, averted vision is a common concept in astronomy because the rods are more sensitive than the cones that dominate in the central visual region or fovea.

Cookedinlh · Dec 5, 2016

Here's a good tip . . If you are using those mini-strobon's on the back of a Mav . . .instead of losing sight of the "blinks" when you turn around to come home, just point it away from you and switch to HOME LOCK mode . . Then pull back on the stick watch "blinky" come home.

m0j0 · Dec 9, 2016

I guess I need to expand my horizons.. I never use home lock. It absolutely should bring it back the quickest.

Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

SteveCA · Dec 9, 2016

Sorry for the dumb question but how do you activate home lock? Does that bring the mavic back to the controller location or original home point?

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Cookedinlh · Dec 9, 2016

SteveCA said:
Sorry for the dumb question but how do you activate home lock? Does that bring the mavic back to the controller location or original home point?

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Its just one of the modes you can select with you touch the quadcopter icon on the left . . just below the (Return to home icon) . . and the right stick changes to FORWARD (go away from home) BACK (come closer to home). . . and home is where you are or the last place you took off from. ..depends on what you set last