Maximum Height Restriction (Mini-2)

[Chaosrider]

While incrementally pushing my operating envelope out a bit, I ran into this for the first time a couple of days ago. I was happily climbing up the canyon wall on the other side, staying within the 400 ft AGL cushion, when I get this warning flashing in red that I've reached the maximum height limit, which was something like 1164 ft above the launch point.

I wasn't out buzzing around high above an open field near an airport. I was in a canyon, within the 400 ft AGL limit, and staring at granite in front of me.

Is there any way to bypass that height restriction?

Thx,

TCS

 

[BSauce955]

While incrementally pushing my operating envelope out a bit, I ran into this for the first time a couple of days ago. I was happily climbing up the canyon wall on the other side, staying within the 400 ft AGL cushion, when I get this warning flashing in red that I've reached the maximum height limit, which was something like 1164 ft above the launch point.

I wasn't out buzzing around high above an open field near an airport. I was in a canyon, within the 400 ft AGL limit, and staring at granite in front of me.

Is there any way to bypass that height restriction?

Thx,

TCS

As far as I know, there's no way to bypass that. The only real thing you could do would be to scout around for a place to land and take off again. I'm thinking that would reset it and you could go another ~1164 feet. However, I don't know if the drone would refuse to go any lower than 0 AGL... also, the home point would likely be reset so you'd need to either figure out a way to reset it without landing again or just make sure to fly back manually.

EDIT: To be on the safe side, I'd look around in settings and see if there's anything there but I don't know for sure.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

No , there is no way to get past the 1164 ft limit that i know of. That seems to be the Cut off point built into the DJI software.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain, land on the Water.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Uuum there's a problem here, the firmware ceiling is 1640ft, not 1164ft, isn't it?
No way to bypass it unless you hack the firmware (and I think that door has been shut) or land at height, stop and start the motors and take off again.
But there are risks to the latter, home point reset to the landing site, possible GPS problems limiting the distance from the landing site, angles of tilt preventing motor start, grass etc. preventing successful motor start etc. etc..

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Uuum there's a problem here, the firmware ceiling is 1640ft, not 1164ft, isn't it?

Yes , it is. The Op said something like , but it is 1640 ft , Good call.

On that note , does the Mavic Pro have a higher Limit. ?
So if he does remote land on top of the mountain and restart he can surpass the limit by another 1640 ft ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain.

 

[dirkclod]

Yes , it is. The Op said something like , but it is 1640 ft , Good call.

On that note , does the Mavic Pro have a higher Limit. ?
So if he does remote land on top of the mountain and restart he can surpass the limit by another 1640 ft ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain.

I would think so if you were still within Los of it and could restart it
but may be wrong.

 

[BSauce955]

...So if he does remote land on top of the mountain and restart he can surpass the limit by another 1640 ft ? ...

That's what I was suggesting but not sure if it'd work as, I mean, the drone would be quite far. Also, not sure if he'd be able to retrieve it if it couldn't start so probably not worth the risk. However, I do wonder with say, the Mavic Air 2S. If you could go to the other side of the mountain and initiate RTH, would it go over the mountain and exceed the 1640 feet limit? Or put the Mavic 3 with Advanced RTH in that scenario. What would happen? Just food for thought.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Uuum there's a problem here, the firmware ceiling is 1640ft, not 1164ft, isn't it?
No way to bypass it unless you hack the firmware (and I think that door has been shut) or land at height, stop and start the motors and take off again.
But there are risks to the latter, home point reset to the landing site, possible GPS problems limiting the distance from the landing site, angles of tilt preventing motor start, grass etc. preventing successful motor start etc. etc..

I’ve always thought the land / stop motors / take off again thing was also too risky as in most scenarios you’d probably be going so low you’d lose LOS signal and just initiate failsafe RTH.
Besides all that you’d probably be really pushing VLOS and risking all kinds of low flight obstacles near or on the ground.
Especially the mini and mini 2 with no OA.

 

[BSauce955]

I’ve always thought the land / stop motors / take off again thing was also too risky as in most scenarios you’d probably be going so low you’d lose LOS signal and just initiate failsafe RTH....

Additionally, if you land and lose signal, it won't fly away and return to you, it'll just sit there...

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yes without some really thorough nearby testing of such scenarios, it’d be pretty risky with some unusual and unknown factors that could kick in.
Probably some scenarios just couldn’t be tested in a trial like that, so best to get fitter and climb up higher if desiring such flights.
Again not even considering VLOS part of responsibilities.

 

[Chaosrider]

As far as I know, there's no way to bypass that. The only real thing you could do would be to scout around for a place to land and take off again. I'm thinking that would reset it and you could go another ~1164 feet. However, I don't know if the drone would refuse to go any lower than 0 AGL... also, the home point would likely be reset so you'd need to either figure out a way to reset it without landing again or just make sure to fly back manually.

EDIT: To be on the safe side, I'd look around in settings and see if there's anything there but I don't know for sure.

Yes, I've thought about the "land and re-launch" approach. I even have a good landing site for that picked out, on top of "Guardian Rock" about 600 feet up. My concern is that the cost of failure is the cost of a flyaway refresh, $225. If it landed there and couldn't take off, I couldn't retrieve it in 100 years.

Unless, of course, I used a larger rescue drone...

How big a drone would I need to lift a Mini-2?

There's no question that the Mini-2 will fly what it thinks is BGL. My house is about 150 ft above the creek at the bottom of the canyon, and I fly below my launch elevation all the time.

Maybe I'll get to the point that I'm willing to run the $225 risk to do the test, but I'm not there now!

Thx,

TCS

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Was 1164ft a typo? If not then there is something else going on with the drone or app etc..

With regards rescuing a mini, I think the first problem would be how do you 'grab' it in the first place?
I have 'grabbed' a Phantom 3 using a hook, suspended from another Phantom 3, to snag the 'closed loop' of a landing legs but you don't have that option with a mini. Yes the P3 did lift the other but it was a straight up and down experiment, over the lawn, at the end of a flight, so the rescuer had a "getting low battery" and I got maximum battery load or similar warnings almost immediately.
With a P3 you might also be able to foul hook a prop but with such easily collapsable props on the mini I'd guess the chances of that are slim.
The rescues of mini type drones using another drone that I have seen on youtube involved multiple temporary snags of the drone being rescued to drag that drone across a roof and then letting it fall ( not ideal). I might have seen one where the drone was blown off a roof and another where a magnet was used (I doubt this is a good idea).
The second problem is the likely length of time for which the rescue drone would have to carry the rescued mini. I think the rescue drone would need to have a maximum payload well above the weight of the mini so as to avoid cooking things inside the rescuer during a long duration flight back to safety.
I think a Phantom 3 could do it and maybe a mavic 2 Pro/Zoom but it could be an expensive experiment with the latter if things went wrong, I haven't a clue about any other drones.

 

[MS Coast]

However, I don't know if the drone would refuse to go any lower than 0 AGL..

I've seen that the Mini 2 and Air 2S tolerate negative indicated altitudes. I've moved during flights to a location lower than the takeoff location and had no problems.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

My lowest height with a Mini -19.7m, phantom 3 -115m ( didn't think the cliff was that tall lol)

 

[BSauce955]

My lowest height with a Mini -19.7m, phantom 3 -115m ( didn't think the cliff was that tall lol)

Someone needs to fly to the bottom of the Grand Canyon one day. lol

 

[EsaT]

How big a drone would I need to lift a Mini-2?

Air serie model should certainly do.
Mavic Pro is capable to lifting its own weight and that's likely common in higher up models.

 

[DavidLee]

No , there is no way to get past the 1164 ft limit that i know of. That seems to be the Cut off point built into the DJI software.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain, land on the Water.

try the litchi app, as far as know there is no restriction

 

[howardK]

Look into NLD. I fly M1P's and though the RC shows 500m as a max there is no max and dont ask me how i know

 

[Meta4]

try the litchi app, as far as know there is no restriction

The Max Height Limit is in the firmware.
Using Litchi won't make any difference.

 

[theDRONEranger]

Someone needs to fly to the bottom of the Grand Canyon one day. lol

But only in the areas that are NOT within the NPS!