Near miss with helicopter at South Hollywood beach, Florida.

[gnirtS]

Certainly can't hear one 3 miles away if you're standing upwind, near a busy road or it comes around a hill towards you.

 

[MavicFlyer]

I have flown on the beach and can usually hear helicopters coming quite a ways away but they are military so very loud. One thing people don't address is how slow, at least the MA, descends. It seems it is the slowes maneuver it can make and if the pilot would have descended in that case he may have actually moved right into the path of the helicopter.

I’m disappointed that you can’t get it to descend faster. While it does descend faster in Sport mode, you’re not likely to think to switch modes, and even that isn’t fast enough.

 

[sar104]

I’m disappointed that you can’t get it to descend faster. While it does descend faster in Sport mode, you’re not likely to think to switch modes, and even that isn’t fast enough.

CSC.

 

[Red Baron]

Nice fake vid

 

[gnirtS]

I’m disappointed that you can’t get it to descend faster. While it does descend faster in Sport mode, you’re not likely to think to switch modes, and even that isn’t fast enough.

It doesn't descend faster in sport mode (at least mine doesnt).

Descent speed is restricted to avoid a vortex ring state and resulting loss of control, especially if there is no forward momentum.

 

[MavicFlyer]

CSC.

CSC would do it, but isn't that like activating a "range safety package" on a flight test aircraft...kind of irreversible?

For anyone that doesn't understand, he's referring to shutting off the motors inflight, by pulling the sticks all the way down and towards each other.

 

[gnirtS]

You *CAN* recover...if its high enough and you manage to do the CSC in time. you're looking at 2-3 seconds to hit the deck from 400ft or so - you'd better be quick....

If its over land i'd say the risk of someone getting hit by a drone dropping at terminal velocity is going to do more damage than potentially hitting an aircraft.

 

[MavicFlyer]

It doesn't descend faster in sport mode (at least mine doesnt).
Descent speed is restricted to avoid a vortex ring state and resulting loss of control, especially if there is no forward momentum.

Actually, it's twice the descent rate (s-mode vs p-mode). See DJI Mavic Air – Specs, Tutorials & Guides – DJI.

As to ring vortex state, I don't think that can occur if you're moving horizontally in still air, with sufficient speed. If I'm moving forward at max speed, I suspect they could safely descend at a higher rate - I didn't do an analysis to prove it, but strongly suspect that to be the case.

 

[gnirtS]

Mavic air maybe. I've got the pro which has exactly the same descent speed in sport as GPS (3 m/sec). They could in theory code the drone to gradually increase the descent speed as horizontal speed increases but they haven't done so currently with any of them. Its a limited fixed, maximum speed. I can see why its not done - if they do that a specific setting of down stick wouldnt always correspond to the same vertical speed so would make smooth videos a bit of a nightmare.

 

[Lapeer20m]

Actually, it's twice the descent rate (s-mode vs p-mode). See DJI Mavic Air – Specs, Tutorials & Guides – DJI.

As to ring vortex state, I don't think that can occur if you're moving horizontally in still air, with sufficient speed. If I'm moving forward at max speed, I suspect they could safely descend at a higher rate - I didn't do an analysis to prove it, but strongly suspect that to be the case.

My Mavic Pro has sport+ mode and descends pretty fast.....like 400’ in 15 seconds and never had an issue with vortex ring. I’ve read that mavic’s 2:1 power to weight ratio helps eliminate this concern.

 

[MavicFlyer]

You *CAN* recover...if its high enough and you manage to do the CSC in time. you're looking at 2-3 seconds to hit the deck from 400ft or so - you'd better be quick....

If its over land i'd say the risk of someone getting hit by a drone dropping at terminal velocity is going to do more damage than potentially hitting an aircraft.

That's interesting about recovering from a CSC shutdown. I wonder if anybody has actually done it successfully. I read somewhere that if you tilt the quad past 90 degrees, the motors shut off - some people use that to stop the motors after hand recovering.

As to risk of hitting someone, vs hitting an aircraft, I don't know of any analysis done to support ANY number, but whatever it is, it's not good either way.

 

[sar104]

That's interesting about recovering from a CSC shutdown. I wonder if anybody has actually done it successfully. I read somewhere that if you tilt the quad past 90 degrees, the motors shut off - some people use that to stop the motors after hand recovering.

As to risk of hitting someone, vs hitting an aircraft, I don't know of any analysis done to support ANY number, but whatever it is, it's not good either way.

I wasn't being serious with that suggestion, except perhaps in some kind of dire emergency. Mid-air motor stop and restart has been demonstrated for Phantoms and the Mavic Pro - there are several YT videos of that maneuver. It needs over 100 ft to recover, but it can do it.

 

[Malcx]

That's interesting about recovering from a CSC shutdown. I wonder if anybody has actually done it successfully.

These guys have (at an irresponsible location) done it, so it is possible.

 

[Marko9219]

Nice fake vid

Are you serious? The FAA is already all over it. You aren't much of a cinema sleuth are you? There's not a thing fake about it. You must be a Trump supporter, right? Calling the news "fake" because you don't like the message.

 

[CanaanBill]

Drone was in controlled airspace, so pilot BAD. But pilot also lucky. Don't care if he had been sitting IN the drone, there was no RIGHT thing to do once he became aware of that helicopter. Think of the few seconds he had. Hanging there as good a choice as any: "oh, I see a helicopter...shiiiii...I'm sorry, do you have a public restroom?"

 

[Weaponized]

Are you serious? The FAA is already all over it. You aren't much of a cinema sleuth are you? There's not a thing fake about it. You must be a Trump supporter, right? Calling the news "fake" because you don't like the message.

And here I didn't think it was possible to top the dumbest statement made in this thread then in walks a new contender to steal his prize LOL

 

[sar104]

And here I didn't think it was possible to top the dumbest statement made in this thread then in walks a new contender to steal his prize LOL

To break down the statement you responded to – is that because you think that the video was fake, that the FAA is not investigating, that the President isn't the architect of the tactic of shouting "fake news" at unwelcome news reports, that his supporters have not also embraced that tactic, or some other aspect of the statement that I missed?

 

[CaveDrone]

Did anybody step through the video to just before it passes? Do you see anyone in the cockpit? I don't

 

[Weaponized]

None of the above. I believe the vid is likely real and the FAA is investigating. However the vid itself did not originate from the news. It was a YouTube post...not a news story. He called the video fake...not the news so the parallel to a Trump supporter is clearly a case of untreated TDS

To break down statement you responded to – is that because you think that the video was fake, that the FAA is not investigating, that the President isn't the architect of the tactic of shouting "fake news" at unwelcome news reports, that his supporters have not also embraced that tactic, or some other aspect of the statement that I missed?

 

[dvarapala]

Did anybody step through the video to just before it passes? Do you see anyone in the cockpit? I don't

Full Analysis vid shows people in the cockpit: