Need More Performance Data for MA

[MavicFlyer]

No doubt you have to factor headwind/tailwind into your planning for a flight, and plan to land with a reserve.

However, there’s another thing to consider: should you fly in Normal or Sport Mode? If you have a headwind that is half of your max speed in Normal Mode, wouldn’t you be better off flying in Sport Mode? If the wind is near the max speed,
in Normal Mode, Sport Mode would be the only hope of getting back.

To figure out the best course of action, you’d need to know the distance per power percent graph in a no-wind situation, for both Modes.

Where can we find that kind of info for MA? I know it’s published for manned aircraft - what does DJI have to offer?

Before any wise guy chimes in, YES, I know it would be wiser to wait for a day with better weather, but my question still stands.

 

[Mike_Flys]

Specs are here:
Mavic Air– Specs, FAQ, Tutorials and Downloads

Max speed for each mode is programmed into the drone. and controlled by tilt angle. As it approaches the max programmed speed it will reduce the angle Max tilt is also programmed into the drone. The max angle in each mode may exceed that modes governed top speed on a calm day which gives it reserve for fighting the wind. Sport mode allows it to double this angle.
The DJI wind rating of the MA is a product of how much the gimbal can rotate to keep the picture framed while the drone is angled into the wind. It can actually fly in heaver winds just not while keeping the shot framed. Sport Mode may be more likely to produce choppy video, and possibly blurred still pictures. Which may not matter depending on your mission.

It is definitely great to consider the performance of the drone before your flight.

I have flown the Mavic Air in 35mph+ winds in normal mode.
If you can get out to your shot/target in normal mode and the wind changes beyond what was forecasted and normal mode can't get it home, you have sport mode to switch to.
If it takes sport mode to fly out and the winds increase, getting home may be more challenging and you don't have a more powerful (Higher tilt angle) mode to switch to.

Just my $0.02

Mike

 

[Kilrah]

There's both a target ground speed and a tilt limit. An MA in P mode will do about 30km/h full speed. Now with some wind it will tilt a bit more and still do that. More wind and it starts slowing down becasue the tilt limit is reached (it is there becasue beyond that the camera can't look horizontal anymore).
Sport mode will increase the tilt limit and target speed, at the cost of the camera no longer being able to provide all angles or remaining stable.

There are no manufacturer specs to refer to.

 

[Thwyllo]

Wind is like a woman. It is a fickle thing. It stops, starts, gusts, eddies and changes direction all without warning. Even if such data existed it wouldn't be much use. And you're talking about what, 15-25 mins of flight time maximum? Just manage it on the fly.

 

[MavicFlyer]

Specs are here:
Mavic Air– Specs, FAQ, Tutorials and Downloads
I have flown the Mavic Air in 35mph+ winds in normal mode

I’ve looked at that page, and, while it’s a lot of good info, it’s pretty shallow. I see that you’re a fellow pilot (I’m PP ASEL, though not current), so let me use the following analogy: those specs are like what you would see in a magazine review of the airplane, while what I’m looking for is more like the performance tables and plots in the pilot operating manual that you use for flight planning. I’m not expecting a one inch thick document for an sUAV, but it would be nice to have more info than DJI provides on that page.

As to having flown the MA in 35 mph winds in Normal Mode, I have to ask how you were able to hover since the maximum speed of the MA in that Mode is far less than 35...unless you did a “running landing” without a hover. I had one flight where winds were in the upper teens, with substantial gusts…I quickly landed, and called it a day.

 

[Mike_Flys]

As to having flown the MA in 35 mph winds in Normal Mode, I have to ask how you were able to hover since the maximum speed of the MA in that Mode is far less than 35...unless you did a “running landing” without a hover. I had one flight where winds were in the upper teens, with substantial gusts…I quickly landed, and called it a day.

PP SEL/SES

I get what you are saying but due to the flight controller/computer on Mavics they are designed to be very simple to flight plan.
The limits are not physical limits but programmed into it, and can change with any update.
The airplanes you fly can fly to their physical limits. These drones will not fly to their physical limits. They are stopped short by the computer before that.
They do not have an airspeed indicator.
They do calculate wind, by ground speed, and tilt angle required to hold position or flight path which allows them to display the wind warning on your phone/tablet.

Not sure you understand what I was trying to say. Wish I could explain it better.

The top speed is based on ground speed and programmed into the drone measured via GPS.
It is capable of going faster than that but the computer doesn't let it. Also it is not an airplane. it is a helicopter. So when it is hovering in a 35mph wind it has a speed of 0. It has enough reserve power/tilt/(Air speed if you wish) capability to handle winds.

The Mavic Airs I flew in 35 mph winds were at a demo event on beach near miami hosted by Drone Nerds a few days before the first shipping of the Airs. So before I bought one.
There were several people flying them there besides me. I posted about it here: So I flew a Mavic Air Yesterday!
Hope the link works.

Like an airplane pitch controls speed, and power controls altitude.
I'm sure you know all of this but I'm not sure your getting how the top speed is controlled.
Like most modern cars top speed is limited by the computer, not physics.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I understand what you are looking for and are trying to do, but it really is overkill and not needed for flying any of the Mavic's (Pro/Platiunum/Air).

Mike

 

[MavicFlyer]

I guess what I'm trying to say is I understand what you are looking for and are trying to do, but it really is overkill and not needed for flying any of the Mavic's (Pro/Platiunum/Air).

Thanks for your detailed response. BTW, I did read the thread you linked to.

Based on your experience, if you were flying back against the wind, battery level was getting low, would you keep it in Normal, or would you switch to Sport? Let’s assume the headwind component is 20 mph.

 

[Mike_Flys]

Thanks for your detailed response. BTW, I did read the thread you linked to.

Based on your experience, if you were flying back against the wind, battery level was getting low, would you keep it in Normal, or would you switch to Sport? Let’s assume the headwind component is 20 mph.

In a 20 mph wind I would fly back in normal mode, unless I was in a hurry for some reason and had enough battery to support the extra speed.