So I've only got to fly my mini a few times and am still getting used to it, but today I had issues making it go lower than the starting altitude and was afraid it was going to land in water if I forced it. I took off from a 2 foot stone wall at the beach and it was about 2.3 meters AGL and as I flew over the water I wanted to get lower but the drone would not go lower and kept trying to go higher up to 6 meters. I flew back to home point made sure everything was set right restarted everything and flew out again with the same issue. If I launched from the beach it was okay I could get within 1 meter of the water with no issues. I was afraid of pushing down any further when I was having issues and though somehow it set the 2.6 meter AGL as the ground. I had no other issues, but found this really bad as I was trying to follow some fish and get level shots with my kids playing in the water.
Problems going below starting ALT
- Thread starter WolfSpring
- Start date
silverdragon
Well-Known Member
I'm sure your going to get the technical guys and gals to chime in, but to me it seems like the sensors are doing what they are supposed to do.. I think it's a matter of learning.all about the Aircraft your flying....
Baseballbum
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I don’t think it had anything to do with your takeoff altitude. It was probably the sensors being confused with the reflection off the water. I think DJI recommends staying 20ft or more above water. It might decide to land instead of going up. I’m sure others with more experience can give more info. I fly over water often, but I seldom go below 40-50 ft.
It'll all end in tears if you try to fly very low to water, drone will probably become a submarine. Many folks have found this out to their cost.
Once you go below a certain height, the drone may think you want to land, hence the dunking. The visual sensors do not 'see' the water like they do the land and give false readings, causing problems.
If you do a search for “flying over water” on this forum, you’ll learn a lot. It seems to be especially important when flying the MM. Learn from the mistakes of others. Best wishes.
Thanks all for the replies. Sensors makes sense, it was really reflective today that might have had something to do with it, it kind of acted like it does when you hit the dead stop at a few inches above ground before it stars to descend to land, that's why I backed off and though I'd look into it.
And I do truly appreciate the warnings of flying over water, specifically flying to low. I don't want to sound arrogant and say I'm good and won't crash or the fact the area I was flying doesn't have rouge waves to take me out of the sky, but I will say I am willing to risk crashing it... once...
I do have DJI care and I'm pretty sure if I ever crash it I will stop flying low over the water. I"m usually not more than 100 feet off the beach and always somewhere that I can retrieve the drone most of my low flying is within 10 feet of my children and one of the places I like to fly the lowest is surrounded by rocks that create tide pools and I could walk to where it would crash. My phantom almost got hit by a wave last year that crashed up on the rocks made an awesome shot of water going over the drone, scared the hell out of me and I don't fly near the rocks that low anymore. If I am not within in swimming distance of the drone or my children I fly much higher.
Again thank you all for the input.
And I do truly appreciate the warnings of flying over water, specifically flying to low. I don't want to sound arrogant and say I'm good and won't crash or the fact the area I was flying doesn't have rouge waves to take me out of the sky, but I will say I am willing to risk crashing it... once...
I do have DJI care and I'm pretty sure if I ever crash it I will stop flying low over the water. I"m usually not more than 100 feet off the beach and always somewhere that I can retrieve the drone most of my low flying is within 10 feet of my children and one of the places I like to fly the lowest is surrounded by rocks that create tide pools and I could walk to where it would crash. My phantom almost got hit by a wave last year that crashed up on the rocks made an awesome shot of water going over the drone, scared the hell out of me and I don't fly near the rocks that low anymore. If I am not within in swimming distance of the drone or my children I fly much higher.Again thank you all for the input.
Flying over water is fine. The mini won't go into any kind of self landing just because it is over water versus land. It might try to adjust it height and go down some, but you have full control to bring it up.
Usually the ones going into the water an new flyers not paying attention and freaking out.
Usually the ones going into the water an new flyers not paying attention and freaking out.
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