Question, a drone is set to hover in a windless environment,

[Yorkshire_Pud]

the drone is left to hover for 30 minutes at the end of which it is still horizontal. Ignoring wobbles, has it changed its tilt relative to its start orientation ?

This was meant to be a poll but I couldn't set the duration as I wanted so I deleted the poll section.

EDIT => It's in a sealed room.
Edit 2, drone type = one with a good VPS lock.

 

[Cafguy]

Hmm ignoring wobble I would say that it will stay in the same "orientation" to keep its start position. if the wind picks up you will lean into the wind more staying still.

 

[OdysseyShane]

Its tilt is relative to the direction of gravity. It will stay perpendicular to that force, so if you compare it to its original position, the orientation would be different, but inside your sealed room, it wouldn't appear to change.

 

[Droning on and on...]

If absolutely windless, ignoring short "twitches" to hold position, both pitch and roll will be 0° throught the 30 minute hover.

Since there's no wind, why will it "twitch" at all to hold position? The air in the immediate vicinity is very turbulent due to the drone's props, which will cause the drone to drift around a small amount.

 

[Kilrah]

Incomplete conditions.

A drone won't hover in place for 30 minutes with no input. Inputs needed to maintain position will constantly change angle.

 

[millbah]

And it would change position due to the gps re-calculating its position each epoch (if that is the correct word.

 

[Droning on and on...]

And it would change position due to the gps re-calculating its position each epoch (if that is the correct word.

If its within VPS range those errors will be ignored.

 

[Kilrah]

if that is the correct word.

Probably not since that wouldn't be a problem until 2042.

 

[AMann]

Unless it’s a RTK enabled drone, you will also notice some changes in position due to GPS signal variations (assuming it won’t be able to detect the walls to the sides in a large room).

No forward motion or wind and hovering for 30 minutes? This scenario also sounds like a good way to overheat the boards, especially the MOSFETs…

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Incomplete conditions.
A drone won't hover in place for 30 minutes with no input. Inputs needed to maintain position will constantly change angle.

Actually, where the drone has good VPS then and apart from battery duration and heat problems, there is no reason why a drone can't hover in place for an extended period of time.
I have had a Mavic Mini or mini 2 hover in place for 10 minutes plus whilst I was out of the room and didn't have the controller with me, it was a test of sorts.
When I came back the drone was, within less that 10cm or less, exactly where I left it.

 

[Kilrah]

where the drone has good VPS

And that was my point, you did not specify what kind of drone and what stabilization systems it had/were active. Without VPS/GPS it'd be hitting the wall within seconds.

Also not sure you worded the original question right, any time it tilts it moves sideways, so if it's in place it's not tilting other than small constant changes to maintain position against the air currents in the room. Since you said "start orientation" maybe you meant heading?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

But the real point of my post is ........
In 30 minutes the earth has rotated approximately 7.5deg so, although the drone has stayed horizontal with respect to gravity it has in actual fact changed tilt by 7.5deg.

Why did this occur to me, I was wondering why the motor rpm in a windless hover are never a flat line then I realised the drone has to actually continually adjust its tilt to remain level.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

you did not specify what kind of drone

ahh, true.

 

[Kilrah]

Nothing to do with earth's rotation, simply nothing around a drone is at steady state, there are always air currents including those it creates itself, and no sensor is perfect and there are always going to be errors to correct.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Actually, where the drone has good VPS then and apart from battery duration and heat problems, there is no reason why a drone can't hover in place for an extended period of time.
I have had a Mavic Mini or mini 2 hover in place for 10 minutes plus whilst I was out of the room and didn't have the controller with me, it was a test of sorts.
When I came back the drone was, within less that 10cm or less, exactly where I left it.

FWIW I've had my Air 2S hover for ~20min taking a hyperlapse of the sun setting, no issues at all.