Return to home at night

[redserv]

Hi guys I am trying to find out what will happen if I am flying at night and intiate return to home

 

[Borntofly]

Hi guys I am trying to find out what will happen if I am flying at night and intiate return to home

It will return back to home location set when it took off. Just make sure you're not under any trees, also that your altitude is set to clear any tall trees and telephone poles/wires. Otherwise you know what will happen.

 

[redserv]

It will return back to home location set when it took off. Just make sure you're not under any trees, also that your altitude is set to clear any tall trees and telephone poles/wires. Otherwise you know what will happen.

Thank you for your quick reply my friend. I was thinking because it's dark the drone won't be able to know the exact location. Any truth to this claim?

 

[Borntofly]

It flys via gps coordinates. Day or night conditions don't matter. The drone doesn't know any different. You just need to know the area you're flying in, to be aware of the surroundings so you fly into something you can't see.

 

[redserv]

It flys via gps coordinates. Day or night conditions don't matter. The drone doesn't know any different. You just need to know the area you're flying in, to be aware of the surroundings so you fly into something you can't see.

Thanks again my friend, understood.

 

[old man mavic]

if you have the Mavics with the downwards facing light fitted make sure it is on (i think it comes on anyway at a certain height on RTH )with out the light it might struggle to precision land on the home point

 

[redserv]

if you have the Mavics with the downwards facing light fitted make sure it is on (i think it comes on anyway at a certain height on RTH )with out the light it might struggle to precision land on the home point

Ah ok thank you. I have a MPP so no light. This is what I was thinking. Thank you

 

[dronerdave]

Ah ok thank you. I have a MPP so no light. This is what I was thinking. Thank you

My understanding is after takeoff it takes a look at where it took off from. That is why they say to use something on the ground that stands out as compared to something similar in color to the takeoff point. In part it's kind of one reason to use a landing pad. If it comes home and can't see where it took off from, it will still land but may be off a few feet. BTW I use strobes and with one on the bottom of my MP (away from the bottom sensors) it really lights up the ground and I've yet to have an issue missing my landing pad at night. Red and green give me orientation and if I do use RTH I always expect having to manually take over and land.

 

[JayTea26]

My understanding is after takeoff it takes a look at where it took off from. That is why they say to use something on the ground that stands out as compared to something similar in color to the takeoff point. In part it's kind of one reason to use a landing pad. If it comes home and can't see where it took off from, it will still land but may be off a few feet. BTW I use strobes and with one on the bottom of my MP (away from the bottom sensors) it really lights up the ground and I've yet to have an issue missing my landing pad at night. Red and green give me orientation and if I do use RTH I always expect having to manually take over and land.

My understanding is after takeoff it takes a look at where it took off from. That is why they say to use something on the ground that stands out as compared to something similar in color to the takeoff point. In part it's kind of one reason to use a landing pad. If it comes home and can't see where it took off from, it will still land but may be off a few feet. BTW I use strobes and with one on the bottom of my MP (away from the bottom sensors) it really lights up the ground and I've yet to have an issue missing my landing pad at night. Red and green give me orientation and if I do use RTH I always expect having to manually take over and land.

May I ask where you are mounting your strobes? I am awaiting my purchase of a firehouse white strobe and holders for arm of my Mavic Air 2. I am thinking of getting a red and green also. It’s worth it to fly 1/2 hour before sunrise and sunset but my primary purpose is to see it myself.

 

[dronerdave]

I velcroed a white Arc-II just behind the camera on the bottom. I've got red/green on a clip that snaps over the battery for side strobes and on the rear landing gear I have another white one pointing straight back.

 

[Meta4]

My understanding is after takeoff it takes a look at where it took off from. That is why they say to use something on the ground that stands out as compared to something similar in color to the takeoff point. In part it's kind of one reason to use a landing pad. If it comes home and can't see where it took off from, it will still land but may be off a few feet.
BTW I use strobes and with one on the bottom of my MP (away from the bottom sensors) it really lights up the ground and I've yet to have an issue missing my landing pad at night. Red and green give me orientation and if I do use RTH I always expect having to manually take over and land.

You are confusing plain ordinary RTH which uses GPS and can easily be +/- a few feet with precision landing which uses optical technology for the final landing.

 

[dronerdave]

You are confusing plain ordinary RTH which uses GPS and can easily be +/- a few feet with precision landing which uses optical technology for the final landing.

Are you saying precision landing is disabled or won't work at night? Every time I've used RTH at night it worked the same as during daytime. Maybe I've been wasting time?

 

[Meta4]

Are you saying precision landing is disabled or won't work at night? Every time I've used RTH at night it worked the same as during daytime. Maybe I've been wasting time?

The manual lists situations where precision landing will have trouble.
Not enough light is a big one.
If precision landing isn't able to do its job, the drone will still land but could easily be a couple of feet off.

 

[dronerdave]

The manual lists situations where precision landing will have trouble.
Not enough light is a big one.
If precision landing isn't able to do its job, the drone will still land but could easily be a couple of feet off.

OK I understand that but with 4 strobes flashing, the landing pad is highly lit up. I just figured it was doing its thing at takeoff, then returned to home and look for the landing pad after getting close via GPS...no?

 

[Meta4]

OK I understand that but with 4 strobes flashing, the landing pad is highly lit up. I just figured it was doing its thing at takeoff, then returned to home and look for the landing pad after getting close via GPS...no?

If it's consistently landing within an inch or two of the launch point, it's able to land with precision landing.
If it's within a few feet, conditions aren't good for precision landing.

 

[dronerdave]

If it's consistently landing within an inch or two of the launch point, it's able to land with precision landing.
If it's within a few feet, conditions aren't good for precision landing.

Hits a 3 foot landing pad even at night. Maybe I've just been lucky?

 

[Marcius]

Hi guys I am trying to find out what will happen if I am flying at night and intiate return to home

Give a plenty room for landing area, and keep an eye on it, it can land 10 - 20 foots away from place you took off, maybe you need to do small ujustment but be careful, I find out when it lands on RTH even small ujustment it very sensitive and drone jumps quite fast and can easy crash I have couple near misses

 

[Dale D]

Thanks again my friend, understood.

Doesn't the drone "read" the take off point, usually my "H" landing pad? How can it read the landing pad if it is dark. Please explain. I thought that was the reason I was supposed to hover for 30 seconds at around 60 feet.

 

[GB1Yorkshire1]

Hi guys I am trying to find out what will happen if I am flying at night and intiate return to home

As the Drone has no idea what time of the day it is, it will behave exactly as programmed,
However, to fly at night you must obey FAA regulations as well as having a white highly visible strobe on the drone.
The main pre flight must be entered correctly so that your compass / GPS information Is updated ,this ensures that you have your home position correct, if you enter precision takeoff correctly then the drone will land autonomously at the takeoff point.
The drone uses gps and compass information prior to take off, it doesn’t use a camera to establish anything!

 

[Ron Caballero CAP]

Hi guys I am trying to find out what will happen if I am flying at night and intiate return to home

Unless your are specially trained and HAVE A WAIVER FROM THE FAA, you are not allowed to fly and night. However, to answer your question, the drone finds home by GPS and not sight, so it should return.