TREES

[360 Guy]

TREES A PROBLEM, FYI:

I recently flew from a new location so I would be alone, away from prying eyes.
In doing so, there is a place that I used for home point in a cut out of trees. When I say" cut out”, by that I mean the cut out is “U” shaped just one way in and out.
The trees are all pines and the growth of the trees is rather thick with all trees standing forty foot in height.
My destination was approx.one mile away by air, an easy flight for my Mini 2. (I love this bird, it does all that is needed)
Understand that in an open area, I can fly 3 to 4 miles with this drone.

Take off was normal, getting above the trees and flying to the designated area was also normal, but at approx. 800 feet out I started to lose signal. At 800 feet out??
Standing outside in the cut out I turned the controller in the direction of the drone with little help, another 100 feet closer, my signal is lost completely.
When I encountered signal failure at 800 feet, I knew it was the trees when signal was lost, I returned to home and packed up.

CASE IN POINT: not only will trees, short and tall, eat your drone, they will degrade your signal big time.

360

 

[mavic3usa]

I think the Mini 2 is Occusync O2 which is pretty old and while still admirable, just didn't have any penetration. We're up to O4+ and maybe even O5 shortly; time to upgrade. Because even with my O3, it could do some serious distance as long as there is no obstruction. It's going to be awhile before we get something decent.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Basic rule of drone flying signal stability is to maintain a clear LOS (line of sight) for an unobstructed signal. If you can't see the drone with binoculars because something is in the way (not because it is too small to see), your signal is obstructed. VLOS is another matter entirely, but if you do maintain VLOS (an FAA requirement), you will not lose signal, because VLOS is a subclass of LOS requiring your unaided eyes to be able to see the drone at all times. Hence, no visual obstructions and no signal obstructions. You can still have signal interference at any distance, but that is different than signal obstruction.

 

[AnzacJack]

TREES A PROBLEM, FYI:

I recently flew from a new location so I would be alone, away from prying eyes.
In doing so, there is a place that I used for home point in a cut out of trees. When I say" cut out”, by that I mean the cut out is “U” shaped just one way in and out.
The trees are all pines and the growth of the trees is rather thick with all trees standing forty foot in height.
My destination was approx.one mile away by air, an easy flight for my Mini 2. (I love this bird, it does all that is needed)
Understand that in an open area, I can fly 3 to 4 miles with this drone.

Take off was normal, getting above the trees and flying to the designated area was also normal, but at approx. 800 feet out I started to lose signal. At 800 feet out??
Standing outside in the cut out I turned the controller in the direction of the drone with little help, another 100 feet closer, my signal is lost completely.
When I encountered signal failure at 800 feet, I knew it was the trees when signal was lost, I returned to home and packed up.

CASE IN POINT: not only will trees, short and tall, eat your drone, they will degrade your signal big time.

360

what you say is true. As well as being out of VLOS, you are also trying to force your signal through trees. You are bound to encounter these issues