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Joymaker

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In the FAQ for the Mavic air on DJI's site, I saw that the maximum operating elevation above takeoff is 5000 feet. But the DJI Go 4 app sets the limit at 500m, or ~1600 feet. Is there some way to get past that to go higher? Because I live in a mountainous area, and this summer I hope to go dronepacking in areas where I could easily ascend 3000 feet or more without getting more than 400 feet from terrain. Just go up a mountain! (Or do I have to walk up the mountain and fly the drone DOWN that cliff that I was wanting to explore?)

Also, the manual mentions that it is possible to set the gimbal up to 17° ABOVE the horizon, but you have to unlock something special in order to raise it above horizon. Can't find how to do that. Does anyone know?
 
theres a setting in the app to make the gimbal go a bit farhter up, as far as going higher than 500m the only way i know of is to hack it with modded software and if your bird is very new u need to open it up and go inside and install a sd inside it both of course void the warranty, i dont think theres any legal or morral way of changing the 500m setpoint,
 
In the FAQ for the Mavic air on DJI's site, I saw that the maximum operating elevation above takeoff is 5000 feet. But the DJI Go 4 app sets the limit at 500m, or ~1600 feet. Is there some way to get past that to go higher? Because I live in a mountainous area, and this summer I hope to go dronepacking in areas where I could easily ascend 3000 feet or more without getting more than 400 feet from terrain. Just go up a mountain! (Or do I have to walk up the mountain and fly the drone DOWN that cliff that I was wanting to explore?)

Also, the manual mentions that it is possible to set the gimbal up to 17° ABOVE the horizon, but you have to unlock something special in order to raise it above horizon. Can't find how to do that. Does anyone know?

I suspect that you both misread and misunderstood the FAQ, which says:

What is the Mavic Air’s max service ceiling above sea level?

16,400 ft (5000 m).
 
the manual mentions that it is possible to set the gimbal up to 17° ABOVE the horizon, but you have to unlock something special in order to raise it above horizon. Can't find how to do that. Does anyone know?
Enable the "Extend Gimbal Tilt Limit" setting in the following section of DJI GO:

DJI-GO-Extend-Tilt-Limit.jpg
 
Climbing the mountain and flighing down should work either as far as I remember from other posts.
DJI does not limit that with any kind of ground depth as far as I remember. But I have never tried that.
 
Newbie to Drone Flying so please pardon what might be a stupid question that is related to the original posters question. Is the altitude the drone maintains based upon the take off point or is it dynamic? Had a situation yesterday that I was coming upon a mountain which was greater than 400 feet higher than my takeoff point. I have 400 feet set as the max in the app and didn't test it but wondered if the drone would maintain the same altitude as it approached the side of the mountain and clear the mountain. By the way I am flying the MA.
 
Newbie to Drone Flying so please pardon what might be a stupid question that is related to the original posters question. Is the altitude the drone maintains based upon the take off point or is it dynamic? Had a situation yesterday that I was coming upon a mountain which was greater than 400 feet higher than my takeoff point. I have 400 feet set as the max in the app and didn't test it but wondered if the drone would maintain the same altitude as it approached the side of the mountain and clear the mountain. By the way I am flying the MA.

The only altitude that the aircraft cares about is relative to the takeoff point (actually it also knows altitude MSL via GPS data but doesn't use it) - it has no way to know altitude AGL. So, if you want to fly up the side of a mountain, even though you might remain less than 400 ft AGL, you will need to increase the maximum flight altitude setting.
 
The only altitude that the aircraft cares about is relative to the takeoff point (actually it also knows altitude MSL via GPS data but doesn't use it) - it has no way to know altitude AGL. So, if you want to fly up the side of a mountain, even though you might remain less than 400 ft AGL, you will need to increase the maximum flight altitude setting.

so the altitude in the meta data on the photos are only relative to altitude above take off point? i always assumed they were in relation to actual altitude, i live at about 380m abive sea level so i assumed the photos altitude took that into accoount
 
so the altitude in the meta data on the photos are only relative to altitude above take off point? i always assumed they were in relation to actual altitude, i live at about 380m abive sea level so i assumed the photos altitude took that into accoount

There are two fields of altitude in the EXIF data, one is GPS altitude MSL, the other is barometric altitude relative to takeoff. Most EXIF readers only display the GPS MSL value, but both are there.
 
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There are two fields of altitude in the EXIF data, one is GPS altitude MSL, the other is barometric altitude relative to takeoff. Most EXIF readers only display the GPS MSL value, but both are there.
ahh thank your for the clarification,
 
In the FAQ for the Mavic air on DJI's site, I saw that the maximum operating elevation above takeoff is 5000 feet. But the DJI Go 4 app sets the limit at 500m, or ~1600 feet. Is there some way to get past that to go higher? Because I live in a mountainous area, and this summer I hope to go dronepacking in areas where I could easily ascend 3000 feet or more without getting more than 400 feet from terrain. Just go up a mountain! (Or do I have to walk up the mountain and fly the drone DOWN that cliff that I was wanting to explore?)

Also, the manual mentions that it is possible to set the gimbal up to 17° ABOVE the horizon, but you have to unlock something special in order to raise it above horizon. Can't find how to do that. Does anyone know?
Fly Yuneec and you won't have this issue. They will unlock altitude restrictions with a written request. Will also have a 1 inch sensor out in a month or two - the C23. Cameras are interchangeable. Range is about the same. 6 props safe as well. It's just a much better bird all around. Stopped buying DJI last year. Not going back.
 
Fly Yuneec and you won't have this issue. They will unlock altitude restrictions with a written request. Will also have a 1 inch sensor out in a month or two - the C23. Cameras are interchangeable. Range is about the same. 6 props safe as well. It's just a much better bird all around. Stopped buying DJI last year. Not going back.
been looking at those, do they make a portable mavic style drone not nessary folding but that style
 
I was going to get the typhoon H plus with the 1" sensor but got put off by the reports of fly away,, some will be pilot error for sure but the reports still worry me.
I profess I am still confused on this service height issue ?
if I live at sea level the max hight the drone will climb to is set to 1600 ft . yes?
if I go some where that is 1700 ft above sea level will the drone then not take off? or will climb to 1600 ft above its take off height?
 
I was going to get the typhoon H plus with the 1" sensor but got put off by the reports of fly away,, some will be pilot error for sure but the reports still worry me.
I profess I am still confused on this service height issue ?
if I live at sea level the max hight the drone will climb to is set to 1600 ft . yes?
if I go some where that is 1700 ft above sea level will the drone then not take off? or will climb to 1600 ft above its take off height?

Obviously that's not the case. The 500 m maximum is above the takeoff location.
 
I fly a lot in the mountains in the Pacific Northwest, no issues at high altitudes. I've got maximum altitude set 500m, I generally fly from around 4-5000ft. Last Sunday I was a good 6000ft up from sea elevation with no worries except for the high winds. ;)
 
I had a yuuneek typhoon I didn't find it was quit as smooth but ok was scared to fly it a distance and it bugger off on me. Don't much care for all the recycled plastic feel material on it either and the gimbal was to big imo
 
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