Very high altitude drone flight testing 10.25km / 33628ft

[brizol3]

Testing high altitude flying is very important to us, therefore we have tested drone in up to 10.25km altitude (33628ft in America).

Efficiency testing results are the following:

In 1km altitude: 22,4A at 14,8V = 331,5W for 13,1m/s climbrate
efficiency: 25,3W / m/s

In 5km altitude: 23,6A at 14,3V = 337,5W for 12,3m/s climbrate
efficiency: 27,4W / m/s

In 8km altitude: 22,5A at 14,1V = 317,25W for 6,3m/s climbrate
efficiency: 50,4W / m/s

In 10km altitude: 20,2A at 13,0V = 262,6W for 3,5m/s climbrate
efficiency: 75,0W / m/s

As you can see, efficiency drops exponentially as the altitude increases.

 

[brizol3]

Video of testflight:

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[Le Rouge]

Video of testflight:

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Did you fly that high on a 4S lipo? WOW

 

[brizol3]

Did you fly that high on a 4S lipo? WOW

4s3p 9000mAh Sony/Murata Konion US18650VTC6 3000mAh/30A Li-Ion (not LiPo)
Better for flying in the cold.

 

[Point Zero]

Can you tell us anything about the drone you used and equipment, that's one hell of a ride lol!

 

[brizol3]

Can you tell us anything about the drone you used and equipment, that's one **** of a ride lol!

Video RX: TrueRC 5,8GHz X²-AIR-Antenna RHCP
Receiver: Furious True-D V3.5 Diversity-Receiver-System
Video-TX Antenna: FOXEER Thor 60mm RHCP / SMA PA1331
Video TX: Matek VTX-HV
RC: TBS CROSSFIRE
Motors: Cobra CM2206 / 1400
ESC: T-Motor f30a
FC: Matek: f405-AIO
Props: Gemfan 7038
Batterie: Custom made 4s3p Li-ion 9000mAh from Sony/Murata Konion US18650VTC6 3000mAh/30A in styrofoam box against the cold temperatures

 

[PortCanaveralFlorida]

Testing high altitude flying is very important to us, therefore we have tested drone in up to 10.25km altitude (33628ft in America).

Efficiency testing results are the following:

In 1km altitude: 22,4A at 14,8V = 331,5W for 13,1m/s climbrate
efficiency: 25,3W / m/s

In 5km altitude: 23,6A at 14,3V = 337,5W for 12,3m/s climbrate
efficiency: 27,4W / m/s

In 8km altitude: 22,5A at 14,1V = 317,25W for 6,3m/s climbrate
efficiency: 50,4W / m/s

In 10km altitude: 20,2A at 13,0V = 262,6W for 3,5m/s climbrate
efficiency: 75,0W / m/s

As you can see, efficiency drops exponentially as the altitude increases.

View attachment 63534View attachment 63535View attachment 63536View attachment 63537

Very Impressive! Winds aloft could be in the 100s.... Way Cool!

 

[Drone on]

Wow!
I wish I could see my drone that far away

 

[Point Zero]

Wow!
I wish I could see my drone that far away

You just look at the screen and boom there it is (well some of it)!

 

[Drone on]

You just look at the screen and boom there it is (well some of it)!

hadn't thought of that

 

[madmax319]

Did you have faa waver?

 

[madmax319]

How did you manage vlos?

 

[Keule]

Did you have faa waver?

You might reckon' he is in Russia ...

 

[Jaysjob]

So you flip upside down at 21 mins it’s still climbing?

 

[rusell]

Did not see this video

 

[thatswedishguy]

This is cool! Is it difficult to get approval to do this legally?

 

[Victorian Aerial Vision]

Russia or not, that sort of altitude poses a risk to commercial aircraft. A jet could come up behind the drone & you would have no chance to evade it. Imagine the drone slamming into a jet windscreen or engine, the results could be catastrophic. IMO it is videos like these that give responsible pilots a bad image.

 

[Kossnen]

I call BS. The last video defiantly shows a curve to the earth.. and as we all know...

It's a risky flight and I wouldn't suggest doing something like that without having permission from the proper authorities. That being said, since it's already done, can we all just appreciate how awesome the view was?

Also, anyone have an idea what kind of quad he used? The video is titled FPV Racer.. but I would assume it would have been something a bit more industrial. it was -9c on the ground and upwards of -50c during his flight. So not just it's insane transmission range and lift generated at that altitude, but the fact that it was able to survive at that temp for as long as it did is just crazy. Would the battery have to have some sort of thermal protection?

 

[TheRoach]

Russia or not, that sort of altitude poses a risk to commercial aircraft. A jet could come up behind the drone & you would have no chance to evade it. Imagine the drone slamming into a jet windscreen or engine, the results could be catastrophic. IMO it is videos like these that give responsible pilots a bad image.

Right now there is a better statistical chance of being hit by a meteor.

 

[sar104]

Right now there is a better statistical chance of being hit by a meteor.

Maybe I misunderstood your post, but if you are trying to make the argument that something that has never happened in the history of aviation is more likely than something that has happened, more than once, in just the last couple of years, then it's going to be a tough sell.