VLOS

[TerryToast]

I know, I know! But it amazes me that some people who’ve been around drones for a long time still seem to think that the rules are optional.

People see the rules as overly strict and know they are rarely monitored/enforced, so they break the rules. This is common human behaviour and happens in every area of life, not just drones.

 

[Donnie Frank]

...all I want to know is are there any tips for improving your drone's viability that I'm missing out on?

More powerful motors or a better camera would make it more viable.

D

 

[Thomas B]

More powerful motors or a better camera would make it more viable.

D

Think he meant visibility, ... not viability.

 

[A.O.]

Ok, so here's a better grasp of my scenario .. maybe...

Again I have 100 acres , a long skinny pie shape for lack of better terms. Mostly woods, my house/barn/sawmill are in one "field" or opening in the woods, there are two other "openings" one maybe an acre the other maybe 7 or 8. My woods are tall (75-100 ft) pine trees. If I were to want to check that 7 acre field and take off from where my house is that would entail taking off, rising maybe 150 feet to clear the trees in between, going back down in altitude and flying in that field.. then the same thing to return. So when I lower down into that field I would lose VLOS due to the trees in between.

So this is an illegal scenario? Is that the case with any drone or just the ones over that 250gr weight?

 

[Thomas B]

Ok, so here's a better grasp of my scenario .. maybe...

Again I have 100 acres , a long skinny pie shape for lack of better terms. Mostly woods, my house/barn/sawmill are in one "field" or opening in the woods, there are two other "openings" one maybe an acre the other maybe 7 or 8. My woods are tall (75-100 ft) pine trees. If I were to want to check that 7 acre field and take off from where my house is that would entail taking off, rising maybe 150 feet to clear the trees in between, going back down in altitude and flying in that field.. then the same thing to return. So when I lower down into that field I would lose VLOS due to the trees in between.

So this is an illegal scenario? Is that the case with any drone or just the ones over that 250gr weight?

Of no consequence... True you lose VLOS when you lower into the site as you describe, but almost certainly you would lose signal/ control resulting in hover or RTH as you specified in preferences...

 

[A.O.]

So I'm guessing it is then illegal to fly with a FPV goggles set up unless you have a spotter, correct? You sure cant see the drone with the goggles on.

 

[A.O.]

Of no consequence... True you lose VLOS when you lower into the site as you describe, but almost certainly you would lose signal/ control resulting in hover or RTH as you specified in preferences...

"of no consequence" you are talking about the drone weight?

And I guess I did not realize signal strength was so weak in these guys that a few trees would block it... but I'm learning.

 

[SkyeHigh]

"of no consequence" you are talking about the drone weight?

And I guess I did not realize signal strength was so weak in these guys that a few trees would block it... but I'm learning.

At the very high frequencies involved (between 2.4 and 5.8GHz), trees, or rather the leafs/needles, are very good at scattering radio waves thereby reducing the signal strength in both directions. Wooden structures are less of an issue and brick buildings to a greater extent - the frequency range is very similar to home WiFi and they can carry throughout a house without too much of an issue.