What is the maximum VLOS you've ever achieved yourself?

[Dangerly]

VLOS is such a big issue for drone pilots, and a lot of times when I'm reading a post about some distance from the pilot, my mind can't help but think, "Is that beyond VLOS?" So, this thread is about polling our community for your max VLOS based on answering these questions:

1. What's your max VLOS?
2. What was the weather and what were the lighting conditions / time of day?
3. What drone were you flying?
4. If you had lights or a custom skin or anything else that you think makes a difference, mention that.

I know I've gotten over 1,000 feet with an Air 2 on a clear day, but now I'm going to actually do a test and see what my limit is and answer my own poll here when I get a chance.

 

[mavic3usa]

2 miles with a Mavic 2 Zoom equipped with Firehouse Technology strobes at 4am (completely dark, no one else around). Clear night, no clouds, I could see the red and the green barely, but easily the white.

eta: Height about 300 feet and I ran out of horizon so I turned around. Also wanted to add this was a one-time test since I don't often fly at night and certainly don't fly out mile(s) from my take-off point.

 

[michaeldallen1]

3.2 miles at night, clear, 3 Firehouse strobes. One on top, one on bottom and one on the rear. The test was to see if Pilot Institute's review was correct in stating you could see it at 3 miles. You can. Had an observer with me and we could both see the strobes at 3.2 miles. Mavic 3 Classic. We were viewing the drone from the rear.

 

[pilotinstitute]

Keep in mind that VLOS is more than just "seeing" a dot or a light on the horizon. You need to be able to tell the attitude, altitude, direction of flight of the aircraft, be able to know its location (including in relationship to other traffic). You also need to be able to verify that you're not flying over people/moving vehicles.
1000-1500 feet during the day is likely to be the max based on the human eye capability for an average size Mavic-type drone.
Also, adding lights to the aircraft for the sole purpose of seeing it from a distance goes against "with vision that is unaided by any device".
Check out 14 CFR § 107.31 - Visual line of sight aircraft operation. for more detail.

 

[Vic Moss]

The FAA allows strobe use to help regain VLOS when you look away from the drone to the controller. However, they do not allow strobes to be used to extend VLOS.

Just something to think about when posting stuff like this.

 

[Skydreamer]

400-500 yard/meters,no strobe light, cloudy skies (mini3pro)…on a sunny day 300-400 yards/meters,"with vision that is unaided by any device".

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I have tested this many times and you have to abide by some Personal rules of Interpetation.

My one Rule as what I believe to be the most important of them all is that although you might Be able to keep your eye on the drone while flying , if you take your look away from the drone an can no longer find it than you past VLOS.

With that Said 2000 Ft with the Wet Suit and 3000 Ft with the Rescue Jacket .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water

 

[old man mavic]

with my MPP with a white strobe on each front arm ,and a single white strobe at the rear of the body, in overcast conditions, i can tell its orientation reliably at a max of 1,200 ft
the Mini 3 pro on the other hand, is a different story and at around 400ft it is beginning ,to blend in with the sky, of course my 76 year old eyes ,contribute a lot to the distances that i mention
and believe it or not, extremely bright summer sunshine,can make seeing the drone harder, depending on its direction in relation to the sun,and the time of day

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

be able to know its location ..........

That is a troubling requirement. Taken literally, in a strange place and without pointing the camera down to check and even at small distances well within VLOS, how many people could 'hand on heart' say that "at 100yds or less from the home point the drone is over 'xyz' " ?

I'd say it's a fair bet that most folks would, in a strange place, be limited to less than 200 - 300ft or much less by that condition.

 

[shb]

Mine is about 1,500 feet.

 

[Solsearcher]

I may be nit-picking here, but I'm pretty sure I could argue that only seeing the lights on a drone does not constitute actually "seeing" the drone itself. Thoughts? Just playing devil's advocate here. Open the floodgates!

 

[mavic3usa]

I may be nit-picking here, but I'm pretty sure I could argue that only seeing the lights on a drone does not constitute actually "seeing" the drone itself. Thoughts? Just playing devil's advocate here. Open the floodgates!

According to the FAA, seeing the lights on the drone does not qualify for VLOS. In all other scenarios in the real world, if you see those lights blinking, that's where the drone is pretty much located.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Honestly 300 ft or less altitude on a clear day can see direction and not just a dot at 1200 ft. Further out at lower altitudes. I believe most people stretch what VLOS is. It is not just seeing a spec in the sky. If you yaw at 1200 ft do you really know the direction and oreintation further than that?

 

[Suzygs1000]

Honestly 300 ft or less altitude on a clear day can see direction and not just a dot at 1200 ft. Further out at lower altitudes. I believe most people stretch what VLOS is. It is not just seeing a spec in the sky. If you yaw at 1200 ft do you really know the direction and oreintation further than that?

I agree totally ... 100 yards is stretching it a bit to see which way it is facing ... it is basically just a small dot at that range ..

 

[MARK (LI)]

Mini 2 doesn't get very far before it is just a dot....very hard to see over 200' high and 500 feet away

 

[umanbean]

and without pointing the camera down to check and even at small distances well within VLOS, how many people could 'hand on heart' say that "at 100yds or less from the home point the drone is over 'xyz' " ?

Looking at the map display or, as you say, pointing the camera down.

Either is easy enough for me. I keep C1 programmed for camera forward/down and C2 programmed to switch between fpv and map view.

 

[James in the Desert]

VLOS is such a big issue for drone pilots, and a lot of times when I'm reading a post about some distance from the pilot, my mind can't help but think, "Is that beyond VLOS?" So, this thread is about polling our community for your max VLOS based on answering these questions:

1. What's your max VLOS?
2. What was the weather and what were the lighting conditions / time of day?
3. What drone were you flying?
4. If you had lights or a custom skin or anything else that you think makes a difference, mention that.

I know I've gotten over 1,000 feet with an Air 2 on a clear day, but now I'm going to actually do a test and see what my limit is and answer my own poll here when I get a chance.

well, this is something that I’ve never heard before. Are you able to use binoculars?

 

[Dbez1]

No. See post #4 above.

 

[tleetan]

VLOS is such a big issue for drone pilots, and a lot of times when I'm reading a post about some distance from the pilot, my mind can't help but think, "Is that beyond VLOS?" So, this thread is about polling our community for your max VLOS based on answering these questions:

1. What's your max VLOS?
2. What was the weather and what were the lighting conditions / time of day?
3. What drone were you flying?
4. If you had lights or a custom skin or anything else that you think makes a difference, mention that.

I know I've gotten over 1,000 feet with an Air 2 on a clear day, but now I'm going to actually do a test and see what my limit is and answer my own poll here when I get a chance.

I've gone 6.15 km with a light on top of the drone. I flew at night and was able to see the light flashing on and off all of the flight. One reason I love to fly at night. I've flown my mini 2 and Air 2 this distance and only come back because of my battery power. I fly in an area where I can see for miles when I fly at night for distance flights. In the daytime I can go the same distance with a light flashing it is just harder to spot sometimes.

VLOS is such a big issue for drone pilots, and a lot of times when I'm reading a post about some distance from the pilot, my mind can't help but think, "Is that beyond VLOS?" So, this thread is about polling our community for your max VLOS based on answering these questions:

1. What's your max VLOS?
2. What was the weather and what were the lighting conditions / time of day?
3. What drone were you flying?
4. If you had lights or a custom skin or anything else that you think makes a difference, mention that.

I know I've gotten over 1,000 feet with an Air 2 on a clear day, but now I'm going to actually do a test and see what my limit is and answer my own poll here when I get a chance.

 

[Octavio]

VLOS is such a big issue for drone pilots, and a lot of times when I'm reading a post about some distance from the pilot, my mind can't help but think, "Is that beyond VLOS?" So, this thread is about polling our community for your max VLOS based on answering these questions:

1. What's your max VLOS?
2. What was the weather and what were the lighting conditions / time of day?
3. What drone were you flying?
4. If you had lights or a custom skin or anything else that you think makes a difference, mention that.

I know I've gotten over 1,000 feet with an Air 2 on a clear day, but now I'm going to actually do a test and see what my limit is and answer my own poll here when I get a chance.

Good question! I have done VLOS at 450m +- 1500 ft. 45 minutes before sundown on an Air 2S. I tried DJI standard and this Strobe Lights on the front and rear Motor arms and I could clearly see it but we need to keep reference points if we look elsewhere so that it's easily detected again.

I have a question! If we need to test for Drone transmission issues, do we need to fly? Wouldn't it be better to have the Drone at an advertised transmission distance and try to take off and land in a safe environment kilometres away? My understanding is that it would do the Job safely and save time.