which drone to buy

[imcool]

Hello Pilots,
I saw my friend mini2 unlocked and it was impressive, now I want one as well.
Which one should I buy, I was thinking about DJI Mini3 PRo but I have no clue if it will get unlocked for altitude and restricted areas and where to get it unlocked from, Furthermore, where to buy drone from?
thankyou

 

[akdrone]

I -think- that if it has the latest firmware you will not be able to unlock it. The guys that do that unlocking might figure out a work around but who knows. I looked into it because there is a hill that I want to get over while still remaining under 400ft AGL but I can’t make it. Unlocking a drone adds all sorts of limitations and when they fix this or that problem or add this or that function you can’t upgrade your firmware. Not for me. Best of luck.

 

[imcool]

I -think- that if it has the latest firmware you will not be able to unlock it. The guys that do that unlocking might figure out a work around but who knows. I looked into it because there is a hill that I want to get over while still remaining under 400ft AGL but I can’t make it. Unlocking a drone adds all sorts of limitations and when they fix this or that problem or add this or that function you can’t upgrade your firmware. Not for me. Best of luck.

thanks for replying, which drone can be unlocked as of today, anything other than DJI which can be unlocked?

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

thanks for replying, which drone can be unlocked as of today, anything other than DJI which can be unlocked?

The Mavic Pro Platinum can be fully unlocked.

 

[akdrone]

thanks for replying, which drone can be unlocked as of today, anything other than DJI which can be unlocked?

I don;t know. Not even sure of the web page to go to but you’d want to find that web page and get all the information from them

 

[LoudThunder]

I looked into it because there is a hill that I want to get over while still remaining under 400ft AGL but I can’t make it.

Are you saying that if you take off and fly straight up, your drone would stop rising at the 400' mark even if you set your maximum altitude to 16,000" or 4,000 meters? (DJI's International Model limits -- excludes Japanese models...)

It is entirely legal to fly your drone over 400'... If and that's a BIG IF, it is an emergency... For example you are flying your drone completely within the legal limits of "G" Airspace and all of a sudden you see several crop dusters flying into your area at low altitude and they are low, how low, you do not know, but they are low and the only way to positively avoid them is to quickly rise up and you do and when all the excitement is over, you realize that you are over 600' AGL. Your actions are completely legal and if the FAA were to ask about this because you were reported, they would say, Thank you for not allowing your drone to cause an accident...

Now, if you have set your maximum altitude at 400' so you do not accidently fly too high, then as you fly towards that hill you wrote about your drone may only be 100' AGL as you rise up the hill, but your drone will think that you are getting too high because your drone uses its take off point (Home Point) as ground zero.

Just as if you take off from the top of that hill and fly down, your altitude would read in the negative zone... No, you would not be competing with Captain Nemo and the Nautilus to go below sea level... ()...

So, if the limitation is caused by your own setting in the App, then you need to raise that altitude setting to clear that hill... And of course, if you clear that hill and fly over, you are probably violating the rule of maintaining visual line of sight on your drone...

 

[MS Coast]

Are you saying that if you take off and fly straight up, your drone would stop rising at the 400' mark even if you set your maximum altitude to 16,000" or 4,000 meters? (DJI's International Model limits -- excludes Japanese models...)

It is entirely legal to fly your drone over 400'... If and that's a BIG IF, it is an emergency... For example you are flying your drone completely within the legal limits of "G" Airspace and all of a sudden you see several crop dusters flying into your area at low altitude and they are low, how low, you do not know, but they are low and the only way to positively avoid them is to quickly rise up and you do and when all the excitement is over, you realize that you are over 600' AGL. Your actions are completely legal and if the FAA were to ask about this because you were reported, they would say, Thank you for not allowing your drone to cause an accident...

Now, if you have set your maximum altitude at 400' so you do not accidently fly too high, then as you fly towards that hill you wrote about your drone may only be 100' AGL as you rise up the hill, but your drone will think that you are getting too high because your drone uses its take off point (Home Point) as ground zero.

Just as if you take off from the top of that hill and fly down, your altitude would read in the negative zone... No, you would not be competing with Captain Nemo and the Nautilus to go below sea level... ()...

So, if the limitation is caused by your own setting in the App, then you need to raise that altitude setting to clear that hill... And of course, if you clear that hill and fly over, you are probably violating the rule of maintaining visual line of sight on your drone...

There's a 500 meter (1640 feet) maximum altitude gain limit built into the DJI software and firmware. If there's terrain higher in your flight path 1241 feet higher than the takeoff point you could legally fly over it at 400 AGL but the 1640 foot limit would prevent it.

(Of course, none of the sensors and controllers are accurate to within one foot. This is a hypothetical case. But the issue for folks flying in steep terrain is real.)

 

[akdrone]

Are you saying that if you take off and fly straight up, your drone would stop rising at the 400' mark even if you set your maximum altitude to 16,000" or 4,000 meters? (DJI's International Model limits -- excludes Japanese models...)

It is entirely legal to fly your drone over 400'... If and that's a BIG IF, it is an emergency... For example you are flying your drone completely within the legal limits of "G" Airspace and all of a sudden you see several crop dusters flying into your area at low altitude and they are low, how low, you do not know, but they are low and the only way to positively avoid them is to quickly rise up and you do and when all the excitement is over, you realize that you are over 600' AGL. Your actions are completely legal and if the FAA were to ask about this because you were reported, they would say, Thank you for not allowing your drone to cause an accident...

Now, if you have set your maximum altitude at 400' so you do not accidently fly too high, then as you fly towards that hill you wrote about your drone may only be 100' AGL as you rise up the hill, but your drone will think that you are getting too high because your drone uses its take off point (Home Point) as ground zero.

Just as if you take off from the top of that hill and fly down, your altitude would read in the negative zone... No, you would not be competing with Captain Nemo and the Nautilus to go below sea level... ()...

So, if the limitation is caused by your own setting in the App, then you need to raise that altitude setting to clear that hill... And of course, if you clear that hill and fly over, you are probably violating the rule of maintaining visual line of sight on your drone...

No….I’m not saying going up would stop at 400ft. over my starting point. The Mav3 (as most) has a limit of 500 meters which is..what…1650 feet or so, period. The hill is maybe 1750feet above my take off point. It is legal to fly up and to the top of the hill as the FAA would allow you to fly up along the hillside if you don’t go over 400AGL but regardless of that the DJI app prevents you from going over 500 meters even if it’s legal to do so. I can maintain Vlos but can’t get to the top. Very frustrating.

 

[LoudThunder]

The Mav3 (as most) has a limit of 500 meters which is..what…1650 feet or so, period.

I just re-read what you wrote and I now see that you understand the 400' AGL rule… but I spent a lot of time drafting this up so I'm still posting the 400' stuff for others who do not understand…

But I am confused, I have read various accounts by other members recounting the altitude issues as you have mentioned that your maximum altitude is 500 meters but I always just figured that was self-imposed by them making that setting in the App.

But now that you mention it, I went to the Mavic 3 Pro User Manual and it is pasted below and it indicates that you can fly way higher… So I do not understand… DJI says it's a lot more…

By the way, my Mini 2 also has specs like this but I have never tried to fly that high…



Be that as it may, here is a visual graph to indicate what you can do relative to flying over that hill… If you are standing at position "A" and that hill is "B" that is 1,241' high and you fly your drone over the hill to position "C", your drone would still be only 400' above ground level (AGL)…



If the FAA did not take land contours into consideration when they wrote the rules, then the folks who live in Denver, Colorado, could only fly their drones if someone dug a really deep hole 5,600' down…

You live in Alaska and if you took a "short" hike up Mount McKinley and it's what 20,000 some odd feet high… And you've packed your drone with you and you want to fly your drone up there ***

And with all the might that your little bird can muster, it manages to lift off and hover at face level so you can take a "selfie"… Even at this stratospheric altitude where the air is rarified, you are only about 5' AGL…

*** I know your drone cannot fly in such rarified air, heck, there's hardly enough air up there to breathe… I'm just using Mt. K. as an example of terrain…

 

[MS Coast]

I just re-read what you wrote and I now see that you understand the 400' AGL rule… but I spent a lot of time drafting this up so I'm still posting the 400' stuff for others who do not understand…

But I am confused, I have read various accounts by other members recounting the altitude issues as you have mentioned that your maximum altitude is 500 meters but I always just figured that was self-imposed by them making that setting in the App.

But now that you mention it, I went to the Mavic 3 Pro User Manual and it is pasted below and it indicates that you can fly way higher… So I do not understand… DJI says it's a lot more…

By the way, my Mini 2 also has specs like this but I have never tried to fly that high…

View attachment 153356

Be that as it may, here is a visual graph to indicate what you can do relative to flying over that hill… If you are standing at position "A" and that hill is "B" that is 1,241' high and you fly your drone over the hill to position "C", your drone would still be only 400' above ground level (AGL)…

View attachment 153357

If the FAA did not take land contours into consideration when they wrote the rules, then the folks who live in Denver, Colorado, could only fly their drones if someone dug a really deep hole 5,600' down…

You live in Alaska and if you took a "short" hike up Mount McKinley and it's what 20,000 some odd feet high… And you've packed your drone with you and you want to fly your drone up there ***

And with all the might that your little bird can muster, it manages to lift off and hover at face level so you can take a "selfie"… Even at this stratospheric altitude where the air is rarified, you are only about 5' AGL…

*** I know your drone cannot fly in such rarified air, heck, there's hardly enough air up there to breathe… I'm just using Mt. K. as an example of terrain…

The max service ceiling figures you quote are the altitude above sea level at which the drone is capable of operating. It describes the drone's ability to operate in lower density air. The 500 meter limit is altitude relative to takeoff altitude.

Article 94A applies to the United Kingdom. It's not relevant in the United States. That interpretation of the 400' rule is not correct. In the U.S., the 400' limit is the altitude above the ground directly below the drone.

 

[howardK]

I have two of the M1P's and they are both unlocked. The unlocking software came from No Limit Drones. Though it is unlocked I still fly safely. Feel free to private message me for other details.

 

[FLDave]

I just re-read what you wrote and I now see that you understand the 400' AGL rule… but I spent a lot of time drafting this up so I'm still posting the 400' stuff for others who do not understand…

But I am confused, I have read various accounts by other members recounting the altitude issues as you have mentioned that your maximum altitude is 500 meters but I always just figured that was self-imposed by them making that setting in the App.

But now that you mention it, I went to the Mavic 3 Pro User Manual and it is pasted below and it indicates that you can fly way higher… So I do not understand… DJI says it's a lot more…

By the way, my Mini 2 also has specs like this but I have never tried to fly that high…

View attachment 153356

Be that as it may, here is a visual graph to indicate what you can do relative to flying over that hill… If you are standing at position "A" and that hill is "B" that is 1,241' high and you fly your drone over the hill to position "C", your drone would still be only 400' above ground level (AGL)…

View attachment 153357

If the FAA did not take land contours into consideration when they wrote the rules, then the folks who live in Denver, Colorado, could only fly their drones if someone dug a really deep hole 5,600' down…

You live in Alaska and if you took a "short" hike up Mount McKinley and it's what 20,000 some odd feet high… And you've packed your drone with you and you want to fly your drone up there ***

And with all the might that your little bird can muster, it manages to lift off and hover at face level so you can take a "selfie"… Even at this stratospheric altitude where the air is rarified, you are only about 5' AGL…

*** I know your drone cannot fly in such rarified air, heck, there's hardly enough air up there to breathe… I'm just using Mt. K. as an example of terrain…

What is the FAA reference stating that the 400' is an angular distance away from ground and not a vertical distance above ground?

 

[MS Coast]

What is the FAA reference stating that the 400' is an angular distance away from ground and not a vertical distance above ground?

There's not one.

 

[Volatus Drones]

Hello Pilots,
I saw my friend mini2 unlocked and it was impressive, now I want one as well.
Which one should I buy, I was thinking about DJI Mini3 PRo but I have no clue if it will get unlocked for altitude and restricted areas and where to get it unlocked from, Furthermore, where to buy drone from?
thankyou

We sell both the Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro with all the accessories and cases you could ever need. We would love your business!

 

[Dbez1]

Even if you wanted to fly up the side of a really high mountain (which drones can do), you’ll get beyond VLOS and become illegal in the USA (unsure about Canada). So while it’s legal and possible in one way, it becomes illegal in another.

 

[imcool]

I have two of the M1P's and they are both unlocked. The unlocking software came from No Limit Drones. Though it is unlocked I still fly safely. Feel free to private message me for other details.

hello Howard, I just messaged you,

 

[Dbez1]

Hello Pilots,
I saw my friend mini2 unlocked and it was impressive, now I want one as well.
Which one should I buy, I was thinking about DJI Mini3 PRo but I have no clue if it will get unlocked for altitude and restricted areas and where to get it unlocked from, Furthermore, where to buy drone from?
thankyou

It’s my opinion that the Mini2 is a very tried and true little drone and most of the bugs are worked out. Great deals can be had on refurbished and used ones. IF this is your first drone, you might want to consider going that route to gain some skill instead of putting out the big bucks for a 3 Pro. Just a thought.

 

[Frank Dracman]

It’s my opinion that the Mini2 is a very tried and true little drone and most of the bugs are worked out. Great deals can be had on refurbished and used ones. IF this is your first drone, you might want to consider going that route to gain some skill instead of putting out the big bucks for a 3 Pro. Just a thought.

I would agree with this if dji wasn't constantly "upgrading" the software and firmware it seems every time they do they screw something up and then take months (if ever) to correct it. They have great hardware and the worse software.

 

[MS Coast]

I would agree with this if dji wasn't constantly "upgrading" the software and firmware it seems every time they do they screw something up and then take months (if ever) to correct it. They have great hardware and the worse software.

That hasn't been my experience. (Another perspective, not an argument.)

 

[MaximusCZ]

What is the FAA reference stating that the 400' is an angular distance away from ground and not a vertical distance above ground?

your drone must be no further than 400' to the closest point of ground. If you got 1km high hill with 90° side, you can stay 400' away from the hill laterally, and climb 1km high above ground.
That is, if the drone wasnt hardlocked to 500m above take-off point.