Was trying for 3 miles this evening

[Longhorn]

I was gonna push my P3A out to 3 miles this evening but was flying to slow I guess because of weak signal strength and losing video occasionally. Got the RTH signal at 55% battery remaining since I was 2.6 miles out. My ? Is could I have pushed on at full speed to the 3 mile mark instead of hovering several times on the way out to regain video and signal strength or was I correct to take my time getting out to the 2.7 range and having to RTH? I landed with 18% battery left. I was hesitant to push it full throttle once I was loosing signal and video at about the 2 mile mark. I wanted to push on to 3 miles but got a little nervous. Clear skies and calm winds headed out and back. What would you veterans have done?

 

[DRR]

I was gonna push my P3A out to 3 miles this evening but was flying to slow I guess because of weak signal strength and losing video occasionally. Got the RTH signal at 55% battery remaining since I was 2.6 miles out. My ? Is could I have pushed on at full speed to the 3 mile mark instead of hovering several times on the way out to regain video and signal strength or was I correct to take my time getting out to the 2.7 range and having to RTH? I landed with 18% battery left. I was hesitant to push it full throttle once I was loosing signal and video at about the 2 mile mark. I wanted to push on to 3 miles but got a little nervous. Clear skies and calm winds headed out and back. What would you veteran have done?

We follow the VLOS rule.

 

[Alan Russel]

I was in similar situation, wanted to see how far my P3P would fly I just pushed it full throttle got right out to 3.8 miles before l
lost signal altogether, the bird eventually came home thanks to the RTH fail safe..but it was touch and go with the battery only 11% left (phew)
l

 

[Alan Russel]

Went out today with P3P today got out to 17940m (3.4 miles) before turning around had to come back into slight headwind.

 

[Astrobiker]

Sorry but it's people like you who are ruining it for the rest of us. There are reasons you need to keep it visual and fly within the rules

actions such as yours keep the calls for banning of drones coming thanks!!

 

[FantomFlier]

Went out today with P3P today got out to 17940m (3.4 miles) before turning around had to come back into slight headwind.

I suspect you meant 17940 feet, not meters?

 

[ufo88]

Sorry but it's people like you who are ruining it for the rest of us. There are reasons you need to keep it visual and fly within the rules

actions such as yours keep the calls for banning of drones coming thanks!!

You're such a wimp !

 

[Mark The Droner]

If I was intent on a long distant run from the start, I would not have stopped and hovered on the way out. I would have already completely planned out my flight beforehand. I'd have known what direction the winds are blowing and at what speed and at what height. I'd have my critical landing percentage set appropriately. I'd plan in advance to turn around at X battery percentage. X could be 70 percent or 49 percent, depending on the wind. I'd have a last-chance back-up landing area in mind if things don't go according to plan towards the end of the flight and I don't think I'll make it home.

 

[HIGHFLIER]

Mine went out no problem at 30mph. But on the way back it would only go 20mph and when I pressed rth the gimble started doing some ****** up stuff. As you can see I put it down beside a road in tall grass at 20% cause I felt like it wouldn't make it

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[robinb]

Aerial set up is crucial when you go this far with stock antennas, the long flat side must point at the drone. I have done 4.5km and could have done more.

 

[Wibble]

Sorry but it's people like you who are ruining it for the rest of us. There are reasons you need to keep it visual and fly within the rules

actions such as yours keep the calls for banning of drones coming thanks!!

Most of these rules were made in the days of RC planes that didnt have cameras on board. They didnt have GPS either. The technology is running ahead of the law like it does with many things.
Are you going to say that to Amazon when they start drone deliveries?
Do you EVER break speed limits when you are driving? Be honest now!!!

 

[Longhorn]

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If I was intent on a long distant run from the start, I would not have stopped and hovered on the way out. I would have already completely planned out my flight beforehand. I'd have known what direction the winds are blowing and at what speed and at what height. I'd have my critical landing percentage set appropriately. I'd plan in advance to turn around at X battery percentage. X could be 70 percent or 49 percent, depending on the wind. I'd have a last-chance back-up landing area in mind if things don't go according to plan towards the end of the flight and I don't think I'll make it home.

All very good points. Thnx for sharing them with me. Don't have plans to try it again. I now know what it is capable of doing under ideal conditions. My video is included here. It lightens up at the 2 min mark. I was cruising at 212 ft and in about the most uninhabited area with in several miles of my house. No highways or populated area. The only house I flew over was owned by a friend of mine. Just a few horses and cows occasionally.

 

[Wyattroa]

Sorry but it's people like you who are ruining it for the rest of us. There are reasons you need to keep it visual and fly within the rules

actions such as yours keep the calls for banning of drones coming thanks!!

I wonder if you have ever gone over the speed limit?

I just pushed mine to 3.3 miles out last week over the ocean. Not sure if I would do it again. The bird turned around due to the battery and started RTH. About 1 minute into the RTH i figured out the bird was going to make it only cruising at 21MPH on the way home. The "H" on the telemetry for the battery was way past the green line. I flipped it into ATTI mode and flew home. I ended up landing with around 20% left. Pretty sure it would have been dead in the water if I just relied on the RTH feature.

 

[WilliamM]

We follow the VLOS rule.

That takes all the fun out of it. Well maybe not all, but to each their own.

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[WilliamM]

Sorry but it's people like you who are ruining it for the rest of us. There are reasons you need to keep it visual and fly within the rules

actions such as yours keep the calls for banning of drones coming thanks!!

Disagree, it's the ones flying near airports and real aircraft that's causing the most bad press, not a person flying out of vlos that's a issue.

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[WilliamM]

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All very good points. Thnx for sharing them with me. Don't have plans to try it again. I now know what it is capable of doing under ideal conditions. My video is included here. It lightens up at the 2 min mark. I was cruising at 212 ft and in about the most uninhabited area with in several miles of my house. No highways or populated area. The only house I flew over was owned by a friend of mine. Just a few horses and cows occasionally.

Sounds like you thought it out very well in advance. Those who criticize about going out past vlos think people are doing so over a city or something. But most do it in a rural setting.

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[brianjthomas80]

As long as your flying out of unpopulated areas that's your business if people want to fly out of line of sight!!!!!

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[Alan Russel]

Yep..I agree.

 

[Bckmstr]

Common sense goes a long ways


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[shockwave199]

If you're gonna pollute a distance thread with preaching there's other 80+ page threads about guys doing 10 miles. I don't fly distance for obvious reasons but at this point preaching about it is akin to preaching spell check. Obvious, but unnecessary now. People will rip apart the English language and fly too far. Not likely to ever change.