This common question brings up a really flawed aspect of the height limitations in the firmware. Is there really any logical reason to limit the height, considering the FAA guidelines reference AGL altitude?
I can take off from many areas where I live, fly up to the max 500m limit from home point, and be only several feet off the ground on account of the terrain. Likewise, one can take off from the top of a peak, fly directly horizontal until way beyond the FAA's 400ft or DJI's 500m AGL limits, while the craft is still only referencing the home point and indicates altitude at 0.
The firmware altitude limitations are a nice try to keep people from doing stupid things, but practically speaking are more or less useless. Unless you do all of your flying in Kansas, that is.
I can take off from many areas where I live, fly up to the max 500m limit from home point, and be only several feet off the ground on account of the terrain. Likewise, one can take off from the top of a peak, fly directly horizontal until way beyond the FAA's 400ft or DJI's 500m AGL limits, while the craft is still only referencing the home point and indicates altitude at 0.
The firmware altitude limitations are a nice try to keep people from doing stupid things, but practically speaking are more or less useless. Unless you do all of your flying in Kansas, that is.
