Do you fly out of sight?

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I am new to flying but I am not sure if I would ever want to fly beyond my ability to see the drone. Not only the distance factor, but aslo behind trees, houses, whatever, where I am only using video to fly.

I was wondering if more experienced flyers have no issue with that?
 
Many people do it. The FAA urges against it. If there are any people anywhere near the flight path, do you think that's safe?
If you have a video link failure you could lose your Phantom. I think the general consensus is to fly it within your line of sight.
ANY time you let any object get between you and the Phantom you risk signal loss. I suggest you stay in line of sight until you are VERY good at controlling it and understand every feature and function and how it works.

Good luck
 
I have many times, It is now against FAA. reg to do so. So most on here wont admit to doing this.
We have a lot of pilots here that only fly in there back yard, and are always there to point out if you are being DANGERAS.
When you get more confidence you may try it.
 
To add to this complication, even if you are in line of sight, unless you are neurotic about looking up at the Phantom and back to your display every 2 to 3 seconds, you've often lost visual of the white dot in the sky especially on overcast days so it's an art form to say the least. I would recommend that you always keep a reference point of your orientation with the map in the lower left corner of the screen to allow a visual space orientation reference point.
 
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Alot of people do wether they deny it.
My advice if you do is dont put yourself in a position where someone will report you righr away. Go to an open field, not over houses or freway etc.
Second and most important of your new flying, learn to fly first. Just because you can do some funnels means you can control it.
Do some execises, face the drone in the air and practice movings it back and forth till you master it. Do some 8 shapes, then do em back wards. Never feel like your tired of practicing and just go flyijng off
 
That's what I thought too, but when I read other posts elsewhere in the forum people seem to be concerned about the distance a quad can fly. It seems that 1.2 miles is not enough, but it would be very difficult to see a quad that far away. Then adding extenders just seems way too far.
 
That's what I thought too, but when I read other posts elsewhere in the forum people seem to be concerned about the distance a quad can fly. It seems that 1.2 miles is not enough, but it would be very difficult to see a quad that far away. Then adding extenders just seems way too far.
Anybody using antenna or radio mods is flying out of visual range. I must admit to doing it - mostly because I'd have about a 300 foot range otherwise (annoying trees). However, I don't fly around civilization and keep my altitude down. One of these days the bird will clip a tree (which I can't really judge it's height even under visual anyway) and I'll be picking up the pieces (If I'm lucky).

But don't do it until you are very familiar with the craft, don't do it over people, roads or anything else that will be upset when you lose the craft.
 
That's what I thought too, but when I read other posts elsewhere in the forum people seem to be concerned about the distance a quad can fly. It seems that 1.2 miles is not enough, but it would be very difficult to see a quad that far away. Then adding extenders just seems way too far.
Thats just prefrence. I personally love my p3s but i also have a difrent drone that allows me to goe as far as 3 miles and half a mile in height with out all the faa warnings
 
If you live and fly way out in the middle of no where like Montana or other really wide open places, shouldn't be a problem for anyone. But going over 400 ft vertically above ground is still not good because sometimes General Aviation aircraft can fly down to 500ft just about anywhere un populated.
 
No.
I only fly in the outhouse to please the self appointed righteous police on this forum.
 
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I'm lucky in that I have nothing but corn and bean fields north of me. :)

But I'm unlucky in that FAA Headquarters is 19 miles south of me. :(
 
Yep. Hard not to. There's no reason to stare at the p3 if you trust the controller.
 
Well, thankfully the FAA site only calls the recommendations :)

I like to know where my expensive toy is, so there have only been a couple times where LOS was an issue. In both cases, it was flying over woods, and then trying to hover down into an open area. Today, I did that in my woods behind the house, and I could still hear it. Even though according to the camera there was nothing close, it still sounded like contact with the blades. No shaking on the video, no damage to the blades...probably just a squirrel getting spooked, but I hit up on the altitude REAL fast.

So I try to keep it where I can see it, even if it is a theoretical buzzing dot.
 
I do in the desert and over the ocean but never when I'm anywhere people have a good chance of gathering.
 
I fly it out of sight but only when it is safe to do so


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Well I can even admit that even when I dont intend to Its rare to ever have a flight were Its always in site 100% of the time unless the dang thing is with in 100 to 200 feet and were i can see it. and if I look away or even blink I usually always lose track of it at least for a little while.


Tho the funny thing is and even tho its not agaist the law or any thing even if it was I always wonder how any one else could prove what I or any one else can or can not see at any distance.


plus lol even when I cant see it i can see it on the app and I guess if going by that I always los and its always right in my site. if by it i mean the little red drone that moves on the map.
 

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