Electrical towers...

[David_Cambridge]

In addition to potential RF interference issues, consider the fact that all those big structures are grounded. WIFI, and probably Ocusync as well, are completely blocked from passing through a grounded structure. Depending on the wavelength of the drone signals and the geometry of the structure if your controller and drone are on opposite sides of the structure, you will lose most or all of the signal in both directions - no control and no video. This will be true for both DC and AC. Even with no flow at all a grounded structure will always act as a barrier.

 

[PhantomHero]

I’m not getting involved in the tech aspects of AC vs DC or what frequencies or magnetic interference they may or may not give off. Just going to give you a first hand account on my own experience. I too have these lines close by and while I have flown over them and as always get the “strong interference” light. When I re positioned myself with 20 or so feet my compass would NOT set. Gave me all the confirmation I needed. I brought it back to my driveway couple hundred yards away and perfect. My bird did not like being there whatsoever.
I fly by this simple rule. If my P3 doesn’t like it neither do I.

 

[Zerone]

Ken Heron did not appear to suffer from any of the anticipated results expressed by some in this thread and you can't get much closer to the cables than he did. That being said, I don't think it's a good idea to do it without authorisation and lots of relevant experience.

 

[v8juice]

Strictly speaking,, the issue might not be signal loss, i/e/ you lose it, and left with nothing, but more likely a signal so messed up and, well, interfered with, that the electronics you rely on to control your drone, can not cope with such a degraded load of hash and mush. Think along the lines of an EMP weapon, but very much less of a brute- but still capable of causing mayhem with your drone. Some folk get away with it, some don't. I for one would not risk it. I keep away from OHPL's and cell towers, just in case. Maybe uncessarily so? I'm OK with that.

Apparently I don't have that issue as I have never once lost control or even had the signal drop and I have been flying around them for over 2 1/2 years with multiple drones and hundreds of flights.To each his own.

 

[JamesT1950]

The power towers, as they call them here, carry high voltage from the generating source to the distribution centers. The power plant I retired from sent out 345kv through these lines.

 

[GVDD scout]

Should these kind of towers pose any threat? I had a phantom randomly lose contact with me the other day and initiated RTH when I was probably about 200 feet from one.

1.How long has it been since you calibrated your compass?
2. I find that at times I need to fly a survey near high tension power, or crane operations. If I'm not going to be 100' above then, I usually approach this type of obstacle at aprox. top altitute and get close enough to confirm true elevation from my RC*. One of the most fun things I've done was ask a crane operator if he would extend his boom to the max for the lifts he was planning so I could fly just over, 20' his top. he was very cool about it, let me get my drone up and near, and found that he was not as tall in reality as I thought. so I reprogrammed my grid for the new lower altitude with his permission, and all was good.
3. I have found that obstacle avoidance will miss trees, telephone poles with transformers or other large structures, but will not miss wires.
So, calibrate, and don't get closer with your drone than you would with your body.
*Part 107-400ft clearance is assumed if you are flying under your Cert.

 

[N017RW]

Calibrating compass makes no difference on external influences or distortions such as current induced fields in conductors.
It can only compensate for distortions on-board the aircraft. Don’t believe compass calibration has any benefit in these situations. Only if you add, remove, or relocate metallic items ON the aircraft.