I know you have to be careful about calibrating around metal objects etc, my question is, is it ok to fly over marinas and boats (obviously at a safe height) as i have read stories about the compass getting interference near large metal structures etc leading to problems. If it is ok, what would you suggest is a good altitude bearing in mind i dont want to be to high away as the nearer you can get the better the video but i also dont want to be reckless and possibly lose my p3.
Flying over marina's?
- Thread starter ELHEAPO
- Start date
If you are flying over supertankers maybe a problem, but otherwise not. Bear in mind that people on boats also have a reasonable expectation of privacy, so zooming close to sunbathers (topless or not) should be avoided.
All the compass does is to tell the Phantom which way it's pointing relative to North. A large metal item near the Phantom is only a problem if you are flying waypoints. (RTH is a waypoint flight). And even then the Phantom will eventually get to where it's going although on a circuitous route (toilet bowling). If your compass calibration is bad, but not bad enough to prevent a flight, you may see some squirreliness in holding course, but no one has produced the technical theory behind the claim that a bad compass calibration can cause a flyaway.
I've experienced compass issues taking off from a floating harbour. But it is a large and old harbour most likely with metal structure and all kinds of materials used to fill it back in the 1800s.
Didn't have a problem with the boats themselves though so you should be fine. Just take off from solid ground and test for a minute or so before heading out over the water.
Didn't have a problem with the boats themselves though so you should be fine. Just take off from solid ground and test for a minute or so before heading out over the water.
Meta4
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Sailboat masts are aluminium and their rigging is stainless steel.
Neither will have any impact on your compass - only steel or iron will.
Plus at the distance you intend flying, even if they were steel, there would be no effect.
You can fly this close to 300 metres of steel with no problem.
Sailboat masts are aluminium and their rigging is stainless steel.
Neither will have any impact on your compass - only steel or iron will.
Plus at the distance you intend flying, even if they were steel, there would be no effect.
You can fly this close to 300 metres of steel with no problem.
Yep.. You can get even closer.. Watch in this video where this kid almost flys his P3 into a cruise ship. You see the view of it happening through an Inspire 1 who was flying with him circling the ship.
Check out the 3 minute mark.. Lower right side.. you'll see a white dot flying into the 3 yellow escape boats mounted to the side of the cruise ship. He didn't crash and burn amazingly enough. They continued to circle the ship zipping around.
It would. Was rather a scary few minutes bringing it back down and then 3 attempts at recalibration.
Off topic, but his nephews P3 had terrible jello and while an epic flight I didn't see many epic shots.
Well if your brave enough to fly it over bristol harbour than torquay marina shouldnt be a problem!!
Yeah apparently he forgot to hit the record button. It would have been amazing to see the camera point of view when he nearly flew into the ship. And yeah there was a bit of jello there.. Could be do in part to his angle of flight as well as strong buffeting winds. The P3 Gimbal can only handle so much.. It's flying conditions like this where the Inspire 1 trumps the P3.
ianwood
Taco Wrangler
Torquay marina will look great, you should also take a trip down to Dartmouth as that looks pretty special from the ground let alone the air. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing the results.
Yeah thats a good shout i hadnt thought of Dartmouth, i will send you link when i post a clip cheers bud.
I fly over my marina all the time. One of the largest on the US West Coast. I usually launch/land from the dock, or hand launch/land from the stern of my sailboat. After launch, I go up well above mast height (~120'), before flying around to avoid any possible interference. While still standing on the dock in the middle of the marina, I have had some video signal interference or video loss when approaching 2000' away. I think it is because of the hundreds of masts & boats, between myself and the Phantom. I don't panic, and eventually the video returns or I do a RTH. I don't have that issue when there is a clear line of sight to the Phantom. (Had a Phantom 1 previously that I flew once in the marina below mast height between the docks and it started to fly erratically - I'm a little scared to do that with the P3)
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ianwood
Taco Wrangler
We've already been through this:
http://www.phantompilots.com/threads/the-compass-misunderstood-or-easy-scapegoat.39304/
Either you don't accept or you don't understand it. Or both.
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