HOW TO: Monitor battery voltage to watch for signs of failure

[williamjamesfpv]

You can not set it to react below 10%, as it may crash first, before landing.
I set mine for 30% - 20% giving it ample flight time to fly back home.
The critical warning isn't just a teaser, it's a real-time parameter.
They granted us this alarm system to help us save it from being lost or busted up. You can only cancel Auto Land if you have enough battery left. Otherwise she's going down, and you better hope that it's above open ground when it starts to descend. ;-)

No! the 10% battery is the low limit, to help it land safely, so do it before critical stage is achieved. Or suffer the consequences.
Do you want to extend your flight times to a lot more air travel? Simply do what I and many others did, go buy more intelligent flight batteries. Then you can fly your heart out. So to speak. ;-)

RedHotPoker

@RedHotPoker - Thanks for clarifying. You may have just saved my batteries from being overworked. I really thought dropping them down to ~10% would be fine (as proposed by an earlier post). I'll be more careful now that I know what is good practice with the batteries. May I ask what battery % you recommend landing at? I want to make sure my batteries are well taken care of and not abused.

 

[williamjamesfpv]

I don't believe the critical battery warning setting can be set below 10% in the new DJI GO app on the P3. It's going to autoland when it reaches 10%. You can't "cancel" autoland, but you can counteract it with full left throttle up. That can stop the descent, as long as you hold it up fully, while you maneuver it with the right stick horizontally to a more "convenient"/water and tree free landing location! The low battery warning is the adjustible one with a 30% default. I changed mine to 25%, because that's when I want to be reminded about landing. The problem with the premature 30% low battery warning is that your green rear lights turn red, just like the front lights, unless you have the red lights turned off, as I do, for video at dusk. With both the same color, it's harder to tell aircraft orientation easily during landing, so if I land myself between 25 and 30%, I get to use the green rear lights during landing, as long as the low battery warning is at 25% instead of 30%. There is also a Smart Go Home feature that initiates a RTH at any battery level, where the algorithm determines you won't have enough battery power to reach your current Home Point, if it doesn't turn around immediately. This takes both your horizontal distance from, and your altitude above, the HP into consideration. I have mine turned OFF! I'll be the judge of when to fly home, thank you! If possible, I lower the elevation closer to my home point altitude, so that the only factor is horizontal flying speed, in ATTI, if necessary!

@GadgetGuy - Thank you very much for the informative post. Do you land at 25% solely because of the landing lights? What would you have landed at if the colors remained green/red?

 

[RedHotPoker]

I have four batteries, which are numbered & I still land at or near 50% for a couple of them, as they Continue being softly broken in. While the other two I set the parameter for my warning at 30%~20% critical. Giving me ample time to react and not in a panic situation.
This is supposed to be a fun hobby. Correct? So let's try to remain happy, while we land too. ;-)

Happy landing, means we get to fly another day. Yay.

RedHotPoker

 

[williamjamesfpv]

I have four batteries, which are numbered & I still land at or near 50% for a couple of them, as they Continue being softly broken in. While the other two I set the parameter for my warning at 30%~20% critical. Giving me ample time to react and not in a panic situation.
This is supposed to be a fun hobby. Correct? So let's try to remain happy, while we land too. ;-)

Happy landing, means we get to fly another day. Yay.

RedHotPoker

@RedHotPoker - Well said! Thanks again and happy flying... and landings

 

[GadgetGuy]

I hope my learning curve never stops. It's been too exciting. ;-)

RedHotPoker

We could each write our own book:
"Life of a Drone Pilot---Living on the Edge!"

 

[RedHotPoker]

That's the spirit. Hehe
Just be a positive role model for others when you get the opportunity.

Please remember, we are all learning as we go. None of us are any better or different than the rest. It's a privilege and an honour to give guidance to others who want to achieve the very most out of this hobby.
I appreciate all the knowledge passed down through the various forums and from other pilots who have gone up, long before us.

RedHotPoker

 

[GadgetGuy]

Yes, you can watch all the moving points on the flight maps, as you run after the Phantom. Hahaha
It's a great workout and fitness program. ;-)
Perhaps a long kite string attached, would be advised too.

RedHotPoker

I was thinking more like a hot air balloon chase crew, following along in a van behind a hot air balloon, that can only fly downwind in ATTI mode, with only a left throttle stick to control elevation! However, in this case a convertible would be recommended, so the pilot can control the drone from the back seat, with no metal top obstructing a clean LOS! Ultimately leading to handcatching from the backseat, and a quick escape! At 35 mph in ATTI mode, and a 15 minute safe flight time, you could easily cover 8.5 miles on one battery from point A to point B! No mods necessary!

 

[GadgetGuy]

That's the spirit. Hehe
Just be a positive role model for others when you get the opportunity.

Please remember, we are all learning as we go. None of us are any better or different than the rest. It's a privilege and an honour to give guidance to others who want to achieve the very most out of this hobby.
I appreciate all the knowledge passed down through the various forums and from other pilots who have gone up, long before us.

RedHotPoker

Their wisdom has saved my bacon many a time!

 

[GadgetGuy]

@GadgetGuy - Thank you very much for the informative post. Do you land at 25% solely because of the landing lights? What would you have landed at if the colors remained green/red?

I like to have some gas in the tank on my way to the gas station, in case they are out of gas when I get there, or I encounter an unexpected detour on the way there. I treat it like my car. Get gas at 1/4 tank instead of waiting until it's on empty. Just like a gas gauge that is less accurate during the last gallon, because the float ball gets stuck, the remaining battery is nonlinear at lower numbers. I've unintentionally flown down to 10% and even 8%, but my goal is to be ready to land before it reaches 25%, which gives me time to safely maneuver, even in high winds in ATTI mode, before the critical battery at 10% kicks in and it auto lands. I never want that to happen over water!

 

[GadgetGuy]

I hope my learning curve never stops. It's been too exciting. ;-)

RedHotPoker

Experience and the school of hard knocks are great teachers!

 

[RedHotPoker]

On Friday, l went for a nice SpYder rYde to Lac St Anne. It's a small lake outside our fair city. It was the first time I knowingly, having actually planned on it, flew out over the deep water. I had tried & kept it to a rather meek, close vicinity to the near banks, but still eventually managed to venture out a reasonably long way. It was exhilarating and a little unnerving too. To say the least, I am happy to have filmed the whole episode from take off, right up to its soft grassy landing. ;-)
I also have some video of me flying over the city centre water feature. Our ever flowing N. Saskatchewan River. ;-) Now that, was fun.
But very Unintentional.

RedHotPoker

 

[Justin Namon]

Is this rubbing or burning?

 

[denodan]

How I discharge mine is hover it close to me. You get under 10% and wants to land. Increase throttle will keep it on the air. Get to 8% let it land.

 

[N017RW]

View attachment 33325
Is this rubbing or burning?

Chaffing from rubbing or vibrating.

 

[GadgetGuy]

On Friday, l went for a nice SpYder rYde to Lac St Anne. It's a small lake outside our fair city. It was the first time I knowingly, having actually planned on it, flew out over the deep water. I had tried & kept it to a rather meek, close vicinity to the near banks, but still eventually managed to venture out a reasonably long way. It was exhilarating and a little unnerving too. To say the least, I am happy to have filmed the whole episode from take off, right up to its soft grassy landing. ;-)
I also have some video of me flying over the city centre water feature. Our ever flowing N. Saskatchewan River. ;-) Now that, was fun.
But very Unintentional.

RedHotPoker

Flying over water is far safer than flying over dry land. No trees or buildings or obstructions to run into, clear LOS for the signal, and no WiFi interference. It's only a problem if you experience a "perfect storm" of failures, and your aircraft falls out of the sky, in which case, even over land, it's destroyed anyway, but dry and possibly still findable. It's the Autolandings over water that will uniquely bite you!

 

[RedHotPoker]

I would love to be a qualified diver. Just thinking of all the sunken treasures.
The next best thing to this, would be a quality built metal detector.
But follow this, one short trip down under, the surface tension...

Pretty amazing small collection, really, isn't it? ;-)
Think of all the beaches and shallow water playgrounds of the world.

RedHotPoker

 

[GadgetGuy]

I would love to be a qualified diver. Just thinking of all the sunken treasures.
The next best thing to this, would be a quality built metal detector.
But follow this, one short trip down under, the surface tension...

Pretty amazing small collection, really, isn't it? ;-)
Think of all the beaches and shallow water playgrounds of the world.

RedHotPoker

Looks like a mask and snorkel are all that are required, and a GoPro to document your finds! Free stuff! Finders, Keepers! My grandmother was known to "salt the mine" so to speak, when she would take us to the beach, to sift through sand, with a colander, for lost coins. Guys at the beach use metal detectors, after a big holiday weekend, to find lost stuff. Usually, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Hey, they can't even find a lost 747!

 

[bobmyers]

@RedHotPoker - Two questions regarding this. (1) Will it still auto land when it hits 10% if I change the "critical battery warning" to a lower amount.. say 3%? (2) Is there a way to cancel auto land, or is it gonna land regardless of what I choose to do?

 

[RedHotPoker]

This made me smile. Free at last, like flying. . . ;-)

OK, to feel like a fish for a few hours?

I would love to learn the 'scuba'.

RedHotPoker

 

[Justin Namon]

Quick question y'all. Traveling tomorrow trying to discharge one battery to 50% and it's raining today. Any suggestions other than idling the motors in my room?