I hit the Max Height limit! 1654.2 FT!!!

[manofword]

All I wanted to post was I hit the limit for height. I didn't expect this to get out of hand. I really want to thank everyone for the reply's. If I was anywhere near a major city such as L.A or NY I would have never have done this. As you can clearly see from my video this isn't the case. While it was a blast I don't push the limit every time I go up. 95% of my flights don't go above 200 feet. That does leave that 5% that I do go over 200 feet. Like I said I see everyone's point and im not reckless when I fly. I guess when Im on the highway with the top off on my vette and I have the cruise set at 75MPH when the speed limit is 70 is that considered reckless? I think allot more can go wrong on the ground IMHO. I could be completely wrong but that's how I feel.

Thanks for the post & the info. I hope you survived the "skewering" many felt was unjust. Keep flying, enjoying & posting. I will until I get my P3P....LOL!

 

[BarryM]

There are examples on this site of people being the subject of FAA inquiry. Maybe it's no more than a sternly worded letter. No idea.

Bottom line: At that altitude, no one here has the ability to sense and avoid a plane closing at 150kts. I fly a C172 from time to time. Often at or below 1,500ft. I mostly fly to NorCal but sometimes I fly to open rural areas. A 3.5lb lump of plastic and metal is no match for 1/8" acrylic at ~175mph. It would be lethal. Not a pleasant thought.

But maybe I'm just being a cry baby.

Yes it is not a pleasant thought...but a bird strike could be just as devastating, so does that stop anyone from flying GA type aircraft? Remember a while back geese brought down an A320 into the Hudson River. Also I think there is a far greater chance of injury/death every time you drive a motor vehicle. It's all relative to what you see as a risk. You'd never walk out of your front door if you stopped to consider you may/may not have something happen to you on any given day.

 

[manofword]

True.. And I apologized, it was wrong both calling people Idiots and making such a blanketed statement.

There is a reason why it requires such a a commitment to obtain a ppl. With it comes a lot of responsibility and more importantly mandates good decision making. When I bought my Phantom, I was absolutely stunned that these vehicles were available to the public, considering the potential danger they could pose if not operated responsibly.

Agreed!

 

[SteveMann]

All I wanted to post was I hit the limit for height. I didn't expect this to get out of hand. I really want to thank everyone for the reply's. If I was anywhere near a major city such as L.A or NY I would have never have done this. As you can clearly see from my video this isn't the case. While it was a blast I don't push the limit every time I go up. 95% of my flights don't go above 200 feet. That does leave that 5% that I do go over 200 feet. Like I said I see everyone's point and im not reckless when I fly. I guess when Im on the highway with the top off on my vette and I have the cruise set at 75MPH when the speed limit is 70 is that considered reckless? I think allot more can go wrong on the ground IMHO. I could be completely wrong but that's how I feel.

You didn't start anything. It's like a family reunion, but we still like everyone. We get together once in a while to add some "color" to the conversation. Feel free to join in...

 

[mad in nc]

Wrong. The FAA does not keep one cent of the fines they levy.

they don't but with a gabizzion dollar deficit - it will go somewhere.. Don't ya think?

 

[coherent]

I think it's great... I've been in the Air Traffic Control field 40 years. Retired Air Force and pilot at one point (too expensive). If you can't see/hear an aircraft at 1500-1600 feet, (even small ones like Cessna's and such) you are deaf and blind. 1600ft isn't really that far in the grand scheme of things. Measure it out and stand back and look at it some time. If you're smart and not careless, blatantly unsafe or on the airport final approach/departure course or under the traffic pattern at an airport I see no huge concerns especially based on your location. Thanks for the post and video.

 

[Buzz313th]

I think it's great... I've been in the Air Traffic Controller field 40 years. Retired Air Force and pilot at one point (too expensive). If you can't see/hear an aircraft at 1500-1600 feet, (even small ones like Cessna's and such) you are deaf and blind. 1600ft isn't really that far in the grand scheme of things. Measure it out and stand back and look at it some time. If you're smart and not careless, blatantly unsafe or on the final approach course or under the traffic pattern at an airport I see no huge concerns especially based on your location. Thanks for the post and video.

What happens if you lose signal at 1500 feet? What about a flyaway at 1500 feet? From a pilots perspective, the Small White Phantom will be pretty much invisible on the horizon.

I'm surprised you being a pilot and ATC that you feel so comfortable with UAVs in class E airspace.

Even more surprising to me is that your ok with flying drones "Under the traffic Pattern". You do realize your talking about airspace that is from the surface to the upper limit.. And in most cases you need to be talking to a controller, or be on CTAF frequency to be in that airspace. That airspace is down to the surface for a reason.. Maybe an aircraft in the pattern has an emergency and starts descending to make the runway or turns early. They could fly right into your drone.. Edited... I just realized you mentioned that you WOULDNT fly under the traffic pattern, so I am sorry I didn't read more thoroughly. But I left my comment in so just incase others think about flying under the pattern.

 

[Buzz313th]

The more I think about some of the comments being made here, the more I'm convinced that all drone pilots should be mandated to get some aeronautical education before they can fly a drone. At the very least they must learn about the national airspace classifications and the requirements to fly under VFR conditions versus IFR. An airplane in minimum VFR conditions is never gonna be able to see and avoid a phantom, what about planes working in the pattern under special VFR conditions? Are you as a drone pilot going to be able to see and avoid a plane in either of those conditions?

I see a lot of people on these forums calling themselves "Drone Pilots"... In my humble opinion most are drone operators.. There's alot of "Pilots" including myself who feel before you guys call each other "Pilots", you first take a bit of time educating yourselves so you know how to share the airspace safely with others.

Sorry if I offend anyone, but this attitude of, I can fly wherever I want" is in my opinion the slow death of the drone community.

 

[Apparition]

The more I think about some of the comments being made here, the more I'm convinced that all drone pilots should be mandated to get some aeronautical education before they can fly a drone.

Never invite "the man" into your life. NEVER!!!!!

 

[dirkclod]

One of the problems w this forum is there's no real "obvious" way to distinguish true veteran contributors to this site. With the influx of new operators, especially now, anyone who had community respect with previous quad(s) forums are meaningless. Frank, Steve, Dirk, et al advice is viewed the same as some teenager's with a laptop. Wish it were more obvious. And in this world it takes too much effort to click on someone's profile and see what they're actually contributing.

Never invite "the man" into your life. NEVER!!!!!

LOL...Which one ?

 

[F6Rider]

What happens if you lose signal at 1500 feet? What about a flyaway at 1500 feet? From a pilots perspective, the Small White Phantom will be pretty much invisible on the horizon.

I'm surprised you being a pilot and ATC that you feel so comfortable with UAVs in class E airspace.

Even more surprising to me is that your ok with flying drones "Under the traffic Pattern". You do realize your talking about airspace that is from the surface to the upper limit.. And in most cases you need to be talking to a controller, or be on CTAF frequency to be in that airspace. That airspace is down to the surface for a reason.. Maybe an aircraft in the pattern has an emergency and starts descending to make the runway or turns early. They could fly right into your drone.. Edited... I just realized you mentioned that you WOULDNT fly under the traffic pattern, so I am sorry I didn't read more thoroughly. But I left my comment in so just incase others think about flying under the pattern.

I agree with you 100%, and I would support a mandatory training and licensing program for UAV's, after all, you need such requirements to drive a car. Public Drones are new to the National Airspace, yes, there have been RC aircraft for years, but these were for the most part fixed wing and flown from club airfields LOS by modelers that spent weeks designing, build, and flying them, now with long range Quad's available to anyone with some cash the small 'club' feeling is getting lost in the crowd. Training and understanding the rules of the airspace is needed by anyone who fly's in it. We will get standards imposed on us a some point simple because we as a group do not adhere to any set of rules. I for one will welcome the day, but then I have been in and have witnessed more crashed aircraft than I ever wanted.

 

[KillerCut]

****, all the old farts came here to complain

 

[KillerCut]

I hit 400m within 5 miles of an airport in nyc with an inspire. no1 died. wooooohoooo

 

[KillerCut]

I've flown over and under commercial aircraft before, nothing happened. woooohooooo

 

[mad in nc]

 

[KillerCut]

id say its almost impossible to aim for a commercial aircraft or anything going over 150mph. they come and go wayyyy to fast on an fpv screen.

 

[manofword]

I think it's great... I've been in the Air Traffic Control field 40 years. Retired Air Force and pilot at one point (too expensive). If you can't see/hear an aircraft at 1500-1600 feet, (even small ones like Cessna's and such) you are deaf and blind. 1600ft isn't really that far in the grand scheme of things. Measure it out and stand back and look at it some time. If you're smart and not careless, blatantly unsafe or on the airport final approach/departure course or under the traffic pattern at an airport I see no huge concerns especially based on your location. Thanks for the post and video.

If THIS guy isn't that concerned, then why are some freaking out and wanting the Gov't to "goose step" in and force us to be automatons regarding our hobby? I still don't think the sky is falling.

 

[Julius717]

Lmao. Butts are sore

 

[CloudsNeverDie]

Try setting the max altitude to 0m. That works for the Inspire 1, and disables the height limit. Might work for the P3 too.

 

[dirkclod]

Lmao. Butts are sore

...ya think..