Vision Tested to 11,000ft, but how much higher can it go

[Pull_Up]

Don't know, but I also put the caveat... "or one like it" in my original post and used the phrase "rumour has it".

I'm not fully aware of the legal powers of park rangers, but I'm assuming they might have wanted the SD cards to look for evidence of breaches of the laws that they are entitled to enforce (harassing wildlife, stealing picnic baskets, that sort of thing).

 

[umair239]

Will you be so kind to share how did you manage to achieve that altitude? Is your Vision running on stock set up? Awaiting your kind response.

 

[Pull_Up]

I think he climbed a 10,000ft mountain, then put it about 1000ft in the air... Altitude (i.e. height above sea level), not height above ground in the post-title.

 

[umair239]

@Pull_up Oh okay, thanks for clearing that up. I am an idiot -_-

 

[Pull_Up]

Not at all!

 

[Chuggie]

Will you be so kind to share how did you manage to achieve that altitude? Is your Vision running on stock set up? Awaiting your kind response.

My Phantom is stock. I was 1000ft (300M) above where I launched which was 10,000ft above sea level. I was also following the contour of a peak, so I was less than 400ft above ground level. One response to this post suggested that a stock Phantom Vision could function at elevations up to 20,000ft above sea level, and based on the performance I saw at 11,000ft I don't think that is an unreasonable claim. I started this post because DJI publishes no specs for the operational max elevation for the Phantom Vision, which was a concern for me when I purchased mine, since I live at elevation in the mountains, and wanted to fly up high where the scenery is spectacular.

Thanks,
Chuggie

 

[BenDronePilot]

Will you be so kind to share how did you manage to achieve that altitude? Is your Vision running on stock set up? Awaiting your kind response.

My Phantom is stock. I was 1000ft (300M) above where I launched which was 10,000ft above sea level. I was also following the contour of a peak, so I was less than 400ft above ground level. One response to this post suggested that a stock Phantom Vision could function at elevations up to 20,000ft above sea level, and based on the performance I saw at 11,000ft I don't think that is an unreasonable claim. I started this post because DJI publishes no specs for the operational max elevation for the Phantom Vision, which was a concern for me when I purchased mine, since I live at elevation in the mountains, and wanted to fly up high where the scenery is spectacular.

Thanks,
Chuggie

Swap out both your controller and wifi antennas and you can soon start a new thread titled 13,000+ foot altitude

 

[Chuggie]

Will you be so kind to share how did you manage to achieve that altitude? Is your Vision running on stock set up? Awaiting your kind response.

My Phantom is stock. I was 1000ft (300M) above where I launched which was 10,000ft above sea level. I was also following the contour of a peak, so I was less than 400ft above ground level. One response to this post suggested that a stock Phantom Vision could function at elevations up to 20,000ft above sea level, and based on the performance I saw at 11,000ft I don't think that is an unreasonable claim. I started this post because DJI publishes no specs for the operational max elevation for the Phantom Vision, which was a concern for me when I purchased mine, since I live at elevation in the mountains, and wanted to fly up high where the scenery is spectacular.

Thanks,
Chuggie

Swap out both your controller and wifi antennas and you can soon start a new thread titled 13,000+ foot altitude

What controller and antenna's do you recommend???

 

[garygid]

Same controller, just with a different antenna.
Also, a different antenna for the WiFi Repeater.

Which is best depends upon your use and goals.
The higher-gain directional antennas must be pointed at the P2V.

 

[Chuggie]

Same controller, just with a different antenna.
Also, a different antenna for the WiFi Repeater.

Which is best depends upon your use and goals.
The higher-gain directional antennas must be pointed at the P2V.

I have been looking for information about operating a Phantom 2 using a Dragon Link. I realize that I would need to use a different transmitter, probably a spectrum with a PPM trainer port. What I don't know is if the Dragon link receiver could be adapted to control the Phantom Vision, and how to interface the dragon link FPV with the Visions camera???

If anyone has any experience or herd of anyone with Phantom-Dragon Link experience please let me know. 20-30KM FPV flights would be awesome with a Phantom Vision.

Thanks,
Chuggie

 

[cavaleiro01]

RC Aircraft banned from Grand Canyon National Park by local legislation: http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload ... endium.pdf see page 3

Just FYI...

Well, even better yet, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado. They say it is the narrowest canyon of its depth anywhere in the world. The Grand Canyon is 1.5 miles across; whereas in places the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is only 40ft (12M) across, but it is still 2500ft deep.

Are they also banned from Niagara Falls area? One month ago, I saw a beautiful video over Niagara Falls which I cannot find anymore...

 

[Chuggie]

RC Aircraft banned from Grand Canyon National Park by local legislation: http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload ... endium.pdf see page 3

Just FYI...

Well, even better yet, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado. They say it is the narrowest canyon of its depth anywhere in the world. The Grand Canyon is 1.5 miles across; whereas in places the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is only 40ft (12M) across, but it is still 2500ft deep.

Are they also banned from Niagara Falls area? One month ago, I saw a beautiful video over Niagara Falls which I cannot find anymore...

That is too bad about Niagara Falls, that seems like an awesome place for quad copter footage. My favorite fall is Iguazu falls, where Argentina Brazil and Paruguay come together. How I would love to fly the phantom there.

 

[ResevorDG]

Have some P2V pilots tested flying below the Home elevation.

There could be some bugs associated with the relative altitude
being negative, and perhaps the fly-Home function.

If one has flown 1000 feet down into a canyon, the P2V might
need to climb 1066 feet before it heads for Home.

I got about 600 feet below my take off position. I did not try the return to home feature but the flight was flawless. We even had winds in the 15mph range and the phantom did great. Though when it was below us in the canyon the winds were calmer.

 

[El Rey]

Yeah, rumour has it that the ban was put in place after that flight (or at least one like it if not that specific one). There are those who blame TBS for a string of local total RC bans that were only put in place after TBS visited. You've got to admire the skills and the videos but I do worry about people with lesser equipment and much less skill and experience trying to emulate some of their stuff...

Regarding the Grand Canyon, as ever with these situations there will always be those who are going to go and fly RC there either through ignorance or deliberately flouting the restrictions. If you don't get caught, you don't get caught. Getting away with it, but then posting the video on the internet is probably not such a bright idea!

I couldn't see any reason given in those Grand Canyon rules about why copters and drones were banned.

I'm a law-abiding citizen, but if I was 500 meters from the nearest other stranger then I would go right ahead and fly the Vision at the Grand Canyon.

Policing flight space in populated areas is understandable. So is policing a height restriction.
And I can also understand restrictions in nature where exposed electronics may spark a bushfire.
But in a rocky location like this, it feels a bit like officious, nanny-state overreaction.
Especially when you consider that the Vision emits no fumes or exhaust like all the cars that are driven there.
It also creates no litter, unlike a fair number of people do when they leave.
It doesn't shoot bullets at ducks like hunters are allowed to do in certain places.

Wilderness locations would be better off providing some rules or guidelines instead of banning it outright.

 

[Chuggie]

Have some P2V pilots tested flying below the Home elevation.

There could be some bugs associated with the relative altitude
being negative, and perhaps the fly-Home function.

If one has flown 1000 feet down into a canyon, the P2V might
need to climb 1066 feet before it heads for Home.

I got about 600 feet below my take off position. I did not try the return to home feature but the flight was flawless. We even had winds in the 15mph range and the phantom did great. Though when it was below us in the canyon the winds were calmer.

Sounds like an interesting flight, I have maybe made it 100ft below takeoff, but 600 feet is pretty impressive. Just curious where did this flight take place???

 

[ResevorDG]

Have some P2V pilots tested flying below the Home elevation.

There could be some bugs associated with the relative altitude
being negative, and perhaps the fly-Home function.

If one has flown 1000 feet down into a canyon, the P2V might
need to climb 1066 feet before it heads for Home.

I got about 600 feet below my take off position. I did not try the return to home feature but the flight was flawless. We even had winds in the 15mph range and the phantom did great. Though when it was below us in the canyon the winds were calmer.

Sounds like an interesting flight, I have maybe made it 100ft below takeoff, but 600 feet is pretty impressive. Just curious where did this flight take place???

In the mountains about and hour or so North of Phoenix Arizona. It was not 600 feet directly down. It was more like 700 or 800 feet away and 500 to 600 feet down. I was on a mountain and sent the Phantom down towards a stream.
When I am out of town like that I can get some really good range. I think just shy of 1300 feet. But in town, its more like 700 to 800 feet range is all I get.

 

[Chuggie]

In the mountains about and hour or so North of Phoenix Arizona. It was not 600 feet directly down. It was more like 700 or 800 feet away and 500 to 600 feet down. I was on a mountain and sent the Phantom down towards a stream.
When I am out of town like that I can get some really good range. I think just shy of 1300 feet. But in town, its more like 700 to 800 feet range is all I get.[/quote]

Up in the mountains of Wyoming I have been known to get 3000 ft FPV on the cell phone, and 3000ft from the 5.6ghz DJI transmitter. If the helicopter is way above you and you fly out of range it returns nicely. However I am not sure what would happen if the copter attempted an auto return while 600 ft below the takeoff point.

In town I get a bit better range than you as well probably 1500 ft. I live in a small town though, only 4600 people. Just curious do you have the power turned up on your transmitter, do you get two beeps when you power up.

 

[cavaleiro01]

That's the FCC Mode. It will give you higher range than the normal stock default CE Mode.

 

[ResevorDG]

In the mountains about and hour or so North of Phoenix Arizona. It was not 600 feet directly down. It was more like 700 or 800 feet away and 500 to 600 feet down. I was on a mountain and sent the Phantom down towards a stream.
When I am out of town like that I can get some really good range. I think just shy of 1300 feet. But in town, its more like 700 to 800 feet range is all I get.

Up in the mountains of Wyoming I have been known to get 3000 ft FPV on the cell phone, and 3000ft from the 5.6ghz DJI transmitter. If the helicopter is way above you and you fly out of range it returns nicely. However I am not sure what would happen if the copter attempted an auto return while 600 ft below the takeoff point.

In town I get a bit better range than you as well probably 1500 ft. I live in a small town though, only 4600 people. Just curious do you have the power turned up on your transmitter, do you get two beeps when you power up.[/quote]

Yes I am in FAA mode so the transmitter is not an issue, but the wifi likes to drop out. I may get some after market antennas.
I did not try fail safe but I would imagine it would be fine as the drone is programed to acned to 60 feet above the starting point before returning home.

 

[Pull_Up]

The RTH algorithm says "climb to 20m above altitude at saved home location or, if already higher than that, maintain current altitude..." and then the rest.

So in answer to your question it would climb up to the take-off altitude (assuming that was where you last had a home lock) plus an extra 20 metres.