Would you?

[hdrider]

By looking at this short clip would you fly from this spot to the walk bridge in the distance? Being new I'm just trying to figure out if I'm being overly careful when flying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5oKODND_j4

 

[Great Pumpkin]

Looks like a long way. Don't dilly dally or you won't have enough battery left to return home.

 

[IrishSights]

Use ATTI mode to get out there quicker - and back again

Sent from Samsung S4 via Tapatalk

 

[rrmccabe]

What Phantom? With my 2V+ that is a walk in the park. Clear LOS and should be easy.

 

[lsteigerwalt]

What Phantom? With my 2V+ that is a walk in the park. Clear LOS and should be easy.

+1

 

[MadMitch88]

A few years ago, they invented this thing called "Google Maps" --- and within it you can actually measure how far it is from Point A to Point B.

Give it a try --- takes all the guesswork out of estimating distance from a video. :mrgreen:

 

[hdrider]

Phantom 2 with a H3-3D and GoPro 3.
Thanks for the Google Maps thing. I use Google maps for travel but didn't know about that feature.

 

[bschaub]

I started using Earth for views of proposed flight particularly when heading off a cliff at the ocean and such complicated shots. Get some 360 views so when you're looking through FPV you have an idea as to what you should see. Especially what the return flight might look like. I transfer Earth important screen shots onto PowerPoint and take the prints with me.

 

[rrmccabe]

Yea the nice thing about using Earth is you can also click on the elevation profile and move your mouse along and see the terrain elevation !

 

[MadMitch88]

I started using Earth for views of proposed flight particularly when heading off a cliff at the ocean and such complicated shots. Get some 360 views so when you're looking through FPV you have an idea as to what you should see. Especially what the return flight might look like. I transfer Earth important screen shots onto PowerPoint and take the prints with me.

I do this also --- but wouldn't using the "bird's eye" view in Bing Maps be a better way to pre-plan FPV flights? Bird's eye maps use 45-degree aerial photos from low-flying aircraft --- in other words, actual FPV imagery.

Google Earth "tilt view" is similar to Bing's bird's eye but it's creating a 3D perspective out of 2D satellite imagery so it's not as effective as it could be, although better than nothing.

Of course, I wouldnt be surprised if Google is already planning to create their own "bird's eye" view of the Earth using their 360-degree Street View cameras mounted on a huge fleet of drones. Talk about a killer app --- seeing the entire world at 300 ft. above-ground altitude in any direction with 50-megapixel photo imagery! Please do this Google .... and do it soon! :mrgreen:

 

[hdrider]

I found that tool on Google maps,,, thanks again. And that distance is 4000 ft. So roughly 3/4 mile. It sure looks longer than that when it's all over water LOL!!

 

[rrmccabe]

What lake is that?

I was guessing less than 4000 so deceiving for sure. Are you running stock antennas?

You might be using RTH because of distance with stock antenna. But plenty of battery to do it.

 

[SanCap]

What lake is that?

I was guessing less than 4000 so deceiving for sure. Are you running stock antennas?

You might be using RTH because of distance with stock antenna. But plenty of battery to do it.

There is plenty of water also!

 

[hdrider]

What lake is that?

I was guessing less than 4000 so deceiving for sure. Are you running stock antennas?

You might be using RTH because of distance with stock antenna. But plenty of battery to do it.

Yes stock antennas. I would like to upgrade in the future but as long as I seem to be playing things on the cautious side I guess there is no real rush. And need to do my research on what's.
It is the Applegate Lake in Oregon.

 

[rrmccabe]

Good to play cautious

One thing to consider since you are pushing distance is the RTH height.

Looks like there is about 90 feet difference in elevation from land to water not including trees. Really hard to tell exactly with Google Earth when it comes to water. I get some odd numbers when going over water.

Regardless, point is there is a good chance you might lose connectivity and RTH. I would personally raise the aircraft up about 100' when you take off and reset your home point. Then it will go to that elevation + 60' before going "as the crow flies" for home. Don't want to get caught in the trees on the way back if you fly around corner a little.

 

[HarryT]

That is very useful to know - I didn't know about it either.