Flying P2 around buildings

[idan_estee]

Hi,

Tomorrow I have this shoot to fly the P2 around some really tall buildings. I know that tall buildings screw with the GPS so would it still be safe to fly in ATTI mode? Anybody with experience please advise. I wont be doing any fancy flying and always in line of sight.

Cheers,
Dan

 

[npalen]

I'm thinking just leave it in GPS mode and it will automatically revert to ATTI mode if it looses satellites. Someone else will hopefully be along with better information though.

 

[idan_estee]

Anyone have any issues with losing control of transmitter or flyaways around tall buildings. I am thinking of surcharging my client due to risky surroundings.

 

[Sanababit]

No expert here, but i believe if line of sight between the remote control transmiter and phantom is lost, because phantom is around a building then the aircraft will go into failsafe mode, it will go up like 60 m, but if the phantom is flying low and the 60m arent enough to clear the building then your phantom will collide and will be toast, best bet is to go around the building along with the phantom just to be sure your connection is good

Sana

 

[ianwood]

I've been flying in downtown Los Angeles lately and so far, it's been OK but it is pretty hair raising and you have to be hyper alert. I am using a Futaba TX/RX for some added security, but I don't know how much of a difference that makes in terms of interference handling. I have done some low altitude (50ft) ATTI and some higher flights in GPS mode.

You have to be careful with GPS around buildings. When you move the Phantom, its view of the sky changes, changing which satellites it sees which can cause "GPS jumps". That causes the Phantom to think it needs to correct its position. Also, multi-path echoes and RF noise from the buildings will reduce the signal of everything: GPS, FPV, RX, etc.

I have some upcoming shots that I want to take in areas between tall buildings that will only be suitable for ATTI. I need to practice more ATTI and then I'll do them early on a weekend morning before the wind picks up and the streets aren't busy.

Finally, if I haven't scared the crap out of you yet, don't get too close to buildings especially ones with exposed metal as your compass may start to be effected by it.

 

[UrAwFuL]

I flew in-between apartment buildings that was about 50-60 feet across and three stories high the other day and I think I saw it kick into ATTI since the lights changed from green at 10 feet high. It was pretty windy too (about 10MPH) and it started to go with the wind so I had to quickly bring it back out to wide open space of the parking lot and it went back to green and stabilized.

I think it would really help to have an FPV used if you have orientation problems like I do. :lol:

 

[Ariel@Hivemapper]

I've been flying in downtown Los Angeles lately and so far, it's been OK but it is pretty hair raising and you have to be hyper alert. I am using a Futaba TX/RX for some added security, but I don't know how much of a difference that makes in terms of interference handling. I have done some low altitude (50ft) ATTI and some higher flights in GPS mode.

You have to be careful with GPS around buildings. When you move the Phantom, its view of the sky changes, changing which satellites it sees which can cause "GPS jumps". That causes the Phantom to think it needs to correct its position. Also, multi-path echoes and RF noise from the buildings will reduce the signal of everything: GPS, FPV, RX, etc.

I have some upcoming shots that I want to take in areas between tall buildings that will only be suitable for ATTI. I need to practice more ATTI and then I'll do them early on a weekend morning before the wind picks up and the streets aren't busy.

Finally, if I haven't scared the crap out of you yet, don't get too close to buildings especially ones with exposed metal as your compass may start to be effected by it.

A bit late to this party...I wish we had Hivemapper ready for you when you were flying these spots, as we have boundaries and/or heights for over 1 million buildings in the LA area.