Flying the Phantom BELOW your Home location

[FrankB]

I hiked up to the top of the Stawamus Chief today and used the Phantom to take pictures of us on the summit. Of course, the Home location was the broad summit rock slabs we were sitting on.

I then spotted some hikers about 100 metres below us making their way to the second peak and figured I would manoeuvre the Phantom down to their level and take some shots. But suddenly I realized that this would put the Phantom below its Home location and became worried about what would happen if the RTH mode was triggered. Like, would the Phantom ascent 20 metres from its lower location, and then try to fly home and thereby crash into the side of the mountain, or is it smart enough to know that if it is below the Home location, it has to rise up to 20 metres above the Home location, and then go home.

 

[Gizmo3000]

I hiked up to the top of the Stawamus Chief today and used the Phantom to take pictures of us on the summit. Of course, the Home location was the broad summit rock slabs we were sitting on.

I then spotted some hikers about 100 metres below us making their way to the second peak and figured I would manoeuvre the Phantom down to their level and take some shots. But suddenly I realized that this would put the Phantom below its Home location and became worried about what would happen if the RTH mode was triggered. Like, would the Phantom ascent 20 metres from its lower location, and then try to fly home and thereby crash into the side of the mountain, or is it smart enough to know that if it is below the Home location, it has to rise up to 20 metres above the Home location, and then go home.

I've not tested it out. but I'm almost certain that when RTH is trigged, it will fly up to HL+20meters no matter where it is

 

[MX45OR]

I hiked up to the top of the Stawamus Chief today and used the Phantom to take pictures of us on the summit. Of course, the Home location was the broad summit rock slabs we were sitting on.

I then spotted some hikers about 100 metres below us making their way to the second peak and figured I would manoeuvre the Phantom down to their level and take some shots. But suddenly I realized that this would put the Phantom below its Home location and became worried about what would happen if the RTH mode was triggered. Like, would the Phantom ascent 20 metres from its lower location, and then try to fly home and thereby crash into the side of the mountain, or is it smart enough to know that if it is below the Home location, it has to rise up to 20 metres above the Home location, and then go home.

Don't forget if something DOES look wrong, you can always switch into attitude mode to cancel RTH.

 

[FrankB]

Here's what the scene actually looks like:

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My wife and I are on the First Peak on the left, and I wanted to get the Phantom down to a point in the wooded gully on the right.

 

[Gizmo3000]

rad flying location!
But yah,. RTH would bring the craft back up to you.
but do be sure to fly with plenty of power in reserve!

 

[BruceTS]

My type of location to shoot, can't wait till my next offroad trip out to some remote place.

 

[simensays]

Not my video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53j-Hmmqfr8[/youtube]

 

[Roadkilt]

Watch for unexpected strong up and down drafts near cliff faces. Real helicopters are very wary of edges, especially near canyons which funnel wind.

 

[FrankB]

Not my video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53j-Hmmqfr8[/youtube]

He flies it below his level- but there is no indication he ever puts it into RTH mode when he's down in the arroyo.

That's what I want to verify- if it's 50 metres below the Home location and you hit RTH, will it rise up 70 metres (20 m above Home), and then go back to Home.

 

[FrankB]

Watch for unexpected strong up and down drafts near cliff faces. Real helicopters are very wary of edges, especially near canyons which funnel wind.

Yeh, I hear you- I do a lot of mountain flying in fixed wings and helicopters in the course of my work, so have a very sober appreciation of how careful you need to be with downdrafts and weird vortex effects.