Long Litchi Run

nacraracer · Jan 9, 2018

Good evening All,
I have been flying pretty long (long to me) distance flights with Litchi here lately. Tomorrow I want to send my P3S to my brother-in laws and just say hi from the drone as he watches in amazement. The flight round trip is 5.4 miles and Litchi says it will take 15 minutes at 30 mph and a height of 200 feet. Does anyone see anything wrong with this? This would be my longest Litchi flight by far.

With The Birds · Jan 9, 2018

Given the mission will be flown LCMC for the most part in the absence of having a tracking device fitted to your AC be resigned to the fact you have a good chance of loosing your AC if it doesn’t complete the mission.

Make sure it has your phone number on it.

nacraracer · Jan 9, 2018

I do have my numbers on it and my address as well. Are you thinking that this trip is too far?

DaveD · Jan 9, 2018

Really double check your elevations at each way point. I did a mission last winter like this and lost my standard for 2 weeks in a tree.

nacraracer · Jan 9, 2018

I can understand that. I've got the altitude at 200 feet which is high were I live because everything is flat. I'm just wondering about the 15 minute flight time at 30 mph more than anything.

DaveD · Jan 9, 2018

nacraracer said:
I can understand that. I've got the altitude at 200 feet which is high were I live because everything is flat. I'm just wondering about the 15 minute flight time at 30 mph more than anything.

Send it!-Let us know how it went!

With The Birds · Jan 9, 2018

It’s probably not too far- subject to prevailing winds and the health of your battery.

Make sure you check carefully what is below the proposed flight path (including where the AC may drift to if you loose GPS positioning (compass error etc) and any potential manned AC operations. Be prepared to make good for any property damage or harm that might be caused to persons or animals should something do wrong.

You should be allowing for the worst possible eventualities when deciding if this is a good idea, whether the AC is capable of performing the mission in ideal circumstances is only one consideration.

I have flown my AC’s to the limit of battery capacity on numerous occasions over private property or in remote areas. I think it is foolish and irresponsible in suburbia however. Many don’t share my view.

tevek · Jan 9, 2018

nacraracer said:
I do have my numbers on it and my address as well. Are you thinking that this trip is too far?

The 15 min duration is a bit of a guesstimation if you are referring to the info displayed on the mission screen. This doesn't allow for any wind variations or the time taken to fly to the first WP. 30 mph is the speed that I usually run my longer missions but I have had to abort the occasional trip due to excessive wind mid way (assuming you still have a control signal to do so). Maybe try a couple of shorter trips at your ceiling height and speed to check your battery voltage and take it from there.

Travis5049 · Jan 9, 2018

I'd do a mission 4 miles out,same route, check the wind speed to compare for when you actually fly the 5 plus mile mission, then at least you have some data. Tevek's Idea is excellent also.

Steve_in_DE · Jan 9, 2018

I have found that Litchi overestimates flight times of longer missions by a minute or so. So that's one thing in your favor (assuming I am right). I would worry about high tension wires, various tower-shaped obstacles, really low-flying helicopters, and especially wind speed. Check the weather - see how fast the wind is projected to blow, and if the wind is blowing along your route, or across it.

Neon Euc · Jan 9, 2018

That's one of my missions I done a few times. Always comes back with around 40% battery. Have to note three important things

1) I fly at 90 metres on this run... Higher you go the stronger the wind

2) I fly the drone first using a battery to warm it up, then quickly switch batteries and launch the mission. It can knock 2-3% battery off just by turning the drone on and it warms up

3) this was done in the summer and winter so it was fine to launch and the battery was always the same

Hope that helps.

Neon Euc · Jan 9, 2018

However I wouldn't attempt this one tho...... [emoji23]

Neon Euc · Jan 9, 2018

Neon Euc said:
However I wouldn't attempt this one tho......
View attachment 93211

I was so so tempted to post this under a new thread "help I lost my phantom, what should I do" and just sit back and watch what happens lol

With The Birds · Jan 10, 2018

Neon Euc said:
View attachment 93207

That's one of my missions I done a few times. Always comes back with around 40% battery. Have to note three important things

1) I fly at 90 metres on this run... Higher you go the stronger the wind

2) I fly the drone first using a battery to warm it up, then quickly switch batteries and launch the mission. It can knock 2-3% battery off just by turning the drone on and it warms up

3) this was done in the summer and winter so it was fine to launch and the battery was always the same

Hope that helps.

So- just over 4km and you come back with 40% battery, the OP is planning to fly over 8km. What speed did you set? Less than 25km/hr presumably.

AndrewCCM · Jan 10, 2018

How does one maintain VLOS on a mission like this?

With The Birds · Jan 10, 2018

AndrewCCM said:
How does one maintain VLOS on a mission like this?

Obviously you can’t, not with stock gear.

AndrewCCM · Jan 10, 2018

I’m new...Am I mistaken that there is a FAA regulation that VLOS is a requirement? I have been a bit confused on that issue since I got my P4P last month.

With The Birds · Jan 10, 2018

AndrewCCM said:
I’m new...Am I mistaken that there is a FAA regulation that VLOS is a requirement? I have been a bit confused on that issue since I got my P4P last month.

No, your not wrong. It’s the same in Australia.

umanbean · Jan 10, 2018

nacraracer said:
Tomorrow I want to send my P3S to my brother-in laws and just say hi from the drone as he watches in amazement.

You're lucky to have a BIL you like well enough to want to impress him, my BIL is a turd.

Safest lawful plan of action: Drive the bird to within a block or so of BILs house, call and tell him to watch out for it, it should be there any minute. Launch, fly over his house, do an Orbit, waggle your wings or something, and fly back to your car. Wait 15 minutes, drive to his place sporting a Cheshire cat grin, brag about your badaff Phantom, and otherwise keep your mouth shut.

AndrewCCM said:
Am I mistaken that there is a FAA regulation that VLOS is a requirement?

No mistake, VLOS is the law. But just like speed limits and such, some think that if they can get away with it, it's OK.

Neon Euc · Jan 10, 2018

With The Birds said:
So- just over 4km and you come back with 40% battery, the OP is planning to fly over 8km. What speed did you set? Less than 25km/hr presumably.

I sent mine at the maximum speed it can go. With the OP he is only adding an extra 3 mins flight time so in theory he should come back with roughly 25-30% battery remaining. Best thing OP can do is really do a local 14 min flight a few times, even if its just going round in circles at the height he is planning to get a good idea on how much battery would be left