Maneuverability and other newbie questions!

[Timelinex]

I hate using general titles, but I do have a wide array of questions.

I have flown my p3p a few times now and its AWESOME! I have good spatial awareness and coordination so it felt natural almost right away. It's the first time I'm controlling anything like it and its pretty amazing how easy they have made it to fly this thing.

I have only flown it in GPS mode. So questions 1-4 make the assumption that it is in GPS mode.

1. I'm having fun playing with it and maneuvering it around rapidly. Pressing full left/right/forward/back/rotating etc.. Is there anything specifically that I should watch out for that might be a 'toxic combination'. I assume they got most stuff figured out but I'm still nervous about some of the stuff possibly throwing it off balance. Like full twists/turns and letting off completely or going straight to a full the other way.

2. As long as RTH height is set fine, I don't have to worry about maneuvering around objects right? Even if I'm getting pretty close? It should theoretically just turn in place then go up if it loses connection. I guess I'm worried it just does some kind of erratic movement left/right first at the moment it loses connection.

3. Do I have anything to worry about flying over my pool? I remember reading something about water confusing its optical sensors. Does this apply during GPS mode? Can I confidently float it like a foot above the water on my pool, or is there a rule of thumb?

4. What happens if it looses GPS signal? Obviously out in the open it would be a rare occurrence and I'm guessing it won't be a big deal anyways since you have alot of 'error room' until it regains signal. What about in tighter spots though. So for example, if I am flying it slowly in my backyard and I practice flying it under my upstairs balcony. If it looses GPS signal, will it start flying erratically out of no where or will it just not hover correctly? Will I still be able to continue flying the direction I'm going and maneuvering it is as long as I do slow smooth controls?

5. Is there some kind of website or program out there that can help with estimating altitudes in my area? Theres a mountain next to me and according to online its like a 350ft hike up. I flew it from my house and with the maximum heights set at 400ft I was still not above it..... I realize this is most likely because my house is lower than the base of the mountain. Any good way of figuring this out more accurately then?

6. I'm a bit confused with the distances that the go go map shows. I know H is height distance D is ground distance. Then it shows the two velocities. However I'm not sure what the last number is though. It would make sense for it to be the LOS distance, but I'm not 100% sure if thats what it is. If it was LOS it should always be longer than both the H and D, and I could of sworn I have seen it shorter many times.

7. I live in warm AZ. So during 3/4 of the year I'm guessing I'm in prime flying weather. Not too cold and never raining! My concern is about summer time though.... It can get as hot as 115 degrees and the sun can be BRUTAL. Will this create any problems? We go to the lake and boating alot during the summer, so while we stay cool, the drone will not be so lucky!

8. In the USA 400ft is the legal maximum height a recreational drone should fly. Is this correct? My next question is what this 400ft is in relation to? I figure it does not include abnormalities like a mountain (so you cannot fly 400 ft further up just because your at the top of a mountain). But what about in consideration to the ground around it. So for example, that one mount is 350 ft tall from the base of that area. Compared to my house it is probably 500ft tall. Is it legal for me to set my limit to 500, since by the time my drone is over there, its actually only 350ft from the local ground. Hopes this makes sense.

9. I bought a Fearless backpack for it from amazon. Overall its pretty good, my only complaint is that the zippers don't open the compartment enough to give ample room to put away or take out the drone without having to drag an arm against the front part. Anyways, my question is what do I do with the camera and gimble. Do you guys recommend my protecting it somehow with a lens cover and gimble brace, or is putting it in there and carrying it around with the gimble loose just fine?

 

[Meta4]

1. I'm having fun playing with it and maneuvering it around rapidly. Pressing full left/right/forward/back/rotating etc.. Is there anything specifically that I should watch out for that might be a 'toxic combination'.

The most dangerous thing for Phantoms is flying close to trees buildings etc. It's too easy to misjudge or confuse orientation.
The thing you are asking about is CSC - don't accidentally CSC in flight.
It's something you'd never do in normal flight but if you want to fly like a crazy chimp ....

2. As long as RTH height is set fine, I don't have to worry about maneuvering around objects right? Even if I'm getting pretty close? It should theoretically just turn in place then go up if it loses connection. I guess I'm worried it just does some kind of erratic movement left/right first at the moment it loses connection.

RTH should just go up (if below RTH height) and come home.
Test it out in the open to understand how it works - you have to be >60 feet away though.

3. Do I have anything to worry about flying over my pool? I remember reading something about water confusing its optical sensors. Does this apply during GPS mode? Can I confidently float it like a foot above the water on my pool, or is there a rule of thumb?

If you want to float 1 ft (anything from 0-10 feet) above water - best to disable VPS in the app as it would be confused.

4. What happens if it looses GPS signal? If it looses GPS signal, will it start flying erratically out of no where or will it just not hover correctly? Will I still be able to continue flying the direction I'm going and maneuvering it is as long as I do slow smooth controls?

Very rare in the open. Without GPS your P3 would be in atti mode and have all sensors except GPS. It's like driving on ice and you can check it by switching to A mode out in the open to experiment.

5. Is there some kind of website or program out there that can help with estimating altitudes in my area?

Try Google Earth .. but heights are expressed above sea level.
You are concerned with the difference in height between where you launch and the mountain - not heights above sea level.

6. I'm a bit confused with the distances that the go go map shows. I know H is height distance D is ground distance. Then it shows the two velocities. However I'm not sure what the last number is though.

This should explain that mystery distance ...

8. In the USA 400ft is the legal maximum height a recreational drone should fly. Is this correct? My next question is what this 400ft is in relation to?

Above ground level.

Lots of basic stuff there ... if you haven't read the manual yet, there's a lot of very important info in it.

 

[Timelinex]

Lots of basic stuff there ... if you haven't read the manual yet, there's a lot of very important info in it.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I do I feel like you didn't really answer any of my questions because you assumed I didn't read the manual and was asking simple dumb questions. I asked some very specific questions, that I thought I explained clearly, but obviously I didn't articulate them well enough.

I did read the manual and even re-read it right now. The manual for this drone is pretty abysmal. Also it doesn't go into depth about the App at all. My questions are NOT answered in the manual. My questions are pretty specific.

The thing you are asking about is CSC - don't accidentally CSC in flight.

I do understand the CRC. I guess I was asking more about the capabilities of the drone. Abrupt opposing movements do seem to slightly destabilize it. So I wanted to know if there was certain maneuvers to NOT do because they have a good chance of making it go out of control. I do not plan on flying this way, but I like to test what can be done so I know and can fly confidently.

Try Google Earth .. but heights are expressed above sea level.
You are concerned with the difference in height between where you launch and the mountain - not heights above sea level.

Yea I tried google eaerth but it didn't seem too accurate for this particular mountain range, thats why I was asking.

This should explain that mystery distance ...

Without explanation, this doesn't really definitively explain what I was asking. So are the H and D the distance from the controller and the last number is the distance from the homepoint (and is it Horizontal distance or Line of Sight distance)? The manual shows an outdated previous verson of the app and it doens't actual explain this anyways.

Above ground level.

So in my example then, if I started it from the base of a mountain (0ft) and stayed at the base with my controller while I flew it up to the top of the mountain (500ft) and then flew it another 300ft directly above that peak, this is only considered 300ft by law? (As opposed to 800ft which is the height from normal ground level, not including the mountain) So then I would not get into trouble for flying in airspace that I cannot fly in (which in US is above 400ft, or 500ft in new proposed guidelines), correct??

Thanks again

 

[Meta4]

So I wanted to know if there was certain maneuvers to NOT do because they have a good chance of making it go out of control.

Apart from CSC, No

Without explanation, this doesn't really definitively explain what I was asking.

Clue .. I have the controller in my hand and I walked away from the P3

So in my example then, if I started it from the base of a mountain (0ft) and stayed at the base with my controller while I flew it up to the top of the mountain (500ft) and then flew it another 300ft directly above that peak, this is only considered 300ft by law?

300 feet above the ground is 300 feet above ground level

 

[Meta4]

9.Anyways, my question is what do I do with the camera and gimble. Do you guys recommend my protecting it somehow with a lens cover and gimble brace, or is putting it in there and carrying it around with the gimble loose just fine?

The lens has a protective element so it's not essential to cover it but the gimbal is delicate so it's a good idea to immobilise it when travelling rather than leaving to to shake around.
The clear DJI gimbal lock works quite well

 

[shockwave199]

I'm having fun playing with it and maneuvering it around rapidly. Pressing full left/right/forward/back/rotating etc.. Is there anything specifically that I should watch out for that might be a 'toxic combination'. I assume they got most stuff figured out but I'm still nervous about some of the stuff possibly throwing it off balance. Like full twists/turns and letting off completely or going straight to a full the other way.

I have read that it is not a good idea to make extreme sharp turns (hard yaw) while going full speed forward, which apparently can cause instability as bad as a loss of control.

 

[Timelinex]

I have read that it is not a good idea to make extreme sharp turns (hard yaw) while going full speed forward, which apparently can cause instability as bad as a loss of control.

OK so thats exactly the info I'm looking for. Can anyone substantiate this?

 

[Meta4]

OK so thats exactly the info I'm looking for. Can anyone substantiate this?

Probably not - it sounds like one of the many unsubstantiated guesses you find in these forums.
The P3 is a remarkable drone, easy to fly and with very few vices.
I read an awful lot of threads here and elsewhere and haven't come across anything like a "forbidden manoeuvre".
Steer clear of a mid-air CSC and obstacles and you can pretty well do anything you like.

 

[TheRealNick]

1. I'm having fun playing with it and maneuvering it around rapidly. Pressing full left/right/forward/back/rotating etc.. Is there anything specifically that I should watch out for that might be a 'toxic combination'. I assume they got most stuff figured out but I'm still nervous about some of the stuff possibly throwing it off balance. Like full twists/turns and letting off completely or going straight to a full the other way.

Avoid CSC which it sounds like you know about, it will fall from the sky. This is just my opinion, but I fly my Phantom pretty gently and think of it more as a moving camera. If you want to really rip it around I would look into a 3D quad that is more designed for that type of flight. They will give you greater capabilities like inverted flight. My recommendation is to fly nice and smooth. Flying at full sticks stresses everything from the battery to motors...

2. As long as RTH height is set fine, I don't have to worry about maneuvering around objects right? Even if I'm getting pretty close? It should theoretically just turn in place then go up if it loses connection. I guess I'm worried it just does some kind of erratic movement left/right first at the moment it loses connection.

Keep in mind that if you are less than 65 feet away the Phantom will not RTH but will instead auto-land. This is kind of troubling to me...as long as it is more than 65 feet away it will go straight up to your RTH height and then straight over the home point and then land. I would be very carefully around objects. If you have anything inbetween yourself and the Phantom it may loss signal. I would never try this myself....

3. Do I have anything to worry about flying over my pool? I remember reading something about water confusing its optical sensors. Does this apply during GPS mode? Can I confidently float it like a foot above the water on my pool, or is there a rule of thumb?

As mentioned water can affect the VPS so you may want to turn it off for low level flights over the pool. I have been flying over the ocean a lot, but my lowest has been 17 feet and I have left VPS on, but I may turn it off in the future to conserve battery. You can tell when it is on in the DJI app.

4. What happens if it looses GPS signal? Obviously out in the open it would be a rare occurrence and I'm guessing it won't be a big deal anyways since you have alot of 'error room' until it regains signal. What about in tighter spots though. So for example, if I am flying it slowly in my backyard and I practice flying it under my upstairs balcony. If it looses GPS signal, will it start flying erratically out of no where or will it just not hover correctly? Will I still be able to continue flying the direction I'm going and maneuvering it is as long as I do slow smooth controls?

It will go into ATTI mode, which is altitude mode. The wind will push it and it will be significantly harder to fly. You can practice this in an open area by switching the switch to A mode, but be ready to flip it back to P mode. If everything is working correctly when you flip it back it will hover in place like you are used to. You can also buy a cheap quad for $30-$40 on Amazon or elsewhere to practice with. I highly recommend this. A Syma X5 for $40 has a camera on it....if anything it will increase your appreciation for what the Phantom does for you automatically.

5. Is there some kind of website or program out there that can help with estimating altitudes in my area? Theres a mountain next to me and according to online its like a 350ft hike up. I flew it from my house and with the maximum heights set at 400ft I was still not above it..... I realize this is most likely because my house is lower than the base of the mountain. Any good way of figuring this out more accurately then?

I agree to use Google Earth for this, but with much caution.

6. I'm a bit confused with the distances that the go go map shows. I know H is height distance D is ground distance. Then it shows the two velocities. However I'm not sure what the last number is though. It would make sense for it to be the LOS distance, but I'm not 100% sure if thats what it is. If it was LOS it should always be longer than both the H and D, and I could of sworn I have seen it shorter many times.

I think the D is distance to home point and the other number is distance to you....but I need to confirm this. This also changes to indicate when the Phantom is using VPS.

7. I live in warm AZ. So during 3/4 of the year I'm guessing I'm in prime flying weather. Not too cold and never raining! My concern is about summer time though.... It can get as hot as 115 degrees and the sun can be BRUTAL. Will this create any problems? We go to the lake and boating alot during the summer, so while we stay cool, the drone will not be so lucky!

The manual says 0-40C, which is -32F - 104F, so 115F might be too high. I know the battery has a high temperature setting as well, which would concern me more as it may shut off when it reaches this temperature...but I have only read that...

8. In the USA 400ft is the legal maximum height a recreational drone should fly. Is this correct? My next question is what this 400ft is in relation to? I figure it does not include abnormalities like a mountain (so you cannot fly 400 ft further up just because your at the top of a mountain). But what about in consideration to the ground around it. So for example, that one mount is 350 ft tall from the base of that area. Compared to my house it is probably 500ft tall. Is it legal for me to set my limit to 500, since by the time my drone is over there, its actually only 350ft from the local ground. Hopes this makes sense.

It is 400 feet about the actual ground. Some people say it is law and others say it is guideline, I am not sure which but I follow it....talking to a pilot most planes are supposed to be 500 feet or higher, so that is kind of the basis for the 400.

9. I bought a Fearless backpack for it from amazon. Overall its pretty good, my only complaint is that the zippers don't open the compartment enough to give ample room to put away or take out the drone without having to drag an arm against the front part. Anyways, my question is what do I do with the camera and gimble. Do you guys recommend my protecting it somehow with a lens cover and gimble brace, or is putting it in there and carrying it around with the gimble loose just fine?

I always put the gimble lock that came with it on for storage, I would not let it just flop around in there....

 

[TheRealNick]

That is all I have for you questions, but I will add some items I follow below, but keep in mind their are my own beliefs. I cannot convey how much I want to avoid crashing my Phantom:

1. Do not constantly calibrate your compass. Once you get a good calibration leave it until you move to a new location.

2. I check the mod value of my compass before every flight, setting on upper right, then aircraft, then sensors. I glance at the other sensors as well.

3. I check the battery as well, check that the cells are around the same value and everything looks good. I also highly recommend you show the lowest cell on your main screen.

4. Make sure props are tight, I spin them to hand tight and then take note of the angle I go past and make sure it is not increasing. It is not a large angle and I do not use the wrench, but I do use both hands. I can take the props off without using the tool with my bare hands, but it is not easy. If the angle required to get them tight starts to increase, the threads maybe stripping...

5. Do not fly on anything less than a recently fully charged battery. I prefer to fly within 8 hours of a battery finishing full charge. So far the longest has been 16 hours and I was kind of nervous. I admit this is probably being a little paranoid, but I would never fly on a battery that sat for say 5 days....

6. I move nearby at around 50% battery, but I am mostly flying over the ocean. So far my rule is 50% battery and below I put is someplace it could autoland with no issues...this is probably conservative....

7. Have a fail plan in your mind at all times. For me since there is nothing overhead my first action will be to climb. climb up relax, try to figure out what is happening, and hopefully recover.

8. Know that if it starts autolanding and you cannot cancel it you can get it to hold altitude by going full stick up. I think a few people have lost their Phantom without this knowledge.

9. Read the DJI top 10 pilot errors and make sure you don't make any of these...

DJI Forum|TOP 10 common pilot errors

Finally, relax and enjoy flying this technical marvel....