Mechanically, how high can I go?

[MassGuy]

USA. 400 feet, why care how much further, or higher out will go if there is not intent?

Why buy a Corvette that can do 200 MPH when the max speed limit in the US (TX) is 85 MPH?

This is a serious question, can someone provide a link that shows the 400' max altitude is the law the must be followed by hobbyists? I know it's the law for commercial pilots but everything that I've read has said it's a recommendation. The FAA's site says it's a guideline -

Fly for Fun

 

[pe9999]

Not in the middle of the ocean it isn't.

If it is within USA territory and you have no waiver, then FAA regulations said you can't fly higher than 400' .

 

[pe9999]

Looking at the hypothetical scenario, if you only wanted to go high and didn't care about the return the answer is fairly simple.
If you could get about 23 mins from a battery, multiply that by 5 metres/second and you get 6900 metres
If you want to get your Phantom back and the higher level wind doesn't carry it away, you have 5 m/s climbing and 3 m/s descending which means you could allocate 37% of your battery to the climb and 63% to the descent.
Using 23 mins battery time that would get you up about 2550 metres.

You did not consider the battery power is nonlinear. The rpm decreases as battery voltage drops.

 

[Russ43Phantom]

In the US, 400 ft agl is only the law for Part 107 flights. For hobby flying, it is the recommended maximum height. And, redbusdriver, really well done explanation on air density and service ceiling. Might add that even at lower altitudes, reduced density can have an impact. The bird has to work harder and could cause a miscalculation on having enough battery to return home.

In the USA, manned aircraft can fly down to 500' agl over land or ocean. Our shared responsibility is to avoid, at all costs, any potential for loss of life due to drone operation. So ... hobbist or Part 107 licensed pilot; land or over sea; forget the aircraft capability beyond 400'. Plan ahead of time, for all flights, a flight plan the flys under the 400' ceiling.

 

[Gmanstyle]

USA. 400 feet, why care how much further, or higher out will go if there is not intent?

It's illegal to use it for hunting too as your profile photo shows you don't follow that rule

 

[Loz]

I think what they mean is that anywhere in the USA, the FAA guideline is 400 ft "at ground level" for hobbyists. I like to say; "above ground level" that I am currently standing on. In other words, I can drive up a mountain that is 5000 ft high. And from that ground level I can be within the FAA guidelines and fly 400 ft above the ground level that I am standing at. So, I would technically be flying at 5400 ft. but still within the FAA guidelines.

With common sense you are quite correct, technically (and being pedantic just for a moment) the height you are flying is measured below aircraft in flight, NOT where you are standing. It may be the same if dead flat and you are above your take off point, but fly off a mountain (your example) sideways & your Phantom could end up way above 400 AGL & illegal height. Just food for thought, I'm not attacking anyone, just prompting understanding (hopefully).

 

[OkiePhlyer]

It's illegal to use it for hunting too as your profile photo shows you don't follow that rule

And if you look closely at his profile photo you can see his Phantom hiding in the background with an AR-15 attached to it! I can see exactly how you came to the conclusion that he hunts with his drone.

Can you believe this guy!!

 

[Gmanstyle]

Haha

 

[jwmcgrath]

What's a "geofence"?

Did you get an answer yet? I didn't see one... it's a virtual fence created by GPS coordinates that your aircraft is prevented from crossing, by your aircraft detecting that it's approaching it.

It's possible to geo-fence an area to prevent or restrict flight from, either temporarily or permanently.

For example, a geo fence can be created around the Super Bowl to prevent flight over or near it for the period of time that is set up for security purposes.

 

[Huricans97]

U.S. FAA Regulations state that drones are to fly under 400ft. (Although most people will probably ignore this as either they do not know or do not care).
As well as most do not know DJI drones must be registered with the FAA (since they are over .55 pounds).

FAA Regulations link for Fun and Work
Getting Started

 

[MassGuy]

U.S. FAA Regulations state that drones are to fly under 400ft. (Although most people will probably ignore this as either they do not know or do not care).
As well as most do not know DJI drones must be registered with the FAA (since they are over .55 pounds).

FAA Regulations link for Fun and Work
Getting Started

This info is only listed in the Fly for Work section -

Must keep the aircraft in sight (visual line-of-sight)*
Must fly under 400 feet*
Must fly during the day*
Must fly at or below 100 mph*
Must yield right of way to manned aircraft*
Must NOT fly over people*
Must NOT fly from a moving vehicle*

 

[Richard R]

This info is only listed in the Fly for Work section -

Must keep the aircraft in sight (visual line-of-sight)*
Must fly under 400 feet*
Must fly during the day*
Must fly at or below 100 mph*
Must yield right of way to manned aircraft*
Must NOT fly over people*
Must NOT fly from a moving vehicle*

U.S. FAA Regulations state that drones are to fly under 400ft. (Although most people will probably ignore this as either they do not know or do not care).
As well as most do not know DJI drones must be registered with the FAA (since they are over .55 pounds).

FAA Regulations link for Fun and Work
Getting Started

Actually, the several 1000 pilots here all know about registering. And the regs you quote are for Part 107 (commercial) pilots. Hobby fliers are requested/recommended to fly below 400ft.

 

[4Krusin]

I enjoyed reading this hypothetical thread. The question I get most often is "how high will it go?". My answer is always the same. "We are limited to 400 feet, but it is capable of much more, like 10,000 feet". At least now I know the real answer.
One thing that bothers me where I fly (east coast of Florida now), I often see manned aircraft flying the coast at well below our 400' max. This really bothers me and I am quite reluctant to take it over 100' or even less. I use AirMap and I am well outside of any no fly zone. Am I wrong in my understanding of the manned aircraft minimum height restriction?

 

[Loz]

You are quite correct being bothered seeing manned AC below 400 as all Phantom pilots should be - worldwide (think I can safely say this) drones always must give way to manned aircraft - even if they are flying below a local min height restriction. It's can be unsettling I agree..

 

[N017RW]

I enjoyed reading this hypothetical thread. The question I get most often is "how high will it go?". My answer is always the same. "We are limited to 400 feet, but it is capable of much more, like 10,000 feet". At least now I know the real answer.
One thing that bothers me where I fly (east coast of Florida now), I often see manned aircraft flying the coast at well below our 400' max. This really bothers me and I am quite reluctant to take it over 100' or even less. I use AirMap and I am well outside of any no fly zone. Am I wrong in my understanding of the manned aircraft minimum height restriction?

Generally speaking...
Manned aircraft should maintain 500 ft clearance of any object. When over the water for instance this may be(come) a horizontal separation not a vertical one. So it would be 'legal' to fly lower than 500 ft depending on the circumstances.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Airbus???

Airbus isn't an airline.

 

[Nowelly]

I've been thinking lately how high the p3a can go. And yes I know it can't go over 1600 ft because of the geofence, that was a bit sadening to find out.

However, I wonder, if say that limit wasn't existant, or was defeated, and let's just say hypothetically for some reason I'm in the middle of the ocean and planes don't exist so there is no danger, how high can a p3a go?

I figure two things mess that up, wind and a dismal ascention descention rate. Seriously I think the fc40 went faster down, but maybe that's some tipping issue countermeasure. Other than that, how would the wind affect it at 8000-10000 feet? I'm no pilot, so I have no idea.

So, without 3rd party safety concerns, how high?

Whilst it may be an interesting question, there are plenty of people all over YouTube and elsewhere attempting "altitude records", with a complete disregard for the law. I am not saying for a second you are asking because you'd like to try it, but, as the regulations across the world are to fly a UAV no higher than 4-500 ft in the main, it really is not even worth asking that question. If, for example, you were in the US, and the authorities found out that the broke those regulations - and I doubt it would matter whether you were near a city, in the desert or in a wide open space, they would come down on you like the proverbial ton of bricks. I note some comments above "but not over oceans it isn't, etc." : no, perhaps it isn't - but even that depends on how far out beyond territorial waters you are... And you can be sure that there is around a 20-50 mile ring of ocean around many countries (depending on the waterway) before you get out to international waters. And even so, why risk it - really? It is estimated in the US alone there are now 450,000 registered drones since the new FAA regulations were released. That is a lot of drones. Imagine if each and every one of those owners started asking the question: "mmm how high can I fly this to?" and followed their curiosity... You could imagine the potential obstacle course that is being laid for commercial and even light aircraft, especially as many drones are still 1-3rd generation, and some made in the garage without very good or any stabilisation systems, or redundancy built in, or even transceivers to warn other airspace users (this is actually brand new on the new DJI Matrice, and some technologists are currently working on 3rd party compact solutions).

At present, governments across the world are taking two approaches: they are either imposing blanket bans (that is BEFORE you enter the minefield of by-laws), or, some are taking a more pragmatic approach and putting it out to full public consultation. In the UK they have done the latter, but that is not stopping some national scale landowners (e.g. national trust or Natural England) imposing blanket bans on anyone who does not have a commercial license and strict granted permission to fly over their land pending the outcomes of the consultation. What I mean to say is: it does not help discussing subjects that provoke "drone paranoia" even more, and reinforce and justify them laying the bans in the first place. Ever since I started taking up droning, I have noticed that critics focus solely on the bad, and speak not one word about the good. Drones desperately need good PR - all I am saying is, discussions such as these at a time when laws internationally are changing FAST, it is a useless conversation in my view.

 

[jwmcgrath]

I enjoyed reading this hypothetical thread. The question I get most often is "how high will it go?". My answer is always the same. "We are limited to 400 feet, but it is capable of much more, like 10,000 feet". At least now I know the real answer.

LOL you do?! I've read the whole thread and I'm not sure I know the "real" answer yet!

I know the box says 6000M on it but I also know the software limits it to (I think) 1625', but I think the OP is wondering what max height is with electronic and legal restrictions removed... which would then become dependent on battery capability, air pressure, temperature, etc.

And THAT then becomes dependent on atmospheric pressure, starting point relative to sea level, model of phantom...

So no, I don't know the answer yet and I am quite certain that there is no one answer.

 

[Richard R]

All the confusion comes from mixing terms. The phantom has a service ceiling of 6000 m. That's how high the bird can physically (or mechanically in the terms the OP used) fly. It doesn't matter if that height is over the ocean or in the mountains of Nepal. Firmware limits the height to 500 m above the point of take off, again regardless of the altitude of the takeoff point. Legally, proper authorities can legally limit the maximum height (referenced to the ground below the aircraft) such as the 400 agl limit for Part 107 pilots. All of the above are correct, you have to decide which question you are asking.

 

[Meta4]

LOL you do?! I've read the whole thread and I'm not sure I know the "real" answer yet!

Read post #18 again - it's in the ballpark.