Need advice on longer flights

Sufficient altitude for a safe RTH is merely higher that any obstruction it may meet along the route home. For me out here on the desert, I could get by with 50 feet. The minimum by default is 30 meters (98 feet).
Thanks for your comments. It is hard to estimate the height of trees in my area. Maybe best to fly over them, check that height then adjust RTH setting accordingly?
 
Adding the 32 channel mod and a WindSurfer Antenna Enhancer are the two very good additions even if you are a reserved type person that don't like changing things. The channel mod is free only taking 5 minutes to install, and the other will cost between $15-$20.

Btw, most don't know this, but when we 1st got the P3P's in May 2015, the 32 channel was part of the Pilot App. And the windsurfer's make up for flight distance we also had at the start.
I am kind of a newbie...have had my P3A several months now. I have never heard of the "32 channel modification". Could you tell me a little more about it? Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Thanks for your comments. It is hard to estimate the height of trees in my area. Maybe best to fly over them, check that height then adjust RTH setting accordingly?
One technique is to fly up until you see the horizon in the far distance on a full rotation with no tree tops in between. Use that height.

Most areas that have tall trees also have lots of hills. So you have to be careful of changes in elevation and account for that as well...

I have my RTH set at 250 ft but it hardly matters since I'm almost always above that when I RTH
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kai Mele
Oh I should add the Windsufers are great for the money. I tested the DIY version and they tripled my distance for video, RC was never lost on this test.
 
Mark the Droner has a good point. Set the RTH for 250 feet and forget it. You can always lower it manually when you see it coming home and see that there is nothing in the way. Also, if you are higher than 250, it will not descend down to the RTH altitude and then come home. It will stay at where ever it is at the time. If you are at 300 feet, it will stay there all the way home. I'm generally at "Low Battery" when I start home in RTH. So I begin a descent when I see it's clear. Otherwise, it will go into a hover what ever altitude you set and then take its sweet time coming down for a landing.
 
Highly illegal and could trigger big fines if caught. Yes, the FCC can track you down.

I provided documented interference to the FCC where a company was knowingly operating a business repeater on an adjacent pair as one of our municipal pairs. There was zero fine let alone jail time for the, "criminal" behavior.

I seriously doubt that the FCC has a unit dedicated to the hacking of DJI controllers. If you have some insight as to how the FCC could track us down, I would seriously be interested in hearing all of that.
 
Well, if your drone is registered as it is supposed to be, and your FAA number is on the drone as it is supposed to be, and if they find your drone by some means, then yes, they can track you down.

And if your drone is not registered, and they find it, they can trace the serial number with DJI to see who owns that particular drone. And if you bought the drone used from a friend, they want to know who that friend is.

But I'm not worried. I doubt they would go to all that trouble, unless you knocked a plane down or otherwise interfered with air traffic.
 
Last edited:
I have only had the guts to push my P3A out to 2827 feet. I live in North Georgia, USA so it can be hilly here. I have been keeping it in sight and raising the altitude as it is about to dip below the tree line over and over so as to keep it in sight, at least for a while.

Do I need to doing this on further and further flights? I did lose connection and had my first gut-wrenching RTH at only about 1800 feet but it was well below a very dense forest area.

Going to start trying to get it out further and further. Any tips or advice?
I have a P3 Pro & my top distance is 44,000 ft round trip. I turned around at 22,000 with 64% bat & made it back with 7%. Go for it.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,354
Members
104,933
Latest member
mactechnic