Need Faster Descent!

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

Anyone feel the need for a faster descent from altitude? Seems like it takes forever to descend

msinger · Apr 2, 2015

When descending straight down, I prefer to descend at 2 ft/sec. If I go any faster than that, I sometimes notice a bit of wobbling and/or strange noises from the props. Both are a sign of VRS.

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

Yep thanks for the info. I have not upgraded to 3.12 firmware & don't think I will at least not for the time being anyway but it seems to me that before my last upgrade my bird descended at a much faster rate than it does now.- always afraid battery fails before I get it down. I am contracted to do aerial photography reaching 1500' without problems. OK before anyone says I am flying too high etc etc - am on no known aircraft flight path & live out in the sticks. Geez can't believe I had to say that but......

Mal_PV2_Ireland · Apr 2, 2015

1500' sure the sensible thing to do would be a csc and free fall for a bit seeing as you are being all sensible and all that

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

Mal_PV2_Ireland said:
1500' sure the sensible thing to do would be a csc and free fall for a bit seeing as you are being all sensible and all that

Heh Heh - always one..........."There it is"!...........love the way ya think......lol

Mal_PV2_Ireland · Apr 2, 2015

Seriously though if I was up pretty high and worried and very low on battery a csc would enter my mind and I've contemplated it twice when a light aircraft and helicopter approached from out of the blue. But you have to weigh up your risks, low battery vs vrs. Taking risks like that would make me charge the price of a drone a day.

GSSP · Apr 2, 2015

Its easy, just switch to manual mode and drop as fast as you wish

BlackTracer · Apr 2, 2015

Palliz said:
Yep thanks for the info. I have not upgraded to 3.12 firmware & don't think I will at least not for the time being anyway but it seems to me that before my last upgrade my bird descended at a much faster rate than it does now.- always afraid battery fails before I get it down. I am contracted to do aerial photography reaching 1500' without problems. OK before anyone says I am flying too high etc etc - am on no known aircraft flight path & live out in the sticks. Geez can't believe I had to say that but......

Assuming you don't fly in the US of A. If I am not mistaken, In the USA, 400' is the LEGAL height limit regardless of location. No idea about other countries. Of course like other laws and like me, you can do anything you want as long as you don't get caught.

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

GSSP said:
Its easy, just switch to manual mode and drop as fast as you wish

OK sorry if I'm missing something here but 'Manual Mode'.......please explain

Mal_PV2_Ireland · Apr 2, 2015

Manual Mode or Phantom on steroids mode. It's not for the faint hearted or new fliers

Mal_PV2_Ireland · Apr 2, 2015

Take your hands off the sticks and she drops like a rock. Imagine atti mode which is like GPS mode, it'll hold height but will move around with the wind. Manual Mode won't hold height or GPS position so you always have to be in control of throttle to keep it up yaw forward and back to move around, no staying in position without input

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

Mal_PV2_Ireland said:
Take your hands off the sticks and she drops like a rock. Imagine atti mode which is like GPS mode, it'll hold height but will move around with the wind. Manual Mode won't hold height or GPS position so you always have to be in control of throttle to keep it up yaw forward and back to move around, no staying in position without input

OK right gotcha...........of course! I just never thought of doing it that way.............Doh
That's why folks sign up to be members of www.phantompilots.com .......thanks!

Mal_PV2_Ireland · Apr 2, 2015

If allowing it to drop in manual Mode switch back to GPS well before you hit the ground. Take your time learning manual Mode too if you are going down that road, always give yourself plenty of height but keep it in line of sight at all times.

MapMaker53 · Apr 2, 2015

Keep in mind, you can't have both Manual Mode and Failsafe Mode available at the same time. It's either/or with switch S1 bottom position. Personally, I'd choose to always have Failsafe available.

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

Mal_PV2_Ireland said:
If allowing it to drop in manual Mode switch back to GPS well before you hit the ground. Take your time learning manual Mode too if you are going down that road, always give yourself plenty of height but keep it in line of sight at all times.

Been flying IOC for quite a while now just never thought of flicking into manual to have it drop like a brick..........flicking back to GPS is a given.......I think my Cohones are big enough but not quite sure......lol

Palliz · Apr 2, 2015

MapMaker53 said:
Keep in mind, you can't have both Manual Mode and Failsafe Mode available at the same time. It's either/or with switch S1 bottom position. Personally, I'd choose to always have Failsafe available.

Yeah me too!.......thanks

CityZen · Apr 2, 2015

Keep in mind that when you want to come down fast, it's better to zig-zag your way down (come down at angles rather than straight down) in order to avoid VRS.

Meta4 · Apr 2, 2015

CityZen said:
Keep in mind that when you want to come down fast, it's better to zig-zag your way down (come down at angles rather than straight down) in order to avoid VRS.

DJI limited descent speed to a snail's pace 2 metres/sec to avoid VRS so that's unnecessary.

Meta4 · Apr 2, 2015

Palliz said:
I have not upgraded to 3.12 firmware & don't think I will at least not for the time being anyway but it seems to me that before my last upgrade my bird descended at a much faster rate than it does now.

So - when did you last upgrade?
DJI set the descent speed to 2 m/sec in 3.02 on 30 April 2014 - nearly a year ago . It hasn't changed since then.

Some other manufacturers allow better descent speed or DJI's own Inspire will come down fast but for the Phantom it's locked in at 2 metres/sec.

flyNfrank · Apr 2, 2015

Palliz said:
Yeah me too!.......thanks

You obviously now know how to get to the ground in no time. This is coming from experience in doing this. First know it really is not a very wise thing to do. I did it myself just a couple of times. But when you do this the quad doesn't want to drop directly straight down. It will at some point begin to go at a slight angle. The only way I would suggest anyone to do this would be....to watch the altitude readout and to switch into GPS mode as I would do the time I did it. You do not want to be under 300ft altitude when switching the S1 switch back to GPS. Sometimes it will correct itself in 70-90ft and the furthest mine continued to tumble before becoming under control was around 150ft

So print this out and take with you as a guide.

Btw, I can also tell you what takes place when your quad's battery goes dead at 3300ft. You might be shocked after reading the answer.