P3A flies 20KM on a stock battery?

Garrie · Oct 30, 2015

My drone group shared this video recently of a guy flying his P3A 10km towards an island and back, a total distance of 20km. He even posted the video.

While I highly doubt the credibility of the video, I have to ask, is it possible given the correct wind conditions etc?

I'm guessing he probably filmed his P3A normally from the start and when he transitioned to the video, he could be flying something else with a bigger or modified battery.

Tony Perry · Oct 30, 2015

Technically I think it's possible with perfect conditions like zero wind but I sure wouldn't wanna try it.

UnknownCaller · Oct 30, 2015

He has a battery mod I have one myself. I actually have the real world record which is 8.2 miles out and back 16.4 miles round trip. I just did it this morning 32 min flight. Yes its possible you add extra batteries on trays under the landing gear.

UnknownCaller · Oct 30, 2015

Wow he doesn't have extra batteries wow thats crazy!!

Jeriami · Oct 30, 2015

Garrie said:
My drone group shared this video recently of a guy flying his P3A 10km towards an island and back, a total distance of 20km. He even posted the video.

While I highly doubt the credibility of the video, I have to ask, is it possible given the correct wind conditions etc?

I'm guessing he probably filmed his P3A normally from the start and when he transitioned to the video, he could be flying something else with a bigger or modified battery.

Wow, he had no idea what kind of resistance he would get on the way back, but it kept chugging along, wow, the balls on this guy, lol!

UnknownCaller · Oct 30, 2015

Pretty cool

mick74 · Oct 30, 2015

Garrie said:
My drone group shared this video recently of a guy flying his P3A 10km towards an island and back, a total distance of 20km. He even posted the video.

While I highly doubt the credibility of the video, I have to ask, is it possible given the correct wind conditions etc?

I'm guessing he probably filmed his P3A normally from the start and when he transitioned to the video, he could be flying something else with a bigger or modified battery.

I took my P3P out 4.9km and the RTH came on at (60%) using a stock battery. I turned around and came back, Landing with (25%) battery. I didn't go half as far as this guy. So no, He didn't to this with a stock P3A & stock battery.

Meta4 · Oct 30, 2015

Jeriami said:
Wow, he had no idea what kind of resistance he would get on the way back, but it kept chugging along, wow, the balls on this guy, lol!

He had a very good idea

He managed 14.1 m/sec going out which indicates almost no wind .. perhaps a very minor headwind.
Confirmed by sea conditions too.
He managed 15 m/sec back.
The big issue is how he managed to stretch the battery to 26 minutes.
I think if that was possible, DJI would advertise a longer battery life than they do.
It would be good to see the top and bottom of the screen with battery, speed and other indicators.
Is there any good reason for them to be cropped out?

captain-marvel · Oct 30, 2015

I'm not buying this. If you watch the battery when he gets to the island, it stops dropping at all for about 2 minutes.

I think he had a battery mod, or as you said, a different drone all together that the actual recording was done from.

The only other thing I noticed was he increased altitude a bit about half way back. I wonder if the wind was such where I was able to catch a tail wind on the way back.

nhoover · Oct 30, 2015

While it appears to be stock without an extra battery, he doesn't say that and I doubt >26 minutes is possible stock. I would guess he's "cheating" somehow.

Meta4 · Oct 30, 2015

There's definitely been a little editing etc and what we are being shown isn't necessarily the whole story..
Look at the landing.
The view through the app shows the P3 facing the sea as it comes in to land but the 2nd camera view of the landing shows a p3 touching down facing away from the sea.
We are not seeing the same landing and perhaps (probably) not the same P3?

It does look like a P3 flew 10km to the island and10 km back.
I'm thinking that an extended battery is the best explanation and probably easier than faking the video.
Although that would have been possible it would have taken a lot more effort.

Rocket_Aus · Oct 30, 2015

I did an 8km flight yesterday with two 1300 total flight distance 17km so with a little bigger lipo can be done

danmarz · Nov 3, 2015

I'm sceptical. I want to know why RTH didn't kick in or the video signal did not break up past a few kilometres. I can't get more than about 2kms on my advanced and that's pushing it.

Ayrtonginster · Nov 3, 2015

I used to push 6k out (12/13 return) every flight on stock battery. This was taking me down to 5-10% and was before the latest RC firmware update. In my opinion there is no way on earth this is possible with stock battery. The video is well dodgy to!!

Rocket_Aus · Nov 3, 2015

Definitely a battery mod here

Tony Perry · Nov 3, 2015

danmarz said:
I'm sceptical. I want to know why RTH didn't kick in or the video signal did not break up past a few kilometres. I can't get more than about 2kms on my advanced and that's pushing it.

Where are you flying? Is it near population or is it in the middle of nowhere? That is going to be the biggest determining factor in your range on an unmodified setup,.

D4T_PoM · Nov 3, 2015

Ayrtonginster said:
I used to push 6k out (12/13 return) every flight on stock battery. This was taking me down to 5-10% and was before the latest RC firmware update. In my opinion there is no way on earth this is possible with stock battery. The video is well dodgy to!!

6k in ft or meters?

Lol

danmarz · Nov 6, 2015

Tony Perry said:
Where are you flying? Is it near population or is it in the middle of nowhere? That is going to be the biggest determining factor in your range on an unmodified setup,.

I fly in the middle of a city with loads of RF interference. The best distance I have ever got was about 1.5km (5,000ft) before signal was useless an RTH kicked in. Usually I get about 800 - 1,000m on a good day. So 8km out still seems extreme.