Phantom 4 Range Tests - Dirty Bird

I headed to Annapolis yesterday to do some range testing & attempt a Bay crossing. I had the P4 & P3 Advanced with 7 batteries total. I was unable to use my intended launching point as it turned out to be Northrup-Grumman property with a gated road & lots of "Tresspassers will be shot" sort of warnings so I headed to Sandy Point State Park on the North side of the Western Bay Bridge landing instead.

The P4 did not make it across. Not that it couldn't have....actually I think it could. She made it 15,828' before I wussed-out on the battery. That was little past 3/4ths of the required distance but I got back with 38% battery remaining. Control & video was perfect the entire flight using only a Windsurfer.

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Excellent, thanks. I'm interested in some medium-long range flying as well as we have some pretty spectacular icebergs in my area in the summer and I'd like to fly out around them and have a look. Just learning and wondering what is the best method to increase my range. I've done 10,000 ft so far.
 
On a side note, the Phantom 3 Advanced made it ALL the way across!
Returned with 20% battery remaining.
20,646.9' (3.91 miles) using only a Windsurfer. :cool:

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Nice Vid. I just ventured out 4000 feet straight line with the P4 and windsurfer. Pucker factory got to me so I turned around. Great signal and all up to the distance. Gotta love it.
 
On a side note, the Phantom 3 Advanced made it ALL the way across!
Returned with 20% battery remaining.
20,646.9' (3.91 miles) using only a Windsurfer. :cool:

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Windsurfer alone on my stock P4 transmitter triples the range: 2,500 to 6,700 feet. Using the FPVLR V2 boosted GL300A paired with the P4 increases range to as far as the battery will carry you---3 to 5.68 miles, each way! I suppose you could try ditching on the bridge, if the P4 battery didn't make it back.;)
 
Unfortunately there is no shoulder on the Bay Bridge so may as well give her a burial at sea. :eek:

I actually think the P4 would have made it if I had the nerve to push her. I was just over 3/4ths of the way across & got back with 38%. I needed about 10,000' feet more on the round trip & probably could have made it I just don't trust the battery. Funny I bought the P4 specifically for the Bay Bridge run with the "28 minute" battery life & wind up making the flight with a P3.

Windsurfer alone on my stock P4 transmitter triples the range: 2,500 to 6,700 feet. Using the FPVLR V2 boosted GL300A paired with the P4 increases range to as far as the battery will carry you---3 to 5.68 miles, each way! I suppose you could try ditching on the bridge, if the P4 battery didn't make it back.;)
 
Unfortunately there is no shoulder on the Bay Bridge so may as well give her a burial at sea. :eek:

I actually think the P4 would have made it if I had the nerve to push her. I was just over 3/4ths of the way across & got back with 38%. I needed about 10,000' feet more on the round trip & probably could have made it I just don't trust the battery. Funny I bought the P4 specifically for the Bay Bridge run with the "28 minute" battery life & wind up making the flight with a P3.
Set her down gently on a railing, and then bring along a trooper to help you retrieve her! Better safe than sorry. Testing the limits is best done in measured increments. We are still trying to find the magic sweet spot of speed in P-GPS with OAS off, to get max distance, requiring max flight time. Keith managed 30,000 feet out and returned on the stock P4 battery in 24 minutes at an average speed of 28.4 mph in P-GPS with OAS off. We just need his flying skills and secret sauce to replicate it!
 
We just need his flying skills and secret sauce to replicate it!
IMG_3632.GIF
 
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