Pilot Institute Course

[Melvoid]

After a Phantom 1 and 3, I recently purchased a Mavic Air 2. About a week ago, I saw an ad for the Pilot Institute, offering a free familiarization course for the Air 2, so I'm in the middle of it. So far, I've learned some stuff I hadn't known before. Nothing major because I've been flying these things for a decade, but many details.

One question I have that wasn't completely addressed was as follows. First, how I sometimes fly.
At times, I'm flying fairly low over something interesting on the ground. As I get farther away, it's increasingly difficult to tell exactly how high the 'copter is above the ground and I get nervous about that. Apparently, the altitude reading off the controller is from the start point, and it doesn't tell you how high you are at another given point. If it says 10 feet, you're 10 feet above where you took off, not above that particular spot you're currently at. Other than relying on the bottom obstacle avoidance, is there a way to get it to read the current altitude at all times?

I hope that made sense. Re-reading it... I'm not sure I understand the question myself

Otherwise, I think the course is pretty good.

 

[Pygar70]

It would be helpful to know how far above the ground, or approaching ground-based obstacles, you are, wouldn't it? Below 10 metres the downward positioning system presumably knows how high the drone is - it just doesn't tell us!

I fly with DJI goggles. They're transformative - as far as depth perception goes.

 

[Melvoid]

If you have obstacle avoidance turned on, I guess that might keep you from hitting the ground, too, right? At this point, goggles aren't in the budget :-(

 

[Pygar70]

If you have obstacle avoidance turned on, I guess that might keep you from hitting the ground, too, right? At this point, goggles aren't in the budget :-(

Obstacle avoidance doesn't look down. Although in theory, given the angle of decline (10 degrees) and the 7 metre range, it should start sensing the ground in front of you at elevations below 1.23 metres (4 feet). I turn mine off for proximity flying, so I'm not sure if that's actually the case.

 

[Melvoid]

I thought there were sensors on the bottom... I was under the impression that it didn't look up or sideways.

I gotta look a bit deeper, I guess.

 

[Pygar70]

I thought there were sensors on the bottom... I was under the impression that it didn't look up or sideways.

I gotta look a bit deeper, I guess.

The Pro has sensors on the side, but these are practically useless, as they only activate in Beginner or Tripod modes.
The sensors on the bottom are for holding position (when GPS is inadequate) and 'landing protection' when RTH is triggered. I know they cause the aircraft to slow down when flying low, but I was always under the impression that I could still fly it into the ground. I've looked around online, but can't confirm this.
As previously mentioned, it's possible the forward obstacle avoidance would prevent a ground collision (below 1.23m) if your speed and rate of descent were slow enough.