Question about flying above forest canopy

Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
69
Reaction score
0
Age
45
Location
Phoenix, AZ
This question is more about how the RTH feature would react, but also an altitude question. If launch the Phantom from the ground at an elevation of 9,000 feet and fly above the forest canopy of say 400ft agl...

If I loose sight of the phantom and must use the fail safe RTH, will the Phantom stay at the 400ft agl and not descend until over the landing point? The trees are roughly 60 feet or taller.

Furthermore, I read a post on here about flying in canyons, and the way I understand it is... if the Phantom goes into RTH at an elevation below its starting point, it will only raise 60 feet from the point of lost connection. Therefore, if any obstacles are HIGHER than 60 feet from the point of lost connection, you run a high risk of the Phantom colliding with said obstruction. Is this correct?

Is the moral of the story not to use RTH at an altitude that is lower than the starting point?
 
If you are lower than 60 feet and activate Return To Home, it will climb to 60, fly to directly above the take off point, and come straight down. If trees between Phantom and Home are higher than 60 feet, there will be trouble. :(

If you are HIGHER than 60 feet when Return To Home is activated, it will NOT descend until it is above the home point.

As for flying below your take off point (like down a cliff), I don't think anyone knows what would happen. Everyone may have a theory, but I don't think anyone has seen the programming or tested it.
 
In your scenario..

if your HL take off point is at 9,000ft,

-if you're flying 400ft above (at 9,400ft), and you initiate RTH, it will remain at 9,400ft, fly home at that altitude and then land

-if you're flying at any altitude under 9060ft, (or even below 9,000 ft) it will hold for a sec, fly up to 9060ft, then fly home at that altitude and then land.

The only danger is if you're flying within a forest canopy where the home location is surrounded by trees, buildings or hills that are taller than 60ft.
 
I have been able to initiate a new home in midair before. if you could set a new home @ 400ft. then you may not have a problem.
 
MX45OR said:
I have been able to initiate a new home in midair before. if you could set a new home @ 400ft. then you may not have a problem.

um,. I thing you might want to do is set your home location hundreds of feet in the air
in the event of RTH, it will try to land itself high up in the air,.and then drop to the ground! (I think)
 
Gizmo3000 said:
I thing you might want to do is set your home location hundreds of feet in the air
in the event of RTH, it will try to land itself high up in the air,.and then drop to the ground! (I think)

I don't think so. [guess] I think it knows it has not landed due to movement (try catching it when landing and moving it around when throttle is at zero, the props don't stop until you hold still) so I don't think the altitude stops the props. I think it's the lack of movement. [/guess]

I'd love to see the programming code.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,359
Members
104,936
Latest member
hirehackers