Take off and landing from a steel vessel

bsartist · Jun 5, 2017

I would like to video an on water event and the vessel I'd be taking off from is a large 52' long, 14' wide steel hulled vessel.

What are my risks here. Would I just get a compass error on power up but everything will be fine once I take off and get some distance away? Or will it throw off the calibration for the flight and I'll only have atti mode?

If the former and I can fly in P-GPS mode what happens when I come back to land?

Has anyone done this before and have experience.

Bill

sar104 · Jun 5, 2017

I would check the magnetic field on the vessel with one of the mobile apps to see how bad it is.

bsartist · Jun 5, 2017

sar104 said:
I would check the magnetic field on the vessel with one of the mobile apps to see how bad it is.

I thought it was just the presence of that much ferrous metal that would cause the problem?

Do you have an iOS app you recommend?

ROD PAINTER · Jun 5, 2017

I would not do it. You will get major compass errors. Just my 2 cents!

sar104 · Jun 5, 2017

bsartist said:
I thought it was just the presence of that much ferrous metal that would cause the problem?

Do you have an iOS app you recommend?

Ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, can be a problem depending on their magnetic state. Plenty of successful operations have taken place on steel vessels however - hence my suggestion to check. I use MagnetMeter, but there are several other options too.

Erised · Jun 5, 2017

My only experience with a compass error was a take off on a large cement pad full of rebar. Power up and the error massage came up but GPS was good, once I was about 30 feet up the message went away, the bird flew well and the compass worked fine as it possitioned the right camera angle in GO. Came back to land and all was normal and no messages till I landed on the pad. The compass keeps it's calibration than was previously done in a clean location. Many have flown close to steel bridges and ships with no problems. I can't say if it can give you problems but from what I have seen so far it's seems doable. just don't take off from a magnet.

RodPad · Jun 5, 2017

Sorry no experience but I would wonder about the landing part, I would be prepared to land in Atti.
Would this vessel you are landing on be moving?

Rod

bsartist · Jun 5, 2017

RodPad said:
Sorry no experience but I would wonder about the landing part, I would be prepared to land in Atti.
Would this vessel you are landing on be moving?

Rod

I can have them come dead in the water when it's time to catch it.

Jayfdee · Jun 5, 2017

Sorry too scary for me, I get the compass warning even if my case with various bits inside is too close.

bsartist · Jun 5, 2017

Jayfdee said:
Sorry too scary for me, I get the compass warning even if my case with various bits inside is too close.

Yes but is the compass warning temporary and it recovers after takeoff?

solentlife · Jun 5, 2017

The proof is to power up and see what happens. You do not have to take-off .... if there is a problem - power down and live another day.
Technically you should be able to rise up above any effect, but as I found - if you have serious magnetic anomaly - you cannot fly ! Well mine wouldn't let me take-off. I had to move away and restart all to get to fly.
I did not try manual stick start of motors - maybe that works ... but Auto Take-off refused to act.

Many times I have landed back on that spot though and had no trouble at all. I always manually land by eye anyway.

Main point - is to NOT do any calibration when on the vessel ... leave all as good from your LAST location.

As I say - power up and see ... Meters are fine - but as we all know from so many posts on other threads - the DJI P3 has a mind of its own when it comes to interference and compass !

I posted a video on another thread that showed my P3S right up close to my Renault Van / trailer and tractor ... never a murmur or hint of anything ...

Nigel

Jayfdee · Jun 5, 2017

bsartist said:
Yes but is the compass warning temporary and it recovers after takeoff?

I do not take the risk, get a warning ,start again somewhere else.

nwcove · Jun 5, 2017

Worst case scenario........you will get to video the submarine races.

RodPad · Jun 5, 2017

bsartist said:
Yes but is the compass warning temporary and it recovers after takeoff?

Yes it should, might try it the day before, etc. If you can get on the vessel for a test. Good test off the hood of your car, or your riding lawn mower.

Rod

sparky1111 · Jun 5, 2017

Emphasises the importance of learning to fly in ATTI mode don't it? We become lazy with dependance on the gps compass etc.

RodPad · Jun 24, 2017

@bsartist,
Well did you do it?

Rod

bsartist · Jun 25, 2017

RodPad said:
@bsartist,
Well did you do it?

Rod

Nope.

Deleted member 62848 · Jun 25, 2017

bsartist said:
Nope.

Hi could try heavy duty rubber mat mayby

PeterX · Jun 25, 2017

I did not see a Phantom takes off on a steel stack or truck made of steel or iron.

RodPad · Jun 26, 2017

Hum, I got a neighbor that ask if I could capture him and his family on their sail boat. I said I'm comfortable with that. Then one day I realized he would probably want to be sailing, not just putting around with motor. Now with this thread, thinking of compass problems, and adding wind, and dodging sails. Guess it would need to be calm day, sails up for show. Starting to sound scary, I'm really not a very good swimmer, and I have never been on a sail boat.

Rod