[URGENT] How to fly off a mountain/cliff?

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Hi, all.

I'm visiting Chattanooga and brought my P4 with me. I found an awesome spot that I want to fly. I went over there today but got scared and didn't fly.

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I don't intend on doing anything crazy, I really only want to fly backwards so the Rock is slowly introduced into the frame. Then maybe fly side-to-side and then come back home.

Are there any concerns with doing this? I didn't know how the P4 could react in regards to detecting altitude or if it would even be a problem.

I have Litchii and also the DJI Go app, obviously.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I'd like to go back tomorrow if I can find enough courage to do so!

I've flown in an around mountains in Phoenix, but I was always on the ground level and flying upwards. I don't know why, but flying off this rock is freaking me out a bit!

Thanks in advance!

P.S.
Attached is the spot I intend to take off from.
 

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The phantom has no way of.knowing how high above actual ground level it is, only how far above the take off point (this is your reported altitude).

Just be wary of updrafts close in when flying out and back. You will be fine.
 
Beware in RTH mode the craft might perform some ascend manoeuver accordingly altitude readings vs "Max altitude setting" and "RTH altitude setting" (start point altitude and AGL are different). Check your settings, trick is to understand start altitude vs AGL altitude.

Another point with RTH: sometimes incorrect altitude reading might lead to excessive descend speed while returning in RTH and approaching to the ground; if you see the P4 having excessive descend speed you better cxl RTH on time and finalize with manual landing.


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Last edited:
Great looking site.

Having flown hang gliders off many cliff sites I can say first hand as said above watch out for the updraughts. You should have any breeze heading towards you as you look out over that lovely view.

If the wind/breeze is from behind the cliff (over the top of the hill and out over the view) it may feel like there is no breeze at all, then it's most likely a DOWN DRAUGHT, if it's very light the P4 should have no real prob overcoming it but I would not fly with the breeze that way.

Watch the birds, they have been doing this for millions of years, observe, if they are tossed about it'll be the same for the gyro system on the Phantom (saying that it is as far as I have seen thus far it is a good system).

Good luck and take a deep breath and RELAX as soon as you can after take off, you'll enjoy it I'm sure.

Don't forget watch the birds, they are great teachers if you have the patience.
 
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First off do realize that with the Phantom your altitude is based solely from your takeoff point. When it's about to leave the ground that is ZERO. From that point forward altitude is "calculated" by the barometric pressure but it's still based from that take off point. It won't detect various heights above the ground (AGL) because it doesn't have any type of laser distance detection built into it. All the phantom knows is it took off at ZERO and everything else is derived from that point.

If I were you I would do this...

A) Fly the aircraft in the general vicinity of the rock and get a feel for exactly what the rock heights are compared to your take off point. Take note of specific things like: Bottom of rock. top of rock, points of interest on the rock, tallest obstacle you have to clear between take off point and turn around point. Once you have those heights you can more accurately plan your Litchi mission and IMHO in a fairly safe manner.

B) Plan you Litchi mission(s) using the above altitudes

C) Fly the mission(s) and be sure to share the footage here
 
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As mentioned, altitude is simply based from take off point. That is 0.

I'd only add that if you want to focus on something and fly around it that you may want to try visual tracking. It's not a part of Litchi. Personally I prefer Visual Studio but Litchi should be okay. This allows the P3 to keep the camera pointed directly at an object so that you only need to worry about flying. It works very good for those fly away shots you mentioned. Side slide shots of the rock would look good as well.
 
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Also position your craft on most centered location of the rock and no obstacle above, so in case of RTH there is enough space for landing and any eventual deviation from starting point is not an issue. Just in case connection lost and performing automatic return.

Make sure you get notified the home point has been updated before you take off!

Also watch for big birds, they might attack, it happened!



Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

I went back to the site yesterday but did not fly. I felt a breeze and it made me nervous again.

Unfortunately to ghetto this site you have to hike down, so flying around the rock to get a better understanding of it would be pretty difficult.

I planned on taking off from the spot in the picture in case RTH was invoked, so I'm glad to see my thinking was right. I also didn't see any birds flying which was a bit of a concern to me. I figured if I could see birds I could get a better understanding of winds. Once again, glad my head was in the right place.

All in all, I'm bummed I didn't get the shot I wanted, after two days of trying, but I'm glad I went with my gut and am currently flying back home with an in-tact drone!

I need to spend some time with Litchi to get a better feel for missions because I have never done one. Hopefully Dallas doesn't get more rain this weekend so I can go to a field an practice!

Thanks again for all the tips - they are greatly appreciated!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
As mentioned, altitude is simply based from take off point. That is 0.

I'd only add that if you want to focus on something and fly around it that you may want to try visual tracking. It's not a part of Litchi. Personally I prefer Visual Studio but Litchi should be okay. This allows the P3 to keep the camera pointed directly at an object so that you only need to worry about flying. It works very good for those fly away shots you mentioned. Side slide shots of the rock would look good as well.
Track (visual tracking) is a flight mode in Litchi, iOS version at least. You have orbit and follow as options in addition to being able to select an object and allow litchi to control gimble pitch and AC yaw with selected object centred as you fly.
 
QPlus7,

Great decision making, wathever would have worked or not, you leveraged risk and just for that thumbs up.

I wonder if someone already used the "explorer" approach, aka sending first a small cheap drone to see how it goes? To check environmental conditions and get comfortable prior launching the master.

Let's see if someone experienced this.






Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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Indeed.. I have a polycarbonate body "HIRO" combat frame I use as a wind dummy before chancy deployment of a more expensive photodrone to give me an idea of winds aloft..

also when launching from cliff edges watch out for the "rotor" effect when launching/landing back from the edge of cliff,horizontal tornado of air that clips paraglider(moi) pilots and hangglider pilots who are unwary..

good luck
hzl

QPlus7,

Great decision making, wathever would have worked or not, you leveraged risk and just for that thumbs up.

I wonder if someone already used the "explorer" approach, aka sending first a small cheap drone to see how it goes? To check environmental conditions and get comfortable prior launching the master.

Let's see if someone experienced this.






Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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Track (visual tracking) is a flight mode in Litchi, iOS version at least. You have orbit and follow as options in addition to being able to select an object and allow litchi to control gimble pitch and AC yaw with selected object centred as you fly.

Wow, I went back and read what I wrote. I meant to write that it _was_ a part of Litchi... as I then go on to say that using it in Litchi should work as well. :) Thanks for pointing that out.
 
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Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

I went back to the site yesterday but did not fly. I felt a breeze and it made me nervous again.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Post a video on this site for us to see..
 
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Is that ledge in Chattanooga & Chickamauga National Military Park (Lookout Mountain) ?

If so you might want to check with National Park Service rangers before launching to make sure it is OK to fly from there. Many National Parks have limitations or bans against launching drones from within the park.

Just want to make sure you don't get into trouble.
 
Hi, all.

I'm visiting Chattanooga and brought my P4 with me. I found an awesome spot that I want to fly. I went over there today but got scared and didn't fly.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

I don't intend on doing anything crazy, I really only want to fly backwards so the Rock is slowly introduced into the frame. Then maybe fly side-to-side and then come back home.

Are there any concerns with doing this? I didn't know how the P4 could react in regards to detecting altitude or if it would even be a problem.

I have Litchii and also the DJI Go app, obviously.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I'd like to go back tomorrow if I can find enough courage to do so!

I've flown in an around mountains in Phoenix, but I was always on the ground level and flying upwards. I don't know why, but flying off this rock is freaking me out a bit!

Thanks in advance!

P.S.
Attached is the spot I intend to take off from.
 
No worries, I just got back from Colorado,successfully flew my P4 at Independence Pass ,12,000 + ft .from cliffs ,No problems at all.
 

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