Personal best distance record

WildDoktor · Oct 18, 2017

I figured, since the new FW is working really, really good, why not see if it helped with long distances? So at lunchtime I headed out to the boonies. With nobody around for miles and miles, no obstacles or obstructions, and under class g airspace, I started the recording and headed out.

I think the screenshot speaks for itself...read 'em and weep, boys!

Almost 2 and a half miles one way, bone stock. The first 2 miles were flown at 200'; then I started to get a bit of interference so I bumped it up to 313' and kept going. At 2.2 miles I got a yellow banner across the bottom that said "Video link signal weak. Be cautious." I kept going, and the video got a little worse, and at about 2.32 miles it seemed to have stopped responding, so I figured I'd come to a stop. The video sync'd back up and read 2.42 miles, and still RTH hadn't kicked in. Amazing! I *might* have been able to ekk out another tenth or two, but decided not to, because I didn't know what the winds were doing, and I wanted to have enough battery to return.

So I hit RTH and let it turn around and line itself up with me.

On the way back I decided to cancel the RTH and see how fast I could go in ATTI mode. I got a pretty consistent 42mph, with gusts up to 44.

I think I've gotten up to 47mph before, but I didn't feel like finding a good "downwind" this time; just wanted to be able to make it home.

I *did* make it back, with 10 minutes of battery left, so I flew around a bit and then landed just as "low battery" hit with 5 minutes left...good thing I was already on the ground and holding the left stick down to shut it off or it would have climbed.

Anyway, wow...I'm really liking this machine again as you could probably tell.

intrepidusa · Oct 18, 2017

That is a great flight and thanks for the SS's! It is a lot of fun when things go unexpectedly awesome...now I really need to get out to the country again after I update...again...lol.

ORANGE CRUSH · Oct 18, 2017

That is awesome! I haven't upgraded to the new beta firmware yet but after hearing so many positive things about it, i'm wondering why i haven't. Nice job man!!

Jagerbomb52 · Oct 20, 2017

Cool
I compared your flight to my 2.20 mile flight on battery usage. I did start the flight at 98% and ended at 56% with 12 minutes left of flying time. I would have thought there would have been a bigger difference since you flew part of the way back in ATTI mode which in theory is suppose to use up a lot more voltage. Kind of like the faster you go in your car the more gas you use.

trustyone · Oct 21, 2017

Thats it!.... My best with the old firmware is just under 1 mile and I live on the edge of a 200 foot bluff out in the country with no trees in the way at all!... I will do the update and try for a longer flight!

bjtap · Oct 21, 2017

Unbelievably great! Since I just updated to the latest FW (2.0.12) I just may try and 'push the envelope' also... but over 2 miles is scary to me. So far my personal best has been 1.33 miles and that 'had me worried' and that was with Skyreats.

xler8ted · Oct 25, 2017

How do you update the firmware? And Is it the app or are you updating the bird?

designrs · Oct 30, 2017

How to perform a firmware update | Autel Robotics

ovrszd · Oct 31, 2017

designrs said:
How to perform a firmware update | Autel Robotics

Very good post for your first one!!!!

Welcome to the site!!!!

Rawdog · Nov 2, 2017

My personal best was today which was 2.5 miles. I was getting a low battery warning but I wanted to get a full 2.5 miles before I turned around. I made it back safely with like 15 percent. My previous best with the Autel was 1.5 miles so this was a full mile more. It is even farther than my personal best with my Mavic which is 2 miles.

WildDoktor · Nov 2, 2017

Awesome!

xler8ted · Nov 2, 2017

Rawdog said:
My personal best was today which was 2.5 miles. I was getting a low battery warning but I wanted to get a full 2.5 miles before I turned around. I made it back safely with like 15 percent. My previous best with the Autel was 1.5 miles so this was a full mile more. It is even farther than my personal best with my Mavic which is 2 miles.

So what's the secret? Stock drone?

cjc1103 · Nov 5, 2017

There's a couple of issues with this. Are you just trying to one-up everyone else, "I can do this better than you can"? I'm sure you would have trouble keep line of sight at over 2 miles away, my drone is a dot at 1/2 mile, and FAA rules say you have to keep line of sight with your drone. Also going faster (pulling more amps from the battery) and flying below 30% battery capacity reduce battery life. Batteries are expensive, and if you get a bad cell, your drone may crash suddenly. You have to monitor battery logs and look for cells that have voltage variations, and may fail. A swelling battery is a telltale sign of impending failure. You should get over 100 flights on a battery, but there are plenty of stories of batteries only lasting 50 flights, probably because of abuse. At $150 a battery, 100 flights is only $1.50/flight.

ovrszd · Nov 5, 2017

I didn't take his post as one-upping anyone. I often fly at more than a mile away. I video farming operations a lot and it's easy to get that distance covering one operation. Though I have no desire to see how far my Drone will fly it gives me some comfort to hear of a pilot pushing theirs out to the limits. That tells me I have a safe cushion of flight distance to operate in.

I had never heard that flying fast or below 30% battery capacity reduces life? Can you guide me to that information as put out by Autel? I am always interested in improving batter life.

I've got 5 batteries. Have had 3 replaced. None got anywhere near 100 flights/charges. Do you have batteries in use with 100 charges? That gives me hope.

Jagerbomb52 · Nov 5, 2017

cjc1103 said:
There's a couple of issues with this. Are you just trying to one-up everyone else, "I can do this better than you can"? I'm sure you would have trouble keep line of sight at over 2 miles away, my drone is a dot at 1/2 mile, and FAA rules say you have to keep line of sight with your drone. Also going faster (pulling more amps from the battery) and flying below 30% battery capacity reduce battery life. Batteries are expensive, and if you get a bad cell, your drone may crash suddenly. You have to monitor battery logs and look for cells that have voltage variations, and may fail. A swelling battery is a telltale sign of impending failure. You should get over 100 flights on a battery, but there are plenty of stories of batteries only lasting 50 flights, probably because of abuse. At $150 a battery, 100 flights is only $1.50/flight.

Well this is a fine first post. I do question just how much you know about smart battery techknowledgey. I had a very long response to your post but as a good forum member I try to follow the rules.

To me you fit into rule #12. Trolling and cyber stalking are not allowed and are grounds for account restriction or banishment. Trolling includes posting controversial and often irrelevant or off-topic messages with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal, harmonious on-topic discussion, especially when a pattern of such posting is apparent.

Basically doing the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal, harmonious on-topic discussion.

This is a very friendly forum with a great bunch of people. We are enthusiast Autel users who like to build a great community and I see your post as disruptive.
Thats my 2 cents worth.

Flying Pumpkin69 · Nov 5, 2017

Agree with Agustine 100% everybody in this forum is very helpful. If your reason for joining is to create problems then you joined the wrong group so move on. If we misunderstood your post then hang around and contribute.

xler8ted · Nov 5, 2017

cjc1103 said:
There's a couple of issues with this. Are you just trying to one-up everyone else, "I can do this better than you can"? I'm sure you would have trouble keep line of sight at over 2 miles away, my drone is a dot at 1/2 mile, and FAA rules say you have to keep line of sight with your drone. Also going faster (pulling more amps from the battery) and flying below 30% battery capacity reduce battery life. Batteries are expensive, and if you get a bad cell, your drone may crash suddenly. You have to monitor battery logs and look for cells that have voltage variations, and may fail. A swelling battery is a telltale sign of impending failure. You should get over 100 flights on a battery, but there are plenty of stories of batteries only lasting 50 flights, probably because of abuse. At $150 a battery, 100 flights is only $1.50/flight.

I deleted 5 responses for the maturity of this forum HOWEVER my advice is don't be in someone' business about where,how far or how high someone takes their drone. I'l just leave it there. I am actually looking to sell my xstar cause the connectivity is awful and only gets out 1.5 miles.

WildDoktor · Nov 5, 2017

Just doing it because it's awesome and I could do it in complete safety.

Stick around, get a feel for the level of folks on this forum. I don't think anybody here is into reckless endangerment or into taking money out of anybody's pocket by flying illegally and getting paid for it.