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400' Altitude Limitation

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Just sharing an interesting thread in one of the outside quad forums:

(Here is the link)

Q500 Typhoon Altitude issue

One typhoon owner was insistent on getting the FW to patch the current firmware so he could go higher than 400'. Not realizing the consequences this action subjects the rest of us droners, should he get caught by FAA or worst, injure some bystander. Needless to say, he got blasted by the long time droners and the forum staff for this comment.
Have to admit, I thought about the FW bypass at one point but, enlightening inputs from long time droners helped me understand that we are all subject to FAA rules. Besides, I am happy just to soar @ 300'.

Funny thing about that fella, the name he signed up with that forum is "Hugo Stiglitz" a nasty character from the movie" Inglorios Basterds" (Suits his attitude, or shall I say altitude)
 
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Just sharing an interesting thread in one of the outside quad forums:

(Here is the link)

Q500 Typhoon Altitude issue

One typhoon owner was insistent on getting the FW to patch the current firmware so he could go higher than 400'. Not realizing the consequences this action subjects the rest of us droners, should he get caught by FAA or worst, injure some bystander. Needless to say, he got blasted by the long time droners and the forum staff for this comment.
Have to admit, I thought about the FW bypass at one point but, enlightening inputs from long time droners helped me understand that we are all subject to FAA rules. Besides, I am happy just to soar @ 300'.

Funny thing about that fella, the name he signed up with that forum is "Hugo Stiglitz" a nasty character from the movie" Inglorios Basterds" (Suits his attitude, or shall I say altitude)
Just sharing an interesting thread in one of the outside quad forums:

(Here is the link)

Q500 Typhoon Altitude issue

One typhoon owner was insistent on getting the FW to patch the current firmware so he could go higher than 400'. Not realizing the consequences this action subjects the rest of us droners, should he get caught by FAA or worst, injure some bystander. Needless to say, he got blasted by the long time droners and the forum staff for this comment.
Have to admit, I thought about the FW bypass at one point but, enlightening inputs from long time droners helped me understand that we are all subject to FAA rules. Besides, I am happy just to soar @ 300'.

Funny thing about that fella, the name he signed up with that forum is "Hugo Stiglitz" a nasty character from the movie" Inglorios Basterds" (Suits his attitude, or shall I say altitude)
I have a question involving this subject and it involves a waterfall I want to film but can't get to because of its remote location. The only safe place to take off is about 600 ft below the top of the waterfall. I want to fly AL the way to the top but I'm worried about that faa and it's rule. It's kind of a grey area because I would have to go beyond 400 ft in altitude but I'll still be within 100 feet or so of the mountain itself. Any thoughts?
 
I have a question involving this subject and it involves a waterfall I want to film but can't get to because of its remote location. The only safe place to take off is about 600 ft below the top of the waterfall. I want to fly AL the way to the top but I'm worried about that faa and it's rule. It's kind of a grey area because I would have to go beyond 400 ft in altitude but I'll still be within 100 feet or so of the mountain itself. Any thoughts?
If you can still see your quad with the unaided eye at 600ft above you (and it's a big if) then you are actually allowed to fly that high PROVIDED that at no time are is the quad more than 400ft above the ground directly below it.
Col.
 
Thanks. It made sense to me, I was just looking for verification before I give it a try.
 
I have a question involving this subject and it involves a waterfall I want to film but can't get to because of its remote location. The only safe place to take off is about 600 ft below the top of the waterfall. I want to fly AL the way to the top but I'm worried about that faa and it's rule. It's kind of a grey area because I would have to go beyond 400 ft in altitude but I'll still be within 100 feet or so of the mountain itself. Any thoughts?

I would think that if you not going directly vertical up to water fall but at an angle to the ground the GPS would an count for that but don't quote me on it
 
Those of us who live in or near real mountains, that will be an interesting hazy gray area. One place about 2 miles from where I was flying yesterday I could be at 400', then go north 100' and my altitude to the ground straight down would be 1000'+ pretty easily (small Mesa).

There are exceptions in cases like this. You need to contact Yuneec and ask for the firmware that when applied to the bird, you can fly in places like you mentioned.
 
There are exceptions in cases like this. You need to contact Yuneec and ask for the firmware that when applied to the bird, you can fly in places like you mentioned.
The way I see it; if they're going to make rules, they should be very specific! Is it 400 ft from where you're standing or 400 ft from the ground under the drone or 400 ft frome the ground in any direction? We don't live in a 2 dimensional word!
 
The way I see it; if they're going to make rules, they should be very specific! Is it 400 ft from where you're standing or 400 ft from the ground under the drone or 400 ft frome the ground in any direction? We don't live in a 2 dimensional word!
I meant this as a reply to the whole thread...
 
The way I see it; if they're going to make rules, they should be very specific! Is it 400 ft from where you're standing or 400 ft from the ground under the drone or 400 ft frome the ground in any direction? We don't live in a 2 dimensional word!

Another "Not very well thought out" statement by the FAA.
 
I live in Canada and am not subject to the FAA regulations....so can I get modified firmware that allows me to exceed the 400' ceiling limitation?

Cheers,
Stew
 
If you have internet access, you can do what ever you want. Download the standard firmware for your model, and the GUI from Yuneec's website. Plug in your bird and make the adjustments. May not even need to update the firmware, the GUI alone should be able to change the settings for altitude and range.

Just make sure you are not violating any of Canada's laws, and don't do anything stupid to help them create laws. Calgary already has one poster child that was flying at a park a couple Km from the airport, and is getting his hide nailed to the wall because "His drone had the capability to reach altitudes of 500'"...not because he did fly that high, just had the ability to do so that close to the airport.
 
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If you have internet access, you can do what ever you want. Download the standard firmware for your model, and the GUI from Yuneec's website. Plug in your bird and make the adjustments. May not even need to update the firmware, the GUI alone should be able to change the settings for altitude and range.

Just make sure you are not violating any of Canada's laws, and don't do anything stupid to help them create laws. Calgary already has one poster child that was flying at a park a couple Km from the airport, and is getting his hide nailed to the wall because "His drone had the capability to reach altitudes of 500'"...not because he did fly that high, just had the ability to do so that close to the airport.
Thanks for the info. I've never had a store bought rc model. I've been a scratch builder for years.
It's ironic you mention Calgary as that's where I live and work. The incident you mention is a strange one that made the news. The guy was actually located in a park approx 40-50 city blocks from the airport. And with all the media news hype about him flying in the potential path of planes landing, not once did any media outlet, or even the city police statement, mention the fact that flying rc anywhere in the city of Calgary is illegal. Has been for years. See item #24 here https://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-cler...Bylaws/20m2003-ParksPathways.pdf?noredirect=1
It was a great opportunity for city officials to use the media hype to reinforce the knowledge of the bylaws, but everyone was asleep at the wheel.

Cheers
Stew
 
How does the Q500 calculate altitude? Is it based on the take off altitude or is it based on the GPS altitude of the current position of the aircraft? I don't have a Q500 yet, but I fly all my planes and copters from a hilltop on my property that is 300' above my lower property. I ascend about 100 feet or so to clear the trees on the hill and then fly out over my pasture land. From were I am standing the copters are just a little above me but they are easily 400+ feet over my horses and barns. All manned aircraft fly at least twice that high over my property due to the terrain. If I would fly a Q500 from that spot and fly off the side of the hill and it was programmed with a 400' ceiling what would happen? It's only about 100' above where it took off from but it would quickly be at the 400' limit. Would it dive down to stay under 400'?
 
It used a barometric pressure sensor and it's 400' above the st10 transmitter. You can plug it into the GUI and change the altitude limit to get you to the height you want.
 
Also regarding the FAA rule. When I registered I signed off that I would fly under a 400' ceiling. My 2 Syma 8x quads have no gauges. I have no idea what altitude I am at. Is it illegal for me to fly without an altimeter? When I am driving my car sometimes it feels like I am and doing 40 and I look down and I am doing 65. When I am filming panoramic videos of my property I honestly have no idea how high I am. The x8's don't have gps so you are always flying by sight and you have no choice but to fly within those limitations. I always fly safe, but I can't attest to how high I am actually flying. If I got pulled over and my speedometer wasn't working in my car, I don't think it would go well for me to say "I was driving safely and it felt like I was going 55." How can we sign off that we will stay under a certain altitude if our uaf's don't have any means of measuring altitude?
 
I have a question involving this subject and it involves a waterfall I want to film but can't get to because of its remote location. The only safe place to take off is about 600 ft below the top of the waterfall. I want to fly AL the way to the top but I'm worried about that faa and it's rule. It's kind of a grey area because I would have to go beyond 400 ft in altitude but I'll still be within 100 feet or so of the mountain itself. Any thoughts?
I believe all of the limits are according to sea level. Take your situation for instance; you're 600ft below the waterfall, and let's say to top of the waterfall is at 0ft sea level; that put you at -600ft sea level. You should be able to go up that 600ft plus 400ft more to be at 400ft sea level. At least that's my understanding. everything is based off of sea level.
 
US FAA Summary of Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule (Part 107) restricts the operator to 400 feet above the operator. But way down at the bottom of the document, it clearly states that this rule does not apply to UAV that comply with Public Law 112-95 Section 336. In THAT document, hobby
https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Part_107_Summary.pdf
https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Sec_331_336_UAS.pdf
(continued) In THAT document, there is no height restriction for hobby or recreational use of the UAV.
There is the VLOS requirement, however.
 
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