Can the H make this journey?

[Droneworld34]

What I mean by long range is an extended range to what the normal antenna and circular antenna can provide. You should define what you mean by 1500 - 2000.
Is this feet, meters or height?

 

[Steve Carr]

What I mean by long range is an extended range to what the normal antenna and circular antenna can provide. You should define what you mean by 1500 - 2000.
Is this feet, meters or height?

1500' is 1500 ft. The ' symbol indicates feet.
The normal distance can be anywhere from 500' to 3500' depending on conditions at the location flown. Many pilots replace the antenna to improve the video stability and signal strength on the ST16.

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

I have successfully flown to 3200' before receiving video interuption using the original two antenna setup. Not something that is recommended. This and the following were testing signal strength. With fpvlr antennas i have flown to 6700' and stopped there because i was approaching populated areas. I am fortunate to live next to a large unpopulated area to test and fly in. Both of these flights were strictly for testing purposes and the aircraft was also watched throughout the flight with high power optics. I would not recommend BLOS flights, one because of safety and two because the risk in losing your TH. If you choose to complete your lake test, first practice your hand catch until your proficient. Then launch the TH from your property while you are in the boat driven by another person. While your flying the H across the lake, the other person can be driving the boat following the TH while you are piloting
. If your flight is successful across the lake you can then evaluate the weather, battery level, etc. to decide if you can make it back across the lake or land and recover the TH. In this way it will also provide you with the opportunity to practice tracking (the boat) and get some aerial video. Good luck!
I am on the road now, but if anyone would like, i can post the video when i return.

 

[The Driver]

The conditions shown in the picture would be perfect for a long flight. If it didn't make it back you would just retrieve it from the snow on the lake.
Flying over water is altogether different. Any glitch at all and it will be a submarine. I aways attach a GetterBack to the landing gear when over water. It's still a risky flight and everything depends on the wind conditions. Anytime you plan to fly out past 1500' you should be flying into the wind. When you hit 15.3 volts it's time to start the return trip. If you were flying upwind to return home at 15.3v you might not make it. I always plan to land around 14.7 - 14.8v.

Didn't even know what a GetterBack was until I read your post.....ordered two from amazon...should be here tomorrow. Would be nice to at least recover some parts should the unthinkable ever happen.

I should clarify the function of the Auto RTH based on your post comments.
It is a misconception that losing video will trigger RTH. It only happens when the Control signal is lost. The H will head for the last known position of the ST16. Once it reacquires the control signal it will go to hover waiting for input from the ST16. Your description of the H hovering until the battery runs down is a result of pilot error. If you lose video, telemetry and the green arrow then you must switch to Home and wait until you can see the orientation of the H, then go to Angle mode. Those who describe the H going into hover on signal lose are really talking about loosing video. So they wait thinking the H will return without switching to Home. It's just a matter of understanding how the system works and what the pilot should be doing. Whenever you are near water you also need to remember that the H in Home mode will land 13-20' from the ST16 in the line of flight. If you are on the shore or in a boat, the H will auto land in the water.

That's the best explanation of how things "should" work that I have read....Thanks!

I'll chime in...
If the conditions are right you could try it.
I'd fly in the early morning on a windless clear day.
If windy, flying into the wind to start would be best as that is when your battery would be drained quickly and not so much on the return.
Also don't try it in one flight, make multiply flights to test your range and take baby steps to increase your range with each flight.
Another thing to remember is that LOS also means transmission from the controller to the Typhoon and back.
Even if you can visually see the H, if a tree gets in between, you could loose feed in which case you would have to move so there is a direct line between the controller and the Typhoon.
In my case I live on a hill and can usually reach 5000'and have reached 7100' on a clear windless morning.( White route in maps below)
My Flights
View attachment 6327

Here is a long (6 min) video of one flight reaching 5100 '

and the flight path

View attachment 6326

Anyway, good luck and be sure to post your results as that looks like it could be a nice video !

Thanks for the pointers Atomic,
Will certainly be taking baby steps.....you're an upstater....you probably are even familiar with the area: Fulton Chain 1st lake Old Forge.
Thanks for posting that awesome vid and I am also looking forward to some crisp early mornings where a thick layer of low fog often forms over the lake.....should be great filming!

Thanks Steve. I've never actually tried moving from the launch point during a flight to see how RTH responds. Good to know.
Still, landing (?) or hand catching on a boat is something that should be practiced first before it is critical to the mission. For example, practice hand catching on land, then in a boat but close to a good earthen landing point as a backup. There is quite a bit of information on this forum about hand catching.

I actually let RTH do it's full function today...normally I switch to angle mode and land or hand catch manually.
This time I let it ride and it would have landed on my head if I didn't step away...that's how accurate it's positioning was and it landed perfectly on it's own.
I do have the hand catching pretty much down to a science but will be extra cautious on the boat.....but don't anticipate many problems on the pontoon boat and usually fairly docile wave conditions.

I have successfully flown to 3200' before receiving video interuption using the original two antenna setup. Not something that is recommended. This and the following were testing signal strength. With fpvlr antennas i have flown to 6700' and stopped there because i was approaching populated areas. I am fortunate to live next to a large unpopulated area to test and fly in. Both of these flights were strictly for testing purposes and the aircraft was also watched throughout the flight with high power optics. I would not recommend BLOS flights, one because of safety and two because the risk in losing your TH. If you choose to complete your lake test, first practice your hand catch until your proficient. Then launch the TH from your property while you are in the boat driven by another person. While your flying the H across the lake, the other person can be driving the boat following the TH while you are piloting
. If your flight is successful across the lake you can then evaluate the weather, battery level, etc. to decide if you can make it back across the lake or land and recover the TH. In this way it will also provide you with the opportunity to practice tracking (the boat) and get some aerial video. Good luck!
I am on the road now, but if anyone would like, i can post the video when i return.

Thanks for the suggestions and sure, post the vid when you get a chance.