Flying the H at higher altitudes

[Steve Carr]

I just returned from a weekend at a family members mountain home. The house sits at 9958' ASL. This is based on several Garmin GPS readings and on USGS maps.

My H successfully launched and flew at this altitude. It even flew as high as ~10,150' ASL. My H did not require any special firmware. It is using the current firmware available to all.

At that altitude, you could hear the motors working harder to keep it aloft. Everything reacted slower due to the thinner air. Had to be careful descending and moving in the X axis as it took it longer to slow/stop. Battery life was definitely shorter. I didn't time it, but I know based on previous flights. I played it safe and brought it back closer to me when the battery got to 14.9 volts. The motors were not any warmer/hotter than normal...

Again, the H took off and flew above 8,000' ASL with no special firmware like the Q500...

BTW, I live at about 6,000' ASL and regularly fly at this altitude with no issues. Even flying at 8,000' ASL, I've not noticed any significant differences, but at that 10k mark, handling is noticeably different.

Thanks for your post. Glad they removed that limit. Also thanks for posting your handling experience with flying at higher altitude.

 

[Dragonflyerthom]

Your video was very clean and I noticed that you were probably flying in turtle mode. Did you try to go any faster. What was the state of your motors at the end of the flight? What was the status of your batteries?

 

[Vegasrobbi]

I was in Follow and angle mode with the slider towards turtle in the video. I was actually comparing the lens on my H to the lens on my Phantom.

I have flown in full rabbit at that altitude with no issues. Battery life is a little bit less but does not drop off rapidly and you have plenty of warning.

I think the 6 rotors help at altitude, just like the larger props I installed on my Solo, helps with the thin air.

 

[Rayray]

Good info, thanks.

 

[QuadBart]

I'll have to check which firmware version it is. But it was the last update we had...

I flew strictly in rabbit mode. I forgot about turtle mode which which I think is better to use up at those altitudes cause as I mentioned, the "bird" responds more slowly at that altitude.... I'll try it next time which should be a couple weeks. The only problem is where the house is, it can get VERY windy. I mean there are trees up there, that have no branches on one side cause of the wind...

Will spend a bit more time trying different things...

 

[OrangeSed]

Really good to know, thanks Bart!

If you have time the info about the firmware would be great

 

[Sticks]

Thank you for posting that info QuadBart. That was a deal breaker for me on the H. Now I am back in the market for one.

 

[Simspeed]

Did anyone ask themselves exactly how would one attempt to start the motors @ 8000' above takeoff elevation? I know I did. If we're going to respond to questions with reasoned answers....it would help to think logically about the circumstances in question before replying. Thanks to everyone who thought this through before dismissing statements of others like myself who spoke of their experience rather than presumptions of something they apparently know little about.... I apologize if this is insulting to some...but so is rejecting the experiences of others offhand with second hand comments that may or may not have been true....but fly in the face of actual flights others have made and continue to regularly make.