Hypothetical question

[grandpawmoses]

Hypothetical situation. All legal issues aside.
If someone were flying a drone on the rim of the Grand Canyon and flew it out over the canyon, how would the drone react due the the drastic elevation change? Considering now it's far beyond the 400 ft limit.

 

[Dilly Joat]

Hypothetical situation. All legal issues aside.
If someone were flying a drone on the rim of the Grand Canyon and flew it out over the canyon, how would the drone react due the the drastic elevation change? Considering now it's far beyond the 400 ft limit.

The drones we fly use barometric pressure to judge their height. They measure the pressure at take off and assume that is zero feet above ground level. Since the pressure will not noticeable change as you fly over the rim, I would not expect the drone to behave differently and if you then descended into the canyon, the drones height would show as negative.

 

[CraigCam]

It does not descend when crossing over drops from cliffs. Please don't fly the canyon even hypothetically.

 

[Dilly Joat]

It does not descend when crossing over drops from cliffs. Please don't fly the canyon even hypothetically.

CraigCam, why do you ask that people do not fly the Grand Canyon? I am in the UK and never had the chance to visit the canyon so I ask purely out of interest.

 

[grandpawmoses]

I asked hypothetically because that seemed like an easy to understand scenario. My intent is to video a very high waterfall from top to bottom and didn't want any unexpected malfunctions.

 

[CraigCam]

CraigCam, why do you ask that people do not fly the Grand Canyon? I am in the UK and never had the chance to visit the canyon so I ask purely out of interest.

It's a national park and against the law. Plus it's bad enough the majesty of the experience is spoiled by lazy tourists flying helicopters from Las Vegas and a buzzy drone is inappropriate in a natural wonder like the GC. The drone camera capture would be so insignificant as the vastness of the canyon is difficult to comprehend with the eye let alone the limited FOV of our camera. Better to find lesser sites that are in national forests where you can fly if there are no fires present. I just completed a trip through the Sierra Madres and hit 4 parks and 7 forests. Flew only three times but got nice shots and found secluded launch and recovery spots that did not go over any people or campsites. I take pride in flying safe and finding spots where I can fly freely and not disturb those who want quiet and nature only outdoors.
I stopped at my crash site to wait out a dust storm on my trip home. Apparently the Table Top Wildernesses Area is my destiny as I keep getting drawn to it. My point is AZ has many many great places to fly and find stunning rock and land and sky contrasts. I've got a fall trip planned now in Arivaca where there is a mini canyon with great rock faces that gets very rosy at golden hour and it's in a legal fly zone and hidden from the public. I hope to go in October during a full moon and camp out and shoot multiple days as part of my field training and execution.

Becoming a reliable back country photographer is my main goal as there are so many hidden places here and ranchers have huge spreads with old Indian sites and lost mines and tons of great subject matter. I've got a pending gig to look at petroglyphs on a rock that's inaccessible by foot or vehicle in New Mexico that I still hope to do once the fall comes before winter snow covers it again. I'm amazed at how well the H handles the task and have worked long hours to make it intuitive to fly so I can focus on filming.

 

[Dilly Joat]

It's a national park and against the law..

OK so you know how to make me ultra envious!!! We do have some good sites here in the UK but I am only just starting my adventures with my H and am lucky to live on a large farm so have space to practice both flying and camera work. I am expecting it will be some time before I am good enough to do landscapes like yours any justice. I believe we should enjoy what we've got while we can.
Safe Flying.

 

[Dilly Joat]

I asked hypothetically because that seemed like an easy to understand scenario. My intent is to video a very high waterfall from top to bottom and didn't want any unexpected malfunctions.

Sounds like an excellent subject but do watch out for downdraghts and wet spray!