Lower altitude than take off

equinator · Jun 19, 2016

I was wondering if anybody has flown their H below the altitude that they took off from. I will be wanting to follow some people sliding down a hill side, and I will be taking off and controlling from the top of the hill.
Has anybody had any issues with something like this?

Dragonflyerthom · Jun 19, 2016

All I will say is fly your H.

Steve Carr · Jun 19, 2016

Yes, you can fly down into a valley with no problem. You can use the watch me mode with the wizard to do the same thing, but you would want to start with at least 75' above. The H will adjust altitude as it follows........within a reasonable margin.

equinator · Jun 19, 2016

Thanks everybody. Has anyone had a problem flying 8600' ASL?

Steve Carr · Jun 19, 2016

equinator said:
Thanks everybody. Has anyone had a problem flying 8600' ASL?

The ASL limit is set to 8000'. If you need to fly at higher altitudes you need to contact Yuneec for special firmware to remove that limit.

equinator · Jun 19, 2016

Steve Carr said:
The ASL limit is set to 8000'. If you need to fly at higher altitudes you need to contact Yuneec for special firmware to remove that limit.

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up Steve!

PatR · Jun 20, 2016

Steve Carr said:
The ASL limit is set to 8000'. If you need to fly at higher altitudes you need to contact Yuneec for special firmware to remove that limit.

I believe the altitude limit is based on AGL, not ASL. Our little copters don't reference MSL, only the change in altitude above ground level. Ground level is zero, not sea level. If you launched from a ground elevation of 5000' you would have another 8000' to go.

Andyzonk · Jun 20, 2016

equinator said:
I was wondering if anybody has flown their H below the altitude that they took off from. I will be wanting to follow some people sliding down a hill side, and I will be taking off and controlling from the top of the hill.
Has anybody had any issues with something like this?

I regularly fly from a Clifftop along a beach. My H will NOT fly lower than take-off altitude (0 feet) when controlled from the ST16. I guess the Clifftop is about 60 ft high so when im flying over the beach I can not go lower than 60 feet.

OnTheRopes · Jun 20, 2016

Andyzonk said:
I regularly fly from a Clifftop along a beach. My H will NOT fly lower than take-off altitude (0 feet) when controlled from the ST16. I guess the Clifftop is about 60 ft high so when im flying over the beach I can not go lower than 60 feet.

hmmm, that is a concern and yet another says you can fly lower, can we get any clarification on this before I head up a big hill with the H?

Bobjazz · Jun 20, 2016

Andyzonk said:
I regularly fly from a Clifftop along a beach. My H will NOT fly lower than take-off altitude (0 feet) when controlled from the ST16. I guess the Clifftop is about 60 ft high so when im flying over the beach I can not go lower than 60 feet.

@Andyzonk Does it make any difference what mode you're in? Angle mode or smart mode?

Andyzonk · Jun 20, 2016

Can't answer that, I never use 'Smart' mode except for the Follow/Watch me thing. Try it and see how it works for you but my ST16 will not allow a negative Altitude. I have tried to film surfers from 10 or 20 feet above, but unless I have taken off at below that height, it's not possible, not with my H anyway.

Bobjazz · Jun 20, 2016

Andyzonk said:
Can't answer that, I never use 'Smart' mode except for the Follow/Watch me thing. Try it and see how it works for you but my ST16 will not allow a negative Altitude. I have tried to film surfers from 10 or 20 feet above, but unless I have taken off at below that height, it's not possible, not with my H anyway.

OK, thanks andy.

Markinter · Jun 20, 2016

that's strange I've flown lower than take off recently. I was at Pismo Beach on huge sand dune and flew lower by 50ft I'd estimate. I changed my limits with gui and clicked the advanced tab if that makes a difference I don't know.

equinator · Jun 20, 2016

Getting many conflicting statements. Yuneec APV states that there is an 8000' lockout, and the firmware change is not available yet. Though, there has been others who state they have flown at higher elevations no problem.
Guess I will have to wait and see next week.

snerd · Jun 21, 2016

I agree with PatR that it's ground level, not sea level. And if so, **** that's a lot of altitude! The phantom is locked out at I believe 1650?!

equinator · Jun 21, 2016

snerd said:
I agree with PatR that it's ground level, not sea level. And if so, **** that's a lot of altitude! The phantom is locked out at I believe 1650?!

Well, at 8000', the air is rather thin. Flying at those altitudes, brings VRS into the forefront very strongly. Not to mention available lift and battery life. Usually, different pitch is needed at those altitudes. I am attempting contact with CS to see if there is anything available. Would really suck, though, that this trip would be a bust due to this restriction.