Lucky?

[Fred Garvin]

Longest flight I’ve had is nearly 24 minutes. Here’s a couple screenshots of the UAV Toolbox upload:





You can see where I did a lot of low level maneuvers....flew over the softball field, went up to 200 out and back, hovered around the Jeep and took pictures, went back out over the softball field again, then came in and landed at 14.4.

 

[FlushVision]

Longest flight I’ve had is nearly 24 minutes. Here’s a couple screenshots of the UAV Toolbox upload:

View attachment 16775

View attachment 16776

You can see where I did a lot of low level maneuvers....flew over the softball field, went up to 200 out and back, hovered around the Jeep and took pictures, went back out over the softball field again, then came in and landed at 14.4.

Impressive, Fred. And good proof too

 

[Peter b]

So do I have to put stuff up to prove what happened,? Why? It happened but what's bothering me more is I just heard bill buckner passed away. He didn't lose the game the red Sox lost the game.

 

[Photo]

People are just a bit sensitive right now.....some recent outrageous claims have been made regarding performance capability and when asked to “put up or shut up” a lot of smoke was blown destroying credibility of the poster.
If you claim 20+ minute flights, people are going to ask for proof.

Agree Fred, if Peter b has "invented" a way to fly 20minutes many times w/o warning (or crashing) he has do teach all of us "How to"... one way is to show the telemetry as its the only valid evidence. Or he has to admit it was "fake news". Ok Peter b? Pls keep this forum serious.

 

[Peter b]

I give up. Pis keep the forum serious.? I think I'll just go away. The next time I fly I think that's all I will do and keep a stopwatch handy.

 

[Fred Garvin]

......So do I have to put stuff up to prove what happened,?........

Only if challenged to do so.

......Why?......

Because your claim is outside the norm. If I had simply said “I get nearly 24 minutes” and left it at that, people would have been all over it. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. And like I said, of late folks are tired of reading ridiculous claims being made by some in an authoritative manner. (Not You) Let’s keep this place accurate, helpful and factual. There are plenty of experienced, knowledgeable, professional pilots here that will call you out if you post something outrageous.

......It happened but what's bothering me more is I just heard bill buckner passed away. He didn't lose the game the red Sox lost the game......

^^^^^^^^^SMOKE^^^^^^^^

BTW.....I’m just bustin your chops Peter....20 mins isn’t really all that unusual and certainly possible given the right conditions....as was my 24 minute flight....I can believe a 20+ minute flight....I’ve done it. Most of my flights are 14-16 minutes.

 

[Peter b]

Sometimes a little levity is good on all forums. I am just happy to fly them, including the two drone x pros that are less than a half block from me. I love those little toys because they do some awesome flips and good fun. I know the trees they are in but now getting them down, um. Carole, I have a favor to ask of you.

 

[Photo]

I give up. Pis keep the forum serious.? I think I'll just go away. The next time I fly I think that's all I will do and keep a stopwatch handy.

Peter, and how will a stopwatch prove anything?

 

[Peter b]

Nothing and I'm sorry I started this thread. Enjoy your flying and so will I. Happy bbq.

 

[FlushVision]

BTW.....I’m just bustin your chops Peter....20 mins isn’t really all that unusual and certainly possible given the right conditions....as was my 24 minute flight....I can believe a 20+ minute flight....I’ve done it. Most of my flights are 14-16 minutes.

I would say that 20+ minutes without seeing a warning is unusual (but not impossible as you have shown). In my book anyone claiming a 20+ minute flight should not be surprised to have such a claim challenged. The best i've ever managed was 19 minutes to first warning in good weather conditions so I get skeptical whenever I hear someone claiming 20+ minutes and not seeing a warning. I'm not calling anyone who makes such a claim a liar, far from it, but I'd like to know their secret for such a long flight. @Peter b , What's your secret?

By the way, most my flights are between 11 and 15 minutes being landed at no less than 14.5v

 

[Fred Garvin]

If I remember correctly, that flight I was practicing very gentle stick control. No sudden movements, no full power accelerations or decelerations......all very graceful, smooth and precise movements....a practice in technique.... very beautiful flight. Trying really hard to fly “‘well”.....

 

[Peter b]

Me also. I am still a noob so when something like a real smooth flight and all works well I'm happy until the next level. Most of the folks on here are well educated photographers or pros. I am not interested yet at the level of people on here but in time I will always be interested and reading info from all of you.

 

[FlushVision]

If I remember correctly, that flight I was practicing very gentle stick control. No sudden movements, no full power accelerations or decelerations......all very graceful, smooth and precise movements....a practice in technique.... very beautiful flight. Trying really hard to fly “‘well”.....

I'm a pretty sedate flyer and seldom give it full throttle except during the launch phase when its important to get well clear of the ground as quickly as possible. That said, my flying style is such that I generally don't hang around to line up my next shot so i'm not always giving care to trying to be as smooth as I can be on the sticks.

I suppose that if I went out of my way to be as gentle as I can on the sticks it is possible that I could break that 20 minutes+ barrier but I think that would still require me to take the battery to a power level lower than I'm personally comfortable with. I may try it next time the weather is favorable for getting the best flight time targeting 14.4v back on the ground...just once.

 

[AeroJ]

I may try it next time the weather is favorable for getting the best flight time targeting 14.4v back on the ground...just once.

It's nice to know that someone has got a TH battery to work for 20 mins. But now I know someone has, that means I don't need to try it myself, especially with multiple power packs. I just think how cross I'll be if I stress a pack by wrenching that last few minutes out of it and it goes puffy, all for that extra 5 mins in the air. Not worth it for me - being back on the ground by 14.7 every time has given me unpuffed batteries that still work a year and 200 flights later, and my hope is that if I keep doing it they'll do that for another year also...

 

[FlushVision]

Me also. I am still a noob so when something like a real smooth flight and all works well I'm happy until the next level. Most of the folks on here are well educated photographers or pros. I am not interested yet at the level of people on here but in time I will always be interested and reading info from all of you.

I've been flying the TH ever since they became available to the U.K. consumer market at the start of June 2016. Mine was on a pre-order so I was one of the first consumers in the U.K. to own one. But I'm still learning to this day! I'm always trying to improve on my flying and photography as we all should. Indeed, only up until a few weeks ago I always took hobby video when the camera was in 'auto' mode and only bothered to take video in manual mode when doing a commercial job...yes, I was that lazy! Now it's manual all the way. Always nice to pick up on a few tricks and tips from this forum and always nice to contribute some of my tips back to the community.

 

[FlushVision]

It's nice to know that someone has got a TH battery to work for 20 mins. But now I know someone has, that means I don't need to try it myself, especially with multiple power packs. I just think how cross I'll be if I stress a pack by wrenching that last few minutes out of it and it goes puffy, all for that extra 5 mins in the air. Not worth it for me - being back on the ground by 14.7 every time has given me unpuffed batteries that still work a year and 200 flights later, and my hope is that if I keep doing it they'll do that for another year also...

Good point @AeroJ . That's been my view: just shove another battery in if you want more time in the air. I look to be on the ground by 14.5v at the lowest and I'm more often than not on the ground by 14.6v. As I said in my post that you quoted, getting past that 20 minute mark would mean me taking my battery power down to a level that I wouldn't be comfortable with...and I'm still not comfortable with the thought...On reflection, I think I'll just not try after all. All my batteries are around three years old and still doing well, it would be nice to get lots more flights out of them.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Playing devils advocate...

On more than just a couple rare occasions, I’ll be flying around on my fourth pack, at my personal “limit” as far as “time to bring her home,” when an opportunity emerges.

This past winter, I had been capturing another build time lapse mission, bringing the H480 back home. Just as I was landing, I spotted group of otters scurrying from the far shore of our bay, heading for the open channel. Maybe they had waited for that odd-looking, buzzing raptor to leave the area.

Even though I changed the battery and tried to get airborne as quickly as possible, I managed to get only a few seconds of them before they reached the water. Man, those suckers can scoot when Murphy is standing in the way!

What I could have used was those extra 7-10 minutes beyond my normal mission time, in that instance. Of course, as previously mentioned, Mr. Murphy dictates “you will be afforded a few rare photo/video opportunities, but only when unexpected, and at the end of the cycle of your current power source!”

Same thing happens with our snowmobiling neighbors. Someone will come out just as it’s time to land, and be gone before I can give chase!

Jeff

 

[Photo]

Playing devils advocate...

On more than just a couple rare occasions, I’ll be flying around on my fourth pack, at my personal “limit” as far as “time to bring her home,” when an opportunity emerges.

This past winter, I had been capturing another build time lapse mission, bringing the H480 back home. Just as I was landing, I spotted group of otters scurrying from the far shore of our bay, heading for the open channel. Maybe they had waited for that odd-looking, buzzing raptor to leave the area.

Even though I changed the battery and tried to get airborne as quickly as possible, I managed to get only a few seconds of them before they reached the water. Man, those suckers can scoot when Murphy is standing in the way!

What I could have used was those extra 7-10 minutes beyond my normal mission time, in that instance. Of course, as previously mentioned, Mr. Murphy dictates “you will be afforded a few rare photo/video opportunities, but only when unexpected, and at the end of the cycle of your current power source!”

Same thing happens with our snowmobiling neighbors. Someone will come out just as it’s time to land, and be gone before I can give chase!

Jeff

NWP, "Never leave home without an extra fully charged battery.."

 

[NorWiscPilot]

NWP, "Never leave home without an extra fully charged battery.."

That's not the problem, @Photo!

Since my launch site is approximately forty steps from my "hangar," unless I've gone through all my available batteries, I always have "extra". The problem is being able to land, power down, swap batteries, power up, reconnect, lift off, then "chase" my subject, before the moment is gone.

Those otters traversed about 500 yards of snow in no time! Less than the time it took to reconnect the camera (H480) and the ST16. And this is the U.S. version, not that "watching paint dry" E.U. version!

Jeff

 

[FlushVision]

And this is the U.S. version, not that "watching paint dry" E.U. version!

Jeff

LOL. I like that 'watching paint dry'. I've watched lots and lots of paint dry. In fact I recon i'm an expert in that pastime.