Noobie, 1st drone, 1st post

[toothandnail]

Just got the H, read quite a bit, have a few questions I haven't seen answered yet in my reading.
1st I've "conitioned" the batteries , well only 9 flights instead of 10, taken to 1/2 charge.

Anyway on my ninth flight I was quite a ways out, and heading back home, when the charge indicator dropped below the 1/2 charge.
In less than 1 minute the LOW BATT. warning came on the screen, and the auto land commenced. H landed about 200' before reaching me.

I thought that kinda fast to use the last 1/2 of the bat. put in the other fully charged bat and tried the same - keeping it close this time. It did the same, basically flying less than 3 minutes after hitting the 1/2 charge mark.

2nd
Is there a 2x or 3x lens for the camera? Even at about 20-30' out the video of the activity is very small.
I would prefer to be able to have the drone less obtrusive and still get a good "closeup" video.

I can already tell this is going to be another fun hobby.
PS; keep it simple, I'm and older dude, geek stuff is foreign to me. LOL

 

[Steve Carr]

I'm and older dude,

I'm not older. I'm just very old. So here's the non-tech reply........
The battery reading for the H is displayed as volts and the reading for the ST16 battery is displayed as a percentage. So you've confused me. The H batt reading is at the upper left side of the screen and the ST is at the upper right. Which one are you referring to?

A fully charged H batt is 16.8 volts but by the time you start the motors it will read 16.6. Auto land occurs about 14.1 v and it would take a lot of flight time to get that low. I'm wondering if your batteries are not getting fully charged.

You can replace the lens on the camera to increase the focal length but there is a definite limit. The more you try to zoom, the more "jello" you will get in the video. That is the main reason drones generally have a wide angle lens. There is always vibration but it's not noticeable with the wider angle lens.

And yup, this is a great hobby. Addictive actually.

 

[toothandnail]

Upper left, has the batt indicator F, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 indicators, and voltage below it.
Didn't pay real close attention to voltage reading, more so concentrating on flying.
A quick glance at the indicator is easy, guess I'll have to pay closer attention to the volt reading.

 

[Steve Carr]

Yeah, I make sure I'm close to home when it goes below 15v and land around 14.7-.8

 

[CraigCam]

Was it cold out? Battery flight time cuts dramatically with colder temps.

 

[toothandnail]

It was about 40, flew today about 50, same deal. I haven't timed total flight time, but i'd guess it's around 20 minutes
Here's my first video - of my gun range.

 

[Steve Carr]

So you're getting about 20 min on a battery?

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Steve’s thinking it!

You don’t have a battery or even craft problem! You have a fuel gauge awareness and usage learning opportunity!

Steve already provided the teachings; pay attention to voltage.

Good luck and glad you have a great machine. Take care of those batteries (search for LiPo care and feeding); may you be one never to complain of short flight times!

Jeff

 

[Steve Carr]

Steve’s thinking it!

What are you? Some kind of mind reader? I'll bet you have ESPN.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

What are you? Some kind of mind reader? I'll bet you have ESPN.

My lovely bride occasionally says I have too much ESPN, or Fox Sports, et al. I think she’s trying to tell me something (chores waiting, maybe) but never sure. The female unprovoked commentary is a decipher challenge I have yet to master.

Jeff

 

[Steve Carr]

Genie: "You have one wish"
Guy: "I want a bridge from LA to Hawaii"
Genie: "That's impossible. Try for something else"
Guy: "Okay, I want to understand my wife"
Genie: "You want a 2 lane or 4 lane bridge?"

 

[toothandnail]

So you're getting about 20 min on a battery?

I think so, Haven't timed it exactly, every time I time it, part way through I get distracted and land to make some adjustment and screw up the flying time.

 

[toothandnail]

Steve’s thinking it!

You don’t have a battery or even craft problem! You have a fuel gauge awareness and usage learning opportunity!

Steve already provided the teachings; pay attention to voltage.

Good luck and glad you have a great machine. Take care of those batteries (search for LiPo care and feeding); may you be one never to complain of short flight times!

Jeff

True, I have started watching the volts instead of the gauge. Volts drop below 15 within a few minutes of the bat. indicator gauge hitting the 1/2 .

Kinda reminds me of a Ford Ranger I once had, when the fuel gauge needle hit the 1/4 hash mark - the truck died.

 

[FlushVision]

True, I have started watching the volts instead of the gauge. Volts drop below 15 within a few minutes of the bat. indicator gauge hitting the 1/2 .

Kinda reminds me of a Ford Ranger I once had, when the fuel gauge needle hit the 1/4 hash mark - the truck died.

If you are getting anything like 20 minutes in the air in cool temperatures you are doing very well. I once saw 19 minutes in the air but that took me past the first warning. Generally I manage around 16 minutes in 'normal' temperatures but then I also insure I'm landed before the warning comes on.

 

[Steve Carr]

Generally I manage around 16 minutes in 'normal' temperatures

Same here. I'm generally landing in about 15 min. But to me it always seems like 45 min. My mind is racing the entire time I'm flying. Watching the telemetry, trees, hills, buildings, listening for aircraft, watching for eagles and vultures. My hands are sweaty when I land. Then I have to look at the record time to make sure I remembered to start the video.

 

[FlushVision]

Same here. I'm generally landing in about 15 min. But to me it always seems like 45 min. My mind is racing the entire time I'm flying. Watching the telemetry, trees, hills, buildings, listening for aircraft, watching for eagles and vultures. My hands are sweaty when I land. Then I have to look at the record time to make sure I remembered to start the video.

Same with me. All of the above except the eagles and vultures (we don't get many eagles in England and no vultures... unless you want to include that woman you've met on a dating web site after your money). But then you should be alert to what's going on around you. If you aren't, then you will soon regret it.

 

[David Velen]

It was about 40, flew today about 50, same deal. I haven't timed total flight time, but i'd guess it's around 20 minutes
Here's my first video - of my gun range.

Nice rifle and gun range !