Prepping for first flight. Question about takeoff.

[Eslader]

Hi all. Getting ready for the first flight of the H. I've been doing ground testing with props off in my basement just to make sure everything that should spin does. That led to a question. The motors will switch on, but if I try to throttle up with the left stick in mode 1, which should tell it to take off, they do nothing. (I know about the auto-5-motor-fail with props off).

I suspect this is either because the controller is too close to the drone or because my house is within 5 miles of an airport (I do get 11-sat GPS signal in the basement, and the motors fail to throttle up even if I turn GPS off, which makes me think it might be the proximity issue).

The park I'll be doing the first flight in is also within 5 miles of that airport (I already have b4ufly and will be obtaining permission, and have checked local airspace restrictions and will be observing the 200ft ceiling where the park is).

I've been reading threads about getting the NFZ waiver from Yuneec, but they're mostly old threads. My H and the ST16 both have the latest firmware. I read somewhere that Yuneec was planning on removing the NFZ restrictions from the default firmware but I have no idea if that's true or not. Are NFZs still a thing with current firmware, or do I still need to do the waiver and update process?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AH-1G]

Never throttle up without propellers! It will automatically shut off and you could ruin your drone.

 

[Ty Pilot]

Yeah, don't ever start the motors without props. Having said that; the very fact that the motors did start negates the possibility that you are in a 'known' NFZ. I say the word known because Yuneec only applies their NFZ's to class B and C airspace. It does not mean you are clear to fly there, it is up to you to know where you can and can't fly.

In addition, having the NFZ's removed from any Yuneec product requires that the operator is a certificated 107 commercial operator. It is therefore their responsibility to have the proper permissions in place. Bottom line: regardless of commercial or hobby flight - it is the operators responsibility to know if they are clear to fly.

In addition to the manual posted above I strongly urge new pilots to read both the current (336) and forthcoming (349) rules for hobby flights.

Good luck on your first flight.

 

[Eslader]

Good to know about the props. I didn't throttle all the way up, just very slightly to see if it would respond, but I won't do that again.

The airport in question is class D/E (time of day dependent). I do know where I can/can't fly without authorization, although I'll admit to a bit of confusion as to how exactly I should be obtaining that permission right now. According to v 1.3/1.4 of LAANC operating rules rec/hobby flights can use it as of this past January, but the FAA website says only part 107 operators can use it.

It's going to be annoying if I still have to talk to the airport manager, because I know this particular manager and he never answers the phone or returns phone calls. Ever.

Some clarity on the process from folks here would be appreciated.

 

[AH-1G]

What's the name of the airport?

 

[Eslader]

Anoka County. KANE.

 

[AH-1G]

Since it's towered airport (ATC) your drone may not fire up unless you have NFZ.
Have you visited the Manager in person?
Notice in Yellow even along the river you need permission to fly.

 

[AH-1G]

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[Ty Pilot]

Good to know about the props. I didn't throttle all the way up, just very slightly to see if it would respond, but I won't do that again.

The airport in question is class D/E (time of day dependent). I do know where I can/can't fly without authorization, although I'll admit to a bit of confusion as to how exactly I should be obtaining that permission right now. According to v 1.3/1.4 of LAANC operating rules rec/hobby flights can use it as of this past January, but the FAA website says only part 107 operators can use it.

It's going to be annoying if I still have to talk to the airport manager, because I know this particular manager and he never answers the phone or returns phone calls. Ever.

Some clarity on the process from folks here would be appreciated.

I have only seen LAANC being touted as a tool for 107 operators, where did you see the mention of hobby flights (not saying you didn't) I have seen a few dark areas when it comes to the FAA and rules between 107 and 336 so they may have said it on one of the partner sites such as AMA or something but to my knowledge it is available only to 107s.

If it were me and I were just looking to get a few flights on my new Typhoon, I might just find a spot outside of those yellow areas for now.

 

[Eslader]

Yeah, I know about Skyvector. Great resource. The river no-fly zone is because that stretch of the Mississippi is a national waterway and therefore you have to get permission from the National Park Service.

The problem with visiting the manager in person is that he's rarely there. He also manages KMIC (that class-D you see SW of KANE), but I think he spends most of his time at the airport commission headquarters. I've met in person with him before for other things, and he's notoriously hard to pin down.

That said, is there any clarification on LAANC, since the operating rules indicate that I should be able to use that?

where did you see the mention of hobby flights (not saying you didn't)

https://www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/data_exchange/laanc_for_industry/media/FAA_sUAS_LAANC_USS_Rules_v1_4.pdf

page 4, v 1.3 takes effect January 7, 2019

page 17, "Recreational authorizations are provided via LAANC in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 44809. LAANC supports only the auto-approved type for recreational authorizations. USSs may opt to include this type in their service offerings. "

Yeah, you're right, I probably will have to go outside of the airport area for now, which is annoying because I live next to a park that would be a good spot to test for a few minutes at a time while I wait for more batteries to get delivered.

 

[Ty Pilot]

I am looking at the FAA website as I write this as everything I see there says it's 107 only. If that airport is part of LAANC already, one might assume that it is not likely that the manager can issue permission to flyers not in the system.

Important Limitations

• LAANC only accepts airspace authorization requests that are fully compliant with Part 107.
• Airspace authorizations granted through LAANC are valid for 12 hours.
• LAANC authorizations cannot be combined with Part 107 waivers. For example, if you get permission to fly in Class D airspace through a LAANC application, and you already have a waiver to fly at night, you may not combine the permissions to fly in that Class D airspace at night. In order to fly in controlled airspace using your waiver, you must submit a request for an airspace authorization via the DroneZone.

 

[Steve Carr]

Airports in Red are not LAANC ready.

 

[ChuckBridges]

At least you can ask permission from the airport manager. In Canada, that would not be allowed.

 

[WTFDproject]

The motors will switch on, but if I try to throttle up with the left stick in mode 1, which should tell it to take off, they do nothing.

Don't know about ST16, but ST10 and all other controllers I ever used, MODE 1 is not throttle on left stick.

 

[Eslader]

Don't know about ST16, but ST10 and all other controllers I ever used, MODE 1 is not throttle on left stick.

I think I got flummoxed by the "elev" displayed in the mode 1 graphic on the stick. I guess I should think of it more in plane terms, which will take some getting used to since it doesn't actually have elevators.

Just to be clear, before people start thinking a dangerous nut is about to fly a drone, the simulator stick gets here tomorrow and I'll be logging a number of hours on it and be competent with the controls before the drone flies, which won't be for several weeks yet.

 

[WTFDproject]

[QUOTE="I think I got flummoxed by the "elev" displayed in the mode 1 graphic on the stick. [/QUOTE]
Did that fix the problem? Most folks fly in Mode 2.

[QUOTE="Just to be clear, before people start thinking a dangerous nut is about to fly a drone..,[/QUOTE]
What wrong with that? I fly mine all the time!

 

[PatR]

As KANE underlies Class B airspace the primary controlling authority might end up Minneapolis approach/departure. The KANE manager could easily pass the buck to them to avoid owning a decision. All government jobs associate with a CYA mentality.

 

[biltno]

Yeah, don't ever start the motors without props. Having said that; the very fact that the motors did start negates the possibility that you are in a 'known' NFZ. I say the word known because Yuneec only applies their NFZ's to class B and C airspace. It does not mean you are clear to fly there, it is up to you to know where you can and can't fly.

In addition, having the NFZ's removed from any Yuneec product requires that the operator is a certificated 107 commercial operator. It is therefore their responsibility to have the proper permissions in place. Bottom line: regardless of commercial or hobby flight - it is the operators responsibility to know if they are clear to fly.

In addition to the manual posted above I strongly urge new pilots to read both the current (336) and forthcoming (349) rules for hobby flights.

Good luck on your first flight.

Now I’m thinking back and I was checking my q500 because since getting my H , I haven’t flown it much. I had the props off and I did full throttle it briefly. I still haven’t flown it since then and now I’m wondering if I ruined the motors

 

[AH-1G]

Put on the props, and see if will idle. if so then you're ok.
On your first flight, don't use a camera, hover about 10' for several minutes, if it goes well, then have fun flying.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Wait a second, guys!

Since when did this “never spin up motors without props” come into our preaching?

For one, the graphical user interface for the H480 has a feature providing a means to test each motor. Spinning up, without props, is the mandate for testing.

Starting motors without props, until now, hadn’t been a problem. The “problem” has been the expected questions from the new H owners, asking if theirs has a failure when it goes into “5 motor mode” as soon as they throttle up.

With all due respect, saying “never start the motors without propellers installed” or similar statements, without qualifications, tends to be misleading.

Just sayin’!

Jeff

P.S. for those finding the above comment while searching in “5 motor mode” relating to “props off”...

if you haven’t found the answer: the reason the warning appears is due to little to no load on the motors and the inherent imbalance of sensed loads on the motors, due to the lack of resistance/no prop condition.

Also, it is not recommended, by the experts in this forum, to run the motors for longer than necessary to evaluate motor condition, or at high speeds, with props off.