3DR Solo Maximun altitude without limit ?

[bokaevieja]

Hi, 3DR Solo is my first drone, and i like to know something:

1. What is the maximum height that can be raised 3dr Only when I remove the altitude limit ?
2. What is the maximum distance ?

Thanks

 

[human]

If you programmed Solo to climb straight up at its maximum ascent rate, it would reach roughly 15,000 feet altitude before the battery ran out. (Depending on load)

Horizontally, you could go around 60,000 feet before the battery ran out and it dropped to the ground.

These are both rough estimates based on current draw at 10m/sec vertical and 20m/sec horizontal velocity.

 

[Acroduster]

I'm curious what the actual ceiling would be, though, as I doubt your straight up calculation took into effect the reduction in atmospheric pressure. I seem to remember some on here flying at high altitudes (8k feet rings a bell), but I would imagine the flight time would drop significantly. Another thing to ponder: my company is looking to do a job in Jordan - I wonder if you could gain a minute or two of flight time at 1300 feet below sea level...

 

[User Name]

Would also depend on the conditions on the particular day. I remember as a kid flying with my father one hot, humid summer day, and his little Cessna just couldn't climb above about 8,000 feet. In the winter, we could get to 10k with ease.

15k is probably fine for a rough theoretical limit, but in practice, it's probably several k below that.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

The climb performance will deteriorate as the air density decreases through the climb. Eventually it will literally not have enough air for the propellers to bite into and it will cease climbing even at full power. This will likely happen around 9-12,000 ft. It's ability to maneuver and maintain stability will deteriorate sooner. 3DR actually inhibits the commercial Site Scan solos from taking off above 8000ft for this reason. So even if there is enough time left on the battery to climb higher, the air will be too thin to do so.

 

[FamilyFlyGuy]

The fact that weather conditions are constantly changing and location plays a major factor, one could only answer these questions based on when and where your currently flying. As Density Altitude will be affecting your calculations at any given time or location.

P2P estimates are very reasonable.

Density Formula for Calculating Density Altitude

 

[bokaevieja]

The fact that weather conditions are constantly changing and location plays a major factor, one could only answer these questions based on when and where your currently flying. As Density Altitude will be affecting your calculations at any given time or location.

P2P estimates are very reasonable.

Density Formula for Calculating Density Altitude

Thanks !

 

[bokaevieja]

The climb performance will deteriorate as the air density decreases through the climb. Eventually it will literally not have enough air for the propellers to bite into and it will cease climbing even at full power. This will likely happen around 9-12,000 ft. It's ability to maneuver and maintain stability will deteriorate sooner. 3DR actually inhibits the commercial Site Scan solos from taking off above 8000ft for this reason. So even if there is enough time left on the battery to climb higher, the air will be too thin to do so.

Thanks !

 

[bokaevieja]

Would also depend on the conditions on the particular day. I remember as a kid flying with my father one hot, humid summer day, and his little Cessna just couldn't climb above about 8,000 feet. In the winter, we could get to 10k with ease.

15k is probably fine for a rough theoretical limit, but in practice, it's probably several k below that.

Thanks !

 

[bokaevieja]

I'm curious what the actual ceiling would be, though, as I doubt your straight up calculation took into effect the reduction in atmospheric pressure. I seem to remember some on here flying at high altitudes (8k feet rings a bell), but I would imagine the flight time would drop significantly. Another thing to ponder: my company is looking to do a job in Jordan - I wonder if you could gain a minute or two of flight time at 1300 feet below sea level...

Thanks !

 

[bokaevieja]

If you programmed Solo to climb straight up at its maximum ascent rate, it would reach roughly 15,000 feet altitude before the battery ran out. (Depending on load)

Horizontally, you could go around 60,000 feet before the battery ran out and it dropped to the ground.

These are both rough estimates based on current draw at 10m/sec vertical and 20m/sec horizontal velocity.

Thanks !

 

[cryhavoc38]

Hi, 3DR Solo is my first drone, and i like to know something:

1. What is the maximum height that can be raised 3dr Only when I remove the altitude limit ?
2. What is the maximum distance ?

Thanks

my question to you is why?
one you can't see it at that height and its a hazard to commercial aviation
two, you wouldn't be able to control it at its theoretical battery limit max distance

So perhaps you can clarify the need and if you need to also be in full control.
This being your first drone and all, we need to know why you have such requirements.

 

[kneel23]

Assuming you meant a typical "how high can i go" and not manual/programmed ascent-until-battery-drains:

realistically between 500 to 1500 feet with no modifications and way way higher/further with modifications.

I could be wrong its been a long time since I tried testing any distance limits.

remember to never fly out of sight (so you won't need to worry about how far it goes anyway)

 

[bokaevieja]

my question to you is why?
one you can't see it at that height and its a hazard to commercial aviation
two, you wouldn't be able to control it at its theoretical battery limit max distance

So perhaps you can clarify the need and if you need to also be in full control.
This being your first drone and all, we need to know why you have such requirements.

Very good. I understand everything that implies within the flight regulations. Mainly I want to make an interesting little video from an unpopulated mountain using the time lapse.

 

[dmyhill]

The climb performance will deteriorate as the air density decreases through the climb.

This was one of the confusing thing for me with the FAA study. The FAA terms what I would consider to be lower density air (higher altitude) to be "high density altitude".

A bit of a hijack, but when researching this, the terms get a bit scrambled. Not sure why the FAA has this confusing jargon on this, but it was on my test.

 

[pyrate]

This was one of the confusing thing for me with the FAA study. The FAA terms what I would consider to be lower density air (higher altitude) to be "high density altitude".

A bit of a hijack, but when researching this, the terms get a bit scrambled. Not sure why the FAA has this confusing jargon on this, but it was on my test.

Two different measures one can be a simple calculation of humidity and Barometric Pressure, and speaks to how solid is air, the other is a measure of the altitude variance from a perfect standard. basically at 1000 feet today the temp and humidity are + or - that standard vs what it might be tomorrow.
Has something to do with setting the altitude gauges in a real airplane.
It can be applicable to small UAVS but only to the point of performance on a small scale.

 

[human]

Very good. I understand everything that implies within the flight regulations. Mainly I want to make an interesting little video from an unpopulated mountain using the time lapse.

Sounds like fun to me. I'd just give it a try, watch your battery level carefully, and turn around early. Just as long as you stay less than 400ft above the ground (even if you're going up the side of a mountain), you're legal. (assuming you're not in a no-fly zone of course)

Just watch out for the return-to-home function, as it will fly out horizontally from wherever it loses signal back to home. In theory, at least, that could mean that you unintentionally break the regulations if it flies off the side of the mountain back to you 1000's of feet below.

                  Solo, on RTL path @ 2000 FT - Oh crap!
                   |                                    ______ We're cool here, because we're < 400FT AGL, up the side of the mountain
                   V                                  /
                                                     /
                   X.............................   /      / \   /\        <--- Top of mountain, 2000FT AGL
                                               .   <      /   \ /  \ /\
                                              .         /              \
                                            .         /                 \  / \
               flight path of solo         .         /                   \ /   \
    O     ...............................          /      the mountain           \
    L                                            /                               \
___/\___________________________________________/                                   \ _______________________________

   ^
   |
   \_____ You piloting Solo at 100FT AGL

 

[Ron380]

I don't know about the Solo's limits, but on Expedition Unknown they were flying a DJI Phantom (4?) at Mt. Everest Base Camp (approx. 17,600 feet!). They did remark that due to the cold and altitude, they only had about 5 minutes of flight time. I don't know if they had changed props or motors?

 

[Lon Denard]

I've had mine up over 1,300 feet before rth kicked in. If you modify the ant, you could get more height, which is distance, of course. I've never gotten anything close to 1/2 mile from any of the units I've had. If you did you would be able to go over 2,500 feet high. As far as I know, no altitude limit means no altitude limit. Presumably, if you followed the Solo up in a helicopter or by being otherwise lifted up, the battery would be your only limitation.

 

[Bilge]

Well flying above 400 ft is just totally irresponsible. ...enough said