Altitude not holding when over 35mph

rrmccabe · Jul 28, 2015

OK. Well they are still complaints. Just doesn't matter any more.

Having great customer service for a product that you requires lots of customer service does not make it a great product.

Having a great flight controller does not make it a great UAV.

My biggest issue is 3DR moves slower than molasses and this product will be obsolete before they get it refined. It's a long way from finished in my opinion. This was supposed to be consumer drone that was well polished. It is not. This is a tinkerers drone.

As much as I dislike the arrogance of Wang at DJI there just really isn't anything for my type of flying that the Solo does better.

In the end it cost me about $900 more to get a flying Solo with a no fish eye lens compared to the P3P.

The only think I am going to lose is the 5.4 lens on the Solo and I really like the people here on this site compared to those on the Phantom site.

Now this video rolling issue might be something stupid I am doing and it may get resolved. But I am not sending another Solo back to California if its not. I just don't like it that well.

Wahapainan · Jul 28, 2015

DJI has the same issue in altitude hold. To get it to 53mph I had to gain some altitude and a strong tailwind and haul ass. With the high forward speed there isn't enough power available to lift the craft. I've been flying my Solo lately and find it's damn zippy (it appears faster than my P2V+).

rrmccabe · Jul 28, 2015

Yea probably faster horizontally than my V+ too. But not as zippy as the P3.

I never had an issue with the V+ in ATTI mode losing altitude but I have never seen one fly faster than 30ish MPH without a tailwind.

I have been 70mph with a V+ but only with wind help.

The Solo SOUNDS like its moving fast. LOL

Dunginhawk · Jul 29, 2015

So the reason it doesnt matter on the DJI as much as the solo with regards to altitude dropping and AOA is 99% of the time you wont ever hit the right conditions to get it to dive.
The phantom is scaled back performance wise in such a way that you wont have this issue, and thats part of the reason why the solo was returned for me. If you have to scale back (from solo themselves) the GPS and manual modes enough to ensure the nosedive wont happen, so be it, ill go along with that.

Lonewulph · Aug 1, 2015

Jubalr said:
O
Here is a 54mph run..in manual mode and just above some trees.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

OT
I've put many a mile on that Deals Gap run, on all four of my Victory motorcycles ...awesome!

Stimmy · Feb 4, 2016

Any remedy to this issue?

Vegasrobbi · Feb 5, 2016

I've had my Solo to 61 mph with a tailwind. I've reached over 50 mph in manual with max angle set to 45 degrees.
The aerodynamic down force on the shell overpowers the lift of the props so to obtain maximum speed with Solo it is in a dive. At the end of the run back off throttle and Solo will level out.

I find it unlikely you can cruise and maintain altitude over 40 mph, I was hoping to do some high speed filming. Rotating the motors forward leaving the body shell more level I believe would add more usable speed; or even some aerodynamics rather then the flat top battery, like the new Walkera runner thing. At 45 degrees AOA there's a lot of down force on the top of Solo at 50 mph that the props can't overcome to hold altitude IMO.

Acroduster · Feb 5, 2016

The biggest contributor is that with more AOA, your lift vector is decreasing. As the thrust vector gets farther from vertical, the lift quickly decreases.

Drone Canada · Feb 5, 2016

Ever since adding the gimbal solo it does this also. If I go at a medium to fast pace then altitude is lost in fly mode. Also I find that if solo is moving up at a medium to fast pace and let go of the throttle it bounces down and up again

Drone Canada · Feb 5, 2016

Vegasrobbi said:
I've had my Solo to 61 mph with a tailwind. I've reached over 50 mph in manual with max angle set to 45 degrees.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

The aerodynamic down force on the shell overpowers the lift of the props so to obtain maximum speed with Solo it is in a dive. At the end of the run back off throttle and Solo will level out.

I find it unlikely you can cruise and maintain altitude over 40 mph, I was hoping to do some high speed filming. Rotating the motors forward leaving the body shell more level I believe would add more usable speed; or even some aerodynamics rather then the flat top battery, like the new Walkera runner thing. At 45 degrees AOA there's a lot of down force on the top of Solo at 50 mph that the props can't overcome to hold altitude IMO.

Was this with gimbal attached. Do you have the footage from the copter posted?

erikgraham · Feb 5, 2016

A bit off topic, but it is possible to go a lot faster in the GPS assisted FLY mode (i.e. Loiter). Just crank up wpnav_loit_speed. If I recall correctly, full rabbit is 1500cm/s (33mph). 2200cm/s should get you to 50mph - full throttle might take it even a little faster. Not recommended unless you really know what your doing. The Solo will be super twitchy, so be careful flying. My advice is that if you don't know exactly what i mean when I say set wpnav_loit_speed, then don't even attempt it. But it's nice not to have to switch to one of the manual modes to get that speed.

(you may also have to adjust angle_max to get to 55, maybe even to get to 50mph. But you can do 40+ In GPS mode easily by only adjusting wpnav loit speed)

RichWest · Feb 5, 2016

Curious, is there any consideration that the speed and then a pressure bubble could influence the barometer's readings? I imagine this to be the case rather than AOA, the computer see a rise in pressure then compensates to maintain for the perceived rising alt.

Since we are dealing with APM Copter, this may be relevant as to why...

Altitude Hold Mode | Copter

erikgraham · Feb 5, 2016

RichWest said:
Curious, is there any consideration that the speed and then a pressure bubble could influence the barometer's readings? I imagine this to be the case rather than AOA, the computer see a rise in pressure then compensates to maintain for the perceived rising alt.

Since we are dealing with APM Copter, this may be relevant as to why...

Altitude Hold Mode | Copter

That's the explanation I've always heard. But obviously if your going really really fast with a big AOA, physics would also come in to play regardless of the baro.

EyeWingsuit · Feb 5, 2016

RichWest said:
Curious, is there any consideration that the speed and then a pressure bubble could influence the barometer's readings? I imagine this to be the case rather than AOA, the computer see a rise in pressure then compensates to maintain for the perceived rising alt.

Since we are dealing with APM Copter, this may be relevant as to why...

Altitude Hold Mode | Copter

Yes Altimeter in a self-burble is a problem in all aerial endeavors. I'd suspect it's a combination of this and AOA. In hanggliding, paragliding, wingsuiting, and sport aircraft, this would be the case. I don't know enough about computer-aided flight to feel like I know what i"m talking about with the Solo. The Phantom 3 and Inspire both do this; AOA is the reason. Compensate with the throttle.

pyrate · Feb 5, 2016

so pushing up on the left stick a bit is an issue?
JK

RichWest · Feb 5, 2016

Interesting read over at RCG about the A2 having a similar issue off an X8's. They imply that the propulsion pressure is an influence.

I have read of adding a tube to the barometer, but would require an extreme length to extend beyond the air bubble or the self-burble....

Seems this issue defines a commercial application's top speed to around 20-25MPH, safety factor being considered. Interesting.

EyeWingsuit · Feb 6, 2016

Bear in mind, speed generates lift until the nose crosses the horizontal. Coupled with the altimeter being in a negative airflow, it is logical, albeit not something I could put into formulaic display, that this is so.

Skydivers know this; in this video, it demonstrates clearly what the burble means in our world. Altimeters are off by as much as 500'

erikgraham · Feb 6, 2016

EyeWingsuit said:
Bear in mind, speed generates lift until the nose crosses the horizontal. Coupled with the altimeter being in a negative airflow, it is logical, albeit not something I could put into formulaic display, that this is so.

Skydivers know this; in this video, it demonstrates clearly what the burble means in our world. Altimeters are off by as much as 500'

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.