The Day My DJI Flew Additional

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The Mavic 2 Professional and the way I pushed its limits

The confession I’m writing about in the present day occurred with my second drone: the legendary Mavic 2 Professional. Positively the most effective items of {hardware} DJI has ever constructed. Keep in mind when DJI made drones that have been horny, useful, AND inexpensive? Me too! The Mavic 2 Professional was a kind of good intersections of know-how and financial system from DJI.

Right here in Ecuador, in 2019, there have been main protests to take away the president from authorities. These have been darkish days. I come from Venezuela the place for a few years I labored as a photojournalist and documentary photographer – undoubtedly a dangerous career.

I used to be actually IN the protests taking photographs of each the navy who have been repressing protesters and the younger individuals combating for a greater nation. I uncovered myself many occasions searching for that photograph that might make a worldwide affect, that picture that might give us visibility in worldwide media and attain audiences in different Nations.

It wasn’t simple, and I wasn’t doing it a lot for cash as for eager to help a vital change in my nation.

So with that background, the very first thing I assumed was: I can’t expose myself doing this work abroad since they might (they usually did this with different foreigners) expel me from the nation. So my thoughts thought: if I’m going to be locked up in my home however I’ve a flying digital camera that may go very far, what’s the worst that might occur?

T minus 0: launch day

I calculated dangers. I checked out distances talked about in the manuals. I ran checks at “quick” distances. And I took the plunge. On October 13, 2019, I charged my solely battery to 100%, launched the drone in Sport mode, and despatched it a whopping 5,650 meters away.

Let’s keep in mind that that is metropolis flying – there’s interference, numerous interference. Presently, there’s OcuSync 4.0 know-how, however again then we have been utilizing OcuSync 2.0, which promised 10 km of sign vary however in an space with out obstructions AND with out interference.

I gathered braveness I didn’t have and flying at most velocity, I reached the purpose the place many of the protests have been taking place. Clearly, all the pieces was documented for my channel. You possibly can see the video under.

At the moment, we have been utilizing the DJI Go 4 App, and one nice benefit was that you might choose when the batteries would provide you with a low battery emergency sign. I keep in mind setting mine between 5% and 10%.

Why is tougher to do it now

In present purposes, the drone returns routinely when the battery reaches 20% or 25%, and there’s not a lot you are able to do about it. I keep in mind that after I reached the realm, the battery was round 60%, which left me between three to 5 minutes to document the motion. Clearly, I needed to return as rapidly as doable, taking into consideration that I would even encounter headwinds that might make the return journey harder.

The 2 or thrice I risked doing this type of protection, the drone arrived at my home typically with 1% battery, typically with 0%. It all the time arrived beeping and routinely descending. TRUST me, the concern you’re feeling figuring out that your drone continues to be a kilometer away and it’s already making an computerized descent attributable to low battery will not be one thing you wish to want on even your worst enemy.

I keep in mind that throughout these dates, I used to be even doing experiments with the drone the place I would depart it hovering at 1.5 meters excessive and watch for the battery to expire. Clearly, I disabled the automated return to house since activating RTH would make it climb to a sure peak and head to some extent, however I by no means moved it from the takeoff level.

This fashion it could final about half an hour till it began saying “low battery” – that’s when the actual take a look at started. It might attempt to land; I’d use the persist with make it climb. Clearly, this take a look at can find yourself damaging your battery because you’re pushing it past the bounds it was constructed for. However I wanted to know what number of further minutes of flight time I might extract from that battery.

These checks gave me the required confidence to have the ability to ship the drone out, document, and return house safely.

Everytime you’re going to do an extended flight, do quick flight checks first. Remember not solely the battery degree but in addition that you need to verify that the cells are in good situation. Ensure that your drone’s propellers don’t have any flaws, that there aren’t very robust wind currents, that you’ve got an excellent variety of satellites, and above all, take into account the likelihood that the drone could or could not return to you.

In my case, my drone survived this experiment, however the reverse might have occurred. I’ll inform you concerning the day of my first flyaway one other time.

Inform me within the feedback, what’s the longest distance you’ve ever flown?