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MadMonkey wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:04 pm

oohrah wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:46 am Then you must be in the mountains at an elevation of 6,100 ft.

Closer to 5,000

nightmare69 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 11:05 am

oohrah wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:10 am

Archery1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:44 am

oohrah wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:33 am

KC5AV wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 11:09 am And registration is only required if the drone is over 250 grams. The Mavic mini comes in a 249 grams.

But don't you still have to comply with the airspace and altitude rules? And how do you know those if you're flying an unlicensed drone.

As a pilot, I'm concerned about ignorant drone flyers causing a hazard if they fly too high or get in the wrong airspace. There have been reported incidents of near misses and possibly even a few collisions.

My Mavic firmware updates constantly, and the app identifies flying zones by color code and warnings, and I believe in some areas will limit operation in no-fly zones (never been in those zones). Still, I have helicopters fly over at well below my elevation limit (35 miles from airport). Sometimes, a local crop duster does his turnarounds over my property. You typically get enough visual warning in those cases.

That's good to know, thanks. I assume your software then restricts your altitude, etc.

WRT helicopters, they do not have the same altitude restrictions as fixed wing, and over "sparsely populated areas", any aircraft can fly as low as it wants, as long as it stays at least 500 ft from any person or thing. Not smart, but legal.

My DJI is restricted to 500 meters by the software. I am looking into hacking my drone so I can use it to it’s full potential. Videos I’ve seen they will go 12k-13k ft before loosing connection and returning to home. I see the restrictions as buying a Ferrari and the factory limiting it to 80mph. I want the training wheels off.

Archery1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:44 am

oohrah wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:33 am

KC5AV wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 11:09 am And registration is only required if the drone is over 250 grams. The Mavic mini comes in a 249 grams.

But don't you still have to comply with the airspace and altitude rules? And how do you know those if you're flying an unlicensed drone.

As a pilot, I'm concerned about ignorant drone flyers causing a hazard if they fly too high or get in the wrong airspace. There have been reported incidents of near misses and possibly even a few collisions.

My Mavic firmware updates constantly, and the app identifies flying zones by color code and warnings, and I believe in some areas will limit operation in no-fly zones (never been in those zones). Still, I have helicopters fly over at well below my elevation limit (35 miles from airport). Sometimes, a local crop duster does his turnarounds over my property. You typically get enough visual warning in those cases.

KC5AV wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 11:09 am And registration is only required if the drone is over 250 grams. The Mavic mini comes in a 249 grams.

nightmare69 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:16 am As a drone hobbyists and Texas LEO, no you cannot shoot down a drone. You own the property not the airspace above it. Now if someone is flying 15ft above your backyard looking around your property, call the police. If I’m flying 200ft above I assure you my camera zoom isn’t like that of a military predator drone even though my DJI Mavic is a $1k drone.