DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone questions

[LittleBill21]

You are not ever permitted outside of your view, this means you can actually see the drone. Not that you can see the horizon and know that the drone is out there somewhere, you are required by federal law to have it in sight, able to actually see the machine. And people flying a mile away, 5 miles away and more are far, far beyond visual sight. You might be able to see it at a half mile, even that is doubtful. I know, screw the man and his rules. But the rules will keep adjusting upwards and software and hardware will be forced to get more intrusive as people continue to break the laws provided.

if your going to quote me and pretend to know the rules, please at least know them. VLOS is not required by the pilot, if you have VO's in radio communication that can see it, you have satisfied the FAA requirements for VLOS.


this is addressed in 14 CFR Part 107, Subpart B

specifically
107.31
107.33

 

[Tinhack]

The Mini 4 weighs 249 grams. I bet they put a lot of effort to get it under 250!!!!

249 grams or not, you can only fly in designated areas. The FAA has strict rules on drones now. They are considered an aircraft and must follow the rules for aircraft and you as a "pilot". Law enforcement now has the right to see your flying credentials on demand. Also, anyone with a phone can see your drone and identify its owner. Fair warning--Be legal or go to prison.

 

[Tinhack]

the pad does nothing but save the blades if there is high grass.

They also help keep the dust and debris out of the motors and off the camera lens.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

249 grams or not, you can only fly in designated areas. The FAA has strict rules on drones now. They are considered an aircraft and must follow the rules for aircraft and you as a "pilot". Law enforcement now has the right to see your flying credentials on demand. Also, anyone with a phone can see your drone and identify its owner. Fair warning--Be legal or go to prison.

Yes, because what else does law enforcement have to do out in the sticks.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Never used RTH. Sometimes I’m flying before it gets updated. Also RTH isn’t going to avoid the trees to get back home.

 

[LittleBill21]

Never used RTH. Sometimes I’m flying before it gets updated. Also RTH isn’t going to avoid the trees to get back home.

it should if you have the rth height programmed correctly.

 

[John0829]

When these drones return home, how precise is the landing spot. Can I fly one off my 14' x 20' elevated deck and have it land on the deck safely?

I've seen these drone "landing pads", do they help?:

View attachment 877054

Amazon.com

I use a pad mainly because of the grass, after take off I give the drone a couple of seconds to update the home point, which it will tell it has, then it is off to the races. When it returns home if I let it self land it will usually be within a foot of where it took off from. If I do not give it those extra seconds to update at take off it will usually be within a couple of feet.

As I recall you can get permission to fly in restricted areas, I have never done it and have no need or at this time desire to but I do remember reading about. I am close enough to the local airport that I can cross into the edge of restricted air space and did by accident when I first got the drone but there is nothing but tree tops to see over that way so it is no problem to avoid.

 

[John0829]

Never used RTH. Sometimes I’m flying before it gets updated. Also RTH isn’t going to avoid the trees to get back home.

Then you have not set it up correctly, obstacle avoidance works in all modes EXCEPT "Sport". The easiest way to avoid hitting something is to set the RTH in the settings so that AGL is above your highest objects around you.

RTH is a handy feature and it only takes literally seconds for it to update so you are not losing even a full minutes worth of flight time.

 

[LittleBill21]

Then you have not set it up correctly, obstacle avoidance works in all modes EXCEPT "Sport". The easiest way to avoid hitting something is to set the RTH in the settings so that AGL is above your highest objects around you.

RTH is a handy feature and it only takes literally seconds for it to update so you are not losing even a full minutes worth of flight time.

it will save your butt, mine went over a ridge once, and it went from full strength to nothing, in less then 1 second. 30 seconds later i was back in control.

 

[Rock Crawler]

if your going to quote me and pretend to know the rules, please at least know them. VLOS is not required by the pilot, if you have VO's in radio communication that can see it, you have satisfied the FAA requirements for VLOS.


this is addressed in 14 CFR Part 107, Subpart B

specifically
107.31
107.33

So you think that these guys claiming that they are flying MILES away have people staged with radios every quarter mile to maintain visual? I would believe it, if they are 107 pilots with a crew, but your quotation of the law further strengthens my statement. These people are flying illegally and we all know it.