Flying in canyons

[DesertWindAero]

General question...

I will have to fly into a canyon from the top (about 300' deep, 1,000 feet across) and try to get as low as possible to where the water and canyon wall meet on the opposite side. I will have LOS, but I imagine perspective will be tricky.

Are there any tricks or tips to accomplishing this kind of flying?

Thanks!

 

[The Editor]

General question...

I will have to fly into a canyon from the top (about 300' deep, 1,000 feet across) and try to get as low as possible to where the water and canyon wall meet on the opposite side. I will have LOS, but I imagine perspective will be tricky.

Are there any tricks or tips to accomplishing this kind of flying?

Thanks!

Yes - practice!
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do this as you point out perspective is very difficult to guage once you get over a couple of hundred feet away. Plus you will be looking down on the aircraft.
There is no way to keep clear space between the aircraft and horizon/obstacles in this scenario.
Just get used to using the perspective of the FPV to guage how close you are to subjects.

 

[DesertWindAero]

Yes - practice!
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do this as you point out perspective is very difficult to guage once you get over a couple of hundred feet away. Plus you will be looking down on the aircraft.
There is no way to keep clear space between the aircraft and horizon/obstacles in this scenario.
Just get used to using the perspective of the FPV to guage how close you are to subjects.

Thanks...

I suspect that I will get negative altitude readings as well since it is relative to home/take off point...correct?

 

[The Editor]

Thanks...

I suspect that I will get negative altitude readings as well since it is relative to home/take off point...correct?

Yup - there will be a minus sign in front of the altitude display since it will zero at take off on the canyon rim.

 

[DesertWindAero]

Cripes...

Well, wish me luck then...lol.

 

[The Editor]

Cripes...

Well, wish me luck then...lol.

Oh, I forgot to mention - there can also be updraft and downdraft (Anabatic and Katabatic winds) near the canyon walls so watch out for those!

 

[DesertWindAero]

You are all good news today, Editor....

 

[RBirtles]

Are you able to do test runs in this spot beforehand? Hopefully because if you can you can at least get a relative understanding of what negative height your bird will be flying at to be safe while at water level.

If you cannot get to try beforehand I would be carefully dropping my bird to a preferred negative height level first off and then using that height as the yard stick to not go any lower when flying. I find it "stressful" when flying in new areas so all I can say is take it carefully and slowly.

If you can have a second person with a tablet joined to your RC maybe they can act as a second pair of eyes to give you visual as well as height measurement calling where necessary. In these scenarios I assume there will be a lot of watching display as well so remember they is a bit of delay in true perspective.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[DesertWindAero]

Are you able to do test runs in this spot beforehand? Hopefully because if you can you can at least get a relative understanding of what negative height your bird will be flying at to be safe while at water level.

If you cannot get to try beforehand I would be carefully dropping my bird to a preferred negative height level first off and then using that height as the yard stick to not go any lower when flying. I find it "stressful" when flying in new areas so all I can say is take it carefully and slowly.

If you can have a second person with a tablet joined to your RC maybe they can act as a second pair of eyes to give you visual as well as height measurement calling where necessary. In these scenarios I assume there will be a lot of watching display as well so remember they is a bit of delay in true perspective.

Good luck and have fun!

RB, thanks, all good stuff. Not going to be able to practice first as this is in a remote area and difficult to get to...so, it's a one-shot deal.

Good idea about the preferred negative altitude, I will try that.

It's a dual-control Inspire, so I will have a 2nd pair of eyes.

Yes, FPV will be primary for me after I get to a comfortable altitude with the 2nd pilot watching and communicating.

I'll post back here after we fly the mission and let you know how it went...or, how it didn't...LOL

 

[Dobmatt]

General question...

I will have to fly into a canyon from the top (about 300' deep, 1,000 feet across) and try to get as low as possible to where the water and canyon wall meet on the opposite side. I will have LOS, but I imagine perspective will be tricky.

Are there any tricks or tips to accomplishing this kind of flying?

Thanks!

Curious, but nobody mention the possibility to loose GPS leash at the bottom of deep canyon and close to a rock wall. Be prepared to control the bird in Atti with sudden drifts if there will be any draft. Usually there is ...

 

[The Editor]

Curious, but nobody mention the possibility to loose GPS leash at the bottom of deep canyon and close to a rock wall. Be prepared to control the bird in Atti with sudden drifts if there will be any draft. Usually there is ...

Very good point. Depending on how low on the horizon the sats are it can be very easy to lose a GPS lock.

 

[DesertWindAero]

Very good point. Depending on how low on the horizon the sats are it can be very easy to lose a GPS lock.

Thanks for the feedback. You can bet my finger will be on that flight mode trigger!

 

[damoncooper]

Thanks for the feedback. You can bet my finger will be on that flight mode trigger!

I'm not sure what the RTH behavior would be in case of RC signal loss. I think (!) it should rise to the RTH altitude (a positive number above takeoff point). But that's only my belief as I haven't tested this.

Would be great if the Simulator had Canyons and lakes etc to try things on, as well as options for "simulate RC loss", "simulate GPS loss", etc

 

[Eric]

Might be too late, but I'd recommend flying straight to the face with the camera down till the cliff face is directly below. Then come back a bit before descending. I wouldn't go down in GPS to begin with. Tested RTH with -75 feet start and my bird went up to my set + return height. Just my two cents.