Hi All,

I have a job coming up that involves flying inside a large (30+metres high) building. I'm guessing there will be no GPS signal at all. Does anyone here have any experience of flying indoors at 10m or more. Is the M3 limited in height above takeoff? And what would happen if i took off from a gallery 10m or so above the floor level and flew out- could I then effectively fly at more that 10m above the floor level? Not yet sure how well lit the floor will be in terms of VPS functionality.

I'm happy flying drones ATTI style, with no positioning, but what I want avoid is any unpredictable behaviour...


Any experience and insights gratefully received.

Hello there. Good day and thank you for giving out these information. I hope that our fellow DJI Co Pilots who have flew there DJI Drones on this environment can give out the best information and recommendation on this matter. Just a friendly reminder that DJI do not recommend flying your DJI Mavic 3 indoors as the environment indoors may have interference and caused an incident and also during low light condition as the vision sensors may not work properly. DJI suggest to choose an outdoor open area where the GPS is good, no magnetic interference, to fly the drone and check if all the functions are normal. Thank you and fly safe always.

DJI Stephen Posted at 10-10 03:25
Hello there. Good day and thank you for giving out these information. I hope that our fellow DJI Co Pilots who have flew there DJI Drones on this environment can give out the best information and recommendation on this matter. Just a friendly reminder that DJI do not recommend flying your DJI Mavic 3 indoors as the environment indoors may have interference and caused an incident and also during low light condition as the vision sensors may not work properly. DJI suggest to choose an outdoor open area where the GPS is good, no magnetic interference, to fly the drone and check if all the functions are normal. Thank you and fly safe always.

Why post such a ridiculous non-answer.
It's pathetic that DJI moderators can't answer basic questions about drone flying and leave it to members to do it.

Does anyone here have any experience of flying indoors at 10m or more. Is the M3 limited in height above takeoff?

Not yet sure how well lit the floor will be in terms of VPS functionality.

Page 62 of the manual gives a very brief summary of how the drone is programmed for this kind of flight.
Height is restricted to 30 m when the GNSS signal is weak.
Height is restricted to 3 m when the GNSS signal is weak and light conditions is not sufficient

If you have bad GPS and sufficient lighting (and presumably suitable floor surface for VPS ... pattern/texture etc),You can fly to 30 metres.
Without VPS, you are stuck with a 3 metre height limit.
If you used a Mavic 2 pro or Phantom 4 pro, they allow you to disable the VPS and fly higher with poor GPS.

And what would happen if i took off from a gallery 10m or so above the  floor level and flew out- could I then effectively fly at more that 10m  above the floor level?

If the infrared sensors of the the VPS sense you are higher than 3 metres with poor GPS, it would probably limit you to 3 metres above the floor.

Labroides Posted at 10-10 05:52
Does anyone here have any experience of flying indoors at 10m or more. Is the M3 limited in height above takeoff?

Not yet sure how well lit the floor will be in terms of VPS functionality.

Hi Labroides,

Do you think this is correct for the Mini3 Pro?  (and why not same text for the M3....)

Weak GPS +  not sufficient light = 30 meter
Weak GPS +  not sufficient light + infra red sensing operating = 5 meter.
Weak GPS +  not sufficient light + infra red sensing not operating = 30 meter.

My logic is that the 5 meter and second 30 meter has to be 30 and 5.

What do you think ?
cheers
JJB

Can I add...

You're asking about unpredictable behaviour and I'll throw my advice in here. If you're filming inside a building with a solid roof and well defined flooring, you're good. If you're flying in a warehouse (especially a warehouse) with a thin roof or anything where GPS can penetrate, it is possible that the drone can receive mixed signals and you'll have to stop it from trying to fly off.

The repeatable situation that I always find the drone trying to fly off is if I'm working in a warehouse with a polished concrete floor and thin roof. The VPS can't get a lock on the floor and jumps to the GPS if available, which makes it want to fly off.

I know they don't sell prop guards in the UK, but I did get mine imported and they're a great addition to mitigate this risk.

JJB* Posted at 10-10 07:58
Hi Labroides,

Do you think this is correct for the Mini3 Pro?  (and why not same text for the M3....)

Do you think this is correct for the Mini3 Pro?  (and why not same text for the M3....)
I wouldn't guess.
They could well be different, with different sensors etc.
If you have one, it should be simple to test.

CloudVisual Posted at 10-10 12:08
Can I add...

You're asking about unpredictable behaviour and I'll throw my advice in here. If you're filming inside a building with a solid roof and well defined flooring, you're good. If you're flying in a warehouse (especially a warehouse) with a thin roof or anything where GPS can penetrate, it is possible that the drone can receive mixed signals and you'll have to stop it from trying to fly off.

if I'm working in a warehouse with a polished concrete floor and thin roof. The VPS can't get a lock on the floor and jumps to the GPS if available, which makes it want to fly off.

The thickness of the roof makes no difference.
It's what the roof is made of that's the problem.
A roof (or walls) of thin metal sheeting will block GPS signal.
In a situation with poor-mixed GPS signal, the drone shouldn't try to fly off (as in fly away somewhere), as for flight to be a little unpredictable with position sometimes jumping as GPS cuts in etc.

Labroides Posted at 10-10 12:19
if I'm working in a warehouse with a polished concrete floor and thin roof. The VPS can't get a lock on the floor and jumps to the GPS if available, which makes it want to fly off.

The thickness of the roof makes no difference.

I can assure you that the thin metal roof with windows still gave me a couple of sats. I can leave the M3 in my house and it'll pick something up eventually.

CloudVisual Posted at 10-10 12:29
I can assure you that the thin metal roof with windows still gave me a couple of sats. I can leave the M3 in my house and it'll pick something up eventually.

That signal came through the windows.
Even thin aluminium foil will completely block GPS signal.
Wooden and some other walls can be transparent for radio signals too.

Labroides Posted at 10-10 12:39
That signal came through the windows.
Even thin aluminium foil will completely block GPS signal.
Wooden and some other walls can be transparent for radio signals too.

Fine, but I think you missed my point about the polished concrete floor. The VPS can't get a hold on the ground and limited GPS is not good. I am not kidding when I say the drone wanders off and not in an ATTI kind of way. It'll respond to stick input, but if I left it, it would head off on what it thinks is the right thing to do.

CloudVisual Posted at 10-10 12:08
Can I add...

You're asking about unpredictable behaviour and I'll throw my advice in here. If you're filming inside a building with a solid roof and well defined flooring, you're good. If you're flying in a warehouse (especially a warehouse) with a thin roof or anything where GPS can penetrate, it is possible that the drone can receive mixed signals and you'll have to stop it from trying to fly off.

Thanks- that’s useful- it’s got a thick roof so don’t think I’ll be getting any GPS. I do have prop guards already for some peace of mind! I’ve actually flown the Inspire 2 indoors a few times, without too many dramas, but wanted some advice with the M3, so that’s definitely helpful.

Sounds like a job for a DJI Avata.

CloudVisual Posted at 10-10 12:48
Fine, but I think you missed my point about the polished concrete floor. The VPS can't get a hold on the ground and limited GPS is not good. I am not kidding when I say the drone wanders off and not in an ATTI kind of way. It'll respond to stick input, but if I left it, it would head off on what it thinks is the right thing to do.

Fine, but I think you missed my point about the polished concrete floor.
I didn't miss it, but the topic I discussed was the comment about roof thickness affecting GPS.

Skylark Aerial Imaging Posted at 10-10 13:05
Thanks- that’s useful- it’s got a thick roof so don’t think I’ll be getting any GPS. I do have prop guards already for some peace of mind! I’ve actually flown the Inspire 2 indoors a few times, without too many dramas, but wanted some advice with the M3, so that’s definitely helpful.

Roof thickness is irrelevant.
How can anyone even tell how thick a roof is?

Skylark Aerial Imaging Posted at 10-10 13:05
Thanks- that’s useful- it’s got a thick roof so don’t think I’ll be getting any GPS. I do have prop guards already for some peace of mind! I’ve actually flown the Inspire 2 indoors a few times, without too many dramas, but wanted some advice with the M3, so that’s definitely helpful.

The beauty of the Inspire is that you can fly in Atti mode and not risk GPS issues.

DJI thought this was far too complex for people to handle, so that option was removed.