Video of the Mavic over the summit of Wheeler Peak (the highest peak in New Mexico):  (this was this last Tuesday):

Whoa! that is crazy being above those mountains.  Great video!

Beautiful area and great hiking by you and your friends.  Your rotation (yaw) on the drone felt waaaaay too fast though.  I thought it would be better if you panned more slowly.  Have you tried tripod mode?  That's one way.  Also, you can reduce the speed in your settings.  Lastly, I picked up a useful technique from another forum member - place one of your left fingers hard down onto the remote and use that as a "stop" so you can't move the stick too far in the left or right direction.   Also, what was the white stuff on the ground?  After moving from Chicago to California, that white stuff is not allowed within 300 mies of me.  

StanfordWebbie Posted at 2017-10-22 17:57
Beautiful area and great hiking by you and your friends.  Your rotation (yaw) on the drone felt waaaaay too fast though.  I thought it would be better if you panned more slowly.  Have you tried tripod mode?  That's one way.  Also, you can reduce the speed in your settings.  Lastly, I picked up a useful technique from another forum member - place one of your left fingers hard down onto the remote and use that as a "stop" so you can't move the stick too far in the left or right direction.   Also, what was the white stuff on the ground?  After moving from Chicago to California, that white stuff is not allowed within 300 mies of me.

Yeah, I agree. Not my best work. I got distracted. That was a group of hikers (not my friends) on the summit from Santa Fe and I was getting swamped with questions while flying. Normally, I try to use Litchi for smoother motion but I didn't have time for that either.

In regards the white stuff, the most recent trip report clamied 5' (5 feet) of snow covering the summit but I suspect they meant 5".

StanfordWebbie Posted at 2017-10-22 17:57
Beautiful area and great hiking by you and your friends.  Your rotation (yaw) on the drone felt waaaaay too fast though.  I thought it would be better if you panned more slowly.  Have you tried tripod mode?  That's one way.  Also, you can reduce the speed in your settings.  Lastly, I picked up a useful technique from another forum member - place one of your left fingers hard down onto the remote and use that as a "stop" so you can't move the stick too far in the left or right direction.   Also, what was the white stuff on the ground?  After moving from Chicago to California, that white stuff is not allowed within 300 mies of me.

Oh, I had to use Sport mode to keep up with the wind so Tripod wasn't an option in this situation. But that's a great suggestion. Even cinematic mode helps.

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-22 18:30
Oh, I had to use Sport mode to keep up with the wind so Tripod wasn't an option in this situation. But that's a great suggestion. Even cinematic mode helps.

i fly mostly in sport and try to rememeber to switch out of sport for the pan and toggle back into sport when flying forward again

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-22 18:29
Yeah, I agree. Not my best work. I got distracted. That was a group of hikers (not my friends) on the summit from Santa Fe and I was getting swamped with questions while flying. Normally, I try to use Litchi for smoother motion but I didn't have time for that either.

In regards the white stuff, the most recent trip report clamied 5' (5 feet) of snow covering the summit but I suspect they meant 5".

flying whilst being distracted is risky business, i had a few close calls from this before.
One of my new defense mechanisms is to let other people put my goggles on and share the flight with me.
Then when they ask the first question is say that i need to concentrate and cant talk whilst flying.

Bekaru Tree Posted at 2017-10-23 10:10
i fly mostly in sport and try to rememeber to switch out of sport for the pan and toggle back into sport when flying forward again

Good approach!

Bekaru Tree Posted at 2017-10-23 10:19
flying whilst being distracted is risky business, i had a few close calls from this before.
One of my new defense mechanisms is to let other people put my goggles on and share the flight with me.
Then when they ask the first question is say that i need to concentrate and cant talk whilst flying.

Yes, I should have been more firm. OTOH, there was little risk since I wasn't close to terrain at all.

This is really a great place for shooting, well done, Wolf.

that side movement at 1:38 adds some great depth to the peak you are on and those in the background. What a beautiful range! I'm jealous! As John Muir said, 'If you're lucky enough to live in the mountains you're lucky enough'

Very good, how strong was the wind? Usually in such hights wind is a bit off for flying

Stunning footage of the mountains Def sport-mode needed for that altitude.

Beautiful place.
Did you have issues with the height?

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-24 09:43
Beautiful place.
Did you have issues with the height?

No issues at all. I'd guess at most a 5% reduction in flight time above 13,000. I have flown as high as 14,600 feet with no issues.  (I have probably about 20 or more flights above 14,000 feet with the Mavic)

StanfordWebbie Posted at 2017-10-22 17:57
Beautiful area and great hiking by you and your friends.  Your rotation (yaw) on the drone felt waaaaay too fast though.  I thought it would be better if you panned more slowly.  Have you tried tripod mode?  That's one way.  Also, you can reduce the speed in your settings.  Lastly, I picked up a useful technique from another forum member - place one of your left fingers hard down onto the remote and use that as a "stop" so you can't move the stick too far in the left or right direction.   Also, what was the white stuff on the ground?  After moving from Chicago to California, that white stuff is not allowed within 300 mies of me.

Nice tip for the speed man, thanks!

Nice location!! You should have explored more those mountains with your bird!! Let it fly!!!!

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-24 10:58
No issues at all. I'd guess at most a 5% reduction in flight time above 13,000. I have flown as high as 14,600 feet with no issues.  (I have probably about 20 or more flights above 14,000 feet with the Mavic)

Thanks.
Here in NL we mostly live up or below sea level, but good to know when flying abroad

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-22 18:30
Oh, I had to use Sport mode to keep up with the wind so Tripod wasn't an option in this situation. But that's a great suggestion. Even cinematic mode helps.

Once, I had the same situation but I didn't turn on th S mode. The footage was terrible; many crambling shoots!
It is an important tip for everyone that is expose to wind and high places.
Cheers.

DocAraxá Posted at 2017-10-25 03:58
Once, I had the same situation but I didn't turn on th S mode. The footage was terrible; many crambling shoots!
It is an important tip for everyone that is expose to wind and high places.
Cheers.

My Mavic only gets flown in about one of every three hikes to high peak due to winds. If I didn't fly in pretty high winds, I'd hardly get any video from the high peaks at all.  It's tricky handling the winds.

ro_flyer Posted at 2017-10-24 17:44
Nice location!! You should have explored more those mountains with your bird!! Let it fly!!!!

That's actually what I like most to do. I am pretty much up in the mountains above 13,000 or 14,000 feet every weekend but too often the weather just doesn't cooperate with me flying.

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-25 11:30
That's actually what I like most to do. I am pretty much up in the mountains above 13,000 or 14,000 feet every weekend but too often the weather just doesn't cooperate with me flying.

Ok I understand... if conditions are not good, better stay on the safe side!!!

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-10-23 12:11
Yes, I should have been more firm. OTOH, there was little risk since I wasn't close to terrain at all.

so i was flying with a friend once and they were chatting to me. To be honest i was way out of vlos so it took a while to process that things were going wrong. The thing i realised later was that whilst flying over a valley in the cliff the wind strength increased very much and i lost valuable seconds trying to get my friend to stop speaking so i could concentrate to prevent losing my drone.
Eventually i decided to crash land in a field about 2km away from me.
fortunately i recovered my drone:-)

Bekaru Tree Posted at 2017-10-26 15:07
so i was flying with a friend once and they were chatting to me. To be honest i was way out of vlos so it took a while to process that things were going wrong. The thing i realised later was that whilst flying over a valley in the cliff the wind strength increased very much and i lost valuable seconds trying to get my friend to stop speaking so i could concentrate to prevent losing my drone.
Eventually i decided to crash land in a field about 2km away from me.
fortunately i recovered my drone:-)

Wow--great cautionary tale. Thanks for sharing.

I have flown for years (not just drones in the mountains but also aircraft and paragliders) and the winds as well as down drafts can be very tricky.

Awesome! That must have been a hike!

boy you where really up there huh?

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-10-24 03:29
This is really a great place for shooting, well done, Wolf.

Been here a year 1st time I seeing a Thor …
Hi Thor nice to meet you

Roy Rogers Posted at 10-28 15:37
Been here a year 1st time I seeing a Thor …
Hi Thor nice to meet you

Nice to see you as well, Roy.

Outstanding footage

A J Posted at 7-9 11:24
Outstanding footage

Glad you liked it!

WolfgangStiller Posted at 7-9 12:01
Glad you liked it!

.

Nice place! Good work!

Nice place! Good work!

WolfgangStiller Posted at 7-9 12:01
Glad you liked it!

Looks like you made a serious effort getting into position - good for you

A J Posted at 7-13 04:26
Looks like you made a serious effort getting into position - good for you

The tough part on these summits is always the weather--it's usually pretty windy up at the higher elevations so more often than not the Mavic gets a free ride up and down with no flight.

WolfgangStiller Posted at 7-13 18:28
The tough part on these summits is always the weather--it's usually pretty windy up at the higher elevations so more often than not the Mavic gets a free ride up and down with no flight.

I can only imagine mate - I am petrified of heights so not something I can do