Hi everyone,

OK, so there's a bunch of us now who have acquired DJI Mavics, Sparks and Phantoms and we're planning on going on a joint outing ... is this potentially a bad idea? Has anyone had any experience flying with friends, specifically are there any known issues such as RC interference with a bunch of drones flying in close proximity? The group dynamic thing and actually figuring out whose drone is whose once in the air could possibly be a whole other thread ....

Cheers!

Shouldn't be any interference between drones as all will be using 2.4Ghz system. As for determining who's drone is who's you might be advised to add a little colour to the underside so you have a fair chance of recognising yours.

I read in the manual or some official source a while back that you should not have more than 3 flying in close proximity to each other at the same time. Stand several feet away from each other’s RC’s and be sure to coordinate you flight paths and altitude to prevent mid air collisions. And don’t active track each other’s drones LOL Good luck and have fun!

I tried 2 times with a friend with Mavic, both times I experience interferences (but no major problem!), but the collision is Possible - so we decided to say out loud our hight - like ATC in order to keep different altitudes.
Good luck

Don't get too close to your buddies. I was exchanging aircraft with a mate and on passing over the controllers one aircraft flew off on its own for a short period of time. We put it down to interference due to the close proximity of the controllers. Fingers were well away from the sticks.

Bigga J Posted at 2018-1-23 03:16
Shouldn't be any interference between drones as all will be using 2.4Ghz system. As for determining who's drone is who's you might be advised to add a little colour to the underside so you have a fair chance of recognising yours.

We thought brightly coloured camera tape for the ID bit, good to know about the lack of interference. Thanks Bigga

A CW Posted at 2018-1-23 03:22
I read in the manual or some official source a while back that you should not have more than 3 flying in close proximity to each other at the same time. Stand several feet away from each other’s RC’s and be sure to coordinate you flight paths and altitude to prevent mid air collisions. And don’t active track each other’s drones LOL Good luck and have fun!

Always wanted to have a pair of drones active tracking each other ....

alex_markov Posted at 2018-1-23 03:37
I tried 2 times with a friend with Mavic, both times I experience interferences (but no major problem!), but the collision is Possible - so we decided to say out loud our hight - like ATC  in order to keep different altitudes.
Good luck

Good point about the physical collision tip! Now that would be devastating!

Mullheliflier Posted at 2018-1-23 03:39
Don't get too close to your buddies. I was exchanging aircraft with a mate and on passing over the controllers one aircraft flew off on its own for a short period of time. We put it down to interference due to the close proximity of the controllers. Fingers were well away from the sticks.

Scary stuff fly always, especially with another drone near by! Thanks for the tips.

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-23 04:39
Flying with friends is a blast.  I have flown RC concurrently with a couple dozen people all at once without interference.   Just don't stand right next to each other.  Maintain slightly different altitudes & sound off your intended actions or maneuvers so the other pilots know what to expect.   It can be great fun!

https://youtu.be/9OQugUKxl3E

Awesome clip! Inspirational! Good advice about calling out altitude too. Thanks!

Beeworld Posted at 2018-1-23 04:44
Always wanted to have a pair of drones active tracking each other ....

Try it but keep your finger over that pause button

I fly with at least 6 guys every weekend 3 Mavics 2 phantom A, an 1 phantom 3s. Without any interference. Haven’t tried to active tracking each other but we do play follow the leader. Sometimes there’s 10 to 15 of us.

Woe Posted at 2018-1-23 06:11
I fly with at least 6 guys every weekend 3 Mavics 2 phantom A, an 1 phantom 3s. Without any interference. Haven’t tried to active tracking each other but we do play follow the leader. Sometimes there’s 10 to 15 of us.

You've convinced me - a bunch of us are going out for a group flight this weekend, weather permitting! Thanks for all the replies.

Beeworld Posted at 2018-1-24 02:33
You've convinced me - a bunch of us are going out for a group flight this weekend, weather permitting! Thanks for all the replies.

Fly safe and most of all have fun.

nominate to each person a certain height for them to fly in - colliding into each other is perhaps the biggest risk - individual height planes will prevent this

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-23 04:39
Flying with friends is a blast.  I have flown RC concurrently with a couple dozen people all at once without interference.   Just don't stand right next to each other.  Maintain slightly different altitudes & sound off your intended actions or maneuvers so the other pilots know what to expect.   It can be great fun!

https://youtu.be/9OQugUKxl3E

How can you always reply with revelant videos

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-23 04:39
Flying with friends is a blast.  I have flown RC concurrently with a couple dozen people all at once without interference.   Just don't stand right next to each other.  Maintain slightly different altitudes & sound off your intended actions or maneuvers so the other pilots know what to expect.   It can be great fun!

https://youtu.be/9OQugUKxl3E

wow! You took the drones so far! nicely done!!

Woe Posted at 2018-1-24 06:37
Fly safe and most of all have fun.

Always!  : )

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-25 01:59
LOL I guess I just have a done a lot of different type flights.  We tried doing 5 birds on a joint Litchi mission but kept having timing issues.  One bird always seems to want to act up.

Here is something I'd love to see.  A system where the drones communicate among themselves directly.  One drone is set up as the "Master" drone.  That drone is either manually piloted or can be set up with a waypoint mission.  All the other drones are assigned as "Slave" units & each is set to mirror the "Master" at a specific alltitude/distance/angle.  i.e. +10' alt, 20' distant, 180° (directly behind).  In flight the "Master" is constantly transmitting current speed, heading, altitude, etc. & any slaves follow & adjust themselves accordingly.

Couldn't this be achieved with the auto Tracking function?

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-23 04:39
Flying with friends is a blast.  I have flown RC concurrently with a couple dozen people all at once without interference.   Just don't stand right next to each other.  Maintain slightly different altitudes & sound off your intended actions or maneuvers so the other pilots know what to expect.   It can be great fun!

https://youtu.be/9OQugUKxl3E

Brilliant stuff guys, loved both to bits.
I will be waiting for the next instalment ...............


Stay safe guys,  bye
davawt

It all sounds great, I will need to get some drone friends together and try that out......... bye davawt

Just fly at different altitudes

So the group flight has been postponed due to adverse weather .... approaching 40 degrees C and wind at 27 kph - not fun. Maybe next weekend?

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-23 04:39
Flying with friends is a blast.  I have flown RC concurrently with a couple dozen people all at once without interference.   Just don't stand right next to each other.  Maintain slightly different altitudes & sound off your intended actions or maneuvers so the other pilots know what to expect.   It can be great fun!

https://youtu.be/9OQugUKxl3E

Even better than the first one, guys.  I loved the extended story version.  Nice story telling and flying.

I've done this a few times - and with racing drones. Usually when we fly the AP drones (like the mavic/phantom/etc) we just all stay with in a certain height. Never really had a problem.  -- With our RC planes tho, we do try to take eachother down.

When we fly together the main problem is who is at what altitude