Misrepresenting the Phantom 3's height limit until after purchasing is pretty sheisty, and seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen by misrepresenting the specs.

There are a million reasons someone would need to fly higher than 500 m from the take off location, without violating any local laws, such as climbing over a mountain, while staying close to the relative increasing ground height.


Will this limit be removed soon, or do we have a larger issue here of false representation of specs?
You can't make no mention of this until after purchase. Very dishonest.

People rely on the specs to make an informed decision. You can't just regulate something in the back end without the purchaser knowing.

6000m? That's 19,685 Feet..... 3.73 miles.... you may have enough battery on the way up but on the way down... let's just say - the descent will be much faster....

Hahaha very true. I'm concerned because I live at the base if a mountain. So if I turn north, and want to climb up the side if that mountain, I would be limited, even though I may only be 50 feet above the tree line. It's limited by 500 m from the take off location correct? If so that sucks if you live near mountains.

I suggest you read the specs again, this time with your brain engaged.
6,000m is the maximum altitude above sea level that the Phantom will be able to fly normally, due to the thinner air at altitude.
It has nothing to do with the 500m limit set from the take-off position.

Brain is two cups of coffee in, and just starting to work.  

Understood, but  why is there no mention of the limit of 500 m?  That is limiting if you live in a mountain rich environment, correct? Am I just being dense? (Definitely a possibility)

500m is 1640ft that's well over the 400ft limit that the FAA / CAA say you should not fly over.

If you take-off from the side of a mountain at say 3,000ft you can still fly another 1640ft up.

But if I'm at the bottom, I can only fly 500 m up, even though I may only be 50' actual of AGL....well within FAA guidelines. Correct?

Correct, so you need to climb to the top and fly down...

Kdurree@gmail.c Posted at 2015-4-29 00:59
But if I'm at the bottom, I can only fly 500 m up, even though I may only be 50' actual of AGL....we ...

If you're about to fly over mountains I suggest you save your money and get a helicopter.
Or soon we will see a thread that starts with "I flew over a 5km high mountain when battery dropped to 0%"...

Thanks guys. I understand DJI's thought process behind it, but there are individuals that could utilize extra "height" in certain terrains.

I am assuming these have a barametric pressure sensor.  Not that I'd ever try..have no need, but couldn't you fool it by covering it.  I'm just speculating.   I'm sure that comment will rub someone wrong.

Many countries have the rule to only fly in visible sight, i know it sucks as a "pilot"
but it makes sense as a precaution for these pesky "nonpilots"

The P3 max decent speed is 2m/s. It you fly 500 m high, it takes you around 4,5 minutes
to descent. That time can be veeeeeery long if you stare at your battery reserves.

Imagine there were no limits and you go to 1000m, that takes you roughly 9 minutes.
In 1000m you can only relay on the display to see whats there, you don't see whats coming from behind, could be a passenger airplane you overlook..........

I know sometimes it sucks but it makes sense almost all the rest of the time.

ntfa@sbcglobal. Posted at 2015-4-29 01:55
I am assuming these have a barametric pressure sensor.  Not that I'd ever try..have no need, but cou ...

I am not sure that you can disable the baro.  Without the baro the unit would rely on the GPS data that is less accurate.  Now you want to disable the GPS, you will be limited to 120m in ATTI mode.  Sorry but that is how we have our systems set up.

As with the inspire 1, the specs are referring to the max height above sea level. 500m limit is above ground level just like the inspire. I personally wish it was a little higher. But that's a touchy subject around these parts.

There's a word for this - crippleware. I too am disappointed about the 500m, and I'm thinking about buying the 3DR Solo when it comes out. I don't like paying $1400 for a product then discovering that it's been intentionally crippled by the manufacturer. Let the user decide whether it's safe and legal to fly at a given altitude. DJI's silly 500M above take-off limit doesn't take terrain into account. Bad choice, DJI.

ntfa@sbcglobal. Posted at 2015-4-29 01:55
I am assuming these have a barametric pressure sensor.  Not that I'd ever try..have no need, but cou ...

Ah! The old stick a penny in the fuse technique!

6000m spec = altitude = AMSL
500m height limit = height = AGL

CloudsNeverDie Posted at 2015-5-17 13:05
There's a word for this - crippleware. I too am disappointed about the 500m, and I'm thinking about  ...

let me take a wild guess: you're not a pilot... you haven't educated yourself on any of the rules of the air... and you think what you do with your drone is your business...

did i hit the home button?

imdjay Posted at 2015-5-18 11:41
let me take a wild guess: you're not a pilot... you haven't educated yourself on any of the rules  ...

OR....(drumroll)  she/he is an adult that would prefer not to have ethics spoon fed to her in a high chair and a bib, courtesy of a Corporate Nannying Service.

Did I hit the home button?  ;)

imdjay Posted at 2015-5-18 11:41
let me take a wild guess: you're not a pilot... you haven't educated yourself on any of the rules  ...

That's the point!!!!!

lightpanther Posted at 2015-5-18 16:16
OR....(drumroll)  she/he is an adult that would prefer not to have ethics spoon fed to her in a hi ...

its not ethics, it's basic responsibility

do you really want to stand by your reasoning that all adults are responsible? Because that's what you implied.

imdjay Posted at 2015-5-18 21:16
its not ethics, it's basic responsibility

do you really want to stand by your reasoning that all  ...

No I didn't imply that. As I said elsewhere, you cannot "enforce" responsibility. Responsibility is an act on the part of an individual, not an external organization upon that individual. If anything, I would say that actually reduces the concept of responsibility (this is one of my objections...though not my only one).

CloudsNeverDie Posted at 2015-5-17 13:05
There's a word for this - crippleware. I too am disappointed about the 500m, and I'm thinking about  ...

The specs for the Solo on 3DRs site specify a 400 Ft (122m) max altitude, just like the Phantom.  And the price is way more:  Solo $500 + Solo Gimbal $400 + GoPro Black $500 = $1900

I watched a video and others may of seen it. utube. Under test height or something like that. Hold return to home button down
and continue to elevate. no-height limit.