Hi guys. did any one test in which mode (or any documentation that suggests one upon the other) I'll be able to get the farthest (more distance) before i get prompt to RTH because of low battery?
Normal Mode or Sport Mode... on the Mini 3 Pro (fly streight , no stops, untill I get Low Battery Warning and RTH is suggested)

P.S. Please try to avoid replies like, "your drone will lose connection way before you reach your battery limit, etc."
Thanks in advance...

I would say further in Normal mode, the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg (so to speak lol)

If you want to maximise your travelling distance, the wind should be as close to calm as possible and the air temp being colder the better, colder air = less dense resulting in better lift meaning less strain on the motors giving longer battery life When i do a range test, i try to keep it below 15ºC but ideally below 10ºC but not below 4ºC as icing on the props can occur below 4ºC.

Bashy Posted at 8-11 18:27
I would say further in Normal mode, the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg (so to speak lol)

If you want to maximise your travelling distance, the wind should be as close to calm as possible and the air temp being colder the better, colder air = less dense resulting in better lift meaning less strain on the motors giving longer battery life  When i do a range test, i try to keep it below 15ºC but ideally below 10ºC but not below 4ºC as icing on the props can occur below 4ºC.

the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg
That's for max flight time ... but that's not max distance.
You get max distance at full speed in Normal Mode.

Labroides Posted at 8-11 18:34
the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg
That's for max flight time ... but that's not max distance.
You get max distance at full speed in Normal Mode.

DJI says, the best distance travelled is at 21.6kph then surely that is the speed that the OP is looking for, if Max speed in Normal is better than 21.6kph then surely DJI would have specified this. Why didn't DJI specify the best battery distance being at 36kph?

Longest time running is 34mins at 21.6kph, then surely at 36kph is going to have a shorter flying time, no? does that mean it can still travel further though even though its going faster? all too confusing lol

Bashy Posted at 8-11 19:01
DJI says, the best distance travelled is at 21.6kph then surely that is the speed that the OP is looking for, if Max speed in Normal is better than 21.6kph then surely DJI would have specified this. Why didn't DJI specify the best battery distance being at 36kph?

Longest time running is 34mins at 21.6kph, then surely at 36kph is going to have a shorter flying time, no? does that mean it can still travel further though even though its going faster? all too confusing lol

DJI says, the best distance travelled is at 21.6kph
They don't, they say that longest flight time is achieved at that speed..
Here's where you got that speed from:
Max Flight Time
34 mins (with Intelligent Flight Battery and measured while flying at 21.6 kph in windless conditions)
if Max speed in Normal is better than 21.6kph then surely DJI would have specified this.

Why didn't DJI specify the best battery distance being at 36kph?
Because DJI don't specify max distance per battery anywhere.

Longest time running is 34mins at 21.6kph, then surely at 36kph is going to have a shorter flying time, no?
No

does that mean it can still travel further though even though its going faster?
Your car is the same.
A tank of fuel would last longer with the engine idling than when you drive.
Drive slowly and fuel economy isn't good, drive faster and up to a point your mpg increases.
Until you pass the point where it's optimum and to go faster you get less mpg.

For your drone the sweet spot for miles/battery is at full speed in normal mode.
This has been tested and shown to be true for many DJI models (but I wouldn't guarantee for the original DJI Air).

Labroides Posted at 8-11 19:32
DJI says, the best distance travelled is at 21.6kph
They don't, they say that longest flight time is achieved at that speed..
Here's where you got that speed from:

OK, my wording was off a little, i was paraphrasing.


They don't, they say that longest flight time is achieved at that speed


Yes, they do, they say "measured while flying". Unless that means something else?
What else can "34 mins while flying at 21.6kph" mean?


DJI says the longest running time for the battery is at 21.6kph.
You say the longest running time for the battery is at 36kph, this would give the greater distance for sure.


You can understand my confusion here, so why doesn't DJI say that 36kph is better for the longest running time, not to mention it would give you the greater distance too if the range doesn't cut out 1st.

Because DJI don't specify max distance per battery anywhere.
Oh, what does this mean?

• Max Flight Distance
• 18 km (with Intelligent Flight Battery and measured while flying at 43.2 kph in windless conditions)
  
  
  

But then that sort of supports your Normal mode to an extent, although DJI are saying its actually faster.

So now i am really confused, In one breath they say the longest running time for the 34 min battery is at 21.6kph, but then they go on to say that the max flight distance (transmission) is accomplished at 43.2kph

I am not being argumentative, i just don't get it...

=========================================================
As for the fuel economy analogy, its not great, the manufacturer specs are based on 56mph, this isn't a ''cut in stone'' figure, it varies from car to car but its a figure that they came to as a catch all, not to mention it was a figure that they came up with many, many years ago when they tested the 3 different speeds. Typically it varies now from 45mph to 50mph.   If i was to drive my volvo on cruise control at 30mph, i get about 85mpg, at 40mph, i can get around 70mpg, at 56mph, i get around 55mpg and at 65 I am lucky to get 40mpg. If you're on a flat road, the slower the speed, the less fuel you use, this is obviously offset by hills etc so its going to hurt the MPG at the slower speeds, this is why 56mpg was deemed optimum back in the day, its also not too slow as to slow traffic down, could you imagined all the old timers driving everywhere at 40mph because someone said that that was the best for fuel economy. Certainly for my car, the slower the speed the more MPG i can get.

Bashy Posted at 8-11 22:08
OK, my wording was off a little, i was paraphrasing.

You can understand my confusion here, so why doesn't DJI say that 36kph is better for the longest running time
Gee ... let me think about that..
Because it doesn't give the longest flight time.
It's not complicated.

Because DJI don't specify max distance per battery anywhere.
Oh, what does this mean?
I'm sorry ... it looks like DJI do give a max distance speed in the specs for the Mini 3. (something they haven't done that before for other models).
It would be nice if they were consistent.

But then that sort of supports your Normal mode to an extent, although DJI are saying its actually faster.
OK ... they have specified a number that's just slightly faster than full speed in Normal Mode.

In one breath they say the longest running time for the 34 min battery is at 21.6kph, but then they go on to say that the max flight distance (transmission) is accomplished at 43.2kph
That's right ... at one speed you fly for a longer time and at a different speed you get a longer distance.
Because speed and distance are two different things.

As for the fuel economy analogy, its not great, the manufacturer specs are based on 56mph, this isn't a ''cut in stone'' figure, it varies from car to car but its a figure that they came to as a catch all, not to mention it was a figure that they came up with many, many years ago when they tested the 3 different speeds. Typically it varies now from 45mph to 50mph.   If i was to drive my volvo on cruise control at 30mph, i get about 85mpg, at 40mph, i can get around 70mpg, at 56mph, i get around 55mpg and at 65 I am lucky to get 40mpg. If you're on a flat road, the slower the speed, the less fuel you use, this is obviously offset by hills etc so its going to hurt the MPG at the slower speeds, this is why 56mpg was deemed optimum back in the day, its also not too slow as to slow traffic down, could you imagined all the old timers driving everywhere at 40mph because someone said that that was the best for fuel economy. Certainly for my car, the slower the speed the more MPG i can get.
None of that has anything to do with my simple analogy or drone flying.

I don't want to sound argumentative, but I've been here too many times with you.
I'm not going to be dragged into an ongoing discussion because you have difficulty understanding the simple statements I made.
If you can't understand, go back and read it again or get someone to explain to you.

Labroides Posted at 8-11 22:52
You can understand my confusion here, so why doesn't DJI say that 36kph is better for the longest running time
Gee ... let me think about that..
Because it doesn't give the longest flight time.

Gee ... let me think about that..
Because it doesn't give the longest flight time.
It's not complicated.


No need to get c0cky, i was being polite as you're supposed to be helping me understand it, I wasn't c0cky when you were proven wrong, show me the same courtesy, although. You need to realise that not everyone is of the same intellect, I am very poor with maths and many other topics for that matter.

None of that has anything to do with my simple analogy or drone flying.

Considering you brought up the car analogy, my interpretation of the fuel economy has everything to do with what you said, and that was,


Drive slowly and the mpg ain't good, drive faster and up to a point it increases,


of which is actually totally the opposite of what I see on a daily basis, the slower you drive the better the MPG. I drive a 2.4 Auto D5 185bhp, it's a guzzler, so I am very MPG conscious.

I don't want to sound argumentative, but I've been here too many times with you.
I'm not going to be dragged into an ongoing discussion because you have difficulty understanding the simple sattements I made.
If you can't understand, go back and read it again or get someone to explain to you.

yet your simple statements have been known to be incorrect, I have proven you wrong a few times in the past, heck, you go off on your high horse, become abusive with name calling and you don't apologise, you just quietly leave the thread in the hope that it falls off quickly.

And on that note, i think that concludes the discussion on my part, thank you and a pleasure as always

Bashy Posted at 8-11 23:46
Gee ... let me think about that..
Because it doesn't give the longest flight time.
It's not complicated.

yet your simple statements have been known to be incorrect, I have proven you wrong a few times in the past, heck, you go off on your high horse, become abusive with name calling and you don't apologise, you just quietly leave the thread in the hope that it falls off quickly.
You've proven me wrong ??? .. a few times !!!
Only in your imagination.

I answered your question correctly and simply enough for anyone else to have understood without the need for further questions.
But you can't deal with simple facts
Every time I try to explain something simple, this happens.
I put the effort in and come back to try to clear up your misunderstandings or what's clear and simple and you do this again and again.

I'm done dealing with you.

Labroides Posted at 8-11 23:53
yet your simple statements have been known to be incorrect, I have proven you wrong a few times in the past, heck, you go off on your high horse, become abusive with name calling and you don't apologise, you just quietly leave the thread in the hope that it falls off quickly.
You've proven me wrong .. a few times !!!
Only in your imagination.

I said thank you and I was polite throughout.

As for proving you wrong, Heck, I did it twice just in the very thread, and that's not counting the car side of things.

That's fine if you do not want to deal with me again, believe or not, it's actually something I can live with and it will not be any great loss, it's your attitude, time and time again, something I will not miss. Good day.

If the weather is windless then Normal mode is generally more efficient than sports mode. But I have had days where I live when a strong tailwind can make sports mode more efficient. I can catch a tailwind in both directions by adjusting altitude on certain days.  You have to ignore the RTH suggestions because they are not going to be accurate in this situation.  Not too much experience with mini 3 yet though...

Bashy Posted at 8-11 18:27
I would say further in Normal mode, the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg (so to speak lol)

If you want to maximise your travelling distance, the wind should be as close to calm as possible and the air temp being colder the better, colder air = less dense resulting in better lift meaning less strain on the motors giving longer battery life  When i do a range test, i try to keep it below 15ºC but ideally below 10ºC but not below 4ºC as icing on the props can occur below 4ºC.

you done your A2 c of c there Bashy!

Goggles Pisano Posted at 8-12 03:05
If the weather is windless then Normal mode is generally more efficient than sports mode. But I have had days where I live when a strong tailwind can make sports mode more efficient. I can catch a tailwind in both directions by adjusting altitude on certain days.  You have to ignore the RTH suggestions because they are not going to be accurate in this situation.  Not too much experience with mini 3 yet though...

I usually fly in my area with Crosswind. which one you think would be more efficient (more distance  until battery low warning fires)

Bashy Posted at 8-11 18:27
I would say further in Normal mode, the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg (so to speak lol)

If you want to maximise your travelling distance, the wind should be as close to calm as possible and the air temp being colder the better, colder air = less dense resulting in better lift meaning less strain on the motors giving longer battery life  When i do a range test, i try to keep it below 15ºC but ideally below 10ºC but not below 4ºC as icing on the props can occur below 4ºC.

Wouldn't colder weather also mean a colder battery, which might decrease the range?
Similar to electric cars in cold weather.

chillibadger Posted at 8-12 05:27
you done your A2 c of c there Bashy!

Pretty much

I can catch a tailwind in both directions by adjusting altitude on certain days.

Interesting. I never thought that was even possible.

fans5fad8194 Posted at 8-12 09:57
I can catch a tailwind in both directions by adjusting altitude on certain days.

Interesting. I never thought that was even possible.

Screenshot from other day, not a great example but you can get a idea...I was flying east west in this flight if i went north south I would have tailwind both ways.
(50 feet going 350 feet return)

Akila2 Posted at 8-12 06:12
I usually fly in my area with Crosswind. which one you think would be more efficient (more distance  until battery low warning fires)

It's hard to know what you mean by "most efficient".
And without knowing what speed the wind is it's impossible to answer.
But flying at full speed in Sport Mode will always get less miles per battery than Normal Mode.

Labroides Posted at 8-12 16:46
It's hard to know what you mean by "most efficient".
And without knowing what speed the wind is it's impossible to answer.
But flying at full speed in Sport Mode will always get less miles per battery than Normal Mode.

My Mavic Pro has tachometer in sports mode. So I just keep it in the green for efficiency. I wish the mini 3 had that option...

Goggles Pisano Posted at 8-12 17:09
My Mavic Pro has tachometer in sports mode. So I just keep it in the green for efficiency. I wish the mini 3 had that option...

What's efficiency in that context?

fans5fad8194 Posted at 8-12 09:57
I can catch a tailwind in both directions by adjusting altitude on certain days.

Interesting. I never thought that was even possible.

aka Wind Sheer although at such a low height, its not something i see every day, normally i would see this at 10m (my anemometer) vs cloud height e.g. 500m (guestimate).

If the take-off point is already x amount asl then experiencing Wind Sheer at such a low height would be fairly commonplace i would have thought.

Labroides Posted at 8-12 18:32
What's efficiency in that context?

Efficient meaning I can get more distance in sports mode than normal mode with the wind conditions of the mountain areas where I live if you work the throttle.

Goggles Pisano Posted at 8-12 19:26
Efficient meaning I can get more distance in sports mode than normal mode with the wind conditions of the mountain areas where I live if you work the throttle.

My Mavic Pro has tachometer in sports mode. So I just keep it in the green for efficiency.
How do you know what the green indication means?
How can you tell it will give you better mileage?
There's a lot of information missing from your post, that would be necessary to know what you are talking about.

Labroides Posted at 8-12 16:46
It's hard to know what you mean by "most efficient".
And without knowing what speed the wind is it's impossible to answer.
But flying at full speed in Sport Mode will always get less miles per battery than Normal Mode.

you pretty much answered my question on your last line

I remember in times of Mavic pro DJI was sharing exact speeds for all the extremes - further distance, max flight time - now there no such info - But I vote for Normal mode here - thou with my Mavic 3 longest distances I covered were in sport as I had no patients to wait for Normal

Labroides Posted at 8-12 20:49
My Mavic Pro has tachometer in sports mode. So I just keep it in the green for efficiency.
How do you know what the green indication means?
How can you tell it will give you better mileage?

The tachometer has dial that goes from green to yellow to red telling you battery consumption. (green meaning less power consumption) I call it a tacometer but a better term might be a battery consumption meter.
With a 25 mph tailwind, you can go 45+ mph and still be using less power than you would in normal mode and cover more distance.
"How can you tell it will give you better mileage?"
From trial and error is how I know I am getting better mileage...

Goggles Pisano Posted at 8-13 03:44
The tachometer has dial that goes from green to yellow to red telling you battery consumption. (green meaning less power consumption) I call it a tacometer but a better term might be a battery consumption meter.
With a 25 mph tailwind, you can go 45+ mph and still be using less power than you would in normal mode and cover more distance.
"How can you tell it will give you better mileage?"

With a 25 mph tailwind, you can go 45+ mph and still be using less power than you would in normal mode and cover more distance.
So you can use sport mode and achieve a high speed using little power .. if you have a strong tailwind.
That's great for a one-way flight, but if you want to get the drone back, you either have to use a lot of power to push against the wind to get the drone back, or to go upwind first.

"How can you tell it will give you better mileage?"
From trial and error is how I know I am getting better mileage.
As explained above this only applies in a very particular situation and can't be applied to general flying.

Labroides Posted at 8-13 04:09
With a 25 mph tailwind, you can go 45+ mph and still be using less power than you would in normal mode and cover more distance.
So you can use sport mode and achieve a high speed using little power .. if you have a strong tailwind.
That's great for a one-way flight, but if you want to get the drone back, you either have to use a lot of power to push against the wind to get the drone back, or to go upwind first.

I can go out flying low with tailwind and come back high with little or no headwind.
You 100% right I have a unique situation living in the mountains. Does not apply for most people.Just giving the OP "food for thought"....

Bashy Posted at 8-11 18:27
I would say further in Normal mode, the flight times that DJI specify are done at 13.42mph or 21.6 kph, this probably being the optimal speed per mpg (so to speak lol)

If you want to maximise your travelling distance, the wind should be as close to calm as possible and the air temp being colder the better, colder air = less dense resulting in better lift meaning less strain on the motors giving longer battery life  When i do a range test, i try to keep it below 15ºC but ideally below 10ºC but not below 4ºC as icing on the props can occur below 4ºC.

That is completely wrong. Normal mode speed for the DJI mini3 is about 22 miles per hour which is how the flight time is determined.
  There is a Cinematic mode that flies at about 13 miles per hour but no one has given flight time for that speed though it most surely will not get as much distance as twice the speed in Normal mode.

Labroides Posted at 8-13 04:09
With a 25 mph tailwind, you can go 45+ mph and still be using less power than you would in normal mode and cover more distance.
So you can use sport mode and achieve a high speed using little power .. if you have a strong tailwind.
That's great for a one-way flight, but if you want to get the drone back, you either have to use a lot of power to push against the wind to get the drone back, or to go upwind first.

  The answer is simple to me. You fly with the fast wind in one direction and look for the geography that has little or no wind going back in the other direction.
   Example: hill or mountain can have one side with great wind while other side is sheltered from the wind.
   Second, one area has great wind, then you fly into valley on way back that has no wind.
    Look for right geography and right direction of wind that you can use this advantage.

djiuser_wHZS9elp4lb6 Posted at 9-2 16:27
The answer is simple to me. You fly with the fast wind in one direction and look for the geography that has little or no wind going back in the other direction.
   Example: hill or mountain can have one side with great wind while other side is sheltered from the wind.
   Second, one area has great wind, then you fly into valley on way back that has no wind.

If you fly out with a tailwind, that forces a return flight against a headwind.
Good luck trying to find shelter from headwinds ... you'll need it.
If you want to keep your drone, it makes a lot more sense to consider the wind and how it will affect your return flight before you launch.

djiuser_wHZS9elp4lb6 Posted at 9-2 16:27
The answer is simple to me. You fly with the fast wind in one direction and look for the geography that has little or no wind going back in the other direction.
   Example: hill or mountain can have one side with great wind while other side is sheltered from the wind.
   Second, one area has great wind, then you fly into valley on way back that has no wind.

Make sure you position yourself correctly or you could have the signal dropout on you in these valleys and mountains very quickly ...

I will run a test and find out . thanks for your answers

Akila2 Posted at 9-18 09:50
I will run a test and find out . thanks for your answers

It's been tested many times by many flyers.
You'll find that what I've suggested is correct.

ok, so I won't test it out then

Bashy Posted at 2022-8-11 22:08
OK, my wording was off a little, i was paraphrasing.

Go outside and figure it out.

djiuser_Jz5MLWcWwxLQ Posted at 7-23 22:40
Go outside and figure it out.

What are you on about? You just resurrected a year old thread...