I'll be working on an archaeology project in the Andes this summer and we're hoping to do some drone mapping at 14,000 feet. Is this possible? If so I imagine the batteries would be much shorter-lived?

The specs indicate that the max service ceiling is 6000 metres.
Cold conditions always have an effect on battery performance.

Some of the videos here may be of interest to you:  
https://www.google.com.au/search ... HWNTfOoTp8we8_oCQDA

There is a height limit or 500m from the take off level. If you are starting at a high enough altitude, then you can circumvent that. As far as performance goes, altitude denstity could be an issue, so you would need to be careful.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-3-13 18:45
There is a height limit or 500m from the take off level. If you are starting at a high enough altitude, then you can circumvent that. As far as performance goes, altitude denstity could be an issue, so you would need to be careful.

You are confusing people.
It doesn't matter what you launch from, the 500m limit from launch point cannot be circumvented.

Labroides Posted at 2017-3-13 18:43
The specs indicate that the max service ceiling is 6000 metres.
Cold conditions always have an effect on battery performance.

Well, that's very comforting. Everest Base Camp is 17,500 ft. Now I know it will work I guess I need to start collecting as many batteries as possible!

I've flown above 10000 feet without issues.  However you will need to monitor the temperature of your batteries.  So they will need to either be kept warm and need a couple of minutes to warm up.

I have found flying through clouds and fog at this height to be fine as the air is also normally much drier.  If you need to ascend through thick fog one thing I found is have your camera pointed straight down so that when you ascend you don't get water droplets on your lens.

Dagon Posted at 2017-3-14 05:45
Well, that's very comforting. Everest Base Camp is 17,500 ft. Now I know it will work I guess I need to start collecting as many batteries as possible!

Hope you post some of your videos here for us to see. I will be doing some launches from 3100m climbing to 3600m later this year for some sunrise pics.

Labroides Posted at 2017-3-13 20:43
You are confusing people.
It doesn't matter what you launch from, the 500m limit from launch point cannot be circumvented.

It can be "circumvented" in the way that if you start from a higher take off point, midway up a mountain for instance, the 500m cap will appear to be higher up than if you start at the base of the mountain. You are correct that the 500m limit will always remain, but the drone is only concerned with the height from where it takes off, and not what is actually considered "ground level".