Please can someone clarify  issues and specific settings to fly safetyly and without drifting over the water ?
Thanks a lot

Personally, I've be very careful flying over water. There's no margin for error and if something goes wrong, you're done. Remember too that, if you have the DJI Refresh warranty, you have to have a carcass to send to them (they will cover water damage though) if you crash.

So I'd be sure to be very comfortable with my piloting skills first and secondly, I'd invest in something like this before venturing over a large body of water.

Check the manual as well about flying over water. Sensors do not work well over the water. You may have to turn that off as well. The manual will explain more on this point.

I've gone as low as 16 feet above (still) water but def on (S)port mode which deactivates sensors. Wouldn't fly over water on (P) mode or if you do turn-off sensors.

I have heard so many versions of what to do and not to do. My advice is to take it nice and slow, practice a little bit don't aim for the perfect footage at the first try. I have never turned of my sensors over water, yes it can variate in height but fly carefully.
I'm not saying that the persons that say that you should turn the sensors of are wrong, but so far I have no Reason to beleive that they are correct either.

Here is two examples of how low I have made it so far, good luck and happy flying.


https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... 89&page=1#pid944751

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=89856

Flybee Posted at 2017-9-15 09:51
I have heard so many versions of what to do and not to do. My advice is to take it nice and slow, practice a little bit don't aim for the perfect footage at the first try. I have never turned of my sensors over water, yes it can variate in height but fly carefully.
I'm not saying that the persons that say that you should turn the sensors of are wrong, but so far I have no Reason to beleive that they are correct either.

Thanks for that info!
And giving me an excuse to watch again

Thanks for the reply from the users. Actually, we don't suggest flying the drone over a low water level. But it has to, I personally advise flying it in a good GPS signal place and it is good to switch off the downward sensor like DJI Mark mentioned, you can learn more info about it on the manual from page 22 to 25. And fly with caution.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-9-15 23:16
Thanks for the reply from the users. Actually, we don't suggest flying the drone over a low water level. But it has to, I personally advise flying it in a good GPS signal place and it is good to switch off the downward sensor like DJI Mark mentioned, you can learn more info about it on the manual from page 22 to 25. And fly with caution.

Hiya...
Could DJI please be MORE SPECIFIC about what could conceivably occur when flying the Mavic Pro over water with the downward positioning sensors ENABLED?

I am a reasonably experienced drone pilot who can respond quickly to adverse movements on a non-GPS controlled drone...does this give me an advantage in being able to recover situations where the downward sensors cause issues?

I regularly fly over canals and rivers as I like the photographic opportunities they present.
I have flown over water at low height quite a few times with no problems. Maybe I have been lucky?
I can understand that the sensors may be confused by reflections etc but what happens exactly?....does the drone drop?....does it drift?

I don't fly indoors so I don't need the downward positioning system for that, and I always land manually so I don't need precisely accurate positioning which the downward facing sensors also provide.

I suppose what I am asking is......if I were to permanently DISABLE downward postioning sensors, am I likely to endanger my warranty when flying in other circumstances?
R

Thanks a lot to all of you.
Very useful info.
I'll pay attention and I will buy floaters for peace in maind.

Noitzadrone Posted at 2017-9-16 01:50
Hiya...
Could DJI please be MORE SPECIFIC about what could conceivably occur when flying the Mavic Pro over water with the downward positioning sensors ENABLED?

some have had it auto land pal in the past if too low & sensors get confused (maybe thats fixed now unsure as i dont take the risk), so if you are going low on water turn off, if going higher then leave on is my rule.

I personally have flown over water many times with no issues. Back when I flew my P3A yes you had to turn off bottoms sensors. But not with the mavic.

Noitzadrone Posted at 2017-9-16 01:50
Hiya...
Could DJI please be MORE SPECIFIC about what could conceivably occur when flying the Mavic Pro over water with the downward positioning sensors ENABLED?

Bump....
Any chance a DJI Team member could reply to my post?
R

I guess when downward sensors are activated, it may have the following problems:
1) Altitude are not being accuratly measured: due to reflection of US over the irregular and ever moving water surface and the sea bed.
2) because of 1), the craft may not be able to hover at a desired altitude above water
3) because of 1), if the sensor perceived that it's altitude was ~1m or less, it may trigger auto landing into the water.
4) downward visual sensor may try to fix it's horizontal position, by following the wave

To overcome those problems, you may try to switch off it's downward sensors, and rely on the GPS sensors. However it's intrisic errors may not keep the craft in a desire position and may drift.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

DronePix Posted at 2017-9-18 04:45
I guess when downward sensors are activated, it may have the following problems:
1) Altitude are not being accuratly measured: due to reflection of US over the irregular and ever moving water surface and the sea bed.
2) because of 1), the craft may not be able to hover at a desired altitude above water

Thanks DronePix...
A very insightful summary of scenarios that might affect the performance of the Mavic Pro over water.

What is now truly confusing/annoying me now is why DJI showcased the Mavic Pro flying over water in more than thirty clips within this Mavic advertising video.....the exact same video that made me fall in love with the Mavic, so much so, I went out and bought my Mavic as a result.

Some of the clips show the Mavic over water at a very low altitude....

I'd go as far as to say that DJI would not be able to contest any claims in law from unfortunate owners who lost their drone over water.  It's all  there in full view.
ps I still love my Mavic Pro
R

Noitzadrone Posted at 2017-9-16 01:50
Hiya...
Could DJI please be MORE SPECIFIC about what could conceivably occur when flying the Mavic Pro over water with the downward positioning sensors ENABLED?

I hadn't tried that before and we don't suggest doing so. But I think if the GPS signal is also lost at that time, the drone can not hover by GPS nor downward positioning system, it drifts and might drop into the water. This is only one of the circumstances I could imagine. Other cases, don't have one in mind yet.

im on my beach vacation, i have not had a single issue with water and mavic pro yet to speak of..  i was flying 25 feet over the water and with VPS enabled and it distance measurement from those sensors was working properly, even measuring the waves..shoing 3-6 foot changes..   

i have flown the mavic pro over a very still creek (nearly mirror look) and i had to turn off VPS because measurements was freaking out bouncing around lot.. my aircraft was stable but the distances were inaccurate and inconsistent..


what i have learned about flying over water with mavic pro is if the water has a lot of patterns on surface and it diffuses the light a bit flying with VPS is perfectly safe, like here at the beach with a lot of crashing waves and ripples seems ok.  however if the water is very still or has very little surface movement and reflects a lot more light VPS hates it and not ideal to fly over that with VPS enabled..

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2017-9-20 00:11
im on my beach vacation, i have not had a single issue with water and mavic pro yet to speak of..  i was flying 25 feet over the water and with VPS enabled and it distance measurement from those sensors was working properly, even measuring the waves..shoing 3-6 foot changes..   

i have flown the mavic pro over a very still creek (nearly mirror look) and i had to turn off VPS because measurements was freaking out bouncing around lot.. my aircraft was stable but the distances were inaccurate and inconsistent..

if I am not wrong at 25 feet and higher VPS is not used

In my case Mavic was pretty stable at 20 feet and higher but at lover altitude it was trying to change altitude itself so I had to control it manually

if i recall the FOM states no lower then 30meter(60ft) over water
and recommends when flying over water to turn off Downward position sensor
issues becomes Mavic get confused By the
translucent  or monotone surface of the water and initiates Landing
Personally never had an issue
.
.

i flew over the ocean today, ~15 feet off the surface of the water for 2.5-ish miles, no issues to report, VPS was engaged and reading 12-20 feet, direct sunlight overhead.   but the aircraft remain rocked solid until i approached an uninhabited island i then had to rise up 60 feet..   

i did have one issue, super unrelated, 20 mph gusts, my gimbal was spazzing out, i was 3.31 miles away over open water, and about 275 feet up(RTH from battery) , scared the crud out of me when the focus broke and gimbal seemed like it got knocked sideways, i thought for a second the aircraft was struck or something but the little "radar" thing at the bottom of screen and the map showing aircraft still pointing at me not sideways, just the gimbal acted weird.. seemed maybe the wind freaked my gimbal out, not sure what that means or if other experienced..  also, to add to it, the recorded video ended before just before the gimbal freaked out.... 3.88GB video, i did not end the video, C4K mode... seemed to ended itself the moment gimbal spazzed out..

Woe Posted at 2017-9-16 06:51
I personally have flown over water many times with no issues. Back when I flew my P3A yes you had to turn off bottoms sensors. But not with the mavic.

FWIW,
The Morris Island Lighthouse at Folly Beach, SC has always intrigued me.  I, too, was concerned flying the Mavic over water.
I have made two successful flights of over 3,000 feet,  to the lighthouse, over salt water, at sunrise.
Flew in P mode, GPS flight. I disabled nothing.
At launch, climbed to about 77 feet, and flew direct, and at right-stick maximum.  Took a few photos and decided to hustle back.  Initiated RTH, Mavic climbed to about 162 feet, and with a tailwind at my six, arrived safely back to shore.  What a sweet sight to see my Mavic overhead and initiating landing.

fansdf9b7d08 Posted at 2018-9-6 13:59
FWIW,
The Morris Island Lighthouse at Folly Beach, SC has always intrigued me.  I, too, was concerned flying the Mavic over water.
I have made two successful flights of over 3,000 feet,  to the lighthouse, over salt water, at sunrise.

Nice shot. Thanks for the share.

fansdf9b7d08 Posted at 2018-9-6 13:59
FWIW,
The Morris Island Lighthouse at Folly Beach, SC has always intrigued me.  I, too, was concerned flying the Mavic over water.
I have made two successful flights of over 3,000 feet,  to the lighthouse, over salt water, at sunrise.

Nice shot.

turn off the sensors. it would be fine flying over the water, as I always do.

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-9-6 17:44
I routinely fly over water, often right on the deck, & have never had issues (including the new M2P).  I do not disable the downward sensors.  Flight below captured by M2P.  Max distance was 22.309'.

https://youtu.be/Y5bAPjFmQes

Very nice flights.  Thanks for sharing.
I’m more convinced that altitude is important (over water)

Jason WAI Posted at 2018-9-6 17:49
turn off the sensors. it would be fine flying over the water, as I always do.

https://youtu.be/aXh3ns7JWFE

Jason,
Beautiful flight!  The music really set the mood for the story you shared with us.

THIS, is why we do this!

Over the weekend flew my M2P over rather smooth water at 10 ft. Had no hover issues all sensors on.

Over the weekend flew my M2P over rather smooth water at 10 ft. Had no hover issues all sensors on.

fansdf9b7d08 Posted at 2018-9-6 13:59
FWIW,
The Morris Island Lighthouse at Folly Beach, SC has always intrigued me.  I, too, was concerned flying the Mavic over water.
I have made two successful flights of over 3,000 feet,  to the lighthouse, over salt water, at sunrise.

Great sunset shot! Folly Beach pier is a favourite fishing spot for me whenever I'm over on your side of the pond. Next trip, I'll be sure to take the Mavic!

Just keep your height up, you will be fine

As already said above. .. turn off your sensors when flying over water I have been doing this for over a year and have had no issues at all.