There is a really long beach just outside my home city. Like 5km long. I'm thinking to go for an edge to edge run. Problem is that near on end of the beach there is a large Powerplant and I'm a little hesitant to fly near it. It's the one in the photo.


Is it possible to get any interference with the compass?

I think so, that looks like very high voltage. Not recommended to fly close to that powerplant

Hi there. Thanks for reaching DJI Forum. Please do not fly your drone in locations where magnetic interference may occur. Such as close to magnetite deposits or large metallic structures such as parking structures, steel reinforced basements, bridges, cars or scaffolding. Kindly fly your drone in an open area location. Thank you.

Thanks for your reply DJI Natalia, but that doesn't really answer the question. It is a large open area. I don't plan to fly through or above the Powerplant, but beside it at a distance of around 30-40 meters. That's what I'm asking. If that distance will affect the AC in any way.

I flew here today with zero interference.

depends on how close you going to get. appears to me if you stay over the water line you should or may be clear of potential interference. You can also go to the beach and do a test flight around the area to see if interference occurs. alternatively use the side with the power plant as yr HP rather than yr furthest turnaround point.

Another pix near two towers(I had to use my phone charger due to leaving my shorter cable at home).

I was pretty much above the valley(sorry for the pix)

Lucas775 Posted at 11-3 14:20
I flew here today with zero interference.

[view_image]

That's a totally different interference though, if I'm not mistaken. There shouldn;t be large electromagnetic fields near these antennas, right?

Bekaru MP UAV Posted at 11-3 14:22
depends on how close you going to get. appears to me if you stay over the water line you should or may be clear of potential interference. You can also go to the beach and do a test flight around the area to see if interference occurs. alternatively use the side with the power plant as yr HP rather than yr furthest turnaround point.

That makes sense, but it will be more convenient to start on the other edge.

Lucas775 Posted at 11-3 14:25
I was pretty much above the valley(sorry for the pix)

[view_image]

dang man you need to give that pic a 90* clockwise spin and make it right.

xagoras Posted at 11-3 14:44
That makes sense, but it will be more convenient to start on the other edge.

then i would suggest staying along the coast line -
approach cautiously and be ready to climb altitude if you get interference

rolling56 Posted at 11-3 14:51
dang man you need to give that pic a 90* clockwise spin and make it right.

I gave it a try with no success

Lucas775 Posted at 11-3 16:02
I gave it a try with no success

lol ok at least you tried

Is it really worth taking the chance

One time I flew near a communications tower while I was beyond line of sight (Mavic was approximately 850 meters away). I got a signal loss warning, then screen went blank. I was a little panicked because screen stayed blank and I had no way of knowing what was going on with it. Finally after about 60 seconds of worry, the screen came back on and it was on a RTH trajectory. I stay away from stuff like that now

Lucas775 Posted at 11-3 14:20
I flew here today with zero interference.

[view_image]

While everything went alright for you, I'd still be pretty cautious of your specific flight path near those. Not because of interference but rather damaging radio energy. It looks like you know what you're doing though (inspecting the tower?) and in that case, correct me i I'm wrong, there can be a fair bit of directional energy from those microwave dishes and I'm sure they would have enough grunt to fry the radio in the drone if you just happened to be in the wrong spot.

Oh just a little bit. Not to mention the possibility of losing your drone and maybe causing an issue in the whole area. Stay sea-side of the plant at a distance if you must fly. Can you fly in manual mode......

It's impossible to say for sure but I'd definitely stay a good 75+ meters from that powerplant. With my older mavic pro I've had flights near electrical structures without issue, and I've experienced compass wobbles near static power lines when I got within 40 meters of them (drone started pitching and flying on a curve until I got it back and recalibrated - could have been far worse).  It's luck of the draw, but that powerplant provides a high risk of potential compass issues.

I have flown rather close to power lines, converters etc. etc.
So far no interference at all.