Returned from a business trip and found this going up over my practice field. Normally how sensitive is the P3 to these power lines?

Hmm, wonder what KV those are?  Structures like that around here can be 230kv or 345kv, I think.

Trilithon Posted at 2015-7-25 02:09
Hmm, wonder what KV those are?  Structures like that around here can be 230kv or 345kv, I think.

I don't know if there's an absolute answer.   It might vary from location to location.I would take a guess that there's probably "some" risk.....but it's probably small.  I heard that you should not position the drone between the lines and your transmiter.
Here's a video of a guy testing this over high voltage lines AND a relay station...

Well that video makes me feel a little better b/c there is a set of those kind of power lines that runs somewhere through my neighborhood.  I thought to myself the entire time I watched it though... "wow, that guy is literally begging for trouble".  Glad to see nothing happened though.

Once the lines are up and running they will create a large RF plume. Your remote control may lose power try to reach your quad. RF cuts down on the dB's your transmitter has got to work with.

As far as a EMI field, take a 48" florescent tube and stand under the power lines. If the tube glows, it's not going to be a good place to fly.

I advise staying clear by at least 1000 feet.  Power lines can mess up the compass and block the control & video signals.

Oh no!  That sucks man.

I cannot avoid power lines in Southern California and am not too technical with power lines however I may be able to provide insight with this.

I have flown my drone, to no avail, quite close to the standard insulated power lines you see in your neighborhood.  You know the ones that are not under a great amount of tension and somewhat low to the ground.  

The power lines I see being installed in your picture look very similar to a set of lines that caused a crash for me just a few weeks ago.  I was no closer than 100 yards but actually estimate that I could have been at least 200 yards away from the set of power lines interfering with the GPS.  I calibrated and completed the pre-flight checklist before taking off and had "safe to fly" appearing on the application.  When ready in engaged the left stick solely to take off straight up.  As soon as I got 1 foot off the ground the drone began drifting. Forward, backward, and side to side.  Anything but hovering!  I was far enough away from the power lines that I was convinced it had to be something else. I tried just a few more times to see if the app, quad, or controller needed to be reset or recalibrated.  Ultimately it had to be the power lines.  

They looked somewhat similar to what is appearing in your photo.  Strung at a higher elevation than your typical power line, under tension, and somewhat exposed to the elements with coils and/or non-insulated wires.  These weren't even the types that you hear buzzing from below, but those are I suspect even worse.  

I would exercise a great deal of caution and be ready to counter act drifting because for me, the closer it got to the ground the more it drifted.  The first time I landed I was used to just bringing it down once I found a good spot, the sudden drifting caught me off guard.  The few attempts after, I was prepared and landed roughly but right side up.  It could have been something else, but I have never flown near power lines like those since and haven't had a single issue since that day.  

I fly near power lines often and have never had a problem. That's not to say you shouldn't exercise caution, but also don't assume that you won't be able to fly there. Do a test flight and keep things close and easy to start, then keep expanding the distance. Make sure to set the home point.

Cessna172 Posted at 2015-7-25 03:32
I don't know if there's an absolute answer.   It might vary from location to location.I would take  ...

Wow! This guy is either wealthy, not to bright, or both!

But thanks for posting.

Thanks for all the replies! Right now my P3 is flawless. So as suggested, I'll just ease into things and see how it goes.

I'll keep you posted how things progress.

Brad

I would recommend that you download a sensor app to whatever smartphone you use and walk around in the area watching the display - you will see immediately if sensors go awry due to the proximity of the power lines.  I happen to have "Androsensor" from the Play store, which was free; what these apps do is simply show you what the amazing array of sensors in your phone - including its compass, accelerometer, GPS, or anything else - is detecting.

That said, you will only be detecting from the ground of course. But it will give you an idea of the effects of the powerlines, if any. No matter what you find, do not recalibrate your compass near there ever again. Not ONLY the powerlines, but the massive steel towers also have an influential role in affecting things I would guess.