Distance Question - loss of control from TX?

Flight - Discussion and Q&A
#1

Hello, I am relatively new to aerial mapping so bear with me. I appreciate your patience. FYI: this is not related to how to map large areas. I understand how it works in terms of battery switching, returning to home, plan continuation, etc.

My question relates to max distance/loss of control from Inspire 1 transmitter and/or camera downlink loss. If I plan to map out a very large area, what specifically will occur if the Inspire 1 and TX lose connectivity? Will the drone continue to map the area and then RTH? Or will the drone sit in the air where it lost transmission signal? Obviously I would hope that the drone map the entire area even though the “passes” are very long and beyond LOS.

Situation: I have a client needing to map very large area’s at a time and the app seems to want to make super long passes (over 5,000ft away from TX). And yes, I understand the TX may be able to do this with no issue, but I want to know what will happen / would happen under a TX loss of signal situation.

Thanks for the help and my apologies if this has been addressed previously.

#2

The drone will continue and the app will disconnect, but it will try to reconnect when the TX reconnects to the drone. If the battery is low or it is disconnected for a long time I think the autopilot will return to home.

#3

Hello,
I have done a couple of maps which the app loses signal with drone. The drone continues until low bat and then returns home. However, the app seems to freeze and never connects again. When I reboot the mission planner thinks the mission left off at last disconect from ipad and not at its last point in mission. I recomend avoiding long distance missions or dividing these in varios missions if your flying over 50 ha.

Regards from Mexico