Flying over steep area

[kassiopeia333]

Hi there!

My first post and already a pretty anoying problem - mabye anybody can help me?

I´m a climber and hiker and I´ve bought my tello mainly because I wanted to make photos and videos at the peak of the mountains.

I tried now 3 times under very good conditions: Sunny, calm wind, no mist. Of course always in steep areas. (mountain top)
My idea was to fly away from the peak filming in my direction.

The steep ground was a mixture of stone, grass and snow.

Unfortunately everytime I started to fly away the tello became soon very instable and drifted away so that it was very hard to bring it back to me.

Any Ideas how to avoid this problem? Is this a VPS-Error?

Thanks a lot!

Thomas

 

[Guorium]

how was the light

 

[umanbean]

Is this a VPS-Error?

Not an error, but a hardware/design limitation. Tello VPS was not designed to deal with steep terrain or cliffs and such outside. When it loses the ability to hover or fly via VPS, it goes into "atti mode" and will go wherever the wind takes it - unless you fly it manually and it has enough power to fight the wind.

And did you try it in flight speed mode 'Fast'?

I 'assume' you hike mountains during the daylight? - so lack of light shouldn't be a problem.

 

[kassiopeia333]

To be honest I never tried the fast mode as I use the tello to make photos and videos and I was afraid that it will become harder to control it in fast mode.

The light was always perfect - very sunny daylight. So this was sure not the issue.

Maybe it was my lack of pre-information: I am a novice when it comes to drones and i didn´t know that the VPS has so much problems in steep areas.

Still a little bit anoying as I am in steep areas most of the time and this was the main reason I bought the drone :-(

Not an error, but a hardware/design limitation. Tello VPS was not designed to deal with steep terrain or cliffs and such outside. When it loses the ability to hover or fly via VPS, it goes into "atti mode" and will go wherever the wind takes it - unless you fly it manually and it has enough power to fight the wind.

And did you try it in flight speed mode 'Fast'?

I 'assume' you hike mountains during the daylight? - so lack of light shouldn't be a problem.

 

[volate!lo]

I'm afraid you were uninformed and bought the wrong technology for your use case, or had the wrong expectations.

No drone with optical flow or VPS can handle flying from mountain peaks and maintain a satble hover like you want. You need a GPS drone, or the skills to fly manually.

 

[Guorium]

To be honest I never tried the fast mode as I use the tello to make photos and videos and I was afraid that it will become harder to control it in fast mode.

The light was always perfect - very sunny daylight. So this was sure not the issue.

Maybe it was my lack of pre-information: I am a novice when it comes to drones and i didn´t know that the VPS has so much problems in steep areas.

Still a little bit anoying as I am in steep areas most of the time and this was the main reason I bought the drone :-(

learn to fly in atti mode or buy a spark or what not.

 

[umanbean]

learn to fly in atti mode or buy a spark or what not.

Right, a spark was what I was thinking too ( or better yet, a mavic LOL)

 

[kassiopeia333]

Thanks for all the replies!

Yes it seems that I´ve been a little bit to fast with buying the tello keeping my main purpose in mind.
Still a shame because I like the Tello. The photos are really great, the videos are ok, it´s easy to handle and for me important - it is very small.

Maybe I´ll really save my money for a DJI Spark - of course 4 times more expensive than the tello.........

 

[volate!lo]

As mentioned, the alternative is to accept the limitations and learn to fly it yourself without VPS assistance so you can just keep it and use. Its not that complicated

To force Tello into atti mode (the VPS off mode) you can just put a bit tape over the pinhole camera at the bottom. VPS will be off and you can fly at home

 

[kassiopeia333]

Thanks. Yes this would maybe a other solution.

Praticing without VPS normal area and then trying on mountains, when I am able to handle it.

Worth a try.

As mentioned, the alternative is to accept the limitations and learn to fly it yourself without VPS assistance so you can just keep it and use. Its not that complicated

To force Tello into atti mode (the VPS off mode) you can just put a bit tape over the pinhole camera at the bottom. VPS will be off and you can fly at home

 

[umanbean]

Practicing atti mode is a good idea.

Of the three holes on bottom of Tello the middle one is the VPS camera. Of the other two one is an infrared emitter, the other an IR sensor.

imho, you should practice in a large open area on a breezy day. Flying in Fast mode (Sport mode in TelloFPV app) would also be a good idea... Tello can fly against a stronger wind in Fast mode.

Also, what app do you use?

TelloFPV has many advantages over the OEM Tello app:

* from main flying screen Fast mode is one button click away, in fact all buttons needed for photo/video and other important functions are right there on the main screen

* max attitude is adjustable in the settings menu. When fighting stiff winds you'll need as much pitch and roll as you can get.

* I can see how the built in autopilot functions can help you get some great shots and vids.

* For only five bucks you get many more advantages over the stock app

BTW, I'm not trying to help the dev sell copies of his app, just trying to help you be a happy Tello flyer

 

[kassiopeia333]

Thanks for your help

I use both apps - the ryze/stock-app and the TelloFPV- App.

The Tello has more useful features but I like the layout of the stock app a little bit more.
The problem with the biggest advantage - the autopilot routines - is that they will not work without VPS.

The same with Return to home etc. (Please correct me if I may be wrong)

I think I´ll try a little bit in secure area in sports mode - as suggested - and then continue in the mountains.

Hope it will work - i like this little fly






QUOTE="umanbean, post: 22294, member: 3819"]
Practicing atti mode is a good idea.

Of the three holes on bottom of Tello the middle one is the VPS camera. Of the other two one is an infrared emitter, the other an IR sensor.

imho, you should practice in a large open area on a breezy day. Flying in Fast mode (Sport mode in TelloFPV app) would also be a good idea... Tello can fly against a stronger wind in Fast mode.

Also, what app do you use?

TelloFPV has many advantages over the OEM Tello app:

* from main flying screen Fast mode is one button click away, in fact all buttons needed for photo/video and other important functions are right there on the main screen

* max attitude is adjustable in the settings menu. When fighting stiff winds you'll need as much pitch and roll as you can get.

* I can see how the built in autopilot functions can help you get some great shots and vids.

* For only five bucks you get many more advantages over the stock app

BTW, I'm not trying to help the dev sell copies of his app, just trying to help you be a happy Tello flyer
[/QUOTE]

 

[Chrislaf]

For what you want to do, the Tello is really limited and not really suited for the task. Wind, uneven terrain, and flight range will all be a problem for Tello as you are finding out.

A Spark may be 4 times more $$$, but it is way more suited to what you want to do. In addition to my Tello I also have a Spark. I can take my Spark everywhere and it is supper easy to hand launch and land, takes excellent photos and video, and can handle some pretty brisk wind. In addition, with the Spark you have the ability to do autonomous flight with 3rd party apps.

There is so much more you can do with a Spark and in my opinion, well worth the 4 times more $$$.

Chris

 

[umanbean]

A Spark may be 4 times more $$$, but it is way more suited to what you want to do. In addition to my Tello I also have a Spark. I can take my Spark everywhere and it is supper easy to hand launch and land, takes excellent photos and video, and can handle some pretty brisk wind. In addition, with the Spark you have the ability to do autonomous flight with 3rd party apps.

There is so much more you can do with a Spark and in my opinion, well worth the 4 times more $$$.

You sold me!... now I want a Spark too!... and a mavic, and an inspire, and a matrice!... lol

 

[Chrislaf]

You sold me!... now I want a Spark too!... and a mavic, and an inspire, and a matrice!... lol

 

[Chrislaf]

Yes, and think of the deals to be had!

Only -
4X more Spark
8X more Mavic Air
13X more Mavic 2 zoom
15X more Mavic Pro
30X more Inspire 2
33X more Matrice

Lots of options!

Chris

 

[umanbean]

Yes, and think of the deals to be had!

Only -
4X more Spark
8X more Mavic Air
13X more Mavic 2 zoom
15X more Mavic Pro
30X more Inspire 2
33X more Matrice

Lots of options!

Chris

I'm saving up
(don't tell the wife unit... in fact - don't even think it in her presence, she can read minds LOL)

 

[volate!lo]

Thanks for your help

I use both apps - the ryze/stock-app and the TelloFPV- App.

The Tello has more useful features but I like the layout of the stock app a little bit more.
The problem with the biggest advantage - the autopilot routines - is that they will not work without VPS.

The same with Return to home etc. (Please correct me if I may be wrong)

I think I´ll try a little bit in secure area in sports mode - as suggested - and then continue in the mountains.

Hope it will work - i like this little fly

Most features won't help you on mountain tops that is true.

The only thing TelloFpv does for you is give you a bit better control if you are using the onscreen joysticks: you can enlarge the sensitive area, add deadzone for thick thumbs, set some rate & expo for smoother yaw in video mode. In case you get into trouble sport mode with different expo settings for example is just one touch away.

But if its really just mouintain top flights I think Tello is the wrong choice. In that case Tello can only be a good indoor / home trainer for getting experience. With VPS active tello behaves surprisingly similar to larger drones.