Flying over water.

[wrsni]

So it says in the manual that you're not supposed to do it, but how literally do you take that and what can you do or not do in practical terms?

Why I ask is that one of the reasons I got a drone is that our farm is bounded on one side by a pretty deep river with the bank undercut in a few places, so if a lamb gets stranded there it can be pretty difficult to find the little rascal looking from the same side. With the drone I'll be able to fly over the river and look back towards our bank making it much easier inspected.

Now I don't need to be skimming the water, but the lower I go the better the angle in to the undercuts, so what are peoples experiences of flying over water?

Thanks for all contributions.

 

[DeWe]

I'll believe, it'sonly for secure Parrot for regress.
Somewhere I've read, that the ground control via Ultraschall and camera (does we have one on the button?) stopped after a few meter and the drone switch to calculate the high via GPS.
From my opinion, it will be save, if you fly around 10m over the water.

 

[DaveW]

I've frequently flown over one of out local lakes, just a couple of meters above, no problems. Also done high speed runs a few meters above a river. I think it's ok as long as you have a good gps fix and are careful - keep a good eye on it and be ready to go up if it dips down!

 

[Joe_Scot]

I haven't flown low over water, but have flown at 50+ metres above rivers and lakes without any issues.

 

[Iandico]

I think the main reason is for our own safety of the drone,if it goes in and even if you did manage to retrieve it,chances are it would be totaly finished.
I am sure most of us have and do fly over water but thats the risk we take.
Safe flying everyone and enjoy. Ian

 

[Reconnaissance Squadron]

It is dangerous to fly lower than waist height over water because you have so little time to respond to a drop in height if the drone changes its mind about how high it should be. But flying over a lake above the height of the masts of the boats below is safer than the equivalent over land because there are no deceptive changes in terrain or trees to contend with. Water is a tricky surface to fly over because it is reflective and it moves, this can confuse the downward facing sensors of most drones. If you are flying really low, below waist height, you need 100% concentration on the height that the drone is maintaining. If you have to do such flying it is best to have an observer who watches the drone all the time so that you are not surprised by a drop in altitude whilst you are concentrating on what the camera is looking at. If you can't have an observer either don't fly so low or watch the drone at all times and hope that the camera is doing what you want it to do (it probably is).

Don't crash your drone into water. That is a bad idea. But if it does crash into water don't assume that it will never work again. Disconnect the battery as soon as possible. Rinse the drone in clean water (ideally deionized or distilled water) then put it in a warm dry place for the best part of a week with a desiccant close by (silica gel ideally, but raw and very dry rice is a lot better than nothing) and try not to think about it too much. It might work. Drones have been brought back from a watery grave before now.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

When I started flying UAV's 5 years ago I had said how I was concerned about crashing my $2000 dollar UAV and the old timers said just don't crash it and you will be fine. LOL I lost two that year but I am still flying new ones. Hard to give up flying when you love it so much.

 

[wrsni]

I've frequently flown over one of out local lakes, just a couple of meters above, no problems. Also done high speed runs a few meters above a river. I think it's ok as long as you have a good gps fix and are careful - keep a good eye on it and be ready to go up if it dips down!

It is dangerous to fly lower than waist height over water because you have so little time to respond to a drop in height if the drone changes its mind about how high it should be. But flying over a lake above the height of the masts of the boats below is safer than the equivalent over land because there are no deceptive changes in terrain or trees to contend with. Water is a tricky surface to fly over because it is reflective and it moves, this can confuse the downward facing sensors of most drones. If you are flying really low, below waist height, you need 100% concentration on the height that the drone is maintaining. If you have to do such flying it is best to have an observer who watches the drone all the time so that you are not surprised by a drop in altitude whilst you are concentrating on what the camera is looking at. If you can't have an observer either don't fly so low or watch the drone at all times and hope that the camera is doing what you want it to do (it probably is).

So it seems then to be very much a case of 'steady as she goes' which given that I'll only be doing it to survey a banking will be a necessity anyway, so we should be OK. Thanks for the replies.

DaveW - I imagine with the camera pointing downwards you had some pretty epic film with the high speed runs over water?