Flying under metal foot bridge

[pedz]

I want to fly my Avata up a small stream and under a foot bridge but I haven't tried it yet because I'm worried the foot bridge might block the signal. The bridge is 100% metal and extremely solid. No way signals are going to go through it but, of course, they could go under and around it. What are the experiences of others in similar situations. I'm worried that if the drone freaks out and loses signal, it will end up in the stream and probably not recoverable or repairable.

I guess I should set it so that if it loses signal, it will just hover rather than trying to return to home?

 

[Pygar70]

Yes, change your settings to hover-on-loss-of-signal, but if it's just a footbridge, you'll probably be fine. If in doubt, position the drone above and just to the other side of the bridge at elevation, then descend straight down to below the bridge height and observe what happens to the signal. If you lose or almost lose signal, there's no harm done, and you'll know not to try it - at least not without changing your control location.

 

[Mark_Y]

Pygar70 suggestion on the GPS is good advice. My add to this is to keep moving as you go under the bridge do not fly slow as if you are inspecting the bottom of the bridge. I have flown under several one lane metal bridges at a height of less than 6 feet from the water with good GPS and not had any issues. I have ended in the pool at the bottom on a waterfall a couple of times due to the drone not responding to the controller commands even though I was less than 200 feet from the drone when I lost control. Both times I lost control and ended up playing submarine with the drone I had GPS but marginal at best. I have flown at this location several times and had control issues with the drone over the moving water unless I fly fast and greater than 10 feet above the running water. To note I have also flew my mini 3 pro over the same waterfall with no issues at all. Good luck and hope your Avanta does not turn into a submarine. I did recover some good fish video from the memory card from the drone laying on the bottom of the pond before the drone breathed its last breath.