A2 at sea on this research yacht

[Bryharv]

View attachment 18466

I have an upcoming shoot on this vessel, 3 weeks at sea. Please take a look at that radio stack on board, and tell me what issues I should be aware of in terms of potential interference, what precautions should I take, what shall I make the bridge turn off during flight ops (radar ? etc), and am I crazy to fly my $30k bird daily over the water. I believe salt water itself can also effect radio signal? Shall I limit my range? Limit proximity to the sea surface? Any thought, expertise in this area from you guys is much appreciated. Obviously home base is a moving target, so attitude mode only.


Getting a bit nervous...

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Hey mate,

I'm an optimist so would say you'll probably be fine. 2.4GHz is the main one to look out for (if that's what you're using as a control frequency). It's unlikely you'll have problems flying close to the water, except maybe needing new underwear and grinding your teeth to stumps. If the ship is happy to turn stuff off go for it, better safe than sorry. And make sure you don't have the limiting function active on the A2!

Have fun! It's always nerve-racking before doing something new, which is just about every job!

 

[Old Man]

I am neither an optimist or a pessimist but having experience with sUAS launched and recovered from vessels I strongly suggest that any kind of high power radar be disabled anywhere the aircraft is intended to be flying. Absolutely shut it down for launch and recovery. Recognize your return to land functions will be predicated on the ship's position at time of launch. The aircraft will go home to where the ship was, not where it is (unless the ship has not moved) during a failsafe event. Wind eddies are another launch issue. It's amazing how much turbulence a vessel creates when moving. Try for a stationary ship during launch, or barring that, launch from somewhere on the ship that is in the lee and be prepared for considerable wobble when rising above and into the weather. Once entered, rise above and out of the turbulent layer quickly, don't go slow trying to fight it.

Oh, if flying in the cold, keep your batteries warm until they are needed for flight. Don't mount them up until the last second, and anticipate reduced flight time if they are permitted to get cold. Salt air is accumulative, putting a layer of salt on everything. Your aircraft will accumulate a layer of corrosive salt pretty much wherever it is stored on the vessel, even in a so called weather proof container. JST and RC servo type connectors are especially susceptible to salt corrosion if not gold plated, requiring constant attention and cleaning. Consider using electrically neutral silicone or hot melt glue to seal the back sides of any open connector housings. Take some electrical contact cleaner along with you and some cotton swabs. You're going to need them.

All the above is from first hand experience. Lots of it.

 

[Old Man]

There's a product the military loves for it's ability to deter marine corrosion. It's called Super Corr A and comes in a 12oz. spray can. It's applied by lightly spraying over the top of exposed electronics. Obviously non conductive. The stuff works very well but it runs ~$70.00 for a 12oz spray can.

 

[jappie911]

I also fly from Yachts and other ships..

I'm using Mikrokopter without any big problems.

I'm calibrating the gyro's while traveling, however not during big movements.

Always fly FULL manual. And yes.. there is always a lot of turbulence.. Even during less wind..

Last time I was on a few big Yachts at open sea, one without any interference and another one, which was almost the same type of yacht, but had some problems there.

No systems were switched off.

I think it was when I flew on the same height as the radar. I had some strange gimbal movements.. and some yaw...

And yes.. the new underwear.. :tennis: It takes a few good nerves.. Flying while standing on a moving ship gives a very strange feeling.. :frog:

But I think results are great.. and it separates the pilots from the GPS flyers..! :02.47-tranquillity:

 

[Holger]

Flying while standing on a moving ship gives a very strange feeling....
I was camera operator for a commercial shoot a couple of weeks back.
At one set we flew from a swimming platform. Because of the surrounding lights I used my googles instead of a screen. Because of that I lent with my back against the handrails of the footpath down to the platform. Half way through the shoot a rivercat came through.
My eyes where telling me one thing,while the platform under me went left and right and the handrail in my back went up and down.
Lost the moving target in my shot twice! My brain just couldn't work it out!
Once it passed and calmed down no problems at all.

So yeah, can well imagine how flying from a moving yacht might become very interesting.

 

[fdproductions]

thats funny i was camera operator in mexico filming a movie with goggles and dog licked my arm while i was sitting down i nearly shat myself im **** scared of getting bit and getting rabies