I got the Mini 4 Pro mainly for hiking trips. I just found out there’s a limit on how high you can take off from. I was planning to hike to a spot that’s around 14,000 ft, but I think that’s above the listed limit.
Does anyone know what actually happens if I try flying it at that height? Will it stop me completely or is it just a warning from DJI saying it’s not recommended? And what’s the reason behind the limit anyway?
14,000 ft is slightly above the drone’s listed max takeoff height of 4000 meters. But that’s more about air density and motor performance, not a hard software block. You should still be able to fly.
DJI’s Mavic 4 Pro can go up to 6000m, and they’ve even shown it flying up Mt. Everest.
Bigger drones like the Air 3S handle high altitudes better. The Mini 4 Pro is more limited when starting from high up.
Vale said:
Bigger drones like the Air 3S handle high altitudes better. The Mini 4 Pro is more limited when starting from high up.
Yeah, I went for the Mini 4 Pro because of my budget. Otherwise, I would’ve picked the Air 3S.
@Abi
It figures out altitude based on where you take off. So if you start flying at 10,000 ft, it counts that as your base level. Then you still get the max height on top of that — so you should be fine.
Not sure about the software limits, but flying at high altitudes is harder because the air’s thinner. You’ll need more throttle to stay up, and control won’t feel as sharp. It’s kind of like how jets can’t fly too high either.
I get altitude warnings on mine sometimes. Just keep an eye on how the drone handles and expect the battery to run down faster than usual.
I’ve flown at 4000 meters and above. It works, but the drone won’t stop as easily, batteries drain faster, and the motors can get hotter than normal.
You could look into getting props with a higher pitch for better performance at high altitudes. Standard props can be really loud and kill the battery fast up there.
Franklin said:
You could look into getting props with a higher pitch for better performance at high altitudes. Standard props can be really loud and kill the battery fast up there.
I don’t think I can get any other props where I am. Not many drone shops around here.
Also, after reading all these replies, I’m rethinking my plan. I wanted to fly the drone over a lake to get a nice aerial shot and maybe see what’s behind it… but now I’m worried it could end badly if something goes wrong at that height.
@Abi
My Mavic Pro’s old, so I take more chances with it. I fly over the Gulf of Mexico all the time — yesterday I followed a river from 60 feet up to see if I could canoe through. Never had a problem flying over water.
@Zorion
It’s not the water I’m worried about. The comments here have me thinking about battery drain and overheating at that kind of altitude. What if something fails and the drone just drops into the lake?
The drone measures altitude from wherever you take off. So even if you’re way up a mountain, it’ll still give you the normal height range from that point. You should be good.