Victory! This week I successfully piloted the Raptor 140 over a marathon’s distance (42km or 26mi) by flying 45.7km or 28.4mi. I say pilot, but really it was a 99% autonomous flight, controlled by the APM2.6 Flight Controller.
It was also a flight duration record for me, taking 39 minutes to complete, with an average airspeed of 80kph (50mph) and an average ground speed of 70kph (43mph) due to a strong southernly air current. The flight consumed 9.2Ah of energy at 11.1v, and achieved 4.9km/Ah, much lower than the 140’s average of 5.6km/Ah (strong cross winds and cold temperatures reduced it’s flight capacity).
All in all the APM and Raptor140 performed flawlessly. Next up? Flying a marathon cross country! (taking off at one location, and chasing the airplane in a car to land at another location)
See you next week!
-Trent
Safety note: I maintained line of sight during this flight, and had my controller close by to take manual control as needed. The altitude reads 150m, but I take off in a valley, the true AGL for the majority of the flight is 100-120m.