Good information. Wish we could test that in the States but I don't think the FAA will allow a test like this. TRUST doesn't allow me to go above 400 ft and I have to keep a VLOS.
Definitely range issues with Mini 3 pro
- Thread starter vindibona1
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Good information. Wish we could test that in the States but I don't think the FAA will allow a test like this. TRUST doesn't allow me to go above 400 ft and I have to keep a VLOS.
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The thing that scares me about the Mini 3 is that the signal to the controller isn't stable. It drops off at relatively close distances, then comes back. During some of those times there is intermittent video, so piloting precisely gets a little scary. And that's with the drone up 200 ft in the air. I can only imagine trying to work through trees or obstacles at lower levels. I have much more confidence in my Mavic 2 Pro, though it's larger, so needs more space. BUT the M2P has TRIPOD mode, which keeps speed capped at about 2.5mph. Very easy to maneuver precisely. All the later drones that run on DJI Fly have the Cine mode which allows them to go 11mph to 13mph, so you cannot be hard with the sticks in tight quarters, making them more difficult to manuever precisely in tight spaces.
I really think you may have a problem with either the controller or the drone ... I have never had a signal drop out at any distance with my Mini3 Pro and DJI RC ....
MavicMover
Well-Known Member
I can confirm that I have experienced the same drop outs as described above with my Mini 3 Pro and DJI RC with no observable changes in what I'm doing. It'll go from full signal down to nothing and orange then right back to full. For me it could be related to trees but I am up pretty high at over 200+ feet and not too far out. I will need to test again and/or check some recent screen recordings.
I believe this controller is very sensitive to where you are aiming it ...
Range test today with Mini 3 PRO on DJI RC .... quality is not good, as it is the screen record from the DJI RC ...I also had a Mini 2 with the N1, and the best range I got with that was just over 3k's ... the point being that many have mentioned that the DJI RC has poor performance due to lack of external antennas ... I think this proves that that is incorrect ... and yes, I have exceptional eyesight for an 80 year old, and I could visually see the drone at all times .... actually went out to a bit over 5400 metres, but video was starting to break up ... also, can someone explain to me what the arrows on the Home icon mean .. it changes between blue and green ... is this the way I am pointing the controller? If so, it appears that I was never actually pointing directly at the drone? Video can be seen at:
.... I think.
I have a Mini 3 Pro with RC and a Mini 2. Without question, the Mini 2 has better range. It's approaching double. That's ridiculous. I unfortunately have gotten very familiar with Auto RTH since I got my Mini 3 Pro. 
Droning on and on...
Well-Known Member
Count me skeptical.
The main variable in human eyesight is optics. Rod/cone density, i.e. the "pixels" on the "sensor" does not vary much.
The retina, with perfect optics, is capable of resolving 0.008°. Much below this and the eye simply can't resolve what's being projected on the retina.
At 3 miles, a 6 inch drone body covers 0.0015°, far below the resolution of the human retina, no matter how good one's cornea, aqueous humor, lens, eye shape, and vitreous humor focus the image on the retina. At 0.0015°, there will not be enough differential light to stimulate a single rod on the retina, let alone a cone (color), which are less dense than rods (brightness).
There is a difference between visual acuity, driven by the optics of the eye, and resolution. Those with the best, distortion-free acuity, a.k.a. 20/10 vision, are still limited by the resolution of the retina, which maxes out at 0.008° of arc.
This is about 5 inches at 3280 ft, or ⅔ of a mile. At 1 mile, it takes a drone body nearly 8 inches to just barely be distinguishable as a faint dot against the background.
People that claim to see their drone at one mile and beyond are probably seeing "floaters", and the older they are, the chance they're seeing a bit of vitreous detachment goes up, especially after 60.
Well, I had them both, and there is no doubt that you have some sort of problem with either your Mini3 PRO or your DJI RC ... my video proves that the 3 PRO has at least a 5km range with video, and I'm pretty sure you will not get that with your Mini 2 ...I have a Mini 3 Pro with RC and a Mini 2. Without question, the Mini 2 has better range. It's approaching double. That's ridiculous. I unfortunately have gotten very familiar with Auto RTH since I got my Mini 3 Pro.
Droning on and on...
Well-Known Member
What I'm saying is that what you claim is biologically impossible. You do not have 5x the resolution on your retina compared to all other human beings, across history, time, and space.
I can't comment on what you saw. I wasn't there. But I can comment on what is possible, and seeing a drone at 3 miles isn't.
There are plenty of videos on YouTube demonstrating that the Mini 3 Pro has worse range than the Mini 2. It's no secret.
I was hoping that DJI would have worked out this issue before I purchased mine (very recently). They clearly aren't worried about it. The Mini 3 Pro is selling well. The DJI YouTube shills are doing their jobs. It is what it is. Life goes on.
and how is it that you KNOW that I don't have 5X resolution on my retina?
There also plenty demonstrating the improved range of the 3PRO .... you are just seeing the ones you want to see ... please tell me that your mini2 has been over 5 klms away with still good signal and video? Or do you think that I have faked this video? Otherwise, this argument is mute ...
Dont know where you came up with those numbers... best I have heard of is 20/10. Being able to see at 20 feet what most people need 10 ft to see. No such thing as 100/100 If you are 20/100 you are blind as a bat.
So, I would have to call you on this. Its impossible to see a tiny drone at 3 1/2 miles away unless you are watching it thru a telescope.
Sorry, did I not mention I was using a telescope? (ps... I made those number up).
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