Another Post about the Range of the Mini

[JEEPDrone]

Good morning everyone,

I've searched and read a lot of different range posts before starting my own so I apologize if I'm re-hashing anything but I didn't find any answers to my frustration.

I've had my mini for about a week now and I'm not getting anything close to the advertised range of the mini. Seems like this is common and honestly I have no desire to take it to the max advertised range, one for safety and two, I don't see how you maintain VLOS at that distance with such a small device.

So, when I started, I was getting maybe around 500 ft of range before losing the video signal, not necessarily control of the drone, but I would stop when I lost video. After switching my phone to airplane mode I did pretty much double that range to around 1000ft at max elevation of 490 ft. At that point however I lost both video signal and aircraft control at about the same time. I did the first test out of my backyard which is a small town city setting and over a rural lake with no interference that I can think of and range limit was not significantly different (never got farther than 600 ft). Second test was just in my backyard, have not taken it out of town yet, but given similar results of first test I would not expect it to be much different. Again, as I said, I'm not looking for the full range dji advertised, but a half mile would be nice.

Other things, my batteries are fully charged, antennas are in the proper position according to the pictures I've seen on the site and there is no difference. And I've updated firmware and all that stuff.

I've watched some YouTube videos about the range extenders that show they work, but should I really have to buy an add on device to get half of what the manufacturer promises?

 

[Pushkur]

Good morning everyone,

I've searched and read a lot of different range posts before starting my own so I apologize if I'm re-hashing anything but I didn't find any answers to my frustration.

I've had my mini for about a week now and I'm not getting anything close to the advertised range of the mini. Seems like this is common and honestly I have no desire to take it to the max advertised range, one for safety and two, I don't see how you maintain VLOS at that distance with such a small device.

So, when I started, I was getting maybe around 500 ft of range before losing the video signal, not necessarily control of the drone, but I would stop when I lost video. After switching my phone to airplane mode I did pretty much double that range to around 1000ft at max elevation of 490 ft. At that point however I lost both video signal and aircraft control at about the same time. I did the first test out of my backyard which is a small town city setting and over a rural lake with no interference that I can think of and range limit was not significantly different (never got farther than 600 ft). Second test was just in my backyard, have not taken it out of town yet, but given similar results of first test I would not expect it to be much different. Again, as I said, I'm not looking for the full range dji advertised, but a half mile would be nice.

Other things, my batteries are fully charged, antennas are in the proper position according to the pictures I've seen on the site and there is no difference. And I've updated firmware and all that stuff.

I've watched some YouTube videos about the range extenders that show they work, but should I really have to buy an add on device to get half of what the manufacturer promises?

Should be better than that over the lake,especially as i presume you have the FCC model.
You could try a pair of cheap 5.8 yagi’s from eBay etc...but I do understand your feelings about having to buy an extra to try get what you should already have.
I have found DJI difficult to deal with in the past,I had to Keep pushing them ,before I finally got the range issue repaired on my goggles.

 

[SpitFire]

The MM, doses not benefit from having the OCUSYNC transmission system, which means its signal is more prone to interference from a high WIFI area for one thing.
Check it out your self, I do not have the link, the Mavic Pro was designed to go long distance. The MP has a 2.4 ghz compared to Phantom 4 Pro which has a dual band 2.4ghz and 5ghz which is why I am looking at the Mavic 2 which also has the duel band. The MM does not benefit from having a Ocusync transmission system. Which means its signal is more prone to interference from heavy WIFI interference ETC. I love the MM but the primary role of MM is to fly as a selfie camera, never designed to fly long distance. An idea circumstances, many have flown it quite a ways, but many pilots lose the MM because of six flight control problems. One is Wind Speeds in excess of the design limits of the aircraft. Any way, please read your manual, its a small little critter, so it would be good that you activate find my drone. In case you lose it, and can't see it anymore and it runs out of battery power.Thats another reason
pilots lose the bird because of power interruption due to battery disconnects.

 

[maelstrom]

I love the MM but the primary role of MM is to fly as a selfie camera, never designed to fly long distance.

What do you consider to be a long distance?

but many pilots lose the MM because of six flight control problems. One is Wind Speeds in excess of the design limits of the aircraft.

What are the other five?

Thats another reason
pilots lose the bird because of power interruption due to battery disconnects.

That’s the first I’ve personally heard about this. The batteries in my Mini lock in very securely and I’ve never had a problem with “battery disconnects”.

 

[Pushkur]

What do you consider to be a long distance?



What are the other five?



That’s the first I’ve personally heard about this. The batteries in my Mini lock in very securely and I’ve never had a problem with “battery disconnects”.

Yes it’s the M2P that carry’s the worry about battery disconnecting,like you never heard of mini having such a problem.
I mentioned on another thread about swelling battery’s,that I bought an item specifically to hold the M2P in place,should it swell while in flight and try to pop out.