Anyone actually get 7km range from Mavic yet?

Wysiwyg · Feb 10, 2017

I was in Koh Samui, Thailand recently and flew out seaward (absolutely no obstructions) to a group of 5 islands over 4km out. Started to get RC signal loss when I reached the islands and decided to abort without getting the shots I was planning in my head.

shvncrvn · Feb 10, 2017

Wysiwyg said:
I was in Koh Samui, Thailand recently and flew out seaward (absolutely no obstructions) to a group of 5 islands over 4km out. Started to get RC signal loss when I reached the islands and decided to abort without getting the shots I was planning in my head.

There are multiple factors that could degrade your signal, clear LOS might not always deliver the performance you would imagine, unfortunately.

Wysiwyg · Feb 10, 2017

shvncrvn said:
There are multiple factors that could degrade your signal, clear LOS might not always deliver the performance you would imagine, unfortunately.

Yeah I would imagine there are invisible interferences even in the absence of physical obstructions. I'm not complaining... I'm not one for the bragging rights of having flown the furthest or highest or longest etc. Just sharing, given the OP's question. Cheers!

Chorusbluck · Feb 10, 2017

HK! said:
Your absolutely right regarding urban flying conditions. You are ATTI where i Live, unless you in a playing field or some expanse of grass.

I never expected to anyone to get 7km out of it (I dont think DJI did either), but It would be nice to hear some stories about, say, 4-5km missions without a loss of signal from the controller.

Lastly, Is there an app that can give you an idea of just how good or poor a spot you've chosen to fly?

Hey there. Yea I got a smidge over 5 kilometers away with my mavic and still had strong reception with the drone but on return a head wind picked up offshore ( maybe started towards end of 5kilometer run but my speed was normal) and my mavic got about 274m away from its take off point before it ran out of battery into the ocean. But went back at low tide ( 6 hours later) and found it. 2 weeks later after drying it out and giving it a vacuum to get the sand out of the motors put a battery in it and away it goes. Only problem it has is left and right with the gimble it shakes a little.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Wysiwyg · Feb 10, 2017

Chorusbluck said:
Hey there. Yea I got a smidge over 5 kilometers away with my mavic and still had strong reception with the drone but on return a head wind picked up offshore ( maybe started towards end of 5kilometer run but my speed was normal) and my mavic got about 274m away from its take off point before it ran out of battery into the ocean. But went back at low tide ( 6 hours later) and found it. 2 weeks later after drying it out and giving it a vacuum to get the sand out of the motors put a battery in it and away it goes. Only problem it has is left and right with the gimble it shakes a little.View attachment 6100

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Oh man that must have hurt!

Stig N · Feb 11, 2017

I quickly looked through this thread and saw it nowhere mentioned. One important fact about the 7km (besides being under optimal circumstances) is that it only applies for USA (or North America?) where it complies to the FCC regulations for radiotransmitting. Otherwhere the radiotransmitter complies to the European CE regulations which (as far as I remember) approx. halves the range.

Jack · Feb 11, 2017

MPPilot · Feb 16, 2017

cobra46 said:
I can't believe how many Americans think America is the center of the universe.

As the universe is infinite, technically every point is the center of the universe, even America. We're just more in the center than everyone else.

DJ Kim · Feb 16, 2017

Back a while ago, before Mavic came out, back on the Phantom 4 forum, I remember a radio expert guy explaining some technical details about DJI's radio communication methodology.
I recall that 2.4 and 5 GHz radio is very close to microwave (just like the oven).
and because of that nature, it is very poor dealing with water.
the water would change that radio energy into heat and the signal would fade/weaken out.
it's extremely sensitive to trees (liquid within). the brick building after rain storm would def have significant impact on 2.4 and 5 GHz performance.
obviously, open area over water would have less obstruction than urban or forrest environment.
But more than anything, the humidity in the air (even if it is unobstructed) impacts the radio comm incredibly..
that's what I recall from that forum posting.

and then he went into the science of different types of antennas and the orientation of the antennas, etc... I'll see if I can find the article and post the link, if I locate it.