Can I measure height and 4G signal with my Mavic Pro?

[MavicMikeMinh]

Here’s the thing:

At a valley location in the countryside (Devon, UK) they can’t get any kind of broadband, we’re using Satellite Broadband but are desperate for something more normal. To make matters worse, there is no mobile phone coverage either. Well, unless we could get a 4G aerial up high enough.

How could I use my Mavic to find out how high an aerial mast or tower needs to be?

Mavic would tell me the height AGL.
For the signal strength I was thinking to attach an iPhone (should be light enough and obviously not the one I'm flying with) that runs an app that records signal strength for the duration of the flight.

To link up height with signal at the respective height I could work on time (code).
If that is not precise enough, I was thinking of attaching the iPhone in a way under Mavic that Mavic’s own camera can film or take photos of the display of the iPhone.


Could this plan work?

 

[WithTheBirds]

Get someone to send a txt to the phone without signal. Fly the phone up to a X height and hover for a couple of minutes. Land and check the phone to see if the txt is received. If no txt fly up to X + 5m and repeat until you either receive the message or exceed a practical height for a mast.

 

[sar104]

Here’s the thing:

At a valley location in the countryside (Devon, UK) they can’t get any kind of broadband, we’re using Satellite Broadband but are desperate for something more normal. To make matters worse, there is no mobile phone coverage either. Well, unless we could get a 4G aerial up high enough.

How could I use my Mavic to find out how high an aerial mast or tower needs to be?

Mavic would tell me the height AGL.
For the signal strength I was thinking to attach an iPhone (should be light enough and obviously not the one I'm flying with) that runs an app that records signal strength for the duration of the flight.

To link up height with signal at the respective height I could work on time (code).
If that is not precise enough, I was thinking of attaching the iPhone in a way under Mavic that Mavic’s own camera can film or take photos of the display of the iPhone.


Could this plan work?

I wasn't aware that iOS gave SDK access to signal strength, but if it does then that would work.

 

[MavicMikeMinh]

I wasn't aware that iOS gave SDK access to signal strength, but if it does then that would work.

Well, I either find an app that does show, or can record, signal strength. Or, in the most simple way, I find an app that records the entire screen, this would include the signal strength indicator.

The idea with sending a text may not work. Sending it to the phone would need to be from a place where there IS a signal. But if we manage that, we can't communicate, like : "Hey Joe, send the text now." because the only comms we have is a satellite based phone call, even if Joe stands just about visible on top of hill. Waving a big red flag is getting a bit elaborate, innit? The other problem: Once the text is out from sender, it "sticks" in the SMS system for a while. Once the drone-phone gets high enough, it may suddenly receive an old text.

Look as if I need to build a drone attachment for an iPhone, plus find a screen recording app or something.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Well, I either find an app that does show, or can record, signal strength. Or, in the most simple way, I find an app that records the entire screen, this would include the signal strength indicator.

The idea with sending a text may not work. Sending it to the phone would need to be from a place where there IS a signal. But if we manage that, we can't communicate, like : "Hey Joe, send the text now." because the only comms we have is a satellite based phone call, even if Joe stands just about visible on top of hill. Waving a big red flag is getting a bit elaborate, innit? The other problem: Once the text is out from sender, it "sticks" in the SMS system for a while. Once the drone-phone gets high enough, it may suddenly receive an old text.

Look as if I need to build a drone attachment for an iPhone, plus find a screen recording app or something.

Yes, txt would need to be sent from a phone with signal or an internet txt service- obviously. Hovering at incrementally increased heights for a short period and landing to check if the txt was received should work. From what I can tell if txt messages are sent to my phone when it’s out of range or switched off the take no longer than 20s to be delivered when the phone is powered with signal.

Why don’t you go to the 4G service provides any ask if they have conducted a survey for your area? You might be surprised what they can share.

 

[Keule]

Well, I either find an app that does show, or can record, signal strength

You need an Android based phone. There are numerous apps doing exactly what you want to do.
Cellmapper, for example, shows the signal strengths of cell towers in range.
The app can optionally record the received data points in a CSV file.

 

[midi459]

Here’s the thing:

At a valley location in the countryside (Devon, UK) they can’t get any kind of broadband, we’re using Satellite Broadband but are desperate for something more normal. To make matters worse, there is no mobile phone coverage either. Well, unless we could get a 4G aerial up high enough.

How could I use my Mavic to find out how high an aerial mast or tower needs to be?

Mavic would tell me the height AGL.
For the signal strength I was thinking to attach an iPhone (should be light enough and obviously not the one I'm flying with) that runs an app that records signal strength for the duration of the flight.

To link up height with signal at the respective height I could work on time (code).
If that is not precise enough, I was thinking of attaching the iPhone in a way under Mavic that Mavic’s own camera can film or take photos of the display of the iPhone.


Could this plan work?

there is software apps that will show u cell signal and what tower the phone is connected to ..not sure if it will record tho ...just match the log time with drone location and altitude from logs

 

[MavicMikeMinh]

Why don’t you go to the 4G service providers and ask if they have conducted a survey for your area? You might be surprised what they can share.

Happy to hear about other ways to do this, but what I've done so far is to use the coverage checker maps each provider has. There isn't much to learn from any of these. Their maps are based on mathematical models, not measurements. We do know that we have nothing on site, on the ground that is.

I'm now keen to hear about iOS apps that I could try. Most apps I find concentrate on speed test, for us at the moment a secondary problem.

 

[Kilrah]

How could I use my Mavic to find out how high an aerial mast or tower needs to be?

Why would you need to know that / how would it help?
Providers have very good software and models to figure out where to put towers, they don't need your data, the problem is elsewhere... It "just" takes convincing them that it's financially worth for them to cover your area...
The best thing you can do is encourage as many people as possible to let them know that service there is crap.

 

[MavicMikeMinh]

Why would you need to know that / how would it help? ...

This is a remote location, none of the existing providers has done anything in recent years to improve the reception in this position in the valley. Closest evidence of human habitation (village) is just 300/400 m away where some 350 people have poor landline-based broadband and quite poor mobile reception. For a position like this, there is only one telco company who could do anything (for British readers: BT OpenReach). They say we can't find you on the map because this is not an address in Royal Mail's post code list.

When I say mast or small tower, I want to erect an own aerial mast just for this property. 10 to 15 m height should be possible in terms of construction and cost. Obviously I want know beforehand if it's worth the effort.
Hence: Mavic to the rescue.