CE Version of Mavic Mini. Big disadvantages in UK and EU.

kreolat · Nov 25, 2019

Fly at home?

Louis08 said:
Whatever you do to "tune" your drone, pls keep the legal restrictions in mind (which might be different depending on where you fly) - and if flying beyond these don't get caught for the sake of the drone community.

Drones already have a bad reputation, we really don't need more and tighter rules (and enforcment thereof)....

For example EU regulations are pretty clear and unambigous on VLOS: it translates to "the pilot must be able to fully control the drone movement without looking at the monitor at any time during the flight".

Louis08 · Nov 25, 2019

Latest when you leave your house you're entering (more or less) regulated airspace. And if I am not mistaken, EU regulations are also applicable in Latvia.
Depending on where you travel, different local regulations might come on top.
Whether and how much they are enforced (or even known by the local authorities) is a different story...

In any case: happy flying!

raulmavic · Nov 27, 2019

This Italian guy got it !

He found a way for hacking a Mavic Mini CE model to double range at 5.8Ghz.

He got an amazing 1400 meters range (ideal conditions, over sea)

He uses Fake GPS app to cheat controller and make him think he's in the USA, that way remote controller generates its maximun possible power on the 5.8Ghz band.

On the other hand, during startup, he covers Mavic Mini aircrart with a handmade cardboard aluminum foil cover for blocking GPS signal. This is the really clever step and it's the only way the hack works.

Once radio link stablished between controller you can remove Fake GPS app and foil cover for aircraft using true GPS signal, that is needed for Return to Home properly works.

Really clever !

Full video here:

Thanks a lot Quadricottero News !

chriscuk · Nov 27, 2019

Sure is interesting but he'd have got far more range over the sea with 2.4ghz so it was totally pointless. I don't need to faff around and can get more distance in a semi-rural location

Ice_2k · Nov 27, 2019

chriscuk said:
Sure is interesting but he'd have got far more range over the sea with 2.4ghz so it was totally pointless. I don't need to faff around and can get more distance in a semi-rural location

Not necessarily, it depends on how much interference there is in the area

Plus, this boasts really well for using the FCC version in Europe

kreolat · Nov 27, 2019

raulmavic said:
This Italian guy got it !

He found a way for hacking a Mavic Mini CE model to double range at 5.8Ghz.

He got an amazing 1400 meters range (ideal conditions, over sea)

View attachment 86639

He uses Fake GPS app to cheat controller and make him think he's in the USA, that way remote controller generates its maximun power on the 5.8Ghz band.

On the other hand, during startup, he covers Mavic Mini aircrart with a handmade cardboard aluminum foil cover for blocking GPS signal. This is the really clever step and it's the only way the hack works.

Once radio link stablished between controller you can remove Fake app and foil cover for aircraft using true GPS signal, that is needed for Return to Home properly works.

Really clever !

Full video here:

Thanks a lot Quadricottero News !

Raul.

The old way!

Louis08 · Nov 27, 2019

And yet another "enthusiast" giving a sh.... on the applicable laws just for the fun of it. Great job for the drone community, boasting off with what can be done is for sure a good way to get rid of even tighter legal restrictions (esp taking into account that lawmakers don't use internet and/or YouTube) and their enforcment.

/rant off

Jeytea · Nov 27, 2019

It is not full Power for the CE Model, it is much lower than the FCC Model has in the US but it is more power than without the Mod and you got Double range (from 500m to 1000), full power are 4Km Range.. full power in Europe you can only gain with an FCC Model and this Fake GPS Mod.

raulmavic said:
This Italian guy got it !

He found a way for hacking a Mavic Mini CE model to double range at 5.8Ghz.

He got an amazing 1400 meters range (ideal conditions, over sea)

View attachment 86639

He uses Fake GPS app to cheat controller and make him think he's in the USA, that way remote controller generates its maximun power on the 5.8Ghz band.

On the other hand, during startup, he covers Mavic Mini aircrart with a handmade cardboard aluminum foil cover for blocking GPS signal. This is the really clever step and it's the only way the hack works.

Once radio link stablished between controller you can remove Fake app and foil cover for aircraft using true GPS signal, that is needed for Return to Home properly works.

Really clever !

Full video here:

Thanks a lot Quadricottero News !

Raul.

raulmavic · Nov 27, 2019

chriscuk said:
Sure is interesting but he'd have got far more range over the sea with 2.4ghz so it was totally pointless. I don't need to faff around and can get more distance in a semi-rural location

You are right, but take into account that using this mod you can double range at urban areas, where 2.4Ghz band is unusable due interference.

chriscuk · Nov 27, 2019

Ice_2k said:
Not necessarily, it depends on how much interference there is in the area

Plus, this boasts really well for using the FCC version in Europe

I clearly stated "over the sea"

Ice_2k · Nov 27, 2019

chriscuk said:
I clearly stated "over the sea"

I was replying to the “semi-rural” part of your comment.

Hawkins2000 · Nov 27, 2019

As far as I understood you don't gain any higher transmission power in CE. Only FCC will gain some power with the CE model. Our did I miss something?

Ice_2k · Nov 27, 2019

Hawkins2000 said:
As far as I understood you don't gain any higher transmission power in CE. Only FCC will gain some power with the CE model. Our did I miss something?

Both models gain something in FCC mode

fRog2 · Nov 27, 2019

chriscuk said:
Sure is interesting but he'd have got far more range over the sea with 2.4ghz so it was totally pointless. I don't need to faff around and can get more distance in a semi-rural location

Given that in the UK as a hobbyist if we follow the "drone code" we can only fly line of sight and not within 150m of a built up area, I really don't see the lower power being much of an issue here.

I might live to eat my words, but so far I have had no reception problems at all flying here.

old man mavic · Nov 27, 2019

unless you have exceptional eyesight or a pair of binoculars you are going to loose VLOS long before you loose signal,on my first outing at the weekend it was an overcast grey sky and at 155 ft high and 600 ft away i was beginning to loose sight of it simply because of its size

Hawkins2000 · Nov 27, 2019

Ice_2k said:
Both models gain something in FCC mode

Sure... Still there is a hardware difference. This means the CE mini in FCC mode will not reach by far the power of the FCC mini in the US... So no FW hack is going to help here as assumed some days ago. IMHO DJI went a few steps back with this decision. Back from offering compliant travel drones for all countries.

Jeytea · Nov 27, 2019

It is not Hardware related..

Hawkins2000 said:
Sure... Still there is a hardware difference. This means the CE mini in FCC mode will not reach by far the power of the FCC mini in the US... So no FW hack is going to help here as assumed some days ago. IMHO DJI went a few steps back with this decision. Back from offering compliant travel drones for all countries.