Disabling GPS Module

[Gadgetdude]

Just curious if you could disable the GPS module and still fly? Just asking. Certainly not implying anything as I live in Beijing and can only fly indoors and have to travel a great distance if I want to fly outdoors. Has anyone done this? I am wondering if it will render the drone inoperable with out a GPS module.

 

[N King]

I'm sure I saw a thread on here where someone had put some tin foil over the top of the mini's body to stop it connecting to the GPS. They were still able to fly the mini, a simple and cheap test to try.

 

[chriscuk]

Yes you can disable the GPS module with tinfoil. You can just fold a few pieces over and put it over the back of the bird. You'll have a maximum height of about 15m so you wont be able to go up high with it. I've not checked distance with it in this mode as I was only flying without GPS because I hadn't got a lock in time.

 

[Meta4]

You'll have a maximum height of about 15m so you wont be able to go up high with it.

From p37 of the Mavic Manual:
Height is restricted to 16 ft (5 m) when the GPS signal is weak and Downward Vision System is activated.
Height is restricted to 98 ft (30 m) when the GPS signal is weak and Downward Vision System is inactive.

 

[Gadgetdude]

I actually tried double thickness tin foil tape. It picked up the GPS pretty fast. I had it on pretty much the whole top of the Mini. Put two layers on. Any other suggestions?

 

[Meta4]

I actually tried double thickness tin foil tape. It picked up the GPS pretty fast. I had it on pretty much the whole top of the Mini. Put two layers on. Any other suggestions?

A single thickness of aluminium foil is all it takes.

 

[DanMan32]

A single thickness of aluminium foil is all it takes.

Have you confirmed that with the Mini? I've successfully blocked GPS with P3 using any metal and I think I've tried it with M2 but the MM was resilient.

 

[BlueOval24]

Have you confirmed that with the Mini? I've successfully blocked GPS with P3 using any metal and I think I've tried it with M2 but the MM was resilient.

I can confirm that this does, in fact work. However it comes with a caveat: You must continually have no GPS during the entire flight time (indoors of course). If you get a blip of GPS signal during flight, and you happen to be in a restricted area or authorization zone, then it will warn you that auto landing will commence in 90 seconds.
Luckily I have found a room in the house where the signal is weak (the bedroom oddly enough) but if I venture out into the loft or other rooms, it will pick up GPS and force me to land in 90 s.

 

[DanMan32]

I was testing while it was on the ground putting various metal pieces on it's back and watching the indicator and not getting very far.
But if you've done it yourself then it should be so.

 

[Meta4]

Have you confirmed that with the Mini? I've successfully blocked GPS with P3 using any metal and I think I've tried it with M2 but the MM was resilient.

It's the same satellites, the same signal.
The signal is blocked by aluminium foil regardless of the aircraft.
You might need to wrap the antenna better.

 

[Stevee7270]

A single thickness of aluminium foil is all it takes.

Doesn't work on the MM I still keep receiving weak GPS signals indoors with the foil on

 

[DanMan32]

It's the same satellites, the same signal.
The signal is blocked by aluminium foil regardless of the aircraft.
You might need to wrap the antenna better.

Same sats, but different drone, different receiver and placement of receiver with respect to the rest of the drone.

 

[Meta4]

Same sats, but different drone, different receiver and placement of receiver with respect to the rest of the drone.

But you can completely block signal with a single thickness of aluminium foil as long as you don't leave gaps where the signal can leak in.

 

[Stevee7270]

Same sats, but different drone, different receiver and placement of receiver with respect to the rest of the drone.

Ok your on to it. Tests today. So original stuff I saw on the forum suggest to wrap the rear of the drome with foil to block GPS. I tried this with MM and doesn't work.
Today tried covering forward to mid MM with one layer of foil still allowing full swing of battery compartment to replace batteries as needed.
And to my surprise it worked ! No GPS SIGNAL RECIEVED flew indoors and outdoor under house cover no problems at all. Three batteries. In Authorization Zone.

 

[WolfSpring]

Stevee you are my hero. I know this is a few months old, but I just bought my mini yesterday and I live on a military base, it will be raining all week and I wanted to get some practice in the house and was pissed to find out the geo restrictions work in a house. The geo restrictions for a military base can not be self unlocked at all and I understand why, but they should have an option to switch off GPS and like 10 foot flight limit for houses or something. I have a phantom 2 that has no restrictions at all. This tinfoil trick on the front worked great and I got to learn how to control my drone quite well. Thank you!

 

[mills85]

Just what i needed. But somehow it still gets locked on GPS. As soon as I fly under a roof it it breaks the gps signal. Anywhere else one can cover up?

Edit... it stopped after putting it

 

[SaigonDude]

Easily done, but you had better know ATTI mode well.

 

[Quadro4]

Stevee you are my hero. I know this is a few months old, but I just bought my mini yesterday and I live on a military base, it will be raining all week and I wanted to get some practice in the house and was pissed to find out the geo restrictions work in a house. The geo restrictions for a military base can not be self unlocked at all and I understand why, but they should have an option to switch off GPS and like 10 foot flight limit for houses or something. I have a phantom 2 that has no restrictions at all. This tinfoil trick on the front worked great and I got to learn how to control my drone quite well. Thank you!

Steeve — I’m trapped in LA by the virus and my crib is in the LAX restricted zone. Bought an MM to help deal with the boredom by avoiding obstacles while flying in my little apt.

Of course, there’s enough GPS signal indoors that I can’t launch with the DJI app running.

My work around was disconnecting the phone and flying inside in atti mode. But even without the DJI app, the MM self lands after about 2 minutes. Very disappointing.

A BBQ foil wrap did the trick, I can now fly indoors — with of without the DJI app. I haven’t tried the tin foil trick outdoors, nor do I intend to. If I decide to fly on our property, I’ll request a Kitty Hawk authorization.

The MM is great fun indoors, and so far, the prop guards work a wonder preventing damage — at least as long as things like string or fabric or cables don’t end up wrapped around a motor.

Thanks for solving this one?

 

[Marko-7]

trying to spoof GPS on my Mavic 2 Pro so I can fly outside in Atti. I've tried 4 times , got the whole top surface and butt end covered in heavy duty aluminum foil and yet when I get 10 ft up it locks on to GPS.
I am test because I may need to do a flight with an insta 360 rig for magic which I hear blocks GPS, yet given all I've tried I can't block GPS.