Disappointed with the range

[d-rive]

This is a flight test from last night. FCC mode (I am in Europe) and external antenna. Not a simple glitch and the signal was full and strong for the hole flight test. The battery was at first flight, wind pretty strong and I decided to bring the drone back.
Those original small antennas inside the DJI RC are too small to do big things, this is I did the trick with external antennas. Now I am stress free about signal.

 

[chong67]

I have the M3 and the stock controller. (I love my stock controller. You will not get any further on the Pro controller!)

Here's how I do my test. I get to the highest point, I climb to the top of my house. Fly as far as you can go until you get orange bar. Now up the drone(increase height) some more until you see 5 white bars. Now fly horizontal again. Keep doing this up/fly straight thing. I was able to get to 5.6 miles away. I am happy!

Report back if you did/do this.

 

[Suren]

We'll have to agree to disagree. The Mavic 3 range in the US with the RC Pro in heavily urban areas already exceeds all needs, with the rare exception of the need for a working 4G dongle on the drone for flying around tall buildings. Unless the EVO 2 V3 now has 4G capability in the United States, it cannot be better than the Mavic 3. YMMV, as you are in New Zealand, and not the U.S..

Don't get me wrong, the range on the Mavic 3 is more than enough if you are using an FCC hack in a CE country, without the hack I used to get up to 800 meters which was a disappointment, with the hack I can easily get 12km in a n open environment but in urban I am lucky to see 2.5km - Now this is where the Evo 2 V3 and Lite drones shine and kills the Mavic 3. Remember that the Autel has no hack for FCC and if you are using it in a CE country than you are flying just that with a dumbed down range and if you have to compare both drones in CE mode the Mavic 3 goes 800 meters with RC Pro and Evo V3 8km - no comparison.

 

[moldorf]

It isn't the Mavic 3 drone! It's the RC he has been using! It has 20% of the power of the RC Pro!

I've seen you make this claim before. It may be accurate mathematically but I'd wonder if it's accurate practically....not when it comes to range

there are several youtube videos comparing the range of the RC Pro to RC-N1. About half the time there is no significant difference. If the RC Pro does have an advantage, it's limited to about 10%, or less, more range

I have flown, in a very remote area of the Oregon high desert, a Mini 3 Pro using the RC-N1 out to about 4 .2 miles before I dropped down to 2 bars and turned around (and yes, I know VLOS rules....this was the only time I flew past about 3000 feet from home)). It's pretty hard for me to believe that the RC Pro would beat that by enough margin to justify the cost. But then range over a mile (or less) should not be a significant purchasing factor, IMO

I'm assuming that the advantage of the RC-Pro would come if there were more trees around and more sources of interference, and this on shorter, 'legal' flights.

 

[michaeldallen1]

I seem to get mixed results flying from the same site. Mavic 3 Classic with DJI RC controller, on jetty, on the ocean, straight line down the coast. I went 4.5 miles (screen shot attached) when reception started getting 'iffy' Made it 4.7 miles total and had it return to home. Connection was restored instantly. 4 weeks later, same spot, I got signal interference at 2000 feet. Same in opposite direction. I posted this and someone suggested some type of intermittent interference in the area. Haven't tried any distance flights since. P.S. 4.7 mile flight was pre-dawn with 3 Firehouse Strobes on FULL STROBE SETTING to do by best to follow VLOS requirements.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Don't get me wrong, the range on the Mavic 3 is more than enough if you are using an FCC hack in a CE country, without the hack I used to get up to 800 meters which was a disappointment, with the hack I can easily get 12km in a n open environment but in urban I am lucky to see 2.5km - Now this is where the Evo 2 V3 and Lite drones shine and kills the Mavic 3. Remember that the Autel has no hack for FCC and if you are using it in a CE country than you are flying just that with a dumbed down range and if you have to compare both drones in CE mode the Mavic 3 goes 800 meters with RC Pro and Evo V3 8km - no comparison.

As I stated, your results are in CE mode in NZ and mine are in FCC mode in the U.S., which fully explains the difference in results. FCC Hacks in a CE area don't necessarily fully replicate true FCC stock performance in an FCC area.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I've seen you make this claim before. It may be accurate mathematically but I'd wonder if it's accurate practically....not when it comes to range

there are several youtube videos comparing the range of the RC Pro to RC-N1. About half the time there is no significant difference. If the RC Pro does have an advantage, it's limited to about 10%, or less, more range

I have flown, in a very remote area of the Oregon high desert, a Mini 3 Pro using the RC-N1 out to about 4 .2 miles before I dropped down to 2 bars and turned around (and yes, I know VLOS rules....this was the only time I flew past about 3000 feet from home)). It's pretty hard for me to believe that the RC Pro would beat that by enough margin to justify the cost. But then range over a mile (or less) should not be a significant purchasing factor, IMO

I'm assuming that the advantage of the RC-Pro would come if there were more trees around and more sources of interference, and this on shorter, 'legal' flights.

I never said that 5x the power means 5x the range. It doesn't. However, depending upon the environment, the difference can be significant. In an optimal environment, the range difference may be minimal. In an area of high interference, it is always better to have more power. The RC Pro runs circles around the RC-N1 in far more ways than just power output. It has a built-in 1000 nit screen, two scroll wheels, C1, C2, and C3 buttons, a 5-way joystick, and external miniHDMI port and a USB C video output. It can install third party apps, and can accept a SIM card with an internal dongle. You get what you pay for. RC-N1 is a $100 controller. RC Pro costs $1200. Flying a Mavic 3 with the RC-N1 cripples control over digital zoom and gimbal elevation while flying cinematic moves.

 

[wrybread]

I'm wondering if you ever got the RC pro controller? Did you see an increased range if so?

 

[davedrone 178]

I'm wondering if you ever got the RC pro controller? Did you see an increased range if so?

Have both the RC and RC Pro. Bought the RC Pro because the range of the RC wasn't that good. Definite improvement with the RC Pro.

 

[wrybread]

Have both the RC and RC Pro. Bought the RC Pro because the range of the RC wasn't that good. Definite improvement with the RC Pro.

Interesting. Is that in FCC mode or non?

 

[davedrone 178]

Interesting. Is that in FCC mode or non?

FCC

 

[moldorf]

Have both the RC and RC Pro. Bought the RC Pro because the range of the RC wasn't that good. Definite improvement with the RC Pro.

generally, it seems the RC has consistently under-performed both the RC-Pro and the RC-N1. Consensus is it's because of the internal antennae

 

[GadgetGuy]

generally, it seems the RC has consistently under-performed both the RC-Pro and the RC-N1. Consensus is it's because of the internal antennae

Indeed! External antennas are always better. You can also change their angle and their direction as needed for optimization.

 

[KS-6]

I like the RC Pro a lot, but this recurring issue may see me using the regular RC remote a lot more, it's become a nightmare for some of us who fly remote areas away from wifi or cell signals for prolonged periods:

Mini 3 Pro and RC Pro account log out?

Definitely a show stopper for the much lauded RC "Pro"...

 

[GadgetGuy]

I like the RC Pro a lot, but this recurring issue may see me using the regular RC remote a lot more, it's become a nightmare for some of us who fly remote areas away from wifi or cell signals for prolonged periods:

Mini 3 Pro and RC Pro account log out?

Definitely a show stopper for the much lauded RC "Pro"...

If it is 3-5 weeks, have you tried logging out, and logging back in, just before going off the grid?

 

[moldorf]

If it is 3-5 weeks, have you tried logging out, and logging back in, just before going off the grid?

I actually talked (online) to DJI about this very issue since my wife and I spend a lot of the summer in remote areas without cell service or internet

I asked if there was a set protocol and if they could direct me to it. I was told there was no protocol but that a log-in "generally" lasted for 3 months...whatever that truly means

now I don't have the RC Pro; but still, I plan to go to DJI, log-out, then log-in again just before we leave hoping that will have it covered. I'm going to be mighty upset if I get out there and can't fly because of a stupid policy on log-ins at DJI