DJI Smart Controller has less range / power in CE mode than Normal RC

[DesertDan]

Normal RC is 20dBm / 5000m range in CE mode. Smart RC is 18.5dBm / 4000m in CE mode. Is there any regulatory or technical reason for this?

Normal RC:



Smart RC:

 

[MichiganMavic]

I’m not sure about the numbers, but my SC has more range than my RC did. I fly a lot from my property and know where I lost signal frequently with the RC, and my SC surpasses that on a regular basis.
FCC btw.

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

I have better range in general with my SC too. Also on FCC not CE though.

 

[Superdaddy]

I recently went to Canada and was very disappointed with the range of my M2P with my SC. I realized I was in CE territory and wondered if the M2P switched from FCC to CE despite no internet connection.

I can’t compare the distance to the standard remote or even confirm it switched to CE, but what distance I obtained was less than a mile in a well populated area without high rises. In the US I would see much better range, all other things being equal.

 

[raven swe]

switching from fcc to ce and back is governed by gps I believe

 

[Northern_Bob]

Canada is all FCC not CE. My Spark flies in FCC mode at all times in Quebec.
NB

 

[buckdharma]

Power is not linear with distance, that is to say twice the power does not give twice the range. So that small difference should not make much change in Transmit and Receive distances.

Normal RC is 20dBm / 5000m range in CE mode. Smart RC is 18.5dBm / 4000m in CE mode. Is there any regulatory or technical reason for this?

Normal RC:

View attachment 71057

Smart RC:


View attachment 71058

 

[AnzacJack]

this "lower power setting" has been pointed out often, and yet everyone with hands on have said the range is better with the smart controller.

 

[DesertDan]

this "lower power setting" has been pointed out often, and yet everyone with hands on have said the range is better with the smart controller.

Why does DJI specify less range then, 4 vs 5 kilometers with the original RC?

 

[AnzacJack]

Who knows. Doesn’t make sense to me

 

[raven swe]

when using duel remote, both sitting side by side, I have 2 hd and 2 signal bars showing in the app on the std slave remote in go4, but 1 bar signal and no hd bars showing on the sc when the drone gets behind the trees.

 

[webvan]

With an M2P ?

 

[raven swe]

M2z

 

[m0j0]

Weird,

I have had the opposite real world experience. Maybe it's the used controller.

 

[raven swe]

controller is what came with it, only flown a few times before I got the sc

 

[DesertDan]

SC has quite a bit less power in FCC mode too. 350 mW vs. 400 mW for the standard controller.

 

[JoostGT3]

I have the feeling that my M2P with SC has less range than my previous MP with normal controller in CE country (The Netherlands). Most of the times, I start to get the low RC signal warnings around 1000m, whereas with the old MP, I would often fly a bit further than that (1200m).

 

[robbyusa]

The verdict is still out! one of the reason I purchased the SC was for the increased range.

 

[webvan]

when using duel remote, both sitting side by side, I have 2 hd and 2 signal bars showing in the app on the std slave remote in go4, but 1 bar signal and no hd bars showing on the sc when the drone gets behind the trees.

Does the feed break up on the SC ?

 

[AnzacJack]

i really cant comment as i only have the smart controller. But certainly compaired to gen 1 mavic it has way more range. And im happy with that
(im also in CE land and getting around the 3000m wheni tested it. probably 3 times more than i would usually push it.)