How far from BTS (cell) antennas on top of observation towers ?

[Cypher123]

I`m very dissapointed because these are mounted on every corner in the centre of a city
and over observation towers on the outskirts.
BTS does not mean GSM signals only it receives many signals causing interferences.
This issue is about operating drone and how to make a movies safely from top of observation towers?

I`m before buying wondering to take one of Mavic 2 pro or Zoom yet.

 

[Mavic Medic]

IF and, I mean IF, the cell site is working properly you shouldn’t have any problems within 10th of the antennas. Now if the cell site has any dishes on it or anything that looks like small drums I would stay away from it especially directly in front of it. In the picture i see what looks like a dish. They can be on a higher frequency and are radiating like a focused beam (point to point) that is close to DJI control freqs. The flat panel antennas work on the cellular ranges which are highly unlikely to be any problem. There is a graphical meter in the DJI app. I would also use that a a general guide. Short of a spectrum analyzer there is no way to be sure. If you get a interference warning when flying don’t panic, decend if not safe to do that then climb. If you experience a lost link your return to home should get the drone back. There are plenty of communication tower inspections done with Mavic 2/occusync 2.

Now the other side to consider is causing interference to the cell site. That is illegal, though highly unlikely, I wouldn’t hang around longer than I needed to.

I would recommend launching 300-500’ laterally from the base. Then go straight up to the hight of the antennas. Slowly working towards the distance you need to be for your shot. If any interference warning on the controller occurs or interference in the video feed abort. Your video feed is going to start acting up before your control link is. So use your video feed as a guide as well.