Increase Mavic 2 range beyond 8000 meters?

[Waldo Pepper]

Hello Mavic Pro friends,

Recently purchased the Mavic 2 Pro, amazing piece of equipment. Have a question, hopefully someone can help.

Is there anyway to exceed the preset 8000 meter range? I’ve hit this distance three times, and each time Mavic 2 stopped near the 5 mile mark. Somewhere around 4.97 miles, about 8000 meters.

Is there a setting I can change? Of the three times I’ve hit the 4.97 mile mark, Mavic 2 has battery strength left to go further and return back to launch area.

Appreciate the help,
Paul

 

[Snowstorm]

There are antenna mods for Mavic Pro 1 that may be applicable. Look in the Mavic Pro 1 mod area of the forum.

Practically, 8000m is A LOT, and I am amazed that you actually made it out that far and can return with battery remaining. Are you on a mountain top in the middle of no where? I would not think of needing anymore but to each their own.

 

[RayOZ]

Always trying to push the limit, eh? You are sending a device, costing >$1k beyond your line of sight. Your likelihood of losing it increases the further out you go, and if you ran out of juice cos you went too far, it'll be a lot more effort to find.
If you are flying over water, if you ran out of juice over water. It's goodbye birdie.
Depending on the landscape, wind profile would be different too. To maintain transmission at longer distance, you did have to fly higher, which means stronger wind at higher altitude.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Thank you for mentioning the Mavic PRO antenna mods, i already have a Mavic 1 MAXX mod and maybe in the future transfer this over to my controller 2.

But currently my Mavic 2 has the strength to go further but I believe firmware pervents it from exceeding 8000 meters? Which is around around 4.97 miles, and yes I agree 8000 meters is a lot.

Doesn’t matter if I’m flying from side of mountain or from ground level, getting the same distance range. Because I usually still climb from the side of a mountain, still wound be nice to scrape up another mile if I could.

Thank you,
Paul

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Thank you ray for your good advice,

I use a tracker, and always aware of battery strength and always have a plan for an area to land just in case. Tracker is my safety net, and have permission to fly on cattle range land or farm land. Which is miles of open territory, out in the country.

Use my drones for research, searching for settlements from centuries ago.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[laurens23]

In main controller setting turn off "Enable Max Distance".

If this does not work re-install the DJI Go 4 app (I've heard sometimes this setting gets "stuck" and re-installing the app fixed it)

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Great! Thank you laurens23, I see it and will try it tomorrow. Appreciate the help

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Waldo Pepper]

In main controller setting turn off "Enable Max Distance".

If this does not work re-install the DJI Go 4 app (I've heard sometimes this setting gets "stuck" and re-installing the app fixed it)

Just turned off the “Enable Max Distance “ feature, thanks Lauren I’m set now.

Paul

 

[Cymruflyer]

Hello Mavic Pro friends,

Recently purchased the Mavic 2 Pro, amazing piece of equipment. Have a question, hopefully someone can help.

Is there anyway to exceed the preset 8000 meter range? I’ve hit this distance three times, and each time Mavic 2 stopped near the 5 mile mark. Somewhere around 4.97 miles, about 8000 meters.

Is there a setting I can change? Of the three times I’ve hit the 4.97 mile mark, Mavic 2 has battery strength left to go further and return back to launch area.

Appreciate the help,
Paul

You be careful now extending your range, you know what happened to the original Great Waldo Pepper when he kept pushing the envelope!!!!

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Just turned off the “Enable Max Distance “ feature, thanks Lauren I’m set now.

Paul

I live in Tampa Florida and we have tons of lakes in addition to the the Gulf of Mexico, so water landing and recovery is something that is of course in every time we take off.

Bearing in mind that I got the DJI coverage for water damage and will be buying the State Farm insurance when the DJI coverage plays out, I've ordered several things to make my flights over water safer and be able to maintain a stronger signal over a longer distance regardless of possible interference.

These skids with optional quick release pontoons have been tested on the surf in Australia and proven on older drones in addition to on a Mavic 2 Pro...

http://www.irepairmd.com/product-page/arris-raptor2-skid-for-the-dji-mavic-2

They also make hand catching 100% safer!

As far as the aircraft's antenna goes, I've ordered the Raptor XR antenna, which is the biggest antenna I've seen and it is made in Poland, NOT CHINA.

Raptor XR / designed for Mavic

4Hawks has recognized that even the best brand of amps have an unacceptable rate of defect, so they are working on offering pre-testing them and making them available as soon as possible. (I'll be buying those from them directly too.)

There is a mod that is being adapted to the Mavic 2s that I've been in communication with an individual that has done it on the previous model Mavic that I will ordering to give greatly increased flight times too.

It won't interfere with the current battery, but instead has a 3d printed side saddle that holds 2 separate rechargeable auxiliary batteries.

I'll share info on this mod then it's available.

Hopefully this will be of value to you.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Thank you Cymruflyer,

Yes indeed I remember, Plus he lost his wing walker lady friend.

Very fortunate to have access to miles of open terrain, I can always land short which I have before. Now, from experience I know what the limits are and fly with caution.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Very nice Elton,

I like that setup, maybe for other uses not just water. I metal detector, wonder if I can incorporate that with a wireless coil. Thanks for sharing, I may order one of those.

Thanks

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Very nice Elton,

I like that setup, maybe for other uses not just water. I metal detector, wonder if I can incorporate that with a wireless coil. Thanks for sharing, I may order one of those.

Thanks

Wow! That's an amazing idea! If you turn off the downward sensors, that could work like a champ!!!

I'd love to see you setup when you get it together!!!

 

[TuT]

Be careful of metal detector coil screwing with your compass..

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Be careful of metal detector coil screwing with your compass..

Also a great point!

Maybe if someone is searching an open area, strictly within line of sight...

It is a great idea...

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Very nice Elton,

I like that setup, maybe for other uses not just water. I metal detector, wonder if I can incorporate that with a wireless coil. Thanks for sharing, I may order one of those.

Thanks

You're welcome.

I get nothing by posting anything here except the joy of assisting others as I've been assisted by others.

Happy flying!!!

 

[MavicPro1966]

There are antenna mods for Mavic Pro 1 that may be applicable. Look in the Mavic Pro 1 mod area of the forum.

Practically, 8000m is A LOT, and I am amazed that you actually made it out that far and can return with battery remaining. Are you on a mountain top in the middle of no where? I would not think of needing anymore but to each their own.

Paul,
8km is max distance 4.97. I don’t think turning off max distance is going to make a difference going out further. You were able to go beyond the said max distance with the Bb2 with stock sc2 which is 2km and you flew almost 4km. (Open field no interference) Guess your just going to have to wait until someone figures out how to jailbreak the mavic 2 pro. Hopefully soon because I know you like to push the limits.

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Paul,
8km is max distance 4.97. I don’t think turning off max distance is going to make a difference going out further. You were able to go beyond the said max distance with the Bb2 with stock sc2 which is 2km and you flew almost 4km. (Open field no interference) Guess your just going to have to wait until someone figures out how to jailbreak the mavic 2 pro. Hopefully soon because I know you like to push the limits.

I second that motion about the software.

That's why I'm upgrading my hardware.

It would be nice to have that additional range offshore when checking on the occupancy and well being of other houses out there on stilts or be able to receive a radio transmission for first aid supplies and fly them over to someone in legitimate need for them.

I'm eventually going to order a delivery system for such air ops that will be operated by it's own battery and drop lightweight packages that is triggered by turning the lights on the landing gear on.

 

[toegema]

I never had a DJI drone that had a software limit to distance. I thought I thought I read somewhere Mavic 2 could theoretically fly 18 km? But perhaps that’s only battery capacity and requires to be in range of the controller?

 

[lolo780]

It will fly more than 18km. This isn't the stock M2 distance record either.