Interference Issues

NoeM · Mar 5, 2018

I am having a hard time keeping a video feed while flying my Spark. It often says Weak Image Transmission Signal or Interference. I have tested my flight in a wide open cotton field with nothing around and am still getting these issues. Any thoughts?

Notice in the first picture the Red icon on the top right. Can someone explain that to me?

I believe the issue is because of my WIFI setting. It currently looks like this (2nd photo). Should it be on Auto? does someone mind explaining that to me as well?

Aerial-Pixel · Mar 5, 2018

Are you also having this issue on 2.4ghz? Looks like you don't have many clean channels open.

tictag · Mar 6, 2018

The red indicator (if it's the same as the MP) relates to your vision system e.g. obstacle avoidance. Is this switched off? Low light?

The second image shows your WiFi channels (the Spark uses WiFi to communicate between drone and RC), just think of these as easier to remember radio frequencies set out in two different bands, 2.4GHz band to the left, 5.8GHz band on the right. You are currently manually connected via 5.8GHz channel 149. Make sense? Now there's nothing wrong with this per se, in fact the 5.8GHz channels tend to have fewer 'guests' and therefore less interference generally, but the range can sometimes be reduced when compared to the 2.4GHz band.

When set to Auto, the Mavic and controller continually negotiates the best channel to communicate on and, unless you are in a very busy area (RF wise) this is likely your best option.

If you do want to force a particular channel, doesn't matter in the 5.8GHz band but use only 1, 6 & 11 in the 2.4GHz band because these are the only three channels that don't have overlapping side lobes (read: less interference).

edit: corrected typo.

NoeM · Mar 6, 2018

tictag said:
The red indicator (if it's the same as the MP) relates to your vision system e.g. obstacle avoidance. Is this switched off? Low light?

The second image shows your WiFi channels (the Spark uses WiFi to communicate between drone and RC), just think of these as easier to remember radio frequencies set out in two different bands, 2.4GHz band to the left, 5.8GHz band on the right. You are currently manually connected via 5.8GHz channel 149. Make sense? Now there's nothing wrong with this per se, in fact the 5.8GHz channels tend to have fewer 'guests' and therefore less interference generally, but the range can sometimes be reduced when compared to the 2.4GHz band.

When set to Auto, the Mavic and controller continually negotiates the best channel to communicate on and, unless you are in a very busy area (RF wise) this is likely your best option.

If you do want to force a particular channel, doesn't matter in the 5.8GHz band but use only 1, 6 & 11 in the 2.4GHz band because these are the only three channels that don't have overlapping side lobes (read: less interference).

edit: corrected typo.

Yes. It does make sense! Thank you. It is probably best if I just leave it on auto, as well as, put my phone on airplane mode. What are the pros and cons to having obstacle avoidance on? Obviously it will avoid objects but why should one have it off?