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Loose antennas.

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Well, I don't know why DJI MA's controller antennas would be assembled any differently then a Sparks or Mavic 2 controller which I also own and have stayed tight just fine over many uses. They should not just come loose like this in normal use or right out of the box. Its weird...
i have also the Spark and you're right - after year of usage the controller antennas are holding in place like new. They are identical, I believe. Not sure if Spark antennas have lower gain or not but similar in mechanical way.
 
Since the signal comes out the strongest from the flat side of the antenna why not move both pointing down to the ground . The flat part of the antenna needs to point to the drone . If it’s pointed down the flat will be aimed out to the flying drone . It must be better than one that’s pointing straight out . The end of the antenna has the weakest signal.
Just a thought
 
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Since the signal comes out the strongest from the flat side of the antenna why not move both pointing down to the ground . The flat part of the antenna needs to point to the drone . If it’s pointed down the flat will be aimed out to the flying drone . It must be better than one that’s pointing straight out . The end of the antenna has the weakest signal.
Just a thought

That is exactly how the Smart Controller is designed. Whether the antennae is up or down doesn't matter, you still get the exact same angles to the drone relative to the flat portions of the antennae. It's also very important to keep them parallel, which is difficult with loose antennae.
 
That is exactly how the Smart Controller is designed. Whether the antennae is up or down doesn't matter, you still get the exact same angles to the drone relative to the flat portions of the antennae. It's also very important to keep them parallel, which is difficult with loose antennae.
I don't think this would work with the Mavic Air standard remote control. The antennae simply won't rotate lower than horizontal (you can't point them downward).

Larry
 
I don't think this would work with the Mavic Air standard remote control. The antennae simply won't rotate lower than horizontal (you can't point them downward).

Larry

Correct - I was just confirming the above poster's suggestion that it works in theory, to the point that DJI actually designed their new Smart Controller that way. You can't angle the Air's antennae downward, but the exact same angles are achievable on either controller.
 
I didn’t know they wouldn’t rotate. I just tried a spark remote and nope it won’t turn that far
 
I've been even thinking about getting some Spark remote antennas and swap them since they are identical (as far as I know). But I don't wanna disassemble pretty new controller and void the warranty.
 
If anyone else needs a brace, they are now available here in my store. The brace can also be used on the remote controller for the Mavic Pro, Mavic 2, or Spark.

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Had the same issue with my Mavic Air after a few weeks of light use, I was annoyed enough to call DJI and set up a repair. I sent it and and can you believe they sent me back a brand new remote, obviously un-inspected, as the "new" remote they sent me had the same exact issue, flopping right antenna! I was pissed, called them and wrote them, sent back the "new" replacement for a third replacement and finally got a good one with nice firm stiff antennas that stay in place! Keep in mind if you do decide to send your remote back to DJI it's a slow process! Pick a rainy week! The three back and fourth send/receive I had to deal with took close to a month. Overall I'm happy I did it though, in the end it work out!
In between all the back and fourth with DJI I found these antenna braces and bought a set as a back up, they work great if the problem ever arrises again, it's the perfect fix if you don't want to bother sending your remote back or if you're out of warranty. The link is below,
 
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Had the same issue with my Mavic Air after a few weeks of light use, I was annoyed enough to call DJI and set up a repair. I sent it and and can you believe they sent me back a brand new remote, obviously un-inspected, as the "new" remote they sent me had the same exact issue, flopping right antenna! I was pissed, called them and wrote them, sent back the "new" replacement for a third replacement and finally got a good one with nice firm stiff antennas that stay in place! Keep in mind if you do decide to send your remote back to DJI it's a slow process! Pick a rainy week! The three back and fourth send/receive I had to deal with took close to a month. Overall I'm happy I did it though, in the end it work out!
In between all the back and fourth with DJI I found these antenna braces and bought a set as a back up, they work great if the problem ever arrises again, it's the perfect fix if you don't want to bother sending your remote back or if you're out of warranty. The link is below,
I've read enough accounts concerning floppy antennas that I'm now convinced there's a basic design flaw when it comes to that (usually right-side) antenna on the Mavic Air remote control. A significant percentage of Mavic Air remote controls exhibit the problem straight from the factory (though it may not manifest itself until the antennas have been flexed with use), and apparently it's not sufficiently checked by their QC people (maybe because it doesn't show up until after a few weeks of use).

My remote control has the problem, and started showing it a few weeks after I started flying the drone. I eventually tried propping the antenna up with shims, but I never came up with a reliable method. Then I bought one of those signal extenders that fit over both antennas. That forced both antennas into an upright position, but seemed like a bit of a kludge. When Phantom Help asked me to beta test the antenna brace linked to in the above post, I jumped at the chance. It's an elegant solution to the problem, and it works.

One detail I noticed from the time my remote had the problem: When that antenna starts drooping during a flight, it definitely negatively affects the signal getting to the drone in flight. Since I've begun using the brace, I've had fewer weak-signal warnings and fewer lost connections.

Larry
 
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I got another controller yesterday out from grapevine and it is tight so i gotta track its anticipated loosening up from folding unfolding. It came flashed already at fw200 ready to use with aircraft fw300. The phone gripping collapseable arm on the charging side can not completely collapse and mate with the rc body. By design all three cellphone grippers must be colinear (phone is colinear), the rc body channel is the 3rd colinear channel grip.
I slipped off the joystick rubbers so they'd be skinny. This way the stick receptacle wont bulge fatter worsening arm closure.
Btw, is it okay to trust chopsuey version recipe? Craft fw300, Rc fw200, apk ver4.3.14
I viewed the out of date flysafe from within apk. It's grapevine's factory issued as is, drone, rc, no batteries involved.
 
I have the same issue with my Mavic 2 controller’s right antenna. The rc was a replacement that I received from DJI for an antenna that I was having issues with. I called DJI when I received the rc with the limp antenna and they told me to send it in. I did so and the day they received it I got a message that the repair would cost 67.00. I called DJI and was told that it was not covered under warranty. I got pretty upset with the agent and that didn’t go over well. I told them to ship it back to me unrepaired. It took me 3 weeks and 6 phone calls to finally get me rc back. Each time I was told that they were waiting for a shipping label from ups. I live in California. I can send in a repair and DJI will get it the next day. No way it took 3 weeks to get a shipping label. I found a quick fix for this issue. Just take a small strip of Velcro and place on the base of the antenna. That way you can still close the antenna when needed.
 
...Just take a small strip of Velcro and place on the base of the antenna. That way you can still close the antenna when needed.
I did something similar on my Air's controller. I found a piece of some stronger duct tape or label and pressed it into gap between controller body and antenna base with great results - using it for about half year now and antennas are perfectly solid and holding in any angle I want them to. Previously I've been fixing them with a rubber band but when I folded them, they were prying upwards making them even more loose (plus the rubber band usually snapped in half after 10 or 15 folds).
 
Wh
I have the same issue with my Mavic 2 controller’s right antenna. The rc was a replacement that I received from DJI for an antenna that I was having issues with. I called DJI when I received the rc with the limp antenna and they told me to send it in. I did so and the day they received it I got a message that the repair would cost 67.00. I called DJI and was told that it was not covered under warranty. I got pretty upset with the agent and that didn’t go over well. I told them to ship it back to me unrepaired. It took me 3 weeks and 6 phone calls to finally get me rc back. Each time I was told that they were waiting for a shipping label from ups. I live in California. I can send in a repair and DJI will get it the next day. No way it took 3 weeks to get a shipping label. I found a quick fix for this issue. Just take a small strip of Velcro and place on the base of the antenna. That way you can still close the antenna when needed.
Why would you fold the antennae during use?
Se post #44 for @msinger great solution which also allows tipping forward when needed.
 
I have read all the reports about the floppy antennas: Ok folks, I called TECH help at DJI: 818 235 0789. Talked with a helpful tekkie in the Philippines. a.) all of you saying a toothpick or tape or rubber band are missing the point. The antenna MUST be properly aligned. Secondly, according to the tekkie, it the floppiness may impact on how it is set within the internal connections within the RC Pro Controller and impact not only the transmission of the visuals but the controlling signals as well. So, sure if your toothpicks and tape seem to fix the external floppiness, it may not be addressing whatever internal connections are necessary. Now if someone has taken the thing apart to discover how the RCPro is engineered, be my guest. I am sending my RC PRO back to DJI.
 
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