Losing connection with drone.

[dbrinton]

I'm am new to drones. Flying a MM and was using an Android phone, now using iPad mini 5th gen. The one common element is that we lose connection with the drone on each flight, usually at 500-1000' away, always LOS (no physical interference). We've always established a connection again, but I'm wondering - is this common, and is there more than one type of connection loss, and should we be noting the exact error message? Frankly - when it happens, it scares me, and I'm inclined to just RTH and call it a day. I'm wondering if I should have purchased the MA2? Your ideas on my problem are very much appreciated.

 

[lannes]

Have you orientated your antennas correctly and turned off any wi-fi or bluetooth ?
Also the smart watch can cause some interference

Are you flying in a heavily wooded area ?

 

[Squidinc]

Have you orientated your antennas correctly and turned off any wi-fi or bluetooth ?
Also the smart watch can cause some interference

Are you flying in a heavily wooded area ?

Hi, I wear an Apple Watch whilst flying my MA2. Never considered it might be a possible range inhibitor? Should I remove it when flying? Also noticed when I disconnect Bluetooth that I don’t hear any RC voice confirmations?

 

[lannes]

Hi, I wear an Apple Watch whilst flying my MA2. Never considered it might be a possible range inhibitor? Should I remove it when flying? Also noticed when I disconnect Bluetooth that I don’t hear any RC voice confirmations?

The connection between the RC and your phone/tablet is via the data cable, Bluetooth should not have anything to do with it.

 

[pelagic_one]

The one common element is that we lose connection with the drone on each flight, usually at 500-1000' away, always LOS (no physical interference). We've always established a connection again, but I'm wondering - is this common, and is there more than one type of connection loss, and should we be noting the exact error message?

Welcome to the forum! My Mini occasionally loses video connection around 1000’ but I am able to maintain control and see its orientation, so I keep flying. Even as I fly a distance away, the video feed comes back every time.

My longest video disconnect was back in January at a drone meetup of about twenty people (six new MM flyers). With seven Mini’s aloft, I lost video at about 800’, spotted it, and watched it just sit there for about four minutes. The video feed came back to let me bring it back and land, as I was too new to know I could fly it back by LOS. During the second battery’s flight, two other MM flyers experienced the same thing.

It doesn’t happen that often anymore - perhaps benefiting from latest firmware updates - but I’ve also learned the concept of “que sera, sera.”

 

[dbrinton]

Have you orientated your antennas correctly and turned off any wi-fi or bluetooth ?
Also the smart watch can cause some interference

Are you flying in a heavily wooded area ?

Thanks for your suggestions regarding turning off wi-fi and bluetooth. I had not turned them off on my phone, or on the iPad mini once I started using it for display.
No - not in a heavily wooded area, but there are tall trees in the area potentially partially blocking the signal. The antennas are up and oriented toward the aircraft.

 

[TreeHugger]

It scares me as well! I am finding that my favorite spot to launch from is "depressed" and maybe ~25 lower than some of the land around It seems that if I move to a higher elevation, my range grows.

 

[dbrinton]

Referencing my original inquiry above - wondering -
Can video feed be lost, but control of the drone remains intact?
Or . . can video feed remain, and control of the aircraft be lost?

The loss of control as reported on the display have typically been about 30 seconds in duration.

I will have to watch carefully the exact warning that appears when the device (iPad or smart phone) reports loss of connection in the upprer LH corner of the display.
Your ideas welcome.

 

[Olav van Gerven]

The lost of videofeed does not mean lost of signal. As long as you do not have a problem with the controlsignal, I would just consider it "irritating" since you are not able to control the footage. If you have your RTH-settings right (high enough!) and the drone is set to RTH on losing the controlsignal, you might relax.

As I started flying (Mavic Air) I switched of the controller a few times just to get familiar with the reaction of the drone then. HAve to admit, was scary in the beginning, but as I got more confident that my drone would come back, I relaxed.