Lost phone signal, couldn't fly

[N321GO]

I was hiking up in Snohomish County (WA) with a friend last weekend andfound a great place for some Mavic Mini shots along the Sand Fork of the Stillaguamish River. There was a bank with big round river rocks that we got set up on, but I couldn't fly because I had no cell phone signal in that canyon. My friend had no signal either, so we sadly packed up and left for the day.

I'm just wondering why a loss of cell signal is a showstopper. Like, if the phone connects to the RC via cable, how does the RC connect to the aircraft? I thought it was RF, but does the Mini connect via cellular as well? If so, what carrier?

 

[Meta4]

I'm just wondering why a loss of cell signal is a showstopper. Like, if the phone connects to the RC via cable, how does the RC connect to the aircraft? I thought it was RF, but does the Mini connect via cellular as well? If so, what carrier?

No phone signal makes no difference.
Your drone doesn't need phone signal for anything.

What made you think you couldn't fly?

 

[lilewis]

Try a different cable running from the phone to the controller.

 

[Lastrexking]

It shouldn’t matter. I put my phone in airplane mode when I fly so I don’t get annoying interruptions.

 

[Brian I]

You don't need a phone signal to fly your drone - as demonstrated by those of us who use a tablet with no SIM card or any other means of connecting to a network. Check your cable.

 

[N321GO]

No phone signal makes no difference.
Your drone doesn't need phone signal for anything.

What made you think you couldn't fly?

Now I wish I'd taken a screen shot. Can't remember the actual message but I'd been flying just a half hour previous. Once I got by the river, I put in a fresh battery (the only change). The unit powered up without event, but refused to fly. Was hoping to skim over the river and down a small cascade, but not this time. Now I want to go back and try again.

 

[tlswift58]

Now I wish I'd taken a screen shot. Can't remember the actual message but I'd been flying just a half hour previous. Once I got by the river, I put in a fresh battery (the only change). The unit powered up without event, but refused to fly. Was hoping to skim over the river and down a small cascade, but not this time. Now I want to go back and try again.

Be more specific on no fly. Did the props / motors start or no? If not, then maybe you were in a DJI "geofence" zone or other restricted area. This sounds more likely than any other issue, but a cable could be too. Only way to know is test fly where you know you can with no issues. If everything checks out - you most likely were in a restricted area, even if only via DJI's geofence system. If there was no cell service there, there would be no way to possibly "unlock" or give the drone permission to take off when signed into your DJI account - which is a must. Many of us never sign out, simply for that reason.

If you don't have any apps like Aloft / B4UFly / UAVForecast /etc to know restricted flying areas - then download one or more of them to check out the area before going there. B4UFly also has a browser version for using on a PC as well.

Checking your flying area BEFORE you go should be Step 1 on your checklist. It's a PITA to go somewhere and want / try to fly and can't because of some possible restrictions. It's all a learning process every pilot goes thru.

 

[EyesWideShut]

As others have said, you don't need cell service. Not sure why some say there may be a cable problem because you don't even need a phone or any other device attached to fly. You can just use the Flight Controller alone without a device plugged in. You will be able to take off, fly VLOS, take video and stills and still have RTH if it's needed. You won't be able to see your display to accurately frame shots but will work in a pinch if you've forgot your phone or the battery's dead.