Mavic Air battery mod

[Slawaw]

Same route and direction. Same test time. The time of year when there is little wind.

Analysis of the flights of other pilots, the choice of the optimal speed in their tests. This is both personal communication and YouTube viewing. There was a discussion on a Russian language forum where pilots shared their information for various drone models. For example, the Mavic Pro 1 has an optimum speed of 48 km/h. A Mini2 38-40 km/h.

If you do not wish to use this information, then this is your own business. But it’s enough just to fly by yourself and make sure the conclusions are correct.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Same route and direction. Same test time. The time of year when there is little wind.

Analysis of the flights of other pilots, the choice of the optimal speed in their tests. This is both personal communication and YouTube viewing. There was a discussion on a Russian language forum where pilots shared their information for various drone models. For example, the Mavic Pro 1 has an optimum speed of 48 km/h. A Mini2 38-40 km/h.

If you do not wish to use this information, then this is your own business. But it’s enough just to fly by yourself and make sure the conclusions are correct.

You didn't explain how you determined at what distance to turn around.
How did you make that determination?

You also didn't explain whether the same battery or different batteries were used.
Which was it?
The variance between batteries, even brand new batteries can be significant, and on used batteries, the variance is even greater between batteries.

Did you also fly every flight to 2 minutes past 0%, or was that only your record flight?

I'm convinced you could have flown even farther at a slower speed than 30mph.

The fact that it was determined that the optimum speed for total distance for the Mavic Pro was 48 km/h (30 mph) where the max P speed is 30 mph, while for the Mini 2 it was determined to be 24 mph, where the max P speed on the Mini 2 is also 24 mph, lends support for my belief that the max P/Normal Mode speed on most DJI aircraft is the most efficient speed for maximum distance. The Mavic Air in size and weight is between the Mavic Pro and the Mini 2, and yet shares the smaller Mini 2 max Normal Mode speed of 24mph. Using the same optimum Mavic Pro speed on the much smaller Mavic Air has to be less than optimum. If 24 mph isn't the best optimum distance speed on the Mavic Air, then it should certainly be closer to 24 mph than the extreme of 30mph for larger aircraft with bigger motors and larger props. If not 24mph, than perhaps 27mph?

What did the Russian language forum conclude was the optimum speed for the Mavic Air, and what other speeds did they test at for comparison, and how significant was their total distance difference between 30mph and 24mph? 5-7% is certainly within a margin of error for all other factors that are impossible to control for, and therefore statistically insignificant, potentially leading one to a false conclusion about what the optimum flight speed should be.

 

[Slawaw]

What did the Russian language forum

I haven't visited Russian forums for a year now, the reason is known. I won't give you a link.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I haven't visited Russian forums for a year now, the reason is known. I won't give you a link.

I never asked for a link. You were the one who referenced their data.

You still haven't explained how you determined at what distance to turn around.
How did you make that determination?

You also didn't explain whether the same battery or different batteries were used during your testing
Which was it?
The variance between batteries, even brand new batteries can be significant, and on used batteries, the variance is even greater between batteries.

Did you also fly every flight to 2 minutes past 0%, or was that only on your record 10km flight?

 

[Slawaw]

The middle is 3.7v. I tried to make the weakest of the cans like that. I don't care about percentages.

In my tests, there is not and was not one battery. I experimented with the weight and capacity of the long range battery. Therefore, separate cells from batteries of different capacities were used.

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I always tried to squeeze the maximum out of the battery, so a lot of flights after 0%. The video has an example of this.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The middle is 3.7v. I tried to make the weakest of the cans like that. I don't care about percentages.

In my tests, there is not and was not one battery. I experimented with the weight and capacity of the long range battery. Therefore, separate cells from batteries of different capacities were used.

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I always tried to squeeze the maximum out of the battery, so a lot of flights after 0%. The video has an example of this.

Thank you! That's very useful information. By way of comparison, in this video, your starting battery percentage was only 98%, instead of 100% in GO 4, like in the record 10km flight. You didn't quite make it back. Maybe that is why.

I also didn't realize you were using various custom made long range batteries, instead of a fully stock battery setup. With that amount of variance, it's hard to to compare your setup to a fully stock setup. If the magic turnaround voltage is 3.7V, everything depends upon the battery, it's starting total voltage, and the types of cells used in the long range battery.

It's clear you had a lot of fun, and used 10km as the turnaround point in the record video, and you even lingered during the turnaround, so there was definitely more distance to be had. Whether a lower speed might have helped boost the total distance with the same battery under the same flight conditions remains unknown, unless you still have the same setup and turn around at 3.7V and see if lower speed results in a longer distance. It also seemed like you were losing signal at the extreme distance, which is the other limiting factor. You can't fly farther away than you can maintain signal strength, and ascending can only help so much. I believe most of the hard core long distance flyers have also run into a hardcoded 10 mile distance that cannot be exceeded, regardless of battery capacity and signal strength, which is why they lost interest when they reached that limit.

 

[Slawaw]

That's very useful information

Standard batteries are not capable of flying long distances. I still make batteries myself, at my desk at home.
I want to draw attention to the seriousness of my test flights. I assume that in the videos you did not notice a lot of little things that affect battery conservation.


Example: I turn the drone around without stopping it, but making a smooth loop. This saves battery.

In Assistant 2, I set a very very slow climb rate. This saves battery power.

A lot of time and test flights have been spent on this.

The speed for the Mavic Air 1 is 48-50 km/h, which I consider optimal for long-distance flights. The opinion of dji engineers does not interest me, because they are guided by other goals. The result of my research is my records. I don't know how dji engineers fly.

Now the batteries I have made, my experience and knowledge are used in the war. It is very important to stay in the air for a very long time. The general battery saving principles apply to all drones. For Mavic 3, for Matrice 30t.

Sports mode is a big battery drain. Normal mode is economy mode. But if you need to fly far, make reconnaissance, go back - this is a hybrid mode. This is what we are now discussing with the Mavic Air 1 as an example.

 

[Yaros]

I always tried to squeeze the maximum out of the battery, so a lot of flights after 0%. The video has an example of this.

Oh wow. This is incredible, your video reminds me a bit of DJI Androsean's videos. He also flies far away on modded batteries.

How did you revive the battery after the voltage dropped below 3.0V per cell?
I had flown batteries below 0% on my Mavic Air 2, luckily all of them survived, but when I was flying with a friend of mine, his Air 1 battery discharged below 0% that far that it didn't even show 0%, it was showing N/A. And the drone fell, powered down, that's it. Air 1 works, battery not anymore. Is there a way to recharge it safely?

I see you're using NiCad mode on that IMAX B6 clone, so trickle charging the cells, or the whole battery in series?

I still make batteries myself, at my desk at home.

Doesn't DJI block modded batteries in newer firmwares? I think I remember androsean point that out in one of his videos regarding the Mavic 3 or something... I never used modded batteries on DJI drones just because I don't want to risk it, but I do have some limited LiPo experience from the days I was flying my DIY Arducopter (S500).

 

[GadgetGuy]

Standard batteries are not capable of flying long distances. I still make batteries myself, at my desk at home.
I want to draw attention to the seriousness of my test flights. I assume that in the videos you did not notice a lot of little things that affect battery conservation.


Example: I turn the drone around without stopping it, but making a smooth loop. This saves battery.

In Assistant 2, I set a very very slow climb rate. This saves battery power.

A lot of time and test flights have been spent on this.

The speed for the Mavic Air 1 is 48-50 km/h, which I consider optimal for long-distance flights. The opinion of dji engineers does not interest me, because they are guided by other goals. The result of my research is my records. I don't know how dji engineers fly.

Now the batteries I have made, my experience and knowledge are used in the war. It is very important to stay in the air for a very long time. The general battery saving principles apply to all drones. For Mavic 3, for Matrice 30t.

Sports mode is a big battery drain. Normal mode is economy mode. But if you need to fly far, make reconnaissance, go back - this is a hybrid mode. This is what we are now discussing with the Mavic Air 1 as an example.

Thanks for pointing out your intentional battery conservation techniques, of a smooth loop turnaround, and a very slow climb rate. Glide paths are always most efficient, whether ascending or descending. Obviously, the custom Assistant 2 setting is impossible to determine from a video. To be clear, though, maximum flight time, and maximum flight distance are two entirely different metrics. The speeds for each are different. DJI specifies exactly how they achieve their maximum flight time. However, they don't tell us how to maximize flight distance, but enough users have researched this to have a good idea, and RTH speeds should be designed for maximum distance, but usually are too slow. For reconnaissance purposes, one wants maximum distance capability, while trading some of that distance for more flight time over areas of specific interest found along the way. Keep up the good work!

 

[Slawaw]

How did you revive the battery after the voltage dropped below 3.0V per cell?

I just plugged it into the stock charger. There is this moment in the video) IMAX used only to balance additional cells.

Doesn't DJI block modded batteries in newer firmwares? I

I use BatteryKiller software. It was created by my compatriot Mikhail from the notorious city of Bucha. This program allows you to unlock all DJI battery controllers. The program is free. Androsean also uses it. Discussions on this Batterykiller forum have been terminated by a moderator due to a complaint.

 

[Slawaw]

If interested, I leave a video on how to use the program. But unfortunately, it is in Russian.

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[Yaros]

If interested, I leave a video on how to use the program.

Thank you, I will check it out!

But unfortunately, it is in Russian.

I do understand Russian and Ukrainian pretty well, actually I'm from Ukraine but currently living in Spain.

 

[Slawaw]

I do understand Russian and Ukrainian pretty well, actually I'm from Ukraine but currently living in Spain.

Then the comment of the author of the program will be interesting

 

[Slawaw]

Doesn't DJI block modded batteries in newer firmwares?

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[Slawaw]

However, they don't tell us how to maximize flight distance, but enough users have researched this to have a good idea, and RTH speeds should be designed for maximum distance, but usually are too slow.

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In this video, even though Mini3 is used, the pilot refused dji's recommendations and increased the speed to 50 km/h to increase the maximum range. The video has subtitles, it will be interesting.

 

[SPIDER23]

Hi
there's anybody know how to build like this!!!! Thank you... Let's build together... Share please... Mavic air battery mod

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[dhruvrajsinh8855]

Hi to all, currently bought a pair of used Mavic Air without batteries (one with broken gimbal for testing and another fully working). I used the modified application for using non DJI batteries and soldered a XT60 into battery pins. Tested with my Liion 3s 3000mAh Battery packs and get 18min fly time in stationary mode using a "lipo saver" and stopping at 3v/cell and the after dissarm checked battery pack again and they still at 3.35v/cell so i think is more than enought for liions.



However, when the batteries goes down to 3.45v Mavic want to land and i need to apply throtthle for prevent landing. Is there any way for skipping this 3.45v landing behavior?

I also did same as you did but how can i know the exact battery percentage on my dji app ?