Mavic Air - Increased Reception Range?

[Will_F]

Hello!
I've been lurking around the forums for a few weeks, since getting my Mavic Air, and I am curious about how to increase the range, or rather the strength of my signal. I've seen a few posts about boosted Mavics, or new antennae, but only bits an pieces here and there. It would be handy to have a stickied thread about recommended upgrades, and such.

From what I have pieced together, Boosted mavic airs seem to be a bit overkill, but a simple antennae upgrade can be a great bang for your buck. I've been looking around on fpvlr.com, but they only seem to have Mavic Pro or Spark antennae, do these work with the mavic air RC?

I'm not so much concerned with increasing the maximum range, but rather increase the strength of my signal, since I live in Norway, in a pretty heavily wooded around around Oslo. It doesn't take long for me to lose signal with the density of the forests here.

Thanks for your help folks!

 

[Keule]

have you looked at this extender? 4Hawks Raptor SR Range Extender made for the Mavic Air

 

[lannes]

Titan do amplified antennas, just look at the ones that are compatible with the Spark.

Titan Drones, Inc.

For heavily wooded areas they recommend the Atlas 5.8ghz or the new Switch probably also 5.8ghz, but I'd reach out to there sales to confirm.

I have 4 of the panels and they work very well, I like the Control 5.8 or the Cyclone with the MA and the T-Lock connector makes it easy to swap antenna panels around

 

[Will_F]

5.8ghz? I was always under the impression that 2.4 was a stronger, more powerful signal, while 5.8 had greater range. Maybe I am mistaken?

 

[lannes]

5.8ghz? I was always under the impression that 2.4 was a stronger, more powerful signal, while 5.8 had greater range. Maybe I am mistaken?

For signal penetration 5.8ghz is considered better but the longer 2.4ghz is better for out and out range, the OP wanted more signal strength in wooded areas.

Although with 5.8 you can still get good range

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[Mike4884]

Well the record holder for mavic air distance a few threads down has done his farthest in 5.8ghz ...he said he always uses 5.8.....i also do my best in 5.8.. with air and phantom 4 pro 5.8 is better for me. Especially air because 5.8 has more dbm 31 vs 28 dbm for 2.4ghz.. in theory 2.4 should do better but not the case as ive seen with dji quads..
.
..
...edit i think that is the guys video iannes linked above

 

[Verizondrone28]

I'm getting great range on my Air. I always choose a custom channel and the 5.8 band is usually very clean for me. I flew 9700 feet today on the 5.8 band and that is more than enough range. I'll stick to the 5.8. Many of the 2.4 channels I see are noisy.

 

[ddesens]

I just pulled the trigger on the 4 hawks sr. I am going to mount it on a 2nd mavic air transmitter I have and do a side by side comparison stock, windsurfers, 4 hawks sr.

 

[cwil193]

I just pulled the trigger on the 4 hawks sr. I am going to mount it on a 2nd mavic air transmitter I have and do a side by side comparison stock, windsurfers, 4 hawks sr.

Post video when complete

 

[ddesens]

Will do.

 

[AnzacJack]

It might be worth playing with the fcc hack. I think this will benefit you in Norway

 

[dragonmuzz]

I'm using the FCC hack with my Air in the UK .
Currently I'm getting the same range and signal strength as my P3A and P4.
I've used windsurfer mods on all 3 .
Actually.....I just flew a 5500 feet mission into a high interference area I've flown many times before and my Air was still under full control where my ocusync phantom 3 advanced gave up and did a RTH....ok my phantoms are both in CE modes but for what I've seen so far mavic air FCC enhanced WiFi is better then CE ocusync......my only limitations with the Air are its battery ....which if I'm honest is no worse then the phantoms either

 

[Will_F]

What exactly is the FCC Hack if you dont mind me asking? I am unfamiliar with this.

 

[lannes]

What exactly is the FCC Hack if you dont mind me asking? I am unfamiliar with this.

FCC hack is a software app that tricks your gps into thinking it's in another country e.g USA which then allows the DJI Go4 to select the FCC mode as the default instead of the more limited CE.

Not sure how it affects the home point setting though ?

 

[JDog]

Have you tried these?

https://www.amazon.com/IRUIS-Platin...sr=8-1-spons&keywords=mavic+air+booster&psc=1

I have not tried them but there some reviews on youtube which shows that they do help extending the connection.

 

[dragonmuzz]

FCC hack is a software app that tricks your gps into thinking it's in another country e.g USA which then allows the DJI Go4 to select the FCC mode as the default instead of the more limited CE.

Not sure how it affects the home point setting though ?

Theres no effect... after setting it once you can delete the app .
You just cancel the WiFi setting change when you boot up drone.....if u accept the change it will reboot into CE low power mode which of course you don't want

 

[dragonmuzz]

My RTH is perfect and exactly where I am wherever I fly ....I always fly with WiFi and phone data off so the drone can't check for updates ......
Quick way to tell if your in high power FCC transmission mode is you will only have 11 channels in the signal settings box....if your in low power CE mode you will have 13

 

[dragonmuzz]

All in all I'm glad I didn't purchase a mavic pro 3 weeks ago and I bought the Air....it's like having a phone sized more technically advanced phantom 4 in my pocket lol awesome technology

 

[synaesthesia]

What exactly is the FCC Hack if you dont mind me asking? I am unfamiliar with this.

It's not really a "hack" by the definition of "hack".

Basically, the radio power is determined by the DJI Go 4 app running on your mobile device, and is determined at startup as the application establishes connection with your drone. If during this time your mobile device is convinced that it's in an area where FCC regulations apply, it will pop up a warning stating your radio settings are wrong and offer to reboot your drone to the correct settings.

Once you have successfully configured your drone to use radio settings appropriate for FCC, you can then undo whatever you did to convince your mobile device it was in an area where FCC regulations apply and then every time you start up the drone you'll get the same warning pop up stating your radio settings are wrong and you just cancel it to keep the radio settings you've got.

This has no impact on your return to home location as that is determined by the GPS chip in the drone, not the mobile device's location.

 

[Pilot25dmc]

FCC ‘mod’ is probably the easiest change you can make to the Air which TOTALLY changes it. If your in a CE country its a no-brainer. I dont fly long distances but I do like a strong signal.