When the FCC version is in CE countries the 5.8 GHz transmission power is reduced to the level as stated in CE countries. This effectively cuts the power in half. When setting the Fake GPS hack the transmission power is restored because the drone thinks it is in the US/Canada.
Please note that this does not effect the RTH function as after takeoff the drone will connect and set the home point correctly.
I have both the FCC and CE version and fly both in SE Asia (the country I am in is a CE country). I do use the Fake GPS hack when I need better reception and distance. In the area I live in the 2.4 interference is heavy. I get full distance (as I would in the US) (so far 3200m) when flying my FCC model with the hack depending on the interference. I have gotten 1.3 km on my CE model using the hack in 5.8 MHz and without I could only get +- 700m. For whatever reason I get better reception when using the hack.
I have seen some comments saying that they do not see any range or connection improvements after installing the hack. One of the problems is that they install the Fake GPS app and run it without going to the Developer Options (in the phone settings) and making sure that the "Select mock location app" is set to the Fake GPS app. Please note that I use an Android phone. AFAIK there is no way to do this on an IOS phone. As others have stated, for an IOS phone user they must get access to an Android phone to set the hack (see the first YouTube vid below).
When setting the hack on a CE model it is easy to check that the hack is set by looking in the Fly transmission and checking that the 2.4 GHz shows only 11 channels.
When flying the FCC version and setting the hack the only way I have found if the hack is set is to fly and check the distance. If someone has found another way please post it.
Here is a comment that I copied from the Mavic Pilot site awhile ago. This person is in CE country with a CE model:
QUOTE Yes the hardware has been compared, there is an amplifier called Sky... something-something can't remember exactly just that it starts with a Sky and is an amplifier in the FCC version's Control(TX)! Soo we've already cracked and found out exactly how this all works, as I've reached out to DJI and asked them about this! DJI says that the FCC version has different hardware, hence the amplifier. Also I asked them what happens when I take my CE Mini to the US? DJI says that the Device will change its settings to produce more power ON THE SAME CIRCUIT! So even though there is no amplifier chip, DJI feeds more power to the transmitter when it's in 5.8ghz mode! This is the reason why the real FCC drone can fly over 4km and the CE drone can only fly 1.3km with 5.8ghz when Hacked and not the full 4km. If it also had the Sky amplifier chip then it would reach 4km, but as it doesn't have it - the best DJI could do is to just boost the power by a little to effectively double the CE 5.8ghz range. I've already tried it, and yes it does work. My CE Mini can reach over 1km in the City that is! before it could not go over 350m without extreme lag and the video feed would completely go away at about 450m in the city! So the FCC Hack most definitely does work, but it's only worth using if you can't manually switch over to 2.4ghz, as in 2.4ghz I get 2.3km easily in very low wifi areas. For me its really simple and easy to hack my Mini to be FCC, where it has 11 of the 2.4gz channels only. Honestly ever since I started flying with the FCC Hack my video feed is super stable, clear, and fluid with no lag, no chopping of the image nothing, just a really good and strong signal reception! I really hope that DJI would just make this an option, so we don't have to hack it. Or even permanently enable such power for the CE Mini, so it reaches over 1km in 5.8ghz, then we can still use the 2.4ghz for the rural areas. In the city I really do make use of the 1.3km range the CE Mini offers in 5.8ghz when FCC Hacked. I always check my channels, and if it is possible that I fly in 2,4ghz then I don't do the hack as its not needed(2.4ghz has just over 3km in rural areas - which is very nice)! UNQUOTE
Here are a couple YouTube vids that are useful.
This guy has a CE and explains how to set the hack.
Note that on the second vid he corrects a mistake on the first vid regarding disconnecting the phone sequence. Also note that he is setting the hack inside (no GPS reception). When setting the hack outside one must cover the drone until the hack is set so that the mini cannot get GPS reception.
This is a vid from Italy (in english) that explains the hack on an FCC model flying in Europe.
Here is a vid in Italian with English subtitles that explains the sequence setting outdoors using a cover.
