Mini 2 FCC versus CE range. Does it matter?

[NewbieNewbie]

icecoldgin you really are a bright man (just like lee82gx) to let me know this info! Thank you.​

The way I interpret this is that the Mavic Air 2 costs a bit less than the Mavic 2 zoom, but also gives a 4 x zoom, and their range in CE will both be the same ie. 6km. Not possible to hack at this stage to increase the range versus buying the Mavic Pro 1 which lee82gx said can be boosted for free to 10km, but can only fly a total distance of 13 km (unlike the Air 2 and 2 Zoom that does 18km), therefore needs a battery extender and only has 2 x zoom. I suspect it would be highly complex to purchase a zoom camera to attach to the Pro 1.

So it seems one might have to settle for the cheaper Air 2 with a 6km range with a 4xzoom. I am not sure how much one can see when reaching the 6km limit, then zooming x 4 to see the rest of the land on the farm over an additional 4km with the 4 x zoom (whilst 100 meters in the air). Nobody ever makes videos on youtube like this.

Any thoughts or ideas or suggestions from all the experienced, and most helpful members here?

Thank you Thomas B, Icecoldgin and of course lee82gx and everyone else, and merry Christmas.

Best wishes

 

[NewbieNewbie]

icecoldgin you really are a bright man (just like lee82gx) to let me know this info! Thank you.​

The way I interpret this is that the Mavic Air 2 costs a bit less than the Mavic 2 zoom, but also gives a 4 x zoom, and their range in CE will both be the same ie. 6km. Not possible to hack at this stage to increase the range versus buying the Mavic Pro 1 which lee82gx said can be boosted for free to 10km, but can only fly a total distance of 13 km (unlike the Air 2 and 2 Zoom that does 18km), therefore needs a battery extender and only has 2 x zoom. I suspect it would be highly complex to purchase a zoom camera to attach to the Pro 1.

So it seems one might have to settle for the cheaper Air 2 with a 6km range with a 4xzoom. I am not sure how much one can see when reaching the 6km limit, then zooming x 4 to see the rest of the land on the farm over an additional 4km with the 4 x zoom (whilst 100 meters in the air). Nobody ever makes videos on youtube like this.

Any thoughts or ideas or suggestions from all the experienced, and most helpful members here?

Thank you Thomas B, Icecoldgin and of course lee82gx and everyone else, and merry Christmas.

Best wishes

 

[boblui]

icecoldgin you really are a bright man (just like lee82gx) to let me know this info! Thank you.​

Not possible to hack at this stage to increase the range

The Air 2 can be hacked to make it run in FCC mode by using iOS mod FLY app

2 Zoom.... only has 2 x zoom.

M2Z has optical zoom. It cannot be compared with the digital zoom of Air 2. You can always do digital zooming in post processing so M2Z does have an edge in this regard.

I am not sure how much one can see when reaching the 6km limit....

In urban area with interference from sources such as WiFi, it is possible for you to have disconnection at a much shorter distance, say 700 meters. With FCC, you will get better range and stability of video feed.

 

[DanMan32]

M2Z has 2x optical zoom available in any mode, and an additional 2x digital continuous when in 1080p@30 for a total of 4x continuous zoom.

 

[NewbieNewbie]

boblui​

Thank you; you have given me some god news to tell me that if I have an iphone and Flyapp, then I can hack the Air 2 to FCC mode.

May I ask if this is via fake GPS software? Is this free or must we pay for the hack. I use the term "hack", but no absolutely nothing about the process LOL

I am just grateful to you for telling me this (even though I have never owned an iphone yet.

Danman 32 and boblui, are you saying that with the Air 2, it is not possible for continuous digital zoom at 1080p?

I am not going to take photos in any case. Its more to detect intruders on a massive farm.

Thank you again boblui and Danman32, and everyone else and merry Christmas

Best wishes

 

[DanMan32]

We were correcting/clarifying what NewbieNewbie was saying about Air2 vs M2Z. He seemed to imply MA2 zoom was better than M2Z. Both can do 4x continuous zoom, but with tradeoffs and conditions.

M2Z is better in that 2x zoom is optical whereas MA2 zoom is all digital.
But MA2 zoom can accomplish 4x zoom in more modes.

 

[NewbieNewbie]

thank you DanMan32
I highly appreciate it because it seems the Air 2 is the better option for me to buy because it can be hacked to FCC mode in a CE country with a resultant better range than M2Z whilst also having 4 x zoom, albeit digital, and costing less than M2Z.
I am here to seek advice, and learn from experienced members such as yourself and the rest here.
Tnx again
Best wishes

 

[lee82gx]

icecoldgin you really are a bright man (just like lee82gx) to let me know this info! Thank you.​

The way I interpret this is that the Mavic Air 2 costs a bit less than the Mavic 2 zoom, but also gives a 4 x zoom, and their range in CE will both be the same ie. 6km. Not possible to hack at this stage to increase the range versus buying the Mavic Pro 1 which lee82gx said can be boosted for free to 10km, but can only fly a total distance of 13 km (unlike the Air 2 and 2 Zoom that does 18km), therefore needs a battery extender and only has 2 x zoom. I suspect it would be highly complex to purchase a zoom camera to attach to the Pro 1.

So it seems one might have to settle for the cheaper Air 2 with a 6km range with a 4xzoom. I am not sure how much one can see when reaching the 6km limit, then zooming x 4 to see the rest of the land on the farm over an additional 4km with the 4 x zoom (whilst 100 meters in the air). Nobody ever makes videos on youtube like this.

Any thoughts or ideas or suggestions from all the experienced, and most helpful members here?

Thank you Thomas B, Icecoldgin and of course lee82gx and everyone else, and merry Christmas.

Best wishes

You not see humans from 4km with 4x zoom digitally. It’s easy to simulate, just use your regular cellphone.

 

[boblui]

Thank you; you have given me some god news to tell me that if I have an iphone and Flyapp, then I can hack the Air 2 to FCC mode.

May I ask if this is via fake GPS software? Is this free or must we pay for the hack. I use the term "hack", but no absolutely nothing about the process LOL

I am just grateful to you for telling me this (even though I have never owned an iphone yet.

It's free

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[NewbieNewbie]

boblui​

I want to thank you kindly for this. It's like receiving a Christmas gift LOL
Will it stay here ? Or will they remove it? It will take a bit of time for the Mavic Air to arrive if I order it.
Thank you again boblui
Best wishes

 

[NewbieNewbie]

Thank you for this brilliant idea lee82gx. On this very same note I looked at the Autel Evo which has 8x zoom, and 7km range, but then I read many people have problems with achieving a good range with it (even though the Autel Evo is fully owned by its owner - no registration, no NFZ etc)
Thank you lee82gx

 

[NewbieNewbie]

Does anyone know if the lights on the Mavic air 2 can be taped closed to make it stealth?
Thank you
Best wishes

 

[NewbieNewbie]

Hi boblui and lee82gx and everyone else

I saw a Mavic Air 2 pre owned. Now I want to buy this online, but of course this has already been used.

Do you know if this will complicate matters to link this used Mavic Air 2 up to an iphone and do the hack via Flyapp (considering the previous owner already linked it to his phone)? OR is this not an issue?

Is there anything I need to watch out for, considering it is a used Mavic Air 2 (apparently it only flew 3 times).

Somewhere I read that there is a long process afterwards when hacking a DJI for the FCC boost, that you must implement to prevent it from detecting that you are in a CE region after you switch it off, and on again. Is this true.

Finally, I must thank boblui, lee82gx, DanMan32 and all the other helpful, welcoming members here who have all given me brilliant advice.

Thank you

Best wishes

 

[NewbieNewbie]

May I ask if anyone knows if the Mavic Air 2 also allows one to take a photo in real time whilst flying and then zoom in the photo whilst flying?
Thank you again to everyone.
Best wishes

 

[lee82gx]

Thank you for this brilliant idea lee82gx. On this very same note I looked at the Autel Evo which has 8x zoom, and 7km range, but then I read many people have problems with achieving a good range with it (even though the Autel Evo is fully owned by its owner - no registration, no NFZ etc)
Thank you lee82gx

I'm not ssure about the autel evo. But where I'm from, autel evo is most expensive.

The mavic air 2 is landing lights can be remotely shut off by remote control, it doesn't even light up in the day.

The leg lights can be taped over.

I'm giving this some thoughts and perhaps you will not identify any human from even 100m high even if you are above the subject. At least maybe optical 5x for 100m, and that means plenty more for needed for anything beyond 1km

 

[NewbieNewbie]

Thank you lee82gx, but if it is 48 megapixel and you can take a pic whilst in flight and enlarge the pic whilst flying, then will it not be sufficient?

I just hope that the hack to FCC will not take away the zoom function. I think one must accept the limitations because its not possible to get better zoom (for some reason it seems not be a popular feature on drones). Also probably highly complex to attach a zoom camera, but I noted they lifted 830 grams with the Mavic air 2.

Thank you lee82gx and to everyone else here

Best wishes

 

[lee82gx]

I'm giving this some thoughts and perhaps you will not identify any human from even 100m high even if you are above the subject. At least maybe optical 5x for 100m, and that means plenty more for needed for anything beyond that.

Thank you lee82gx, but if it is 48 megapixel and you can take a pic whilst in flight and enlarge the pic whilst flying, then will it not be sufficient?

I just hope that the hack to FCC will not take away the zoom function. I think one must accept the limitations because its not possible to get better zoom (for some reason it seems not be a popular feature on drones). Also probably highly complex to attach a zoom camera, but I noted they lifted 830 grams with the Mavic air 2.

Thank you lee82gx and to everyone else here

Best wishes

So, the 48mp is actually a misnomer. Because it is a regular 12mp sensor with no quad bayer filter applying in preprocessing. Assuming it is a 4000x3000 sensor, at 1000m, the horizontal field of view of 84degrees translates to a horizontal view of roughly 2200m. That means 3000 horizontal pixels per 2200m. A man is 1m wide and that will nett less than 2 pixels per 1m. It is way too rough to identify a person. A vehicle at 4m wide, maybe.

Take note that the zoom is for ease of viewing, not really for increasing detail or reducing the field of view, optically.

The more I think about this the less feasible it becomes..

 

[NewbieNewbie]

Lee82gx

Thank you for all the advice. It looks like our hands are tied.
We have no choice, The bigger drones with powerful zoom cameras have low range, and big and bulky and pricey.
I even thought if its really a big disappointment, then tape a camcorder with zoom to it, but it will not be in real time, but to attach a small FPV 10 x zoom camera I saw on Ebay might be complex for me. And even to attach it to a fixed wing aircraft would be complex for a newbie, Do you have expertize with this lee82gx?
Thank you again
Best wishes

 

[NewbieNewbie]

I have placed the order for the MA2

Do you know if an old iphone with 16GB will be adequate? I have never owned one in my entire life.

I heard that one has to register to download the mod flyapp. Can we use a pseudonym with regard to iphone or must we give them all our personal details.
Thank you for your kind patience with me.
Best wishes

 

[Meta4]

I even thought if its really a big disappointment, then tape a camcorder with zoom to it, but it will not be in real time, but to attach a small FPV 10 x zoom camera I saw on Ebay might be complex for me.

Drones do a lot of things well but carrying extra weight isn't one of them.
Attaching anything to your drone will reduce flight speed and time.