Official Mavic Pro Range Leaderboard!

[beanbubba]

Here's my new personal best @JakeMaxxUAV
Modified antenna
2 x 3000mAh batteries
Came back at 16%, perfect conditions to fly(weather wise, not area)

Nice flight, can you share the Airdata URL for this run?

 

[TheLightSpeed!]

Salt flats were on my mind too. I remember there is somewhere in the southwest that the hot air balloon folks frequent. There is a spot in a canyon with reliable wind currents in opposite directions at different altitudes. That sound like fun to me to ride a tail wind out and back.

It’s super windy there

 

[cderoche]

I like all the modding you've tested, but I think for the big range over 50k, you'll need to reduce some weight. In a good location, you won't need more signal. There's a guy that goes out 59K at 67ft altitude on stock radio. It's all about the location. Keep the weight as low as possible. No bird side amps, smaller gauge wire for externals and you'll be good to go. You can amp the controller side to help signal.

My record has been smashed repeatedly by @Unknown Caller. He's got it dialed in. Need to get him to post his flights over here. He flies 55K any time he feels like it and hits firmware limit of 58800 on good days.

There's a firmware limit on distance?

 

[cderoche]

Hey @JakeMaxxUAV need to move me up the list from previous run.

Airdata UAV - Flight Data Analysis for Drones

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I achieved a new personal best tonight (in the rain battling 18mph winds the entire flight). For those of you that have helped me on this journey, I say thank you!

After months of failed experiments and 3 crashed birds, I have finally settled into my final configuration mods.

MODIFICATIONS
Dual 4.0 LiHv's mounted topside.
Battery cable direct to motherboard.
Sunhams amplifier sidecar mounted.
Amplifier power cable direct to motherboard.
Birdside TX radio routed to amp input.
Birdside TX antenna routed to amp output.
Trackimo sidecar mounted.
Remote TX radio routed to Sunhams amp input.
Remote Sunhams amp output routed to 18dbi panel antenna.

I did this run with brand new Mavic and 4.0 batteries that had been charged twice.
My previous personal best required me to climb to 1500 feet before the bird side amp mod was installed. I can now do this run at 400 feet max altitude! I highly recommend this mod for those that are surrounded by a forest of trees, it really performs as advertised.

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This mod configuration comes in at just under 1400 grams. On a cool night there is no evidence of overheating and the motors are reasonably warm after a flight. On a hot sunny day, this weight is pushing the far outer limit of what the Mavic can handle and doubt I could have achieved the same distance.

I am planning a "drone vacation" to somewhere in the US desert southwest where I can do a "real" range run without my home base wind and trees. Cybernate must fall!!!

--beanbubba

OMG how does that Mavic even fly!!! Wow man!

 

[cderoche]

I would love to know his "secret" flight locations. I bought another mavic to do just what you described (the mavic I listed prior is strictly for my home base with surrounding forest of trees). I am seriously doing this for my next vacation and would love to know some of these test site locales.

Go here you'll beat everyone. Just gotta make it outta there before the military arrests you lol.
United States National Radio Quiet Zone - Wikipedia

 

[cderoche]

Same dual 4000s. Bought a new set of 8330 props (old syle). The new Platinum props (8331) don't work well with heavy load. Almost lost drone yesterday flying with new propellers and dual 4000s. My motors overheated and it started spinning over the bay. Spun around all the way home in RTH mode. Made it home somehow with 1% battery.

Oh man! I just ordered a set of the 8331's - guess I need to use them only when flying without the 4000mah pack on top.

 

[cderoche]

Yes, don't use platinum version with heavy weight. Less efficient and possibly cause damage. They are great for stock Mavic weight or even small packs.

What I don't understand about this is if the new props are less noise, and supposed to provide a little more flight time, that should mean they're more efficient, but if they cause the motors to get even hotter than the stock ones, sounds like the old props on the old Mavic are more efficient. I'll just use mine as stealth props only. You would think they would make the motors less hot.

 

[CyberNate]

Oh man! I just ordered a set of the 8331's - guess I need to use them only when flying without the 4000mah pack on top.

The platinum props are fine for one pack.

 

[beanbubba]

Another run at the limit today. Had a perfect flight going until I tried to take a screenshot at the turn. Instead of screenshot I turned off my tablet and then it would not reconnect. I think it's because of the Boost hack I'm using which also changed my frequency to 2.57GHz. The radio got messed up as I also restarted Go app. Took me 5-10 minutes to get the connection working and then I lost too much ground to get back. I will get that record run yet! Almost zero wind today.

View attachment 23084

Cybernate, where did you end up landing? Did you have a plan-B landing site?

 

[CyberNate]

Cybernate, where did you end up landing? Did you have a plan-B landing site?

Yes, I have a big soccer field that has limited access. I land in one corner under some trees. It's more than a mile away, but I ditch it there when I know I can't make it back. Have done it a couple times. If I try to push further, there's no good spots to ditch without someone potentially taking my drone. Somehow I damaged by camera LVDS cable (the metal video cable next to gimbal ribbon cable). Already ordered a new one. Will be fun installing that.

 

[MacIak]

Yes, I have a big soccer field that has limited access. I land in one corner under some trees. It's more than a mile away, but I ditch it there when I know I can't make it back. Have done it a couple times. If I try to push further, there's no good spots to ditch without someone potentially taking my drone. Somehow I damaged by camera LVDS cable (the metal video cable next to gimbal ribbon cable). Already ordered a new one. Will be fun installing that.

Oh man! It sure is terrible fiddling with any component of that gimbal assembly, good luck.
Im also looking for some "safehouses" along my usual route, gotta talk with the owner of an isolated farm. The rest of the route is risky, there is always curious people around it when they see it coming down. Almost hijacked my bird twice now.

 

[cderoche]

Well I've tried using the IOS 11 screen recording, but it makes my feed so choppy and often turns off or doesn't save correctly. Hopefully it will be more stable in future updates.

Yea its better than nothing for sure, but kinda sucks compared to Android's DU Recorder. I see IOS11 has another small update, I might try it out again when I'm off. I don't like that it won't stop recording when I'm done, plus I have to slide up the special screen to even access it, harder to do with a case on the ipad and the tablet adapter when connected to the Mavic remote. I've been trying to use the built in recorder when it works, DJI Go 4's flight record, and usually a screen shot at the max distance in case those two fail. Here's another run I did just now, flew with a 5-7 mph cross wind out of the north, launched from my back yard, WiFi interference, but luckily the Mavic itself probably didn't see much interference mostly over sugar cane fields... Almost made it across the Mississippi river when I chickened out and came back praying my batteries would hold out. I was pretty high up at 5.7+ miles out, so what I did was slowly descend the whole time on RTH and that lowered the motor RPMs a bit, probably why I made it back with 25% battery and not less. When you're still over 4 miles out on the way in and battery at 50% its a little bit unnerving! Used my 4000mah Multistar external again, stock remote still. Next time I might try that cheap parabolic thing that I don't think does much of anything.

@JakeMaxxUAV
Jake please update my new distance. 30,440ft battery mod, stock remote.

 

[cderoche]

CyerNate if you move the RC in the direction of the drone said 1/2 mile it with like you fly another 2640 ft?

Does doing that still count on the leader board?

 

[digdat0]

he lands on building tops and then leaps to them like the incredible hulk

 

[CyberNate]

Does doing that still count on the leader board?

No, I don't think it counts to move toward the drone. It's good for testing, but for range leaderboard the point is to see how far away we can fly and maintain signal and battery. If you follow the drone, that's really cheating.

 

[Phxbird57]

Oh man! It sure is terrible fiddling with any component of that gimbal assembly, good luck.
Im also looking for some "safehouses" along my usual route, gotta talk with the owner of an isolated farm. The rest of the route is risky, there is always curious people around it when they see it coming down. Almost hijacked my bird twice now.

If you shot one the word will get out.

 

[Phxbird57]

No, I don't think it counts to move toward the drone. It's good for testing, but for range leaderboard the point is to see how far away we can fly and maintain signal and battery. If you follow the drone, that's really cheating.

I'll have to get to 58k first before I can start doing the dance.....

 

[lolo780]

Full speed in ATTI mode at 58k, no brakes. Maybe extend the lost signal counter time as well and make the Mavic take the longest time turn around.

 

[cderoche]

I'll have to get to 58k first before I can start doing the dance.....

You getting an amped antenna one day? My flight today I had to get pretty high up to keep a signal. Although, launching from home I'm dealing with more WiFi noise. I'm debating between the Atlas and the Cyclone. The Cyclone gives me both options, still can pop it off and put on the whips and not always have a big panel on....

 

[Phxbird57]

You getting an amped antenna one day? My flight today I had to get pretty high up to keep a signal. Although, launching from home I'm dealing with more WiFi noise. I'm debating between the Atlas and the Cyclone. The Cyclone gives me both options, still can pop it off and put on the whips and not always have a big panel on....

I still have my CCP's ( Cheap Chinese Panel) I forget who came up with that name . left over from my P3a. I had full signal at 30k and only at 208ft. with my Mavic. I'm not seeing a need for antenna's. The only sign I may see is smoke.