Polar Pro Phone Mount-Don't Buy

[Lon Denard]

So I had been flying other drones for years and absolutely hated the idea of having the screen below the controller. I searched and found the Polar Pro unit, YAY! $25 and did the job of placing my screen above the controller.

Here's the problem, and I didn't realize it until I started using my Crystalsky with the DJI mount. The phone up top was causing signal interference. Now that it's below, I routinely fly out 4 or 5 thousand feet without a care. Before it was having signal issues around 2k or less. Of course, I could have put my phone on "airplane mode" but I'm not convinced that would have been a complete solution. A blockage is a blockage.

Now, I wonder if some of the guys that complain about signal loss are using other mounts, tablets, etc that place the screen anywhere but below the controller could be the issue? Just a thought.

 

[msinger]

Here's the problem, and I didn't realize it until I started using my Crystalsky with the DJI mount. The phone up top was causing signal interference. Now that it's below, I routinely fly out 4 or 5 thousand feet without a care. Before it was having signal issues around 2k or less.

Are you saying the problem went away after you started using your CrystalSky display? Or are you saying moving your phone below is what allowed you to gain the additional 2-3K feet?

 

[Cut.Aussie]

Interesting subject. I’ve always mounted my iPhone and now iPad mini below the controller and have never suffered poor range as so many seem too.

Placing what is basically a broadband digital noise generator too close the RC antennas could well overload the RX input leading to poor signal to noise ratio and thus premature signal dropout.

 

[Oingo Boingo]

The Polar Pro Scouts scavange this site regularly to do gorilla sales for their filters which THEY claim is the absolute best their is. U can expect a response soon

 

[Lon Denard]

Are you saying the problem went away after you started using your CrystalSky display? Or are you saying moving your phone below is what allowed you to gain the additional 2-3K feet?

That's a good point. The Polar Pro won't work with the Crystalsky monitor so I was forced to make a change. Like I said, I was never a fan of the under the controller set up. I bought the Polar Pro mount when I bought my Mavic. I did try the under the controller set up with my 8" Tab S2 but didn't like it. I was too annoyed with how it felt to notice signal. I even tried a different mount from Amazon for the CS but it was flimsy garbage. I went to the DJI CS mount under duress! Hahaha! My signal is vastly improved. It's not in question. Heck, it's not even a range thing. I'm saying that I was getting signal interference messages at start up which made me nervous to go very far.

For the record, the Polar Pro mount is awesome as a mount. I actually have three of them. One I use in my car, one on my tripod and this one. I'm not knocking the mount but the phone placement is problematic for signal quality.

 

[Lon Denard]

Interesting subject. I’ve always mounted my iPhone and now iPad mini below the controller and have never suffered poor range as so many seem too.

Placing what is basically a broadband digital noise generator too close the RC antennas could well overload the RX input leading to poor signal to noise ratio and thus premature signal dropout.

Heck, just placing a slab of aluminum right next to the ant is probably a bad idea. Like I said, it might have helped putting the phone in airplane mode but then I'd lose GPS and data. Not to mention miss calls and texts.

In any case, if I really card I could do a comparison video since I have two controllers. I could link them both to the Mavic and see if there's a difference. If anyone cares I'll do it, otherwise, just take my word for it. In retrospect it makes perfect sense..

 

[Mr. Salty]

Not to mention miss calls and texts.

You don’t want calls or texts popping up on your device screen while you’re using it to fly.

 

[Lon Denard]

You don’t want calls or texts popping up on your device screen while you’re using it to fly.

Well, there's reason number one why I went ahead and purchased the Crystalsky. I tried the 8" tablet but I didn't like that either. I hate mounts that block the controller screen so... Besides, this set up stows away in my case nicely. The better signal is basically a bonus.

 

[msinger]

That's a good point. The Polar Pro won't work with the Crystalsky monitor so I was forced to make a change.

Right -- that's what I was thinking. It would be interesting to know if the mounting location was causing that problem or just the phone itself.

 

[Lon Denard]

Right -- that's what I was thinking. It would be interesting to know if the mounting location was causing that problem or just the phone itself.

Maybe... Blocking the antenna can't be a good idea. I might do a test I guess. Heck, maybe it's NFC. I'm just seriously happy with the performance I'm getting.

 

[Droneguy18]

Discovered something interesting the other day. iPad Air 2 with very thin magnetic case. Usuallly fly w/o the case, but since it was so thin, I decided to keep it on. MavMount above RC and started getting interference warnings. Didn’t really effect range but did make me nervous. Removed the magnetic case and warnings disappeared.

 

[Lon Denard]

Discovered something interesting the other day. iPad Air 2 with very thin magnetic case. Usuallly fly w/o the case, but since it was so thin, I decided to keep it on. MavMount above RC and started getting interference warnings. Didn’t really effect range but did make me nervous. Removed the magnetic case and warnings disappeared.

Yea maybe I misspoke. I don't know if it affected the range because I wasn't going to test it! I get interference warnings, I keep my drone close.