Poor range - is there a setting I've missed?

[naiku]

I've had my Mavic 2 Pro a few days now, so after a few practice flights at short distance to see how it reacts, felt confident to fly a little further afield. But, I seem to be getting poor range and am not sure exactly why. At about 3,300' away I started losing signal, with a theoretical 20,000+ feet of range, to say I'm a little disappointed is an understatement.

Now, before everyone jumps in and says the range depends on a vast multiple of factors, the reason the range of 3,300' is disappointing is that in the exact same location, with fairly similar weather conditions (weathers typically similar anytime i fly, don't want to risk high winds etc) that my Mavic Air 1, so using wifi, not occusync, will easily make 5,000' before running into issues with the signal. Both flights at the same height of 200' so plenty clear of trees, houses (rural location, not many buildings).

So, going from wifi to occusync i would have expected an improvement, not degradation in the range i could fly.

Maybe I've missed a setting somewhere, I don't believe I have, but who knows. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[JAW]

What’s a M2P look like at 3,300 feet?

 

[Tim Bo]

What’s a M2P look like at 3,300 feet?

probably a nat's hair

 

[naiku]

What’s a M2P look like at 3,300 feet?

A small dot.... thanks for the helpful reply ?

Should have added to my OP that someone would also surely be along soon enough mumbling about VLOS... regardless of how small it is at that distance, it's worse than the performance of the wifi equipped Air and could mean that the transmission is not as good at closer distances in an area with heavier environmental interference. Hence my questioning why it's performance is below what one would expect and looking for something i may have missed during set up. I try to avoid flying outside of VLOS (unless I've looked down, then lost sight of the drone momentarily), I don't like not being able to physically see my equipment, not just the safety aspect, but if it crashes, it's that much harder to find.

 

[sonof40]

A small dot.... thanks for the helpful reply ?

Should have added to my OP that someone would also surely be along soon enough mumbling about VLOS... regardless of how small it is at that distance, it's worse than the performance of the wifi equipped Air and could mean that the transmission is not as good at closer distances in an area with heavier environmental interference. Hence my questioning why it's performance is below what one would expect and looking for something i may have missed during set up. I try to avoid flying outside of VLOS (unless I've looked down, then lost sight of the drone momentarily), I don't like not being able to physically see my equipment, not just the safety aspect, but if it crashes, it's that much harder to find.

Good question and post. Try to ignore the virtue signalers.

 

[Housenotes]

A small dot.... thanks for the helpful reply ?

Should have added to my OP that someone would also surely be along soon enough mumbling about VLOS... regardless of how small it is at that distance, it's worse than the performance of the wifi equipped Air and could mean that the transmission is not as good at closer distances in an area with heavier environmental interference. Hence my questioning why it's performance is below what one would expect and looking for something i may have missed during set up. I try to avoid flying outside of VLOS (unless I've looked down, then lost sight of the drone momentarily), I don't like not being able to physically see my equipment, not just the safety aspect, but if it crashes, it's that much harder to find.

I've had my Mavic 2 Pro a few days now, so after a few practice flights at short distance to see how it reacts, felt confident to fly a little further afield. But, I seem to be getting poor range and am not sure exactly why. At about 3,300' away I started losing signal, with a theoretical 20,000+ feet of range, to say I'm a little disappointed is an understatement.

Now, before everyone jumps in and says the range depends on a vast multiple of factors, the reason the range of 3,300' is disappointing is that in the exact same location, with fairly similar weather conditions (weathers typically similar anytime i fly, don't want to risk high winds etc) that my Mavic Air 1, so using wifi, not occusync, will easily make 5,000' before running into issues with the signal. Both flights at the same height of 200' so plenty clear of trees, houses (rural location, not many buildings).

So, going from wifi to occusync i would have expected an improvement, not degradation in the range i could fly.

Maybe I've missed a setting somewhere, I don't believe I have, but who knows. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I feel the same way! My daughter lives approx 4800’ from me and just for fun I tried flying to her house( lots of trees-flew at 300’) and lost signal around 4000’. For a drone thats capable of 20,000‘ range I was a little disappointed as well.

 

[Fearless Flight]

I would bring it up to 400 feet and try it again. I get about 5500 feet out of mine if I do that.

 

[Jet skier]

I've had my Mavic 2 Pro a few days now, so after a few practice flights at short distance to see how it reacts, felt confident to fly a little further afield. But, I seem to be getting poor range and am not sure exactly why. At about 3,300' away I started losing signal, with a theoretical 20,000+ feet of range, to say I'm a little disappointed is an understatement.

Now, before everyone jumps in and says the range depends on a vast multiple of factors, the reason the range of 3,300' is disappointing is that in the exact same location, with fairly similar weather conditions (weathers typically similar anytime i fly, don't want to risk high winds etc) that my Mavic Air 1, so using wifi, not occusync, will easily make 5,000' before running into issues with the signal. Both flights at the same height of 200' so plenty clear of trees, houses (rural location, not many buildings).

So, going from wifi to occusync i would have expected an improvement, not degradation in the range i could fly.

Maybe I've missed a setting somewhere, I don't believe I have, but who knows. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I think it all depends on the environment example density , or farm country ,forest on and on and also altitude higher you go the better you get

 

[Lanierrs]

I'm having the same experiences with my M2P. I can only get about 5500 feet at the most. Usually around 4000 feet though. I dont plan on going to 20000 feet but I would still like to know how much range I'll have comfortably. Especially when wanting to get a shot over water.

 

[naiku]

Exactly, I don't need 20k foot of range, but I'd at least like to know i can get more range than with my Mavic Air.

 

[Jet skier]

I'm having the same experiences with my M2P. I can only get about 5500 feet at the most. Usually around 4000 feet though. I dont plan on going to 20000 feet but I would still like to know how much range I'll have comfortably. Especially when wanting to get a shot over water.

I’ve had mine go 3 miles over a wilderness with no hills

 

[Bobvt]

I'm having the same experiences with my M2P. I can only get about 5500 feet at the most. Usually around 4000 feet though. I dont plan on going to 20000 feet but I would still like to know how much range I'll have comfortably. Especially when wanting to get a shot over water.

A shot over unobstructed water is where you'll get your best distance,nothing to block signal,ocusinc is incredible

 

[Jet skier]

A shot over unobstructed water is where you'll get your best distance,nothing to block signal,ocusinc is incredible

It depends how high above grade or water level that you are at take off. The higher the better

 

[offtheback]

Good question and post. Try to ignore the virtue signalers.

Most of them fly beyond VLOS

 

[naiku]

Tried a couple more flights yesterday, looks like in this area at least, the occusync 2.0 enabled Mavic 2 Pro performs worse than the wifi enabled Mavic Air.

While it's not a huge deal, it's certainly disappointing to have what should have been a stronger more reliable connection actually be about 15-20% worse.

 

[Jet skier]

Tried a couple more flights yesterday, looks like in this area at least, the occusync 2.0 enabled Mavic 2 Pro performs worse than the wifi enabled Mavic Air.

While it's not a huge deal, it's certainly disappointing to have what should have been a stronger more reliable connection actually be about 15-20% worse.

That can’t be possible something must be switched off on your Mavic two pro, somethings not right

 

[Jet skier]

That can’t be possible something must be switched off on your Mavic two pro, somethings not right

are you sure you have your maximum distance set for three or 4 miles?

 

[naiku]

That can’t be possible something must be switched off on your Mavic two pro, somethings not right

Right, I'll check through the controls and settings later, but I couldn't find anything when previously looking. Any particular menu I should look at?

 

[Jet skier]

Right, I'll check through the controls and settings later, but I couldn't find anything when previously looking. Any particular menu I should look at?

Open up the go for app on your display and when you get the picture in the middle with all the telemetry tap the upper left corner of the display where it is either yellow or green or red and it should say aircraft status that’s where you’ll find maximum altitude and distance preference

 

[naiku]

Maximum altitude set to 390' and no limit to maximum distance.