RC Pro no 5.8GHz with Mavic 3?

[anthonys]

I'm having trouble with the following. I have a Mavic 3, which I've been happily flying for a while using the RC-N1. Range is great, and in my rural location in dual band mode it generally picks a 5.8GHz channel. I also have an RC Pro which came in the Air 2S bundle earlier this year and I decided to try that with the Mavic 3. It works, but on the transmission tab it looks like it only supports 2.4GHz. The auto/manual switch is greyed out, and there is no 2.4/5.8 selection shown.

I've switched the Mavic 3 back and forth between the two controllers several times and the RC-N1 always shows dual band and the RC Pro always shows just 2.4. I've also tried the same test with the Air 2S, with the same result - 5.8 is not available with the RC Pro, but is with the RC-N1. I'm in the US, and everything is registered to the same DJI account. Any suggestions how I might get the RC Pro on dual band? Thank you.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Is this also in flight? Several of the RC Pro settings are unavailable until you are connected and in the air (e.g., the auxiliary Landing LED cannot be activated until airborne).

 

[anthonys]

Is this also in flight? Several of the RC Pro settings are unavailable until you are connected and in the air (e.g., the auxiliary Landing LED cannot be activated until airborne).

Yes, it's in flight. I've tested both the Air 2S and Mavic 3.

 

[anthonys]

Hmmm, maybe this is not exactly an RC Pro issue. I have discovered that on the RC-N1 if I use an iPhone I get both 2.4 and 5.8, whereas if I use an Android phone I almost always only get 2.4. I tried RC-N1 + Android about ten times, and once it came up in dual band mode, the other times it was 2.4 only. Since the RC Pro is Android, maybe that's the common theme here. I'm running 1.6.8 everywhere.

I've also been following the FCC/CE discussions on the Mini 3 Pro elsewhere, and people are saying if the transmission graphic shows the 1km line at exactly -90dB then the link is in CE mode. This is what I'm seeing with the RC Pro and with the RC-N1 + Android phone (but not with iOS phone).

I'm in the US, but only about 15 miles from Canada. Are DJI drones limited to 2.4 in Canada? Is it possible somehow my Android devices think they are in Canada whereas the iOS devices know they are in the US? I've tried various combinations of cellular connection, home ISP connection, and airplane mode and it doesn't seem to make any difference. I would assume the equipment uses the GPS not Internet connection to determine it's location anyway.

This is very frustrating! I would much rather use the RC Pro with the Mavic 3.

 

[anthonys]

I notice someone else reported a similar issue on the DJI forum - iOS Fly app does 2.4 and 5.8 whereas Android only does 2.4.

forum.dji.com

 

[GadgetGuy]

But for the the fact that appears to also be limiting the 2.4 power to a CE level, in your unique rural setting, 2.4 should offer better range than 5.8, which generally works best in heavily urban environments, where there is too much interference on 2.4. Have you found that the RC Pro is also limiting your range on 2.4 vs. your RC-N1 range with Auto band selection, or manually selecting 2.4 on the RC-N1 on iOS?

 

[GadgetGuy]

There is a new 1.6.9 app update for the RC Pro that just appeared tonight.
Prior version is 1.6.8.
Update to 1.6.9 and see if it fixes your issue.
Only info was it "Optimizes the app."

 

[anthonys]

There is a new 1.6.9 app update for the RC Pro that just appeared tonight.
Prior version is 1.6.8.
Update to 1.6.9 and see if it fixes your issue.
Only info was it "Optimizes the app."

Thank you for pointing this out. I tried it and unfortunately it doesn't address the problem I'm having. My RC Pro is still restricted to 2.4GHz with my Mavic 3. There is no dual band option in the transmission tab of the app.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Thank you for pointing this out. I tried it and unfortunately it doesn't address the problem I'm having. My RC Pro is still restricted to 2.4GHz with my Mavic 3. There is no dual band option in the transmission tab of the app.

Bummer. It was worth a shot!

Can you confirm that your range is also limited to CE range under 2.4Ghz?
Otherwise, being restricted to 2.4 under FCC range in a remote area should not be a problem. 5.8 is only needed in heavily until urban areas with lots of 2.4 interference.

 

[anthonys]

I don't have a quantitative way to measure the range, and you are correct 2.4GHz should be plenty good enough. I suspect this is the reason this problem has not been more widely reported - people may not realize they are stuck in 2.4GHz.

I've had a few multi-second dropouts at around 800' with the RC Pro which I've never had with the RC-N1 flying in the same area. I don't know if this is due to the RC Pro itself, or being limited to 2.4, or something else. I've watched the transmission tab with the RC-N1 + iPhone and it definitely switches between 2.4 and 5.8 while I'm flying, so I guess where I am there's enough in the environment that the drone sometimes decides 5.8 is the best.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, elsewhere people have suggested looking at the transmission graphic to see whether the 1km line exactly matches -90db which indicates CE mode. On my iPhone they are not aligned (i.e. FCC mode), but on the RC Pro and on an Android phone + RC-N1 they are exactly aligned (CE mode).

It irks me that the expensive RC Pro, or the RC-N1 with an Android phone, behaves differently than the same RC-N1 with an iPhone, in the same location with the same drone. Especially puzzling since it's the drone's GPS that determines location for the controller. Android is limited to 2.4GHz, iPhone is dual band. 100% reproducible. AFAIK DJI have not documented any scenario where iOS devices have more functionality than Android, so I want my RC Pro to be full featured!!

 

[GadgetGuy]

I don't have a quantitative way to measure the range, and you are correct 2.4GHz should be plenty good enough. I suspect this is the reason this problem has not been more widely reported - people may not realize they are stuck in 2.4GHz.

I've had a few multi-second dropouts at around 800' with the RC Pro which I've never had with the RC-N1 flying in the same area. I don't know if this is due to the RC Pro itself, or being limited to 2.4, or something else. I've watched the transmission tab with the RC-N1 + iPhone and it definitely switches between 2.4 and 5.8 while I'm flying, so I guess where I am there's enough in the environment that the drone sometimes decides 5.8 is the best.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, elsewhere people have suggested looking at the transmission graphic to see whether the 1km line exactly matches -90db which indicates CE mode. On my iPhone they are not aligned (i.e. FCC mode), but on the RC Pro and on an Android phone + RC-N1 they are exactly aligned (CE mode).

It irks me that the expensive RC Pro, or the RC-N1 with an Android phone, behaves differently than the same RC-N1 with an iPhone, in the same location with the same drone. Especially puzzling since it's the drone's GPS that determines location for the controller. Android is limited to 2.4GHz, iPhone is dual band. 100% reproducible. AFAIK DJI have not documented any scenario where iOS devices have more functionality than Android, so I want my RC Pro to be full featured!!

You have pretty much answered my question, and confirmed that it is in CE mode, limited to CE range on 2.4 only, while still flying in the U.S.. Your proximity to Canada seems to be the likely culprit, as DJI's Android app programming for the international border must be off, as to your still being in the U.S.. That's how I would pursue this with DJI, escalating it to supervisors and managers, proving on the map that you are in the U.S., but the RC Pro Android app seems to be programmed to CE instead of FAA in your location. Good luck!

 

[anthonys]

You have pretty much answered my question, and confirmed that it is in CE mode, limited to CE range on 2.4 only, while still flying in the U.S.. Your proximity to Canada seems to be the likely culprit, as DJI's Android app programming for the international border must be off, as to your still being in the U.S.. That's how I would pursue this with DJI, escalating it to supervisors and managers, proving on the map that you are in the U.S., but the RC Pro Android app seems to be programmed to CE instead of FAA in your location. Good luck!

I just returned to Seattle, powered up the Mavic 3 with the RC Pro, and as soon as it announced "the home point has been updated" the dual mode options appeared in the app on the RC Pro. This is what I would expect, and is what the iPhone does. So ... as you said, it looks like there's an Android specific issue near the border.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I just returned to Seattle, powered up the Mavic 3 with the RC Pro, and as soon as it announced "the home point has been updated" the dual mode options appeared in the app on the RC Pro. This is what I would expect, and is what the iPhone does. So ... as you said, it looks like there's an Android specific issue near the border.

Yup! Report it to DJI as such, relating to the Android maps of the international border being off, resulting in CE limitations in FCC territory in the U.S.!

 

[NewAir2sMan]

Hey @anthonys , I just possibly found your only solution, being so close to the border , take a read of this

USA and FCC mode

ever since i lost my spark and replaced it...i am stuck in 5.8ghz mode....(and replaced it on my money) i live in Eastport Maine USA...i can see Canada a mile away....i cannot get this to stay in 2.4ghz mode....any tips would be helpful...I do not want to lose another...thanks in advance

forum.dji.com

 

[anthonys]

Hey @anthonys , I just possibly found your only solution, being so close to the border , take a read of this

USA and FCC mode

ever since i lost my spark and replaced it...i am stuck in 5.8ghz mode....(and replaced it on my money) i live in Eastport Maine USA...i can see Canada a mile away....i cannot get this to stay in 2.4ghz mode....any tips would be helpful...I do not want to lose another...thanks in advance

forum.dji.com

Most of that thread talks about manually selecting 2.4 or 5.8, but in my case that option isn't even showing in the DJI Fly app. When I'm near the border that option disappears and the drone is limited to the 2.4 band.

Over on the Mini3 thread someone says the new software just released for the DJI RC controller fixed their issue with FCC not working near the border. This gives me hope that DJI has recognized the issue in their Android apps and will release a fix for the RC Pro too.

 

[anthonys]

Just to conclude this thread ... I have gone back and forth with DJI support providing them with various logs and video evidence of the problem as requested. They have now acknowledged there is a problem near the border and said they "will try to fix this issue with an update in the future".

 

[YVRGUY]

I'm having trouble with the following. I have a Mavic 3, which I've been happily flying for a while using the RC-N1. Range is great, and in my rural location in dual band mode it generally picks a 5.8GHz channel. I also have an RC Pro which came in the Air 2S bundle earlier this year and I decided to try that with the Mavic 3. It works, but on the transmission tab it looks like it only supports 2.4GHz. The auto/manual switch is greyed out, and there is no 2.4/5.8 selection shown.

I've switched the Mavic 3 back and forth between the two controllers several times and the RC-N1 always shows dual band and the RC Pro always shows just 2.4. I've also tried the same test with the Air 2S, with the same result - 5.8 is not available with the RC Pro, but is with the RC-N1. I'm in the US, and everything is registered to the same DJI account. Any suggestions how I might get the RC Pro on dual band? Thank you.

I had the same problem with my Mini 3 Pro RC. Got dual band on my RCN1, but, NOT on my DJI RC for the Mini 3 Pro. DJI said, it’s a random problem…so, on Monday I will receive my repaired RC from DJI. Fingers crossed. BTW…I’m in Canada’s PNW if that means anything. The problem IS in the controller, that I know. Mini3 Pro flies great with the RCN1.

 

[anthonys]

I had the same problem with my Mini 3 Pro RC. Got dual band on my RCN1, but, NOT on my DJI RC for the Mini 3 Pro. DJI said, it’s a random problem…so, on Monday I will receive my repaired RC from DJI. Fingers crossed. BTW…I’m in Canada’s PNW if that means anything. The problem IS in the controller, that I know. Mini3 Pro flies great with the RCN1.

When you got dual band on an RCN1, was that with an iOS device running DJI Fly app? I have found that all Android versions of DJI FLY (i.e. RC Pro, DJI RC, and an Android phone on the RCN1) come up in CE mode even though I'm in the US (PNW like you, about 12 miles from border). iOS devices work correctly at this location and the drone runs in FCC mode. Also if I drive south so I'm farther from the border all the Android devices work correctly.

I will be very interested in whether your DJI RC comes back fixed. The support person I was talking to said they needed to do a software update to fix the problem I reported.

 

[GadgetGuy]

When you got dual band on an RCN1, was that with an iOS device running DJI Fly app? I have found that all Android versions of DJI FLY (i.e. RC Pro, DJI RC, and an Android phone on the RCN1) come up in CE mode even though I'm in the US (PNW like you, about 12 miles from border). iOS devices work correctly at this location and the drone runs in FCC mode. Also if I drive south so I'm farther from the border all the Android devices work correctly.

I will be very interested in whether your DJI RC comes back fixed. The support person I was talking to said they needed to do a software update to fix the problem I reported.

Yes, this is suspiciously the exact same issue you were having. Until they correct the Android maps with the true locations of the border through an update, nothing will change by simply replacing the RC Pro. It's an Android software bug, and not a hardware problem!

 

[YVRGUY]

When you got dual band on an RCN1, was that with an iOS device running DJI Fly app? I have found that all Android versions of DJI FLY (i.e. RC Pro, DJI RC, and an Android phone on the RCN1) come up in CE mode even though I'm in the US (PNW like you, about 12 miles from border). iOS devices work correctly at this location and the drone runs in FCC mode. Also if I drive south so I'm farther from the border all the Android devices work correctly.

I will be very interested in whether your DJI RC comes back fixed. The support person I was talking to said they needed to do a software update to fix the problem I reported.

I got my RC back. It’s a new one. Is it (the software)fixed?…NO. They threw a 64gb Sd card in for being a loyal customer and all that.

All I understand is, that the RC is a piece of junk until they fix it properly. Lots of fancy promotions sucked me right up and in like a dust bunny. I’m actually worse off. I get more “airplane signal interference “ than normal, sometimes, I fly ~ 150 m and lose all my white bars to the point the drone RTH.

One thing I really observed today running some flight tests is you really have to have that RC pointing in the direction of the drone or else you lose your signal. A few times I relaxed and did not focus on the latter and there goes the signal.

I’m not an expert on radio signal transmission, but, either a miraculous update comes along or some third party will produce an exterior antenna kit that really does transmit / receive. I don’t know what can be done internally to help…maybe I’m wrong. I’m going to do a trip to a more remote area and see how it performs.

Not giving up. The Mini 3Pro is a super drone. Once a resolve is found it will be even better…much better.

FYI…I was getting the double band on my mini 2 with IOS