RF Around Cell Phone Towers

[krobert291]

There’s a really interesting Cell Phone Tower near me. It’s 297 feet tall, so I could get above it and still easily stay below the 400’ maximum for my Mavic Pro.

Q: Does anyone have any experience with RF interference around cell phone towers? Am I putting my drone in potential harms way by maybe losing RC control because of RF interference?

 

[Qoncussion]

I've been flying around a large communications array (big tower with microwave, cell and various RF) for years. First with my Phantom 2, and now with the Mavic - no problems whatsoever. Don't launch too close to the tower. I'm usually just 100 feet or so away when I launch, and have flown very close to the tower on numerous flights. Like I said, no problems at all. (Results may vary)

 

[Flycaster]

You can be as far away as 400 feet from the object @ take off, if you are filming/flying around up to the suggested limit of 400 feet in altitude of the same object.

 

[krobert291]

Qoncussion - that’s what I was looking for. Thanks. Flycaster - it’s not the height (or added height) that I was looking for… just wanted to make sure I didn’t get into some kind of runaway condition due to the RF from the tower. Thanks.

 

[Walt Rush]

If you get too close you will begin seeing some herringbone ripple running thru your video. If you get tooooooo close bad things can happen especially if you enter the aperture of the antennas. Best idea is to stay clear.