RID errors and flying outside of cell range

akdrone · Dec 10, 2022

I have had the Remote ID error pop up occasionally but thus far it has not stopped me from flying although at one point I thought I could not fly and then everything seemed to clear up. I was most likely outside cell phone range. Can anyone explain, in general, the issue with being outside cell phone range as I often am flying in that manner. I updated my Mav3 before realizing it was going to lock me into RID and can't go back I guess. I am concerned about updating anything else ( I have FPV, Mini 3 (who's controller was updated when it was bound to my Mav3) and Avata (which I will not update due to the "connect to phone" issue"). I am not crazy against RID but I can't use the drones if I have to have a cell connection. I often drive far out of cell connection and wish to fly in some area that was entirely unplanned. Will this become impossible? Maybe I need to find a used Mav3 that is not updated... ?

SmilingOgre · Dec 10, 2022

I'm posting this with little knowledge of what I'm talking about, sorry.....

As I understood the whole mess, both the controller and the drone must have satalite GPS location established. Cell service is not an issue. This seems to be the case as I am using new RC that has a screen and no cell connection. I get no RID errors. Obviously, if this is the case, the phone or tablet used must have fundtional location services that are enabled. I'm guessing that your controller/controller, phone, tablet has lost adaquate satalite connectivity. Regardless, this could be a significant snafu for sure.

JoelP · Dec 11, 2022

akdrone said:
I have had the Remote ID error pop up occasionally but thus far it has not stopped me from flying although at one point I thought I could not fly and then everything seemed to clear up. I was most likely outside cell phone range. Can anyone explain, in general, the issue with being outside cell phone range as I often am flying in that manner. I updated my Mav3 before realizing it was going to lock me into RID and can't go back I guess. I am concerned about updating anything else ( I have FPV, Mini 3 (who's controller was updated when it was bound to my Mav3) and Avata (which I will not update due to the "connect to phone" issue"). I am not crazy against RID but I can't use the drones if I have to have a cell connection. I often drive far out of cell connection and wish to fly in some area that was entirely unplanned. Will this become impossible? Maybe I need to find a used Mav3 that is not updated... ?

Are you saying that it now consistently prevents you from flying outside of cell range? That seems to be a bug if my understanding of RID functionality is correct. Perhaps Vic Moss will weigh in. If it is a bug then I would surely want to update to possibly get past any code bug of that sort. I also often fly where there is no cell coverage and am keen to know that this isn’t an issue.

AlanL · Dec 11, 2022

If cell coverage was a requirement to use the drone why would DJI sell the RC Pro controller with no cellular modem? I fly all the time with no internet connection on my Mavic 3 and RC Pro controller.

MA2 317 · Dec 11, 2022

akdrone said:
I was most likely outside cell phone range. Can anyone explain, in general, the issue with being outside cell phone range as I often am flying in that manner.

I recently watched a video that mentions this.

.

CaseyGuy · Dec 11, 2022

Like a previous poster, I don’t have a deep understanding of the technology involved here. So I offer this suggestion humbly…

If the issue is that a GPS fix is necessary, would a GPS receiver, rather than a smart phone, provide the necessary coordinates? I use a Garmin GLO 2 GPS receiver with my WiFi-only iPad’s mapping program. The GLO 2 receives data from both the GPS and GLONASS satellite constellations and transmits it to my device via Bluetooth. It costs $100, but perhaps it will provide the necessary GPS coordinates when cell service is not available to a drone pilot. Garmin link: Garmin GLO™ 2 | BlueTooth GPS Receiver

DARKSeifer · Dec 11, 2022

Not cell phone coverage, but GPS coverage, you need GPS to be active on the phone/device you use to fly, because that is where it's going to take your real time location from, to broadcast it from the drone at more than 2Km around.

PS: 2.300m is my actual record of receiving a RID beacon with my tablet and the OpenDroneId Karen app,,, and it's just a cheap Samsung tablet lying on a table, I can easily see 5+ Km on dedicated devices with high gain antennas both for Wi-Fi and BT.

Wreckhunter · Jan 30, 2023

JoelP said:
Are you saying that it now consistently prevents you from flying outside of cell range? That seems to be a bug if my understanding of RID functionality is correct. Perhaps Vic Moss will weigh in. If it is a bug then I would surely want to update to possibly get past any code bug of that sort. I also often fly where there is no cell coverage and am keen to know that this isn’t an issue.

Cell coverage is not used at all.So it is a non issue.

Wreckhunter · Jan 30, 2023

Hobbynumberone said:
Cell coverage is not used at all.So it is a non issue.

And also no internet along with cell service is being used at all.

akdrone · Jan 30, 2023

JoelP said:
Are you saying that it now consistently prevents you from flying outside of cell range? That seems to be a bug if my understanding of RID functionality is correct. Perhaps Vic Moss will weigh in. If it is a bug then I would surely want to update to possibly get past any code bug of that sort. I also often fly where there is no cell coverage and am keen to know that this isn’t an issue.

No.