Signal Boost Hack Experience?

[JohnLietzke]

Does anyone have an actual experience with using the FCC Boost Mod on a Mavic 2 or Mini.

I live in United States so I use the FCC standard. The CE to FCC mod is not relevant to my situation at this time and I only need on information on the FCC Boost experience.

1) Did using the Boost significantly help the signal to justify both the cost and effort?
2) Was the battery life of the Drone or Controller noticeably affected and if so what do you the loss percentage of battery life was?
3) Were there any unforeseen negatives of using the FCC Boost?
4) Did the FCC breakdown your door with SWAT team for using the boost?

I would greatly appreciate any information. While extremely unlikely, if they broke down your door I would definitely like to hear the story for entertainment purposes.

 

[vindibona1]

I don't understand. If you are in the US why are you concerned about the CE mode? Isn't your drone set for FCC? Is it that you are taking your drone out of the US? If so does it automatically switch to the CE mode or stay in the FCC mode overseas?

 

[JohnLietzke]

I don't understand. If you are in the US why are you concerned about the CE mode? Isn't your drone set for FCC? Is it that you are taking your drone out of the US? If so does it automatically switch to the CE mode or stay in the FCC mode overseas?

Boost mods increase the the power to the antennas beyond FCC levels. CE to FCC is irrelevant to me as Boost has greater power than FCC and would work anywhere in the world.

CE mode is <=20dBm (100mW)
FCC mode is <=26dBm (<400mW)
Boost maximum is 1.8W or 1800mW

 

[vindibona1]

Boost mods increase the the power to the antennas beyond FCC levels. CE to FCC is irrelevant to me as Boost has greater power than FCC and would work anywhere in the world.

CE mode is <=20dBm (100mW)
FCC mode is <=26dBm (<400mW)
Boost maximum is 1.8W or 1800mW

Ok... I get the external modification, if one would want to do it. Perhaps I saw the wrong video when you said FCC Boost Mod and saw a video about faking GPS location. Are you referring to a product like this? MAXXUAV range booster

 

[JohnLietzke]

I was referring to boosting the antenna power through software hack such as Drone Hacks or No Limit Drones. If I can get similar antenna power results via software it would be more convenient, less bulky and more cost conscience than a hardware mod.

 

[Greybird747]

Hello from Europe.
I made some tests with the drone hacks mod. on my M2P. I was behind some woods to obtruct somewhat the signal (same condition 3 tests).
CE mode: 1.2 kilometers before the red flag (adjust your antenna...)
FCC mode: 2.2 km
Boost: 2.7 km
From fcc to boost I usually get one more bar, transmission status and hd on remote
According to my own experience, boost on M2P is not 1.8 W but only 0.8 to 1 W. (Probably depend on components used on M2P. Boost on M1P was more poweful).
No apparent damage (heat or whatever)

 

[JohnLietzke]

Hello from Europe.
I made some tests with the drone hacks mod. on my M2P. I was behind some woods to obtruct somewhat the signal (same condition 3 tests).
CE mode: 1.2 kilometers before the red flag (adjust your antenna...)
FCC mode: 2.2 km
Boost: 2.7 km
From fcc to boost I usually get one more bar, transmission status and hd on remote
According to my own experience, boost on M2P is not 1.8 W but only 0.8 to 1 W. (Probably depend on components used on M2P. Boost on M1P was more poweful).
No apparent damage (heat or whatever)

Greybird747​

Thank you for providing your experience with the Boost mod.

The increase from FCC to Boost is nominal. I am especially impressed that you tested it in an obstructed environment which gives more variables. Under those condition, I would have to assume that the Boost does have a significant improvement with an unobstructed line of sight. The greater distance and increase in stability seem to warrant the cost of the mod. Your information has been very helpful as it is not based on optimal conditions and provides realistic flight conditions and application.

I am waiting for the Mavic Air 2 SDK to be released and mods to be released. I think I will hold off on doing a physical antenna mod to the controller until I have had a chance to test the software/firmware mod.

I have one additional question, did you notice in a decrease in flight time and/or faster battery drain?

 

[Greybird747]

Didn't really notice, apparently not much difference. I think most of power is used by motors and other electronic circuitry, and, probably an increase of output power from 0.4 W to 0.8 or 1 W doesn't affect much the endurance (maybe 1 or 2 minutes less).
As far as I know, at this moment there is not much hack to boost the MA2 except some tricks in ios (Apple devices) with a mod app.

 

[JohnLietzke]

Thanks for the battery info. That is what has been plaguing me.

Yes, the Mavic Air 2 SDK has not been released but once it is I assume that there will be a hack/mod very quickly.

I'm the United States so we have FCC which is a big plus on signal distance and strength. I have flow out over 4.2 miles and still had signal. I had to turn around because of battery. My flight was from a hill about 250 ft above the town I was flying over which has moderately dense Wifi. I was able to fly at 150ft above the hills height to keep in the 400 ft rule.

What was your longest flight using CE? Have you tried a long distance flight using the Boost mod?

I know it can be hard to do long distance flights because you need at least 4 people and 2 cars to do it within regulation and have to plan ahead.

 

[elborak]

the town I was flying over which has moderately dense wife

Yikes! I hope you don't talk to her that way in person.

 

[JohnLietzke]

Yikes! I hope you don't talk to her that way in person.

The dense wife is a far more treacherous issue than the dense WiFi. I am not married so it not my wife.

 

[Greybird747]

In CE I achieved almost 5 km on the sea to explore an island from the cost. It all depends on the environment CE or FCC. As you said usually the battery is the main problem. The drone make some calculation and trigger the RTH after a few miles or km, even if you get good signal (on the safety side as, when it lands, you notice that it still has, sometimes, more than 30 % power left). So even in boost, I don't go much further.
If you want to try to break range records, you need a special modded battery like this guy from Hong Kong who made 11 km.

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Comment is in chinese. He also used an added yagi antenna

 

[Otisangb]

The dense wife is a far more treacherous issue than the dense WiFi. I am not married so it not my wife.

This is far more treacherous than either a dense wife or dense wifi ?

 

[Pericles]

Boost at the RC from drone-hacks.com plus FCC hack plus parabolic antennas are the best combination but always take care to have more than enough battery on your way at home.

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[akawho]

Boost at the RC from drone-hacks.com plus FCC hack plus parabolic antennas are the best combination but always take care to have more than enough battery on your way at home.

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drone-hacks doesn't support my MA2 fw(01.00.0460) =(