DIY Antenna Modification - RANGE TEST (14,180 FEET) with DJI Phantom 3 Standard

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Prior to this modification my Phantom 3 Standard using the stock antennas and I typically obtained flight distances of 1,600 to 2,000 feet.

The test flight above is with my newly modded controller. I reached 14,180 feet (over 2.6 miles) before I initiated the RTH feature.
 
Interesting you have GOOGLE showing on the map in lower left corner ...

So questions :

a) What FW are you running ?
b) What Go app version are you running ?
c) Do you have Magic Power or Icarus installed ?

Interested as I have had good 2493m with previous FW / Go but now I can only push 1800m by repeated cancelling RTH ...

Nigel
 
Interesting you have GOOGLE showing on the map in lower left corner ...

So questions :

a) What FW are you running ?
b) What Go app version are you running ?
c) Do you have Magic Power or Icarus installed ?

Interested as I have had good 2493m with previous FW / Go but now I can only push 1800m by repeated cancelling RTH ...

Nigel

I didn't bother close the map, no specific reason. Not sure why that's interesting?

a) 1.07.9
b) 3.1.2
c) Magic Power 5 at 27
 
The reason its interesting is that GOOGLE is not part of the later Go App ... and you had same display as I but it should have been HERE map ... you are using Go 3.1.2 ...... Google maps are not used !!

Close map ? Its decided by Go ... only you decide which is main screen ....

When will you update to 1.8.10 ?

Nigel
 
Very impressive performance with the antenna mod. It looks like a clean installation too. Very nice. But I have a couple of questions, and also the same concerns as mentioned by solentlife.

Questions: Did you have the RC in a fixed position for that entire flight? Or was it hand held for the entire flight? I noticed that your control signal levels varied nicely throughout the flight; not too many variations or extremes; it just slowly dropped down from start to finish as range increased. I was wondering how difficult it might be to keep the RC pointed correctly over that long distance to maintain such nice signal performance.

Concerns: Like solentlife, I have noticed that since the latest firmware update to 1.8.10 that my P3S range performance is more erratic. With the new firmware, my impression is that the signal seems fine one minute at a solid 4 or 5 white bars and then drops down to three bars and then just 1 or 2 red bars, in a matter a few seconds, and within just 100 feet of range the RTH kicks in. I noticed a similar phenomenon in solentilife's video. I am not sure this has anything to do with the firmware, but it sure seems suspicious.
 
The reason its interesting is that GOOGLE is not part of the later Go App ... and you had same display as I but it should have been HERE map ... you are using Go 3.1.2 ...... Google maps are not used !!

Close map ? Its decided by Go ... only you decide which is main screen ....

When will you update to 1.8.10 ?

Nigel

Mine used Google by default. I did nothing to change the map or settings of the maps. That's odd.

I don't update firmware until I know it's good and has no bugs. Same choice I make for any software or firmware updates to anything I own. Technically, however, I will never update the firmware because before my mod was complete I had purchased a Phantom 3 Pro, so the Phantom 3 Standard I modified is going to live with my son. The first thing he did was downgrade it again to 1.6.x because he wanted to be able to access the linux system on the drone for whatever nefarious reasons he has. :p (Update 1.7.x locked you into a tmp folder, but downgrading he has access to all of the system files for the drone)

Rick
 
Very impressive performance with the antenna mod. It looks like a clean installation too. Very nice. But I have a couple of questions, and also the same concerns as mentioned by solentlife.

Questions: Did you have the RC in a fixed position for that entire flight? Or was it hand held for the entire flight? I noticed that your control signal levels varied nicely throughout the flight; not too many variations or extremes; it just slowly dropped down from start to finish as range increased. I was wondering how difficult it might be to keep the RC pointed correctly over that long distance to maintain such nice signal performance.

Concerns: Like solentlife, I have noticed that since the latest firmware update to 1.8.10 that my P3S range performance is more erratic. With the new firmware, my impression is that the signal seems fine one minute at a solid 4 or 5 white bars and then drops down to three bars and then just 1 or 2 red bars, in a matter a few seconds, and within just 100 feet of range the RTH kicks in. I noticed a similar phenomenon in solentilife's video. I am not sure this has anything to do with the firmware, but it sure seems suspicious.

Thank you. The main reason I did the mod was I wanted the range, but wanted a nice clean look. I never intend to fly that far out for normal use, as I was butt puckered most of the way. Since doing the mod and test, I have now purchased a P3P that I intend to mod and the P3S in the video has gone home with my son.

Question Reply: I just took off, faced forward and held up on the stick. I tried not to veer off one way or the other. Once out there a ways I started to realize that I didn't really know exactly where I (the Phantom) was in relation to myself. I did turn left a bit towards the closer end of 14,000 feet because I thought the road that I crossed was Route 2, and I didn't want to stray too far on the other side of that. Thinking I was off to the right more that I was, I was facing the wrong direction for most of the further end of the flight and on almost all of the flight back. I was actually super impressed with 14,000+ feet since I was facing more to the right that I should have been.

Concerns Reply: I did not upgrade the firmware. I never do that on any hardware I have until firmware has been out for a while (tried and true). I have also heard of poor range on the new updated firmware by people who typically fly at the edge of the limits. I speculate its a mistake in the firmware that will be resolved in the next update, but some feel they might be dumbing down the distance to make the newer drones even more attractive. I'd just leave the tinfoil hat on until it's all worked out.

Rick
 
Thanks much for the info. Great work. I'll probably do this one. How long are those RP-SMA cables? Do you have a link for those? Thanks again.
 
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Thanks much for the info. Great work. I'll probably do this one. How long are those RP-SMA cables? Do you have a link for those? Thanks again.

In the description for the Tutorial Video, you will find specs, links and tools needed.

Edit: As pointed out in a comment below, you need to click on SHOW MORE at the bottom to see the parts and tools needed
 
Last edited:
In the description for the Tutorial Video, you will find specs, links and tools needed.

Edit: As pointed out in a comment below, you need to click on SHOW MORE at the bottom to see the parts and tools needed
Yes, indeed. Very clear. Parts now ordered.
 
Quick Question am i the only one that losses complete image on the screen when i hit RTH function at far distances
 

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