DJI Phantom Range?

[Alex G.]

Alright, so i've been looking around about doing FPV with a phantom, but here's what I can't can't figure out. Everywhere I look, people are saying that the max range of the phantom is 300m. If this is the case, than it would only seem logical to get a new Tx/Rx (like the futuba T8j) but that all ads up to another $40 or so. However, I curiously went onto the DJI website, and under Tx parameters, it says that the "communication distance" of the phantom is 1000m. If this is the case, then I must be reading many outdated posts and there has been a recent update and improvement of the range. So my question is, what is the official stock range of the phantom? 300m or 1000m? Thanks.
http://www.dji.com/tech-spec/phantom-sepc/

 

[martcerv]

I think the newer versionz have gone towards a futaba fasst receiver setup still not sure how it compares to a futaba and also how str9ng or weak the new stock radio is. In general even the old v1 phantom and radio easily exceeded 300m I got it to 1km but generally range in my l9cations was between 750 and 1km using the stock v1 radio and receiver. I now use a futaba 8fgs and matching receiver it came with and it easily does beyond 2km which is pretty much the same as my dji avl58 fpv setup.

New stock radio may be better then it was but still its pretty low powered so dont expect great range unless in the middle of nowhere but in general most stock fatshark setups wont get any more range then a stock phantom. You should easily be able to fly as far as you can see it where it gets rather small at 700m away but range has so many factors that it may vary by large numbers for each location. DJI saying 300m is a very safe figure as your highly unlikely to lose radio at that distance unless flown behind lots of obstructions or in very noisy environments radio wise to not get to that distance.

 

[Alex G.]

I think the newer versionz have gone towards a futaba fasst receiver setup still not sure how it compares to a futaba and also how str9ng or weak the new stock radio is. In general even the old v1 phantom and radio easily exceeded 300m I got it to 1km but generally range in my l9cations was between 750 and 1km using the stock v1 radio and receiver. I now use a futaba 8fgs and matching receiver it came with and it easily does beyond 2km which is pretty much the same as my dji avl58 fpv setup.

New stock radio may be better then it was but still its pretty low powered so dont expect great range unless in the middle of nowhere but in general most stock fatshark setups wont get any more range then a stock phantom. You should easily be able to fly as far as you can see it where it gets rather small at 700m away but range has so many factors that it may vary by large numbers for each location. DJI saying 300m is a very safe figure as your highly unlikely to lose radio at that distance unless flown behind lots of obstructions or in very noisy environments radio wise to not get to that distance.

Thanks, I think i've got it now. I'll stick with the stock transmitter and radio, and maybe if I see the need to upgrade in the future I will. Plus, i'll be flying on the coast over the ocean, so shouldn't have much interference. You're fpv setup looks pretty cool, yet simple. I hadn't considered using a monitor until now, and now I can't decide between the Attitude SD setup for goggles, or getting the dji avl58 fpv setup with a monitor. Thanks for the info, have a good night

 

[martcerv]

Goggles are pretty good but I prefer the screen as I can still see things around me so not completly absorbed and blinded by the FPV from things going on around me.

 

[Alex G.]

That my main concern with goggles. I've done lots of aerial photography, but with rc planes (such as the radian pro) which has a good 6 foot wing-span, and I can see it so far away I have no need for an fpv system. But wanting to get into quadcopters, mainly the phantom, I see the need for fpv since the visual range is much shorter. I like the immersion aspect goggles offer, but being new to it, and not having immediate LOS if something were to go wrong is a major downside, nor having a real spacial orientation. Whereas with a monitor you have all of the above, just less of an immersion.