How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 500' !

Edmond · Aug 24, 2014

I'm a newbie to the Phanton 2 Vision + so please excuse me...

I hear about guys flying 1000+ feet with their Phantom 2 Vision +, but if I get higher than about 400-500' (vertically above me) it loses signal and flashes up the returning home icon. I have new batteries plus everything is fully charged on Phantom 2+ in addition to the receiver on top of controller.

I even purchased the FPV booster ap at the suggestion of a friend and I think it helped but not more than about 100'.

I'm running it through an IPhone if that's any help

Any ideas?

Thanks !!

dragonash · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

dont fly straight above. You need some horizontal distance as well

DBS · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Also helps to tilt your controller so the face of the repeater and the side of the controller antenna are perpendicular to the Phantom...

Also... make sure you are in fcc mode and not ce ... you should be hearing two beeps when you turn on your controller to confirm fcc mode as the stronger transmit signal :ugeek:

Edmond · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I just took it up again at about a 45 degree angle to my position and it still lost signal at about 500' with the FPV booster enabled. Any other ideas?

Edmond · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Thanks DBS, I will try your suggestion regarding the antenna. You mean point the antenna at the Phantom do you?

Yes I just turned on the controller and it beeped twice.

DBS · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Edmond said:
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I just took it up again at about a 45 degree angle to my position and it still lost signal at about 500' with the FPV booster enabled. Any other ideas?

FPV booster doesn't help with losing control signal and getting "return to home"... it only aids with the video signal...

There are so many factors regarding lack of control range...

Are the antennas in your landing gear straight with no bends or kinks...?
Did you check the potentiometer on the back of your controller to see that it is turned all the way clockwise and set the mode to fcc in Phantom assistant software...?
How much range do you get in distance? ... if that range is short too it may mean you have a controller issue...? :ugeek:

Edmond said:
Thanks DBS, I will try your suggestion regarding the antenna. You mean point the antenna at the Phantom do you?

Yes I just turned on the controller and it beeped twice.

No... pointing the controller antenna at the Phantom makes it worse... you should point the "side" of the antenna at the Phantom...

Like the side of this letter "I" is pointing at the letter "O" ... I - - - O ... if the Phantom is up in the air... tilt the antenna like so ... \ °

Edmond · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Thanks for your time, I have been pointing the antenna at the Phantom, that's maybe part of my problem. It seems like once I get to around 500' I lose connection, then it comes back, then I lose it again and it says returning home etc.

DBS · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Edmond said:
Thanks for your time, I have been pointing the antenna at the Phantom, that's maybe part of my problem. It seems like once I get to around 500' I lose connection, then it comes back, then I lose it again and it says returning home etc.

That is probably ALL of your problem... dipole (or rubber ducky) antennas have a major dead spot right straight off the tip... if you aim it at the Phantom like a gun it is the worst possible signal from that antenna...

I seen this diagram awhile back that makes it visually more understandable...

Edmond · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Thanks for posting the diagram. Believe it or not, with the antenna angled as you showed in your diagram - I still only get around 500' before I lose signal.

I swapped the controller batteries for new duracells to make sure they weren't bad, but still only got to around 500' before I lost signal. I hooked it up to the DJI software to make sure there wasn't any limits set, but no.

itchybeard · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Can you tell us a bit more about where you're flying, Edmond. Is it open space? Are there any trees, buildings, power-lines or cell-phone towers?

dragonash · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Edmond said:
Thanks for posting the diagram. Believe it or not, with the antenna angled as you showed in your diagram - I still only get around 500' before I lose signal.

I swapped the controller batteries for new duracells to make sure they weren't bad, but still only got to around 500' before I lost signal. I hooked it up to the DJI software to make sure there wasn't any limits set, but no.

dbs covered everything in terms of connection...

maybe you have a limit set in your assistant software?

Mako79 · Aug 24, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Flip the controller over.
2 holes on the right hand side.
The one above is the 7th channel (tilt control-not functional)
The below is the CE/FCC adjustment. FInd a Phillips head and turn it all the way to the right. I think this boost the TX power. Be careful as it doesn't turn much. And make sure the transmitter/remote beeps 2wice when powered.
Like others have said, If the phantom is right above you, then make your antenna parallel to the ground.

lukode · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Mako79 said:
Flip the controller over.
2 holes on the right hand side.
The one above is the 7th channel (tilt control-not functional)
The below is the CE/FCC adjustment. FInd a Phillips head and turn it all the way to the right. I think this boost the TX power. Be careful as it doesn't turn much. And make sure the transmitter/remote beeps 2wice when powered.
Like others have said, If the phantom is right above you, then make your antenna parallel to the ground.

I have read that only activate FFC with software is enough. Do i need to adjust this screw also?
Only with software i get 900 m, then i lost control but no lost the video fpv. I use vision plus utility
Thx in advance
Thx in advance

Edmond · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Where I flew yesterday had no trees, poles, wires or anything. A nice open area.

itchybeard · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Okay, and can you confirm that you are in FCC mode. In other words, your RC controller beeps twice when you turn it on and when you connect it to the DJI RC system assistant software it shows the 'FCC' radio button as selected?

Atomicpixal · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

WOW! Lots of good info here. The manual shows the antenna pointing in the up position. Looks as if the horizontal position works best. Is anyone at DJI reading these postings?

JWarren · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Flying high is certainly an adrenaline rush. I don't want to say exactly how high I was in this video, but I'm sure ya'll can closely guess. The thing to remember is you can't see it, you can't hear it, and you only have FPV to rely on. With all that said, I would have never been able to fly that high without my soda can modification. I wasn't able to maintain 1000ft on my current PV2+ (sold my other one), but with the soda can mode, I can make it over 1500ft easily and fly around, but like I said, its different flying around at that altitude and I wouldn't recommend it but to maybe do one distance check on your equipment.

http://vimeo.com/103860792

Bgfirefighter · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

Don't know if someone touched on this but you may have to hook it up to a PC and connect to the software and change the altitude setting. The parameters may be set up to only let it go that high

ToThePoint · Aug 25, 2014

Re: How do you guys fly so high? I can only get to around 50

DBS said:
No... pointing the controller antenna at the Phantom makes it worse... you should point the "side" of the antenna at the Phantom...

Like the side of this letter "I" is pointing at the letter "O" ... I - - - O ... if the Phantom is up in the air... tilt the antenna like so ... \ °

Loving this DBS LMAO.
Seems every other week we have to explain that pointing doesn't mean the tip but the side of the antenna.