How do you guys get the range you are stating

[jdawg39]

I live in and have been in really unpopulated areas where they might have a single house or 2 but nothing major and I have yet to get my bird over a mile and I say i have gotten exactly a mile but that was with the wind surfer from Dave. If it take that off and try to fly the same route, i barely get 3000 feet and i lose signal. I just bought the dbs mods which should be here Friday, but you guys talk about stock giving you over a mile and I just dont see how that is possible. and surely dont see how it is possible with the wind surfer going 3 miles or more.

The channel hack - yeah you can select all the channels you want and it will select them, but fly your bird and then check the channel, it will be on 13-22 and that is all.

Do you guys just have better manufactured craft then mine?

 

[Btktwood]

I have taken mine to the one mile mark out in the country over open farm field. I still had full signal strength. I only turned back because I had flown around a little before and didn't want to get my battery too low. It's all factory.

 

[jdawg39]

I have to wonder if something is not right. With the Dave Windsurfer it is not like i can point my antenaes anywhere. I will be happy if I can get 3 miles with the dbs mods. But to me i should get a mile with no effort, 2.5-3 miles with the wind surfer and 4.5 with dbs mods. I dont need to go further than that. I dont really need to go a mile, but I want to.

 

[Wibble]

I get 1.66 miles in a populated area with lots of noise totally standard!
I have had signal drops in a wide open area closer than that so many other factors come into play.

 

[Hjones62]

@jdawg39 If I may ask, when you test out distance how high are you in the air? I got a ladder and climbed up only roof here in Miami just to be clear of any obstructions that could interfere with a solid connection and went up 300ft and pushed out. I'm assuming everyone here is gonna have different results due to elevation changes, interference, etc...

 

[wabawaba]

I have flown 4 miles out on stock in an open area, 2 miles in 3 miles in a decent populated area. I added the dbs antenna for better through tree range have not tested at my 4 miles area jus cuz my battery made it back with 10% left.

 

[Jeff48920]

Routinely get 7000-8000 feet at which point I start to lose video feed. Still have great telemetry and obviously still have stick control. Haven't pushed past that yet. Completely open area (National forest). 400 foot altitude and completely uninterrupted visual LOS.
No mods on either the bird or transmitter.

 

[FatTwoTonTony]

I live in and have been in really unpopulated areas where they might have a single house or 2 but nothing major and I have yet to get my bird over a mile and I say i have gotten exactly a mile but that was with the wind surfer from Dave. If it take that off and try to fly the same route, i barely get 3000 feet and i lose signal. I just bought the dbs mods which should be here Friday, but you guys talk about stock giving you over a mile and I just dont see how that is possible. and surely dont see how it is possible with the wind surfer going 3 miles or more.

The channel hack - yeah you can select all the channels you want and it will select them, but fly your bird and then check the channel, it will be on 13-22 and that is all.

Do you guys just have better manufactured craft then mine?

 

[bighi]

Height is the key. I never fly under 120 meters unless I'm on a takeoff climb or descent. Less interference up there. I fly in two locations. One resembles Key West, completely flat, sea all around. I get a solid 2,5 km or more oder water. Closer to the city, I can manage 2 km. Sometimes less. Depends. My other location is like Aspen. Hence I need to get up to 900 feet cause it's a deep valley between two huge mountains. There it can vary but 1,5 is easy. 2 km or more on a good day. Because of the nature of the location, distances can vary. I can safely fly at higher altitude and need to in order to get over to the less populated wooded area.

 

[Chris Vedeler]

The secret is clean line of sight. If anything gets between me and the bird beyond about a mile I'll lose it. Clean line of sight I can go 3 miles before I lose signal. Clean line of sight and some major elevation and I can go even further, but batteries are the limiting factor at that point. With the Windsurfer you need to be facing the bird too. Turn even 45 degrees away and poof! It's lost signal.

 

[FatTwoTonTony]

The secret is clean line of sight. If anything gets between me and the bird beyond about a mile I'll lose it. Clean line of sight I can go 3 miles before I lose signal. Clean line of sight and some major elevation and I can go even further, but batteries are the limiting factor at that point. With the Windsurfer you need to be facing the bird too. Turn even 45 degrees away and poof! It's lost signal.

I have yet to have a clear line of sight! I always have trees around and hills but still getting 3-4 kms. I do have the DBS Mod

 

[Wibble]

Hey Tony I have just bought one as well - will install it soon gulp!!!

 

[Mako79]

I rarely do range as I like to stay in my comfort zone. And all my subjects/POI are in visual sight.
But when I do, I use a range booster like below. Its cheap and very very effective. You can make your own out of foil and cardboard. I've heard it can triple your range. Best of all, it doesn't void your warranty and it can be easily packed.
Radar Antenna Range Radio Amplify Signal Booster For DJI Phantom 3 Inspire 1

Some notes..
I've heard flying over water gives you best range..
Start with shorter distances and understand wind and battery limits and triggers. Some range flyers fly without the intention of coming back. They usually have a friend XXkm down the road to collect it.
Do it early in the morning - so less chance of hitting someone..
Get a tracker if you don't trust the 'find my phantom'.
Some have said ATTI is faster.

 

[ParsnipHysorter]

Did 2.5 miles completely stock over rural area. Still great signal could have went further. Make sure your antennas stay perpendicular to the bird at all times.

 

[MattyDread]

4200meters - 13800ft - 2.61 miles

This is my best effort to date, fully stock, no windsurfer although I'm getting one soon.

I went out with the wind all over the place & made it back with 25% left. I switched to atti on the return & you can see the drift.

All full bars on the rc - video was fine on the way out but kept cutting out on the way back for some reason

This was on a dryed out lake, clear los no trees etc

 

[Jefito]

I got 5,2 Km at 120m hight without any amplifier. My trick is simply fly the bird sit on a small beach chair supporting the RC on my legs. Probably this position of the RC improve the direction of the signal toward the bird.Before flying at this position I lose the video signal at 1,5 km or so. Try it and let me know the results!

 

[Jefito]

 

[FatTwoTonTony]

Hey Tony I have just bought one as well - will install it soon gulp!!!

I am sure you have watched all the videos around?? Take your time and you will be fine ! If you get frustrated with a part of it walk away and take a break!

This is my video of the install!! I was alot longer at this then the video cause I took a few breaks from all the sweating I did worrying about hurting my remote.

 

[Wibble]

Much better than DBS video it still shows them working on the Inspire = you would think they would have done a dedicated one for the P3 by now!

 

[xave]

I live in a single family home subdivision with some farm fields nearby. Even if I fly out into the farm field I've only gotten as far as about 2600 feet with my windsurfer on. Less without. Everything else is stock. Guess there must be a lot of interference in my area. I just can get the range others are getting