Mile Club

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

I know if you are a P3A or P3P person this is no big whoop, but I just flew my P3S to 1.45 miles (>7700 feet) before a weak signal warning caused me to chicken out. It was a mostly over-water flight with a 10 cent paper and aluminum foil windsurfer antenna.

To be honest, I don't know if there is a reason for me to go any further.

Viktor · Jan 2, 2016

And what the distance you got without 10 cent paper and foil?

N9344H said:
P3A, not PSA...

Use "Edit button"

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

Viktor said:
And what the distance you got without 10 cent paper and foil?

I didn't test without the WS, so I really can't say. Perhaps tomorrow is the side-by-side comparison.

Harrissment · Jan 2, 2016

Did you still have video aswell?

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

Harrissment said:
Did you still have video aswell?

When I enabled RTH and it swung around, I lost video signal. Up until then it was solid.

Rg15 · Jan 2, 2016

Now I have to try this!

Roly · Jan 2, 2016

Nice! I'd love to see this. I can never ever et this close. What angle are you pointing the antenna & wind surfer? Can you show pics?

I made my own 3D printed wind surfer with aluminum foil

GaDrone · Jan 2, 2016

N9344H said:
When I enabled RTH and it swung around, I lost video signal. Up until then it was solid.

Video should be on the SD card.

helmsman · Jan 2, 2016

With just a completely stock set up I have gotten to 1.7 miles....clear weather. Video was getting laggy on my Ipad, but good enough to see where i was going still

I have done multiple well over a mile flights. The 1.8 mile flight i actually ran out of battery as i had been screwing around, before i took off to see how far it would go....I think i could have gotten to 2 miles.

I have done NOTHING to mine...just a matter of keeping the antenna pointed properly, nothing in the way, shift the TX around and fine the best location for signal strength.

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

I have video from the SD card, and have edited and sped it up, and will post as soon as it gets to youtube. I lost only the video feed from the bird.

I just built the cheap windsurfer out of paper and aluminum foil according to: antenna - Tom's Tech Time

helmsman said:
With just a completely stock set up I have gotten to 1.7 miles....clear weather.

I am going to try this in the same scenario without the WS soon. Perhaps the WS is not worth the paper it is printed on.

RadRich · Jan 2, 2016

helmsman said:
With just a completely stock set up I have gotten to 1.7 miles....clear weather. Video was getting laggy on my Ipad, but good enough to see where i was going still

I have done multiple well over a mile flights. The 1.8 mile flight i actually ran out of battery as i had been screwing around, before i took off to see how far it would go....I think i could have gotten to 2 miles.

I have done NOTHING to mine...just a matter of keeping the antenna pointed properly, nothing in the way, shift the TX around and fine the best location for signal strength.

Post some pics of proof, please. Thx.

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

Roly said:
Nice! I'd love to see this. I can never ever et this close. What angle are you pointing the antenna & wind surfer? Can you show pics?

I made my own 3D printed wind surfer with aluminum foil

Here are some pics of the antenna:

Windsurfer

N9344H
Jan 2, 2016

Windsurfer

N9344H
Jan 2, 2016

Windsurfer

N9344H
Jan 2, 2016

Windsurfer

N9344H
Jan 2, 2016

I just kept the antenna vertical and perpendicular to the aircraft location or parallel to the landing gear.

Video will be up shortly I hope.

helmsman · Jan 2, 2016

Pic of the flight map off the Ipad...and measured on google earth. Not exact, but close enough. This was just earlier this afternoon. I actually was shooting video, I was showing it to some friends. I all ready wiped the card, otherwise i could upload a video if you are doubting me. Ironically, as i was screwing around showing some people how it worked, i pointed the drone at us, and you can clearly see my controller is stock in the video. I can still view the video in the DJI GO app, but it says i must connect the drone to download. the drone is in my office, while I am back home. I wiped the card anyway, so doubt it would download.

Like i said, i can still view the video on Ipad....anyway to get it off of that? If anyone really cares or is doubting what i am saying. As I said before, i actually ran out of battery, not transmitter signal. It was getting weak, but hadn't lost it yet. I had flown around the farm for several minutes before going on this flight (obscured under the red arrow and home icon)...I was trying to get over the top of my Grandpa's old house, and i think i would have made it had i not run out of battery.

helmsman · Jan 2, 2016

Still learning the app...just figured out i can show distance on there:

Looks Like i have done at least 3 between my phone and my Ipad. (and yes i am aware that the altitude info is cropped out.

)

helmsman said:
Pic of the flight map off the Ipad...and measured on google earth. Not exact, but close enough. This was just earlier this afternoon. I actually was shooting video, I was showing it to some friends. I all ready wiped the card, otherwise i could upload a video if you are doubting me. Ironically, as i was screwing around showing some people how it worked, i pointed the drone at us, and you can clearly see my controller is stock in the video. I can still view the video in the DJI GO app, but it says i must connect the drone to download. the drone is in my office, while I am back home. I wiped the card anyway, so doubt it would download.

Like i said, i can still view the video on Ipad....anyway to get it off of that? If anyone really cares or is doubting what i am saying. As I said before, i actually ran out of battery, not transmitter signal. It was getting weak, but hadn't lost it yet. I had flown around the farm for several minutes before going on this flight (obscured under the red arrow and home icon)...I was trying to get over the top of my Grandpa's old house, and i think i would have made it had i not run out of battery.

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N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

Added video to original post...

N9344H · Jan 2, 2016

Viktor said:
And what the distance you got without 10 cent paper and foil?

I went and flew the same route without the Windsurfer. I started to get noticable video and signal artifacts around 3000', and signal loss and RTH in the 6200' range. I didn't back off with this when I started getting the signal errors early like I did before, so I think the WS might put me out as far as 8000+.

Here is the Healthydrones link, as my screen recorder crashed on my Android. HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

TheTanger · Jan 2, 2016

That is amazing man! Glad I haven't modded mine yet...if I can't see it it's too far IMO. Kinda scary. Thanks for sharing/testing comparison for us. I always seem to lose video feed first and then have no idea what is happening on long flights.