Mp or p4p

P4p · Dec 13, 2017

Mavics pro or phantoms pro transmission range is better?

GadgetGuy · Dec 13, 2017

P4P by far!

msinger · Dec 13, 2017

Check out this thread:
P4P vs Mavic Range Comparison?

GadgetGuy · Dec 13, 2017

I own both, and the P4P delivers every inch and more of the rated 4.3 miles of range in a hightly urban setting on Auto 5.8 Ghz with clear LOS, while the Mavic craps out at a measly 2.5 miles over the exact same routes and conditions, and becomes unreliable. With a windsufer, the P4P is good out to 5+ miles. YMMV!

Mark The Droner · Dec 13, 2017

I've read that the Mavic crashes if you try to fly it the last bit home while in critical auto land because it's not as stable - presumably because of its smaller size. The Phantoms don't have this problem.

msinger · Dec 13, 2017

Mark The Droner said:
I've read that the Mavic crashes if you try to fly it the last bit home while in critical auto land because it's not as stable - presumably because of its smaller size. The Phantoms don't have this problem.

All DJI drones (including Phantoms) will eventually crash if you hold the throttle in the full up position for long enough after the battery has reached the critically low level.

Mark The Droner · Dec 13, 2017

Haha - of course they will! It's a very dangerous and risky endeavor. But the Mavic, apparently, crashes due to instability. The Phantom doesn't.

msinger · Dec 13, 2017

Mark The Droner said:
the Mavic, apparently, crashes due to instability. The Phantom doesn't.

Never heard of such a thing.

GadgetGuy · Dec 13, 2017

msinger said:
All DJI drones (including Phantoms) will eventually crash if you hold the throttle in the full up position for long enough after the battery has reached the critically low level.

True. All it takes is a single cell voltage to drop below 3.0V, and the battery will shut off in midair, "to protect the battery" from being damaged. Thanks DJI!

I'd rather destroy a battery by draining it too low, and safely land the aircraft with the remainig power below 3.0V, than destroy both at the same time!

GadgetGuy · Dec 13, 2017

msinger said:
Never heard of such a thing.

Me neither. Instability is not the issue. It's the battery algorithm that shuts it off in midair, when any cell voltage drops below 3.0V, even for an instant!

Mark The Droner · Dec 13, 2017

Not everything gets posted on the open forums. It was in an email from last summer from a very accomplished pilot who has about twice the experience I have in years, and 10x the mileage...

yeah the mavic was fun for distance for a little while... But when you hit 10% critical autoland and try to fight it the rest of the way home everyone of my critical autoland flights has went completely sideways out of control and so has many others. So it's really useless once it's 10% my last distance run went sideways and landed in a tree. There's just no way to control it it has a mind of its own. But check this out with , With completely stock controller my last attempt was <edit> feet with great signal. And the control is about the size of the palm of your hand. It's amazing

tml4191 · Dec 13, 2017

p.4.p...or get the p4a!

John Locke · Dec 13, 2017

tml4191 said:
p.4.p...or get the p4a!

If you want unmatched range and flight time, buy the P4P. Use 5.8Ghz and enjoy 4+mi range. That frequency band inherently has less interference in the outdoors, so the craft video will communicate farther. P4P rocks.

tml4191 · Dec 13, 2017

I've had both, so it depends on where you plan on using it. I barely used the side sensors on the p4p to be honest. The p4a comes with the most important part: the camera.

2.4 ghz works just fine in most places. If you are in a populated city, then consider the p4p, but just know you can hack the app on ios to have more channels with 2.4 ghz. It may save you a few hundred.

Hook9773 · Dec 13, 2017

I guess I am weird on this one. I only fly pretty much within line of sight. I have went out a few times and flown a measly 2.1 miles or so and then got very nervous and turned both my P4Pro.and my Mavic Pro around. Putting that much money at risk scares me. Lol. However, seeing this I do have a question, I have always seen that using 2.4 GHZ was for distance and the 5.8 GHZ was for up closer when there was less interference around. Is this an incorrect assumption on my part? A lot of time I have to really play with my Settings because it seems like everyone has multiple devices kicking out noise at 2.4 and I have seen it even at 5.8 as well. But mainly I would like to hear specific settings so I can try and tune my devices to the best possible areas.

John Locke · Dec 13, 2017

Hook9773 said:
I guess I am weird on this one. I only fly pretty much within line of sight. I have went out a few times and flown a measly 2.1 miles or so and then got very nervous and turned both my P4Pro.and my Mavic Pro around. Putting that much money at risk scares me. Lol. However, seeing this I do have a question, I have always seen that using 2.4 GHZ was for distance and the 5.8 GHZ was for up closer when there was less interference around. Is this an incorrect assumption on my part? A lot of time I have to really play with my Settings because it seems like everyone has multiple devices kicking out noise at 2.4 and I have seen it even at 5.8 as well. But mainly I would like to hear specific settings so I can try and tune my devices to the best possible areas.

Many people think 2.4 is for distance, but that's not true. 5.8Ghz works better for me, 4+ miles. I just flew a sunset flight in Seattle with 5.8Ghz, twice as far as I could with 2.4. Flying on 5.8Ghz AUTO is what I leave my setup on, always works great. That's why I don't recommend the P4A, it doesn't support 5.8Ghz. Plus I fly backwards a lot for dramatic shots, so the rear sensors are good insurance to compensate for poor piloting

.

Hook9773 · Dec 14, 2017

John Locke said:
Many people think 2.4 is for distance, but that's not true. 5.8Ghz works better for me, 4+ miles. I just flew a sunset flight in Seattle with 5.8Ghz, twice as far as I could with 2.4. Flying on 5.8Ghz AUTO is what I leave my setup on, always works great. That's why I don't recommend the P4A, it doesn't support 5.8Ghz. Plus I fly backwards a lot for dramatic shots, so the rear sensors are good insurance to compensate for poor piloting .

Thank you so much for this. I also have the P4 Pro and I absolutely love flying it. A lot of times though when I want some quick shots, I end up grabbing my Mavic Pro. DJI does build some fantastic stuff. I use the Spark to play around with my granddaughters. One just turned 4 and the other is just shy of being 6 years old. We get out in a big field and I’ll get photos of them playing, or I “Chase” them with the drone. It’s 20 feet behind them and and running up high so there are no chance of hitting them. They both love to run plus it makes for some funny stuff.

GadgetGuy · Dec 14, 2017

John Locke said:
Many people think 2.4 is for distance, but that's not true. 5.8Ghz works better for me, 4+ miles. I just flew a sunset flight in Seattle with 5.8Ghz, twice as far as I could with 2.4. Flying on 5.8Ghz AUTO is what I leave my setup on, always works great. That's why I don't recommend the P4A, it doesn't support 5.8Ghz. Plus I fly backwards a lot for dramatic shots, so the rear sensors are good insurance to compensate for poor piloting .

Can you reach Bainbridge Island from Seattle?

OOO · Dec 14, 2017

John Locke said:
Many people think 2.4 is for distance, but that's not true. 5.8Ghz works better for me, 4+ miles. I just flew a sunset flight in Seattle with 5.8Ghz, twice as far as I could with 2.4. Flying on 5.8Ghz AUTO is what I leave my setup on, always works great. That's why I don't recommend the P4A, it doesn't support 5.8Ghz. Plus I fly backwards a lot for dramatic shots, so the rear sensors are good insurance to compensate for poor piloting .

Hi John, I have both MP and P4P. I love both. My workhorse drone is P4P. Most of the time I don't use OA/VPS and I turn them off. I'm very happy with my P4P, mainly because of video quality, which is way better than that of my MP. But, when it comes to the range, my MP is always the winner (I always use 5.8 GHz with P4P). Maybe it's just me. Do you have an explanation for that? Thanks.

GadgetGuy · Dec 14, 2017

OOO said:
Hi John, I have both MP and P4P. I love both. My workhorse drone is P4P. Most of the time I don't use OA/VPS and I turn them off. I'm very happy with my P4P, mainly because of video quality, which is way better than that of my MP. But, when it comes to the range, my MP is always the winner (I always use 5.8 GHz with P4P). Maybe it's just me. Do you have an explanation for that? Thanks.

Are you on CE or FCC? In Europe, the power outputs of the P4P are flipped and 2.4Ghz is stronger than 5.8Ghz.