New to the P3S

[Shoot4fun]

This is why I love Lightbridge on my Phantom 4. I used to have the Phantom 3 standard. The wifi reception was terrible sometimes. You might be flying somewhere with lots of interference. When I would fly at the beach with no houses within miles, I could fly the thing a mile away! But in the city, only about 2000 feet. You could try parabolic range extender, a little gold semicylinder 6 dollar add-on, or better yet the argtech range extender. Which is about 50 dollars and takes some tech know how to install, but you seem to be tech savvy. Wish you the best!

I wouldn't mind a P4, but for what I do with my P3S just fine, I can't justify the extra cost. I do love my little birdie, and the new one (used P3S also) arrives Tuesday or Wednesday, and it'll be my daughter's to learn on. Maybe someday we'll upgrade, but for now, and as long as repair parts are available, we'll stick with the lowly P3 ?

 

[RodPad]

Roger that. I have never downgraded firmware before. Used to read about it often but not recently. If the old is still on the DJI site? Maybe. Hey! Anybody know if downgrading firmware possible on p3?

Firmware?
Scroll to the bottom..

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Accessories & Tips | Phantom Help

Phantom Help is a site for help with DJI Phantom 3 Standard drones. Find the latest fixes, how-tos, guides, accessories, modifications, and more.

www.phantomhelp.com

Rod

 

[RodPad]

@leftcase,
You don't state what the weak signal is.
Remote Signal, Video Signal, etc.

Does RTH activate?

Rod

 

[leftcase]

@leftcase,
You don't state what the weak signal is.
Remote Signal, Video Signal, etc.

Does RTH activate?

Rod

Hi Rod, it's the 5.8GHz remote control signal. The drone initiates RTH.

 

[RodPad]

Hi Rod, it's the 5.8GHz remote control signal. The drone initiates RTH.

Well in general, I had my P3S have remote control signal problems after a firmware update.

The following link is the best explanation and is really what I think happen to me twice.
www.phantompilots.com/threads/phantom-3-standard-range-mod-lets-do-it-together.80721/post-1268494

I have many posts and book marks on remote control problems, related after a firmware update.
I just looked, 50+ book marks, they are all different threads on this forum.

I was the first, and this was my first thread on Phantom Pilots.
www.phantompilots.com/threads/phantom-3-std-weak-remote-signal.52165/

Another from the past...
www.phantompilots.com/threads/terrible-signal-performance.81761/post-852045


Rod

 

[Shoot4fun]

Firmware?
Scroll to the bottom..

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Accessories & Tips | Phantom Help

Phantom Help is a site for help with DJI Phantom 3 Standard drones. Find the latest fixes, how-tos, guides, accessories, modifications, and more.

www.phantomhelp.com

Rod

Thanks for the Info Rod!! That place has got a little bit of EVERYTHING drone related! That's awesome!

 

[leftcase]

Thanks Rod, I'll check it all out.

 

[leftcase]

Reading the thread that @RodPad linked to, I came across the Airdata app. I uploaded some logs to it which show something pretty weird.

This picture shows signal strength. You'll notice it's green (indicating good signal) throughout the flight.

This picture shows notifications. They shows multiple instances of signal loss. What's strange is that the signal is lost even though the signal strength is good. I wonder what could cause that?

 

[leftcase]

I wonder if the signal loss is being caused by spikes of interference at 5.8Ghz. The signal map on airdata is generated by sampling signal quality at 30 second intervals. Perhaps the interference just doesn't show on the map because the sampling interval is too coarse but when it happens it causes a disconnection?

For what it's worth, I'm flying around 1km from a National Grid electricity substation. I wonder if that may create RF interference in the 5.8Ghz spectrum?

Mind you, having just uploaded another log I notice this. The signal is degraded even at short distances. Although orange apparently means 'fair', so I wouldn't expect this to cause a disconnection?

 

[RodPad]

Never been impressed with air data graphs, even when it was Healthy Drones.
RTH, initiates after 2 seconds of remote loss.

Uploaded your log to:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

You can share the results by copying and pasting the url back here.

Really don't think it is interference.

Phantom 3 standard Rc signal lost

I fly straight up above me. tested again today came about 50 metres. I have tried to have the antenna in different angles. nothing seems to be better than the other. The reason that person was asking the question is because this is the way you're not supposed to fly the Drone, straight over...

phantompilots.com

Rod

 

[leftcase]

In actual fact I don't think the signal strength indicated relates to the controller signal strength. It probably relates to the video/telemetry feed strength.