New to the P3S

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Hi all,

I recently acquired a second hand DJI Phantom 3 Standard. I've taken it out on 't back field as you do, and had a bit of fun flying it around and capturing some video and pictures (after first reading the CAA 'Drone Code' of course).

I've noticed that I can't fly more than around 80/90 meters distance, which from reading other users experience of the UK seems a little rubbish. So far I've tried:
  1. Re-calibrating the controller
  2. Re-syncing the controller to the drone
  3. Taking the controller apart to ensure that the 5.8 Ghz antenna wire is secured to the SMA connector
  4. Inspecting the 5.8 Ghz antenna controller wire itself. This shows that the antenna wire has been stressed at the base from being bent backwards and forwards when the controller antenna is folded away. The wire has not severed however.
  5. Visually inspecting the antenna on the drone. This seems to be OK
  6. Ensuring the 5.8 Ghz controller antenna is angled correctly, perpendicular to the drone when flying
  7. Checking the firmware version. The drone came with the most recent version of the firmware installed
As I fly, I'm seeing intermittent 'weak signal' and 'signal lost' messages and distances beyond 50 meters or so.

I'm flying in an open space with line of site to the drone at all times. The nearest houses (in terms of sources of WiFi interference) are just beyond 150 meters away.

Having had a good read of the forums, it seems that I'm not alone but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to the issue. I do wonder if the controller antenna may need to be replaced, but I'd rather not shell out for a new one if it's unlikely to fix the issue.

Am I being unrealistic in my expectations of distance? Any advice would be very gratefully received.
 
Hi all,

I recently acquired a second hand DJI Phantom 3 Standard. I've taken it out on 't back field as you do, and had a bit of fun flying it around and capturing some video and pictures (after first reading the CAA 'Drone Code' of course).

I've noticed that I can't fly more than around 80/90 meters distance, which from reading other users experience of the UK seems a little rubbish. So far I've tried:
  1. Re-calibrating the controller
  2. Re-syncing the controller to the drone
  3. Taking the controller apart to ensure that the 5.8 Ghz antenna wire is secured to the SMA connector
  4. Inspecting the 5.8 Ghz antenna controller wire itself. This shows that the antenna wire has been stressed at the base from being bent backwards and forwards when the controller antenna is folded away. The wire has not severed however.
  5. Visually inspecting the antenna on the drone. This seems to be OK
  6. Ensuring the 5.8 Ghz controller antenna is angled correctly, perpendicular to the drone when flying
  7. Checking the firmware version. The drone came with the most recent version of the firmware installed
As I fly, I'm seeing intermittent 'weak signal' and 'signal lost' messages and distances beyond 50 meters or so.

I'm flying in an open space with line of site to the drone at all times. The nearest houses (in terms of sources of WiFi interference) are just beyond 150 meters away.

Having had a good read of the forums, it seems that I'm not alone but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to the issue. I do wonder if the controller antenna may need to be replaced, but I'd rather not shell out for a new one if it's unlikely to fix the issue.

Am I being unrealistic in my expectations of distance? Any advice would be very gratefully received.
HI yip some p3s are nightmare on range,only thing I can think in this is give relinking a try,,this will establish a good pairing with remote again and hopefully give you better signal and welcome to the forum
 
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HI yip some p3s are nightmare on range,only thing I can think in this is give relinking a try,,this will establish a good pairing with remote again and hopefully give you better signal and welcome to the forum
Don't mean to hijack leftcase's post but... Relinking??? Don't guess I know what that entails. Care to enlighten me since I'm a noob ianzone?
 
Um,,very easy process,,in app under rc settings there rc linking,,I myself have done few times over the years with me p3,,mine was terrible on range and signal,,,this post below mentions about poor signal and relinking can sometimes cure,in process it ask to confirm frequency settings and press ok ,,drone beeps and flashes till drone link button pressed again,,I not to good at explaining so hope this give some idea
Screenshot_20190313-100242.jpg
 
Hi all,

I recently acquired a second hand DJI Phantom 3 Standard. I've taken it out on 't back field as you do, and had a bit of fun flying it around and capturing some video and pictures (after first reading the CAA 'Drone Code' of course).

I've noticed that I can't fly more than around 80/90 meters distance, which from reading other users experience of the UK seems a little rubbish. So far I've tried:
  1. Re-calibrating the controller
  2. Re-syncing the controller to the drone
  3. Taking the controller apart to ensure that the 5.8 Ghz antenna wire is secured to the SMA connector
  4. Inspecting the 5.8 Ghz antenna controller wire itself. This shows that the antenna wire has been stressed at the base from being bent backwards and forwards when the controller antenna is folded away. The wire has not severed however.
  5. Visually inspecting the antenna on the drone. This seems to be OK
  6. Ensuring the 5.8 Ghz controller antenna is angled correctly, perpendicular to the drone when flying
  7. Checking the firmware version. The drone came with the most recent version of the firmware installed
As I fly, I'm seeing intermittent 'weak signal' and 'signal lost' messages and distances beyond 50 meters or so.

I'm flying in an open space with line of site to the drone at all times. The nearest houses (in terms of sources of WiFi interference) are just beyond 150 meters away.

Having had a good read of the forums, it seems that I'm not alone but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to the issue. I do wonder if the controller antenna may need to be replaced, but I'd rather not shell out for a new one if it's unlikely to fix the issue.

Am I being unrealistic in my expectations of distance? Any advice would be very gratefully received.
I get the best range when I fly at an elevated ground,so that when the drone goes away,there are no objects disturbing the signal.
Try pointing the antenna to the drone whenever possible.
Check to see if your s1,s2 switches are where you want them to be.
I got my record range when I flew at near max vertical range(around 115m) and it went as far as it ever did horizontally.
Any trees,any object between the antenna and the drone really disturb the signal.
 
Unfamiliar with the P3 but I have one on the way. Is there a max distance setting in the app for it? Will let you know my Max when I get it. Should be no obstructions on the beach but I need to go over a hundred meters. Yikes
 
Unfamiliar with the P3 but I have one on the way. Is there a max distance setting in the app for it? Will let you know my Max when I get it. Should be no obstructions on the beach but I need to go over a hundred meters. Yikes
Yip has distance limits you can set,,when they are reached the app will talk and say max distance reached and won't fly past that point
 
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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!
 
Hello leftcase,
Unfortunately, it is also due to European CE standards for WIFI 2, 4 and 5.8 GHz! In Europe, so probably in England, unlike in the US, this standard allows only 10mW transmission power. In the US, the FCC standard with allowed 100mW !!! So if you have unfavorable conditions for WIFI, where you fly, houses, mountains, etc. the waves reflect ... yes then! So, the given 500 meters so rumschwirren in the network you only reach in the best conditions, completely free country, etc. I have to fight in Germany with the same conditions. Whether England changes after the EU Ausdritt this transmit power limit, I still quote, but let's see.

greetings
Peter

Do not speak english, so translated with Google translator, hope he translates correctly? ;-)
 
I've checked and I'm definitely not flying in beginner mode or with a range limitation in place. I'm getting out of signal messages on the app, and when you fly in beginner mode you don't see these when you hit the distance limiter.

I thought about investing in the argtek, but I have seen some reports of it not really making a difference. I guess I may have to just get one and try it.

Oh, and thanks Hemul. I understood ?
 
I am puzzled by the P3S range issues as well. I'm not about to complain though, since I seem to be in the higher category of range that people get. (1500 to 1800 meters)
What I do find strange though, is that when I went to fly in the exact same area this year as I have flown before and gotten to 1.8 km without a hitch, now I'm getting regular 'go home's in the same place starting at 1000 m and up. Usually I can cancel them and keep on going but yesterday at 1600 m it just wouldn't go any further.
I will test it in different areas and see if it's the same result. Maybe check my antenna connections but it's certainly puzzling.
Some have stated that, after a firmware update, their range was limited as well. I've also read several posts here by guys with lots and lots of experience say they won't do a firmware update for those reasons. I haven't had any issues with mine, beyond the last update which locked my bird up tight when I tried to fly it on a rented farm too close to a major military installation... I did the ARGtek upgrade recently and more than doubled my range in P-GPS mode. I do run the Litchi app as well, and in waypoint it doesn't care if it has signal with r/c or not. Itll fly as far as battery allows. And, 1600m is nearly a mile. I don't know about your eyesight, but my little white birdie is invisible at that distance!
Just sayin... ?
 
Um,,very easy process,,in app under rc settings there rc linking,,I myself have done few times over the years with me p3,,mine was terrible on range and signal,,,this post below mentions about poor signal and relinking can sometimes cure,in process it ask to confirm frequency settings and press ok ,,drone beeps and flashes till drone link button pressed again,,I not to good at explaining so hope this give some ideaView attachment 112407
Thanks for the tip ian!
 
Thank you all for the info. Learning allot about my new toy, p3 on the way. Something new to play with. Love this, buy here, play here, learn here. Sweet
 
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I get the best range when I fly at an elevated ground,so that when the drone goes away,there are no objects disturbing the signal.
Try pointing the antenna to the drone whenever possible.
Check to see if your s1,s2 switches are where you want them to be.
I got my record range when I flew at near max vertical range(around 115m) and it went as far as it ever did horizontally.
Any trees,any object between the antenna and the drone really disturb the signal.
Yeah, there's gotta be some restrictions in your firmware or something. I can take my P3S straight up to 500m(1640ft) if I so chose. (NOT admitting that I ever have, mind you) Range is outstanding here at 400ft altitude limit imposed in US. I have no trouble going farther than my eyes can see, above legal altitude. (Again, NOT admitting I do that...)

Brad
 
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Unfamiliar with the P3 but I have one on the way. Is there a max distance setting in the app for it? Will let you know my Max when I get it. Should be no obstructions on the beach but I need to go over a hundred meters. Yikes
I don't think you'll have any trouble Cap. But I'd probably avoid a firmware update until you read more on it. I'm still looking for more info too. Mostly I want to know if it can be undid if I don't like it!
Brad
 
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I don't think you'll have any trouble Cap. But I'd probably avoid a firmware update until you read more on it. I'm still looking for more info too. Mostly I want to know if it can be undid if I don't like it!
Brad
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?
 
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