P4 distance range question per my situation, too short and how come?

[Walnawk]

Hello:

My p3s can do longer distance than my p4 at the moment, and wondering is there any kind of adjustment I can make.

I tried my new P4 yesterday flying at 360 ft. altitude under a sunny sky with line of sight at a very familiar testing site and it only yielded less than 3000ft, while my old p3s performed the same with stock antenna. P4 is suppose to have 3.1 miles distance in them while most people should easily get more than that. Am I missing something?

I appreciate for all responses in advance.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Hello:

My p3s can do longer distance than my p4 at the moment, and wondering is there any kind of adjustment I can make.

I tried my new P4 yesterday flying at 360 ft. altitude under a sunny sky at a very familiar testing site and it only yielded less than 3000ft, while my old p3s performed the same without mod. P4 is suppose to have 3.1 miles distance in them while most people should easily get more than that. Am I missing something?

I appreciate for all responses in advance.

Yeh strange ay,,,my phantom 4 good but i had troubles with phantom std and phantom 3 4k,,,,,had to get some ARGtec extender aireals ,,, r you using a windsufer,,,,they do help and easy to make,,,,

 

[Walnawk]

Yeh strange ay,,,my phantom 4 good but i had troubles with phantom std and phantom 3 4k,,,,,had to get some ARGtec extender aireals ,,, r you using a windsufer,,,,they do help and easy to make,,,,

No windsurfer either on my p4. Stock antenna for the first test. It was strange. I too modified my P3s with ARGtek and it goes 1.77 miles on the same route. P3s without windsurfer was about 2800 ft.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Hello um not really sure why range not the best,,,you could try re downloading dj app or make a copper or foil windsufer ,,i know there is also good drones and bad drones,,,,luck of the draw,,,,,,mayby someone out there throw some ideas around,,mayby contac dj support ,pic of my homemade windersufer,best of luck,,,

 

[Walnawk]

How far did your own stock antenna go?

 

[tevek]

How far did your own stock antenna go?

There area lot of variables with any distance attempts. Under the best of inteference free, ideal weather and no wind conditions my P3S would routinely fly 1.8 klms with a simple windsurfer but at other times struggle to get to 1 Klm. I used to put that down to either wind,humidity or not orientating the antenna correctly. Same with my P4, I flew yesterday 3 klms over the forest before the signal starting breaking up and could have flown a lot further but with a storm coming and the wind picking up, wasn't prepared to chance it. Over the ocean I can get close to the advertised distance with only the battery controlling my distance. @John Locke on this forum has discussed the difference in controllers for the P4 and has made some valid recommendations for using a different controller available for the P4 with no mods and much greater distance and signal strength. FWIW I fitted a FPVLR to my controller for better penetration in the area where I live and can fly until the battery tells me to come home.

 

[Thequadfather263]

On dry lake bed with cheap antenna Shields, sport mode 21035 feet before my rth kicked in due to battery level, landed back at 4 percent battery. P4 drone.

 

[tevek]

On dry lake bed with cheap antenna Shields, sport mode 21035 feet before my rth kicked in due to battery level, landed back at 4 percent battery. P4 drone.

Is that a round trip or one way? Otherwise, that's pretty impressive.

 

[Thequadfather263]

One way. Forward on the stick till it yelled at me.. Clear nothing in my way. Figured if it didn't make it back I could find it. Left with 98 percent at one mile out I had 24 percent and was sweating.

 

[tevek]

One way. Forward on the stick till it yelled at me.. Clear nothing in my way. Figured if it didn't make it back I could find it. Left with 98 percent at one mile out I had 24 percent and was sweating.

That is good work! Nothing like a bit of trembling waiting for that familiar whining noise!

 

[BobWare]

FYI... there's a pretty big thread about P4 range in the "Phantom 4 Discussion" section... it's stickied so it appears as the first thread in that discussion. Lots of info about this subject. I'd post a link to it but I didn't know how to do that.