How far can I expect to go

For HawkeyeDave,. At the risk of being a Debbie Downer, there's no skill involved with sending your drone as far away as possible, there is much more skill involved in just getting your drone to do what you want within the environment (which if you're flying in the USA NAS means while you can still see your bird with your own eyes.)

Watch someone expertly inspect a tower with supporting guy wires, or a bridge inspection, or a cinematic video of a moving object, now that takes some skills and a steady experienced hand. A three year old can just hold the forward pitch control until one starts hearing warning messages and triggered RTH-s.

Work to get some useful skills and have fun, try some indoor flying in Attii mode for some sphinchter tightening flying (use prop guards.) I'm flying a P4, and damned if I can see it more than 1500 out without lighting. Flying out beyond your own sight is just asking for a mishap, which may turn catastrophic. Also, you'll NOT be breaking any records, so why risk it?

You've been advised, safe flights and happy landings [emoji41]
 
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Distance max can be more than battery capability with boosters etc.

My Argtek with Icarus averages 2000m + range and on one occasion I was silly and flew in strong winds. The RTH was touchy whether battery would last ! She made it back with about 20% left in her ... which is well below my comfort level.

Nigel
 
I often end up doing close flying for 'fun' ..... my videos have such as flying low over seagulls on the ice ... Swans gathering on the river ....

Just doing range flying is boring but I do it to test config's and demo's.

Nigel
 
I've hit 1800 feet with stock antennas. But I live out in the country with not a lot around to interfere with. I am going to do the antenna mod just for the heck of it though lol
 
Thinking of close in flying - soon our Club will have its Official Opening Season meeting and I can g'tee that there will be a good number of Phantoms there all videoing various parts of the meeting.
It is a good exercise in control because of course we have a real mixed bag of models. From lightweight electrics through to big electric and fuel models. As well as gliders etc. Contrary to many sites - we have the Pit area with our cars sits between the E-models one side and Fuel models other. Therefore the Phantoms will be working the middle ground between the two disciplines. A corridor of about 8m by about 60m long.

Nigel
 
I did the Alfa mod sort of "half-way", just the 2.4ghz antennas - I still have the stock 5.8ghz antenna - I was able to make it to 2500 ft out in the country flying over trees. Video was still going when it RTH'ed. Doing the 5.8ghz antenna this week, hoping to get a mile. However, I was very happy with 2500 ft, able to survey 80 acres, which was the goal!
 
I did the Alfa mod sort of "half-way", just the 2.4ghz antennas - I still have the stock 5.8ghz antenna - I was able to make it to 2500 ft out in the country flying over trees. Video was still going when it RTH'ed. Doing the 5.8ghz antenna this week, hoping to get a mile. However, I was very happy with 2500 ft, able to survey 80 acres, which was the goal!

Windsurfer on the 5.8 gave me over 700m without any work at all in residential area.

Argtec gave me well over 1km round housing and 2.5km in open fields.

Nigel
 

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