Increase range

[ShaneLawler]

I am looking to significantly improve my range on my DJI Phantom 2 Vision+. I am hoping I can add signal boosters (2 watt range), small enough to be internal and possibly powered by the controller or on the phantom (without an external battery pack, if possible)

These are the things I need but am not sure if what I have in mind will work or not. Could you guys take a look at what I have in mind and give me some feedback?

(ON THE PHANTOM 2 VISION PLUS)
I need a compact 2.4Ghz and 5.8ghz signal booster (similar to this: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1523470960 ) small enough to fit on (or inside) the Phantom itself.

I need the pigtails to connect to the phantom to the input side of the boosters.

I need the pigtails for the output side of the boosters to the exterior if the phantom.

I need an external 2.4ghz antenna for the phantom.

I need an external 5.8ghz antenna for the phantom.

(ON THE CONTROLLER)

I need (2) external 2.4ghz antennas for the controller. I am open for suggestions but considered one longer range and one shorter (like a helix). Possibly (2) long range that are mounted at angles to broaden the signal.

I need an external 5.8ghz antenna for the controller.

I need the pigtails to connect to the controller to the input side of the boosters.

I need the pigtails for the output side of the boosters to the exterior if the controller.

So that would be (3) 2.4ghz boosters and (2) 5.8ghz boosters with all the wiring and antennas for each.

Does this setup sound feasible?
Do you think I will have any issues?
I want to order the goodies in the next or so.

I will post progress as I implement it.

Thanks,

Shane
DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

 

[mede8er]

In my opinion this bird should have no extra weight on the drone side....keep all your mods to the pilot side (some here will disagree). I have flown this bird for 2 miles with no modification to the bird, no booster app and only a flat panel antennae on the TX side....

With booster app and amps on the TX side I expect to hit 3 miles easily...my buddy DBS here is going for 4.... :shock:

 

[DBS]

I need a compact 2.4Ghz and 5.8ghz signal booster (similar to this: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1523470960 ) small enough to fit on (or inside) the Phantom itself.

Just looking at his one thing for the moment... it is the wrong type of booster to use inside the vision plus... it is a one way booster to transmit only... If it is configured for 2.4Ghz then it needs to be two way in and out so it won't work... If it is configured for 5.8Ghz then it would need to receive so it wouldn't work... The only one spot that booster would function on a Vision Plus setup is if it was 5.8 and boosting the transmitter from the ground...

For the rest of your list... you need to think of range vs. portability...

If you want the longest range... itelite patch panels win with no mods to the V+ so you keep the weight down....
If you want 3/4 of that longest range with smaller hardware ... then Horizon/FPVLR style CP antennas win with more portability but you need to mod the Phantom side to get any farther ...

Any of these antennas you order will come with the appropriate pigtails to plug them in...
Any of the boosters you order will come with the pigtails also...

Don't boost the Phantom's onboard stuff until you have gone thru the booster apps and antenna options... you should be able to get more signal range than the V+ battery can outrun without boosting anything from the bird side... it adds more weight and drains battery quicker and overall doesn't gain you as much as some serious antenna tuning.

 

[Damon]

Good god. Now that's some serious equipment. I can only imagine what people in a park would think.

I can just picture them thinking not only can you zoom in on them inside there house, they would assume you can hear them talking through their walls

 

[Dirty Bird]

That's why you also wear a custom black jacket that reads:

NSA
"Don't worry...we're just looking out for you!"

 

[DBS]

Good god. Now that's some serious equipment. I can only imagine what people in a park would think.

"The Park" is no place for this stuff... If you are going true long range FPV... you should be well away from the public anyway so hardly anyone sees this stuff unless they're out there doing the same thing you are... :ugeek:

If you wanna go park flying all this hardware comes off with 4 screws and pop on your short range stuff... 10 minute swap

 

[Damon]

My butt cheeks were puckered tight enough doing a 1.7 mile run with my gear. Could have cracked walnuts

I'll have to bow out on longer runs or take up pre-flight drinking.

 

[Damon]

FPVLR what's with the dipole out the side of the phantom?

 

[DBS]

Yeah... that's a mod to the Phantom... contrary to what was stated there :lol:

 

[mede8er]

Wow, with such an arsenal no wonder.
With FPVLR antennas you can hit 3 miles with some degree of portability, 2+ miles with very good portability and NO upgrades on the phantom, contrary to what is stated here.

On this picture you see the boosted x3 kit , with only a 1w MIMO sunhans booster, with some antennas on the bird, there is a missing pinwheel which the guy forgot to order, he got 12000 ft with still perfect video on his first run at the highest resolution setting he came back because he was scared of losing it.

Hehhehheh...anecdotal statements are worthless...pics and Flytrex or it didn't happen.....

 

[mede8er]

our basic stage 2 kit has a record of 7500ft with NO boosters and NO upgrades on the copter side. That's our lowest range system with widest beamwidth and weighs 50 grams. They guy is 12 or 14th on FLytrex. I don't keep up with these things, since we build antennas for all kinds of UAV platforms not just the Vision.
You want to carry a Dolly with patches and arrays, or do you prefer the subtle style of tiny, well tuned gems that weigh nothing and will enhance your FPV experience, as well as get compliments wherever you go?

Make your choice.

My choice is verifiable distance...and DBS has the record for this bird...'nuff said....

 

[DBS]

DBS I have had MANY customers hit 2 miles with NO, ZERO bird side upgrade.

Bird side upgrade is only nice to have since you can yaw 360 degrees and be confident in your signal, no dropouts.

The pic i posted is to show the portability of a system capable of 15k feet with only a 1w MIMO booster.

Did you guys have a 15000 ft flight yet... I haven't seen that but I don't doubt the capability

The "portability" thing kinda throws me off... how do you set down that transmitter in the car or whatever without crushing on cables and connectors all over the back... it is smaller than the patch panel stuff though...

BTW ... my last video at 19,900+ ft was with 1w boost on the 2.4 also... so we're in the same neighborhood power wise... I didn't use mimo though... I only boosted one antenna

 

[mede8er]

You post unsubstantiated BS in order to boost sales...are you related to Bernie Madoff by any chance?

 

[rrmccabe]

.. how do you set down that transmitter in the car or whatever without crushing on cables and connectors all over the back... it is smaller than the patch panel stuff though...

It's fine in the car and the cables are no issue. However it would need a little work if you were going to backpack with it.

My goal is to have mine fit in a typical phantom case (even if it requires a little trimming). I have too many things to charge now so doubt I will go the easy route with boosters. I might upgrade the Phantom antennas but not sure yet. I would like to make 10,000 with a Stage 2 kit as that will still fit in a case.

I need quit flying from in the valley at my house for one :lol:

 

[DBS]

our basic stage 2 kit has a record of 7500ft with NO boosters and NO upgrades on the copter side. That's our lowest range system with widest beamwidth and weighs 50 grams. They guy is 12 or 14th on FLytrex. I don't keep up with these things, since we build antennas for all kinds of UAV platforms not just the Vision.
You want to carry a Dolly with patches and arrays, or do you prefer the subtle style of tiny, well tuned gems that weigh nothing and will enhance your FPV experience, as well as get compliments wherever you go?

Make your choice.

Here you go then...

Homemade for 20 bucks... 11200ft range ... no boosters ... aluminum panel weighs next to nothing...

Compliments wherever I go...

Look I'm not selling anything here... I love the competition as much as the next guy but this is sounding too much like an argument already that I don't need to be involved in for any reason so ... yeah ... we all use some pretty spectacular antennas and there's room enough for everybody to choose their own style without a whole sales pitch ... didn't mean to ruffle any feathers :ugeek:

 

[N017RW]

Is this necessary?:

"Keep doing what you are doing... Remember it's not a matter of who has the biggest ****, but who can satisfy their woman. Woman in this case stands for customers."

Call me a prude but I enjoy sharing this forum with my kids and find it a bit out of place here.

 

[RedBaron]

The only person I need to verify my distances to is me. Also, I really compete against myself.

e

 

[mede8er]

Is this necessary?:

"Keep doing what you are doing... Remember it's not a matter of who has the biggest ****, but who can satisfy their woman. Woman in this case stands for customers."

Call me a prude but I enjoy sharing this forum with my kids and find it a bit out of place here.

That's the kind of person we're dealing with here....it's atrocious....

 

[DBS]

We don't need Flytrex we are bigger than Flytrex. 1000 Phantom Pilots in 3 months, all of them happy, that's what we care for.

I know you are small and must start somewhere so you are concentrating on one thing, Flytrex records. That's good for you guys to start out... I'd do the same thing if I were tiny and were starting out like that, setting records. I did the same thing, my company started 3 years ago.

Dude... you're trippin... settle down and do some research... I don't know if you misunderstand and think "you guys starting out" means me and somebody else trying to sell stuff? I'm not... I don't... there is no "you guys"... and if you are speaking of itelite... they crush you... they sell more than your total V+ orders every week in 50 countries worldwide... This Is just a little sideline thing they do to have cool stuff to talk about back at the office in Poland or videos to show at their tradeshows... I am not a representative for them... they just send me free stuff and tell me to go nuts and GO BIG...

Don't confuse this... you are the salesman/antenna expert in the room...

I'm just the geeky crane operator/truck driver who flew really far one day ...

Your comments above where you made up this whole story about "us guys just starting out" is a sad example of how far things go when somebody's trying to sell something... completely unnecessary and unfounded and untrue... stick to the facts ... your storytelling leaves something to be desired.

 

[DBS]

Also, I really compete against myself.

Me too bro... me too... by a mile