I have a couple of questions about signal loss and distance with my P3 Advanced. At an altitude of 130’ I can fly about 2900’ in distance when I start to get the red “weak signal” warning on my app. Not wanting to lose my signal I circle back and continue my flight in another direction. What is likely to happen if I continue past the point where I get this warning? Will I lose video transmission first, then my control ability, or lose both video and control at the same time? How much farther can I expect to fly before losing either of these abilities? I understand that if I lose my control signal, the drone will return to the home point, but am reluctant to test this voluntarily since at 2900’ it is out of visual range, and I dread my $1000 toy flying off somewhere to never be seen again! I also bought a Tozo parabolic signal booster and still get my “weak signal” warning at the same 2900’ range, might this signal booster increase my control signal only and not video, which won’t allow me to gauge its effectiveness since I’ve been a chicken to push it further?
P3 Signal loss, distance, signal booster questions
- Thread starter pho383440
- Start date
Your flying distance can vary wildly dependent on the terrain you are in, the weather, any inteference issues nearby and simple things like raising your height as well as orientating your antenna correctly. I can fly in exactly the same spot on two different occasions and see a difference of 3000 ft between them. It's not a problem as if I lose my control signal it will always come home (so far anyway...). You generally lose your video signal first which you can generally correct with an increase in height, keep an eye on your signal strength and adjust accordingly. As for your RTH concerns, I would be practicing that until you have confidence as when it happens, and it will, you won't be crapping yourself. No need to go out to a great distance to test it, turn off your controller and try it.
So in theory, if I had a wide open flat area with no obstructions, had my return home altitude set correctly, and made sure my home point was updated to my current launch site, I could fly straight ahead until I am completely out of video and controller signal range, and the drone would return and land at the home point every time provided it had enough battery to return?
Yep, but it may also trigger low battery RTH before that happens as the 'smart' battery determines how much juice it needs to return safely. From my experience that happens long before I run out of control signal.
At this point you have already lost video signal, but still have control and are flying using the altitude, speed, direction, etc numbers on the app, and you still essentially have control of the drone but just don't have visual or video?
Generally yes, but I have had both control and video and the low battery RTH kicks in. Saved me more than once due to wind factors at 10-12000 feet. You can cancel this action but I never do or simply switch that setting off in the app and take your chances.
Actually you can lose video and telemetry making you think you lost control but in fact you still do. You have 3 separate signals. Video and telemetry from AC to RC, control from RC to AC. It happened to me that I thought I lost control, waited 4 minutes for it to come back, sweating more and more as the minutes ticked by and not because I live in Florida. Analyzed flight records on the app and on the AC. App said I lost signal, AC said I didn't so I could have raised altitude.
I suspect latest app version sends RTH on its belief of signal loss just in case there's still control.
I suspect latest app version sends RTH on its belief of signal loss just in case there's still control.
May I add those 4 minutes ended with RTH but for low battery rather than signal loss. I never got a low battery RTH alert with option to cancel which further confirms I did not have signal from AC to RC.
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