Range from backyard

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Just got a P3 4K and havn't really had a chance to take it somewhere open.

Flying around my neighbourhood, video feed is choppy after 50m and I'm only able to get 150m distance and 100m vertical before video feed cuts out entirely. I've seen videos of people in the suburbs going 300-500m without issues on their P3 standard.

I'm using a low end tablet (Samsung Tab 4, 7''), could this be part of the problem?

What distance are you guys able to get in a suburban environment?
 
Just got a P3 4K and havn't really had a chance to take it somewhere open.

Flying around my neighbourhood, video feed is choppy after 50m and I'm only able to get 150m distance and 100m vertical before video feed cuts out entirely. I've seen videos of people in the suburbs going 300-500m without issues on their P3 standard.

I'm using a low end tablet (Samsung Tab 4, 7''), could this be part of the problem?

What distance are you guys able to get in a suburban environment?
I have P3 4K, and out of the box stock range is almost the same as yours. Very disappointed at that time. I kept reading and upgrading and here are the results this past 2 months:

A. Location dense suburb.
1. All stock, video choppy at 150m, rth at 200m
2. Add windsurfer, video gets choppy after 200m, then rth at 350m.
3. Update 27dbm with Papatita script + windsurfer, video clear all the way up to 500m, rth at 500m
4. Upgrade antenna to Dbs mod, 27dbm mod, video up to 800m, rth at 800m.
5. 5.8Ghz booster, dbs mod, 27dbm, video choppy at 800m, no rth. Manually initiate rth at 1.6km.

B. Rural
1. Windsurfer + 27dbm mod, clear video, rth at 1.7km.
2. Dbs, 27dbm, 5.8Ghz booster, video choppy at 1.8km, manually initiate rth at 3km.

IMG-20160820-WA0001.jpg

I'm still waiting for my 2.4Ghz booster to come then I'll know how far I can go.

Overall, I'm happy with this bird. It's my first drone and I learned so much of rc quad. I also think this as a stepping stone to a better drone.
 
You have to remember that every neighourhood is different in terms of interference.
A lot of wifi devices transmitting their stuff on Channel 1-12, on the 2,4ghz range, thus interfering your live video feed.
The control of the bird itself is done over 5,8 ghz, this high frequency is easily effected by buildings and other objects.

Try your bird in a wide open arae with little or no wifi devices around and no objects to block your bird control, you will be able to reach 500 to 1000m for video feed and bird control, depending on your location in terms of CE or FCC (CE for Europe, FCC for U.S.)
 
I have P3 4K, and out of the box stock range is almost the same as yours. Very disappointed at that time. I kept reading and upgrading and here are the results this past 2 months:

A. Location dense suburb.
1. All stock, video choppy at 150m, rth at 200m
2. Add windsurfer, video gets choppy after 200m, then rth at 350m.
3. Update 27dbm with Papatita script + windsurfer, video clear all the way up to 500m, rth at 500m
4. Upgrade antenna to Dbs mod, 27dbm mod, video up to 800m, rth at 800m.
5. 5.8Ghz booster, dbs mod, 27dbm, video choppy at 800m, no rth. Manually initiate rth at 1.6km.

B. Rural
1. Windsurfer + 27dbm mod, clear video, rth at 1.7km.
2. Dbs, 27dbm, 5.8Ghz booster, video choppy at 1.8km, manually initiate rth at 3km.

View attachment 62701
I'm still waiting for my 2.4Ghz booster to come then I'll know how far I can go.

Overall, I'm happy with this bird. It's my first drone and I learned so much of rc quad. I also think this as a stepping stone to a better drone.

Thank you for the great info! I've done the homemade windsurfer mod with ~25m improvement.
Next upgrade will be better antennas or an amplifier.

This is also my first drone and it has been great fun so far but I kinda wish I got the advanced or professional.
 
Thank you for the great info! I've done the homemade windsurfer mod with ~25m improvement.
Next upgrade will be better antennas or an amplifier.

This is also my first drone and it has been great fun so far but I kinda wish I got the advanced or professional.
Well, I almost tempted to trade in the 1 week old P3 4K for P3P at that time. But I think to myself, I will not learn anything if I give up too easily. Then I saw dirtybum here in this forum, pulling a 40.000 feet flight (12km) on a P3S. Then I know, how much potential the Standard and 4K has. Eventually, without birdside modification, our max distance is probably about 4miles (6.5km) due to battery limit, and for me, that's more than enough. I just want a solid control and fpv at 3km radius. I think I'm about to achieve that with the 2.4Ghz amps.
 
Well, I almost tempted to trade in the 1 week old P3 4K for P3P at that time. But I think to myself, I will not learn anything if I give up too easily. Then I saw dirtybum here in this forum, pulling a 40.000 feet flight (12km) on a P3S. Then I know, how much potential the Standard and 4K has. Eventually, without birdside modification, our max distance is probably about 4miles (6.5km) due to battery limit, and for me, that's more than enough. I just want a solid control and fpv at 3km radius. I think I'm about to achieve that with the 2.4Ghz amps.

I would be very happy with a steady FPV of 1.5km. Let me know how your 2.4 GHz amp works out and if you have links to any P3 4K antenna totorials, would be much appreciated!
 
I would be very happy with a steady FPV of 1.5km. Let me know how your 2.4 GHz amp works out and if you have links to any P3 4K antenna totorials, would be much appreciated!
DBS did a youtube video but never put up the installation video.
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So for installation, opening the case etc is the same as P3P/Adv, but for wiring, this guys have done it.
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Just got a P3 4K and havn't really had a chance to take it somewhere open.

Flying around my neighbourhood, video feed is choppy after 50m and I'm only able to get 150m distance and 100m vertical before video feed cuts out entirely. I've seen videos of people in the suburbs going 300-500m without issues on their P3 standard.

I'm using a low end tablet (Samsung Tab 4, 7''), could this be part of the problem?

What distance are you guys able to get in a suburban environment?


with my phantom 2 vision plus I would shut off my home router when flying.

I figured I was standing with my RC 20 feet away from a strong source of wifi signals.
I figured it may help the video range by the rc not having sort through the local strong signals to receive the far weaker signal from the quad, especially as it gets further away!
IE sorta of like a signal jammer,

I started doing this when I had trouble with range and interference and it pretty much helped.... me at least

good luck and have fun flying.
 
Well, I almost tempted to trade in the 1 week old P3 4K for P3P at that time. But I think to myself, I will not learn anything if I give up too easily. Then I saw dirtybum here in this forum, pulling a 40.000 feet flight (12km) on a P3S. Then I know, how much potential the Standard and 4K has. Eventually, without birdside modification, our max distance is probably about 4miles (6.5km) due to battery limit, and for me, that's more than enough. I just want a solid control and fpv at 3km radius. I think I'm about to achieve that with the 2.4Ghz amps.

If you expect these specs from the Standard i would advice you to save the mod money and effort and put it in a upgrade to Advance instead.
 
If you expect these specs from the Standard i would advice you to save the mod money and effort and put it in a upgrade to Advance instead.
Probably, money is not an issue since we have the luxury to spend $800-500 worth of device. I just hate to give up. In fact all my mods can be carried to Pro/Adv if I decide to upgrade. As I said, this is my first drone. Standard/4K is a good platform to start.
 
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