satellites drop slightly when recording video - SOLVED

[Helveticus]

Hi all,

Just did the mod, and it is FANTASTIC !

I live in a small and narrow valley surrounded by steep hills. Before I did the mod I never had more than 4 sats on the ground, often less, and had to fly in ATTI (NAZA) all the time, except when flying elsewhere.

Now, after the mod, I get between 7 and 9 sats on the ground at a very bad coverage time (according to GPS plan : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gps-pla ... 49032?mt=8 )

My advice : do not walk, RUN to a shop, grab some aluminum tape and DO THE MOD !

I'll do a real fly test tomorrow, in day light, and post my results here.

Anyway, MANY THANKS to those who found and shared this, it really saved me !

 

[skyhighdiver]

I did the mod last weekend and have noticed almost no difference in either the number of satellites acquired or the time for acquisition. I seem to teeter on the edge of five and eventually six after anything up to 10 minutes, which is disappointing compared with the reports from other people here. I used the Aluminium HVAC tape and then insulation packing tape as per the various walk-throughs. I did not lag the cable but did run it back under the original copper sandwich pad, as per the DE video.

I have noticed the top cover being warmer than normal but not overly so. The vents are certainly all clear and I wonder whether it's the added insulation that's simply storing more of the heat from use as I can't see why the GPS antenna would get that hot anyway.

I have the same findings
Top gets warmer than before and no difference in sats at all
still drop one sat when in record and comes back when I stop.
HAVE NO ISSUES GETTING 6 HERE AND USUALY 10-12 AFTER TAKEOFF
I do travel with it so though why not try .Hope the heat is not going to be a issue

 

[garrock]

I did the mod last weekend and have noticed almost no difference in either the number of satellites acquired or the time for acquisition.

I have the same findings
Top gets warmer than before and no difference in sats at all
still drop one sat when in record and comes back when I stop.

It could be that the noise generated by the camera subsystem is different for each drone. Various electronic factors and wiring runs can contribute.

I'd like to hear more from the folks flying this mod if their video downlink has changed. Adding that much metal overtop the two WiFi patch antennas inside the drone could affect the WiFi 2.4ghz radiation pattern.

 

[bergenfelter]

I did the mod last weekend and have noticed almost no difference in either the number of satellites acquired or the time for acquisition.

I have the same findings
Top gets warmer than before and no difference in sats at all
still drop one sat when in record and comes back when I stop.

It could be that the noise generated by the camera subsystem is different for each drone. Various electronic factors and wiring runs can contribute.

I'd like to hear more from the folks flying this mod if their video downlink has changed. Adding that much metal overtop the two WiFi patch antennas inside the drone could affect the WiFi 2.4ghz radiation pattern.

I did the mod tonight and almost instantly had 7 sats on start up and went to 11-12 while in the air - before the mod it took 5-8 mins to get enough GPS lock just to take off. I have the TP Link omni WiFi extender mod - no effect to video downlink distance at all. The GPS shield mod is brilliant!

 

[Mori55]

Anyone else notice heat issue ?

 

[Waynet2]

I did the Alu foil and packing tape mode 3 days ago to both my PV2+ and PV2. The + normally gets 2 more Sats, the PV2 seems to get one more Sat.

Heat--- the first day it was around 70 degrees F outside and no FPV problem, next day I was out in 95 degree temp. Lost FPV a couple times and also had my Ipad Mini shut down due to heat during flight.

PV2+ with shielding (note: gold in photo is reflection in room)

 

[anchorkee]

Anyone else notice heat issue ?

I just came back from a test tuning flight due to change to T-motors.

Weather: Cloudy with mild winds. 30deg C, which is about 86deg F.

After the flights (Which I did 3 batteries) The top cover was warm but still ok.
During my test flight yesterday which was sunny with 32 deg C 90deg F, it was much warmer then today.

 

[kymedic121]

Re: satellites drop slightly when recording video

.[/quote]OK I have tested it with 2 Visions plus. :geek:
Left with the mod and right without the mod.
And yes the recording was on :lol:
look for yourself [/quote]


May I ask what tablet you are running? I am considering buying a tablet and have no experience with them. My eyes are getting worse and I can't use my bifocals while using my phone because they mess me up visually, one second its in my face and then next I can't see it. Table may be the best answer. Also let me know how you mounted the tablet as well. I thank you in advance for any help you can give me. Thank You.

 

[M.Tigelaar]

Re: satellites drop slightly when recording video

.

OK I have tested it with 2 Visions plus. :geek:
Left with the mod and right without the mod.
And yes the recording was on :lol:
look for yourself [/quote]


May I ask what tablet you are running? I am considering buying a tablet and have no experience with them. My eyes are getting worse and I can't use my bifocals while using my phone because they mess me up visually, one second its in my face and then next I can't see it. Table may be the best answer. Also let me know how you mounted the tablet as well. I thank you in advance for any help you can give me. Thank You.[/quote]

Of course, look over here :
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18095&start=10#p165334
(it's an ipad mini)

 

[Mori55]

iPad mini , but there's been a million post on this. , and how to mount everything , just do search.

 

[Helveticus]

Hi all,

Just to update you after my alu foil mod :

First successful flights in NAZA GPS mode in my very problematic place / narrow valley where I usually have only 3 or 4 sats, this time. This time, with the alu foil mod, I've had between 6 and 8 sats on the ground and more in the air

I haven't noticed any overheating of the bird, temperature normal after 2 flight of about 15 minutes (despite that i flew this test during the hottest day this year, +/- 30ºc), my iPhone was much hotter... This were also my first flights with the GPS locator and Fastsmiles Camera guard attached to the bird.

This confirms that the mod is working fantastically well (for me) !

 

[Alib]

any reason not just to use standard kitchen aluminium foil?

 

[Mori55]

How you going to stick it ? Then you have to cover with something. Just get some alum duct tape then cover with packing tape.

 

[Alib]

2 sided tape, then cover it in packing tape...

i have alu foil at home, and tape,,, i dont have alu tape

 

[Helveticus]

any reason not just to use standard kitchen aluminium foil?

Well, I'm not sure... I did it with adhesive alu "foil/tape". This way you're sure the alu will stick to the top case of the bird. With kitchen alu you may need to use glue and make more mess...

Alu foil/tape can be easily be found, it's cheap and you may reuse some later on... IMMO it's well worth the pain of a ride to the shop
And, while you're at it, grab a roll of brown or transparent packing tape (very light) to insulate the foil from the internal components of the bird

Be careful to let the ventilation holes open (do NOT cover them with anything !)

 

[Mori55]

Plus the double sided taped going to make thick , you sti have cover the foil with something.
Someone posted earlier he didn't get good results with kitchen foil. But got better results with the alum tape.

 

[madeinengland]

Applied this mod to both the Vision and V+ using alu tape and gaffer tape sealing and have to report outstanding results.
Covered the cables as well. Now receiving 10 sats within 30secs of switch on and they remain throughout any activity with the video camera. This mod is a must if you do nothing this weekend get the foil added to the phantoms.
Got my reels from screwfix (uk) and I am very pleased so much happier now and hopefully not so much worry about flyaways.

 

[Fplvert]

I have not done this mod. I don't have any shortage of satelights, unlike cell service! While doing some video editing, I noticed the flytrex csv file (excell) has the number of satelights listed during the flight. I'm using the core 2. Someone probably has the gauge already :?:
http://youtu.be/8qucJCjsNe4

Demo I did yesterday.

 

[UKFlyer]

I can also recommend this, had around 30 flawless flights with the vision+ but i always noticed i could never get more than around 9 sats anywhere on the very odd day would i get up to 12, so i decided to do the mod to see if things improved, i used just general foil tape from the local hardware store and covered the outside of it with parcel tape to prevent shorts. That was 10 flights ago and every flight i been getting 10 - 12 sats! This gives me great peace of mind knowing i can now afford to lose 3 or so and i will still keep the gps lock In my opinion this could be the real cause of some of the so called flyaways because say you only have 8 sats locked like i used to then it only takes you to lose 3 then you lose gps lock, the phantom starts drifting in the wind. If you are out of LOS and you also happen to lose fpv then this could be a major problem as it cannot return home and as said the wind will take it away in atti mode, any input from the stick could make the situation worse!
There was a definite lack of shielding in the phantom before this modification as why am i always now getting much more?
A must do mod for anyone not done it yet, thanks to dronexpert for preventing more possible flyaways!

 

[Avanti1963]

Do you think this product will work? Thanks
http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/shop/materials/specialty-media/item-number/media-svr-adh