Hello I am a new Mavic owner and I am having trouble getting anywhere near the 3.5-4 mile range on my Mavic. I live in SoCal but on the out skirts. I am flying in my neighborhood and cant really get to far without loosing radio signal with my drone and being force to fly back. I try to adjust the antenna's during flight but still the same result. Any thoughts? Thanks!

The antennas are straight up right?

Are you right next to a bunch of wifi routers?

Most importantly, do you have line of sight? Nothing is between you and the drone? .7 sounds about right with moderate obstructions.

having the same problem. I guess you can change the RC signal transmission within the settings.

Make sure your antenna are correctly positioned, Mavic is designed to fly 4 mile without absolute no interference, so unless you are flying over the ocean on a calm day, are you going to realise those distance.

You said you lived in urban area, these areas eat up 2.4 ghz every TVs radio microwave ovens and all the rest of tech using 2.4ghz is fighting for the same signal as you..

I suggest you go out in the open Country side and test your distance there, but remember you are supposed to keep your drone in VLOS.

Good luck..

.5 to 1.0 miles in a populated area is about average. In order to hit the max range that is in wide open areas with no obstruction whatsoever. Also the higer you go the farther you can go on average. Try this, flay an an area where there is fairly different amout of obstructions and such in 2 different directions. Where there are more houses trees and such you will notice less range then in the direction where there is less.

And further more is it 1500ft or 1500m??  if it is ft then you are getting about .28 miles which if it is densly populated enough it possible. .7 miles is 3696ft

5280ft in a mile
1609m in a mile

one thing that may help is parabolic range extenders they are around $10. They basically reflect all of your signal from your antenaes foward in front of you boosting your range a bit.

I get mine about 1-1.5 miles out before I start to get the low signal warning.  if I take the mavic up a little higher it works sometimes but I also get magnetic interference cell signal also.   

really depends. As others pointed out, completely clean visual LOS from controller to actual Mavic is key.  Also, between you and the mavic, are there quite a few neighborhoods/buildings/towers that can interfere? If so, that will impact signal.

But 4 miles is absolutely a reality..even when some houses with wifi, are present...

geofox784 Posted at 2017-3-19 19:10
The antennas are straight up right?

Are you right next to a bunch of wifi routers?

Hey @geofox784 Thanks for the reply. I didn't consider wifi routers I am flying from my house so I am sure there are wifi signals close (mine included).

I am not able to maintain line of sight is that the difference maker? I assumed that the max distance was with out without line of sight. Not the case?

Snap_Shot Posted at 2017-3-20 10:36
having the same problem. I guess you can change the RC signal transmission within the settings.

@Snap_Shot Thanks Ill try that. I have found info on changing the wifi transmission from 2.4 to 5 but are you saying I can change the RC transmission info? How do I do that?

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-3-20 10:55
Make sure your antenna are correctly positioned, Mavic is designed to fly 4 mile without absolute no interference, so unless you are flying over the ocean on a calm day, are you going to realise those distance.

You said you lived in urban area, these areas eat up 2.4 ghz every TVs radio microwave ovens and all the rest of tech using 2.4ghz is fighting for the same signal as you..

@hallmark007 Thanks! I didn't consider the 2.4 issue but what seems like the big issue is VLOS seems like most folks are saying thats my issue. I will fly in a space where I can get VLOS and report back.

jreynolds5 Posted at 2017-3-20 11:05
.5 to 1.0 miles in a populated area is about average. In order to hit the max range that is in wide open areas with no obstruction whatsoever. Also the higer you go the farther you can go on average. Try this, flay an an area where there is fairly different amout of obstructions and such in 2 different directions. Where there are more houses trees and such you will notice less range then in the direction where there is less.

@jreynolds5 Thanks Ill give that a try.

Keep in mind that while a WiFi , cell antenna or other signal close to your takeoff point may not interfere with your Mavic at all , this is because your controller is closer to it and over rides it easily . Fly over that same WiFi signal when your controller is a 1000' feet away and it may be the stronger signal . Take into account also that many places like the factory I work at , have WiFi boosters and extenders , two way radio antennas and cell phone signal repeaters etc all in a localized place . The advertised 4.3 mile range is a maximum under ideal conditions . DJI did not ever guarantee that and I am continually surprised at the people that take it as pure fact .

"I am not able to maintain line of sight is that the difference maker? I assumed that the max distance was with out without line of sight. Not the case?"

Radio signal Line of sight and Visual Line Of Sight are similar yet different of course . The FAA says you must fly VLOS meaning you must be able to see the aircraft at all times . To the radio signal it simply means you must be able to draw an imaginary straight line to the aircraft without any obstructions between the controller and AirCraft .  Anything between the signal will scatter or totally block it . To maintain radio line of sight one must continually gain altitude the further out it is away from the controller . Unless you are flying from a taller hill or building than the surrounding areas of course

Unless you live on top of a hill with no trees then .7 miles is all your going to get.

fans90d4f438 Posted at 2017-3-20 12:09
really depends. As others pointed out, completely clean visual LOS from controller to actual Mavic is key.  Also, between you and the mavic, are there quite a few neighborhoods/buildings/towers that can interfere? If so, that will impact signal.

But 4 miles is absolutely a reality..even when some houses with wifi, are present...

The amount of fear I had watching that video was way to high hahaha

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2017-3-25 10:17
Unless you live on top of a hill with no trees then .7 miles is all your going to get.

Not necessarily the case. I have gone substantially further in much worse conditions.

fans90d4f438 Posted at 2017-3-20 12:09
really depends. As others pointed out, completely clean visual LOS from controller to actual Mavic is key.  Also, between you and the mavic, are there quite a few neighborhoods/buildings/towers that can interfere? If so, that will impact signal.

But 4 miles is absolutely a reality..even when some houses with wifi, are present...

I'm more amazed the app didn't crash than actually getting that range.