Hello Experts,

Given the velocities and flight times of these units, the Spreading Wings could potentially make much further flights than the 300m range of the radio control. Has anyone devised a reliable way to use the cellular data network to extend the range, like has been done for the Parrot?

The trick on the Parrot drone is that it can be controlled over WiFi, so using a MiFi attached to the drone allows for the infrastructure necessary to program remote control through 4G. Is such a WiFi-based control module available for the Spreading Wings units?

If added as an official feature, a SIM card slot would be a huge selling point, and I hope it is in the plans from DJI.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!
-Peter

Sounds cool and I heard that the Bebop Drone can fly over 1.2 miles away...
Guess DJI have its own concern about that, Flying so far with the limited in power sounds like a greater potential risk...

why do you wanna fly so far away~

DJI-nick Posted at 2014-12-5 11:45
why do you wanna fly so far away~

There are many applications that require extensive range. Consider search & rescue applications by mounting a thermal camera and flying over avalanche terrain. Or courier services in small cities, since the Spreading Wings can lift several pounds of payload. Video fans would also enjoy being able to cover long stretches in a single take.

There are already 3 ideas, and I'm sure there are many more applications for long-range drones. I would definitely like one, but so far the only way to get one is to hack a tiny parrot drone with a mobile wifi point. Those however can't lift any weight.

Well, first of all I've used the Lightbridge setup to fly my Phantom/S900 to around 1.8km without any issues. Secondly, even if you use a Futaba and a video transmitter anywhere around the 600mw power mark it will give you over 1km easily without any problems (with correct antennas). For me range has never been an issue, there are many ways to go about getting more range, the problem always has been low battery levels. My P2 has an effective range of over 4km with a Futaba fitted with a wifi booster and a Black Mamba 2,000mw transmitter but I hardly go further than 2km since I have to bring the bird back as well and I usually don't let my lipo's get under 30 percent.

But you know what I would really want to see in the future... A quad or hexa actually recharging itself inflight thus giving us much more flight times by using its regenerative motors to charge one of its 2 batteries. You could call it hybrid or something.

petervilleroy Posted at 2014-12-6 09:13
There are many applications that require extensive range. Consider search & rescue applications by ...

Agreed with your concern.
And DJI has a ground station module that can control up to 2km (FCC).
A more simple and cheap method is updated your RC antenna. But if the drone flies beyond your eyesight it would still be hard to control through RC

Dboy Posted at 2014-12-10 00:28
Agreed with your concern.
And DJI has a ground station module that can control up to 2km (FCC).
A more simple and cheap method is updated your RC antenna. But if the drone flies beyond your eyesight it would still be hard to control through RC

We oversee things that are there, poking our eyes. How about flying a measly 2 blocks away and having to stay high up because you lose signal if you go low? How about going behind that hill right next to you and losing signal while being less than 1/4 mile away from your drone?  How about bloody interference from residential wifi? Shooting landscapes is enjoyable but it gets old eventually. That's a major reason why so many drone enthusiasts lose interest in their recently acquired drones and sell them so fast.

When flying drones over cellular signal becomes common, we will be saying things like "can you believe that's how we use to fly our drones?"

There’s a guy on YouTube that flew his Parrott fixed wing using cellular connection from Maui across to Lanai and back....interesting.