Hello,

I purchased a Spark recently (the fly more combo, to be exact), and I'm very happy with it. I found out pretty quickly (when I read the manual) that the regulations in Europe (I live in Switzerland) only allow for a much lower power output of the transmitter, hence giving us a shorter range as well.

The best I got so far was about 290 meters, and that was on a completely flat area, with no houses or other potential disturbances nearby. Plus I was using a cable to connect the remote to my iPhone, which supposedly should help with the range - really? I doubt that I would get a lot less without the cable, I'll test if we get a sunny day...

Since I've established that I'm not getting more than 300m, and many times not even 200, I've tried looking for a solution to get a little bit more, and there's one tip that comes up a lot: switch to 2.4 GHz. Well, it's true that I'm always on 5.8, so I've gone through the settings in the app (DJ GO 4 for iOS) almost every time I've gone flying, and I just don't have the choice of switching to 2.4Ghz. It doesn't matter either if I connect to the remote via WiFi or with the cable. I see the the two buttons "Auto" and "Custom", but I can't click them, nothing happens if I touch them.

Before I posted this question, I've been searching through this forum, and there have been other people with the same and similar questions, but no clear answers.

Should I be able to switch to 2.4 GHz at all? Or is it a myth, and am I just losing my time if I keep on trying?



Spark V01.00.0701

RC (don't know how to get it's fw-number, but I've updated it a week ago or so)


iPhone, still with iOS 10 (10.3.3)

well in your case or anybody's case , what is the apk version of your app ..
Anybody can fly anywhere in the world using 2.4 or 5 ghz frequency..all you do is dont update the no fly zone list ...i live in kuwait but i still can see distance of 750 meters on my spark..

As i understand sadly no when you using the updated firmware due to the regulations you in. Yes only if you downgrade to older firmware.

That’s strange. It should work.
I use the latest firmware all the way, and the latest IOS.
Both the auto and the custom buttons work fine. No cable.
Hmmm...

Can’t speak for using otg, but without it you should be able to select “custom” and after that you have to scroll down and choose one of the available channels. The lower # 1-13 are 2.4GHz and the others 5.8GHz. Select a channel with little to no interference (shortest green bar). And after that you’re Spark will reboot and you should be able to fly using the 2.4GHz band.

Hope that helps,
Flip.

heliman Posted at 2017-12-8 07:27
That’s strange. It should work.
I use the latest firmware all the way, and the latest IOS.
Both the auto and the custom buttons work fine. No cable.

Well, I tried again and realised that I hadn't done it properly (instead of scrolling through the channels and selecting one of the lower channels, I was looking for a 2.4 button or something like it...). So now I can switch to 2.4, but I didn't have time to test the range. If I can get just a little bit more, that would be cool.

To summarise, as long as it's on "Auto", it will probably always be on a 5.8 GHz channel, since there's a lot less noise there, is that correct? Hence, if I wanna keep it on 2.4, I'll have to find a good channel for every new location, every time I get there, otherwise, if I just leave it on the same channel as last time, it might be too noisy the next time, right?

Flip_L Posted at 2017-12-8 09:04
Can’t speak for using otg, but without it you should be able to select “custom” and after that you have to scroll down and choose one of the available channels. The lower # 1-13 are 2.4GHz and the others 5.8GHz. Select a channel with little to no interference (shortest green bar). And after that you’re Spark will reboot and you should be able to fly using the 2.4GHz band.

Hope that helps,

That's exactly what I needed to know / to do! Thanks a lot.

No worries. Glad it worked ;)

Yeah, your summary is exactly right.
I get a lot more range on 2.4 than I do on 5.6 in open fields.

KurtVD Posted at 2017-12-8 09:20
That's exactly what I needed to know / to do! Thanks a lot.

Hi, sir. You can change your channel to 2.4 G with iphone. I would recommend you enter wifi setting and select the channel with best signal. Please keep us updated, thanks.

Sukizilla Posted at 2017-12-10 19:29
[view_image]

Nice, it looks like you are in Bangkok? As it happens I will travel through Bangkok soon, and I'm hesitant to bring my Spark with, since the drone laws seem quite restrictive. Officially, every drone has to be registered, so I'm a little bit worried about getting into trouble at the airport (from what I know, you can't just register it at the airport)

Thanks to everybody, so I could go for a short test flight despite the cold weather, and I picked a spot where I had previously been flying on 5.8 GHz. Even though I didn't push it to the limit, I had a clear and stable picture at a distance of about 400m (at 2.4 GHz), and I was sitting in my car because of the cold (holding the remote out of the open window, pointing towards the drone, but still not ideal I guess).

My problem is solved.

Did anyone have issues with 2.4ghz frequency and Wifi interference from routers? I've been advised to avoid 2.4 because it's the most commonly used Wifi router frequency/is more susceptible to interference? Then again, I have also heard Bluetooth from your phone can also interfere with the device. New to the forums and appreciate the advice.

KurtVD Posted at 2017-12-13 09:41
Nice, it looks like you are in Bangkok? As it happens I will travel through Bangkok soon, and I'm hesitant to bring my Spark with, since the drone laws seem quite restrictive. Officially, every drone has to be registered, so I'm a little bit worried about getting into trouble at the airport (from what I know, you can't just register it at the airport)

Don't worry.

cannabenoid Posted at 2017-12-13 10:03
Did anyone have issues with 2.4ghz frequency and Wifi interference from routers? I've been advised to avoid 2.4 because it's the most commonly used Wifi router frequency/is more susceptible to interference? Then again, I have also heard Bluetooth from your phone can also interfere with the device. New to the forums and appreciate the advice.

I think 5.6GHz has become pretty common too. And it has shorter range than 2.4GHz, but it’s hard to say which will work the best in an urban area. I’m not allowed to fly in urban areas here, so I can’t really tell.
Ideal would be to walk the route before flying and map the area, looking for free channels.
Or if the spark could auto-adapt.
I set my apple watch to flight mode.
One day I forgot to do that and still reached 1km in CE area.

KurtVD Posted at 2017-12-13 09:41
Nice, it looks like you are in Bangkok? As it happens I will travel through Bangkok soon, and I'm hesitant to bring my Spark with, since the drone laws seem quite restrictive. Officially, every drone has to be registered, so I'm a little bit worried about getting into trouble at the airport (from what I know, you can't just register it at the airport)

You wont get in trouble at the airport.
Only the registering thing is 'known' to the BiB's, now.
Just have no idea, if Spark is on their radar, too.
What you should consider is to register with the
'National broadcasting and Telecomunications Commission'

Which is a walk in process.
the fines if not registered with em are higher, as being not registerd with CAAT! ;-)
http://www.richardbarrow.com/201 ... -drone-in-thailand/

S-e-ven Posted at 2017-12-14 02:07
You wont get in trouble at the airport.
Only the registering thing is 'known' to the BiB's, now.
Just have no idea, if Spark is on their radar, too.

Thx for the information

Hi, I recently purchase the Spark FMC (15.03.2018) also and my Frequency is 2.4Ghz and cant be changed! So same like yours but other way around. No 5.8.  I leave in Eastern Europe

Hi,
I recently purchase the Spark FMC (15.03.2018) and my Frequency is 2.4Ghz and cant be changed! So same like yours but other way around. No 5.8.  I leave in Eastern Europe and using Iphone 8. Haven't try the range yet .

Hi Kurt.
So do you need to check the 2.4ghz channel you chose manually is good before every flight in different locations?
Or are you now fixed on 2.4 and the spark chooses a good channel?

Hi Kurt.
Do you need to check the manually selected 2.4gh channel before each flight?

djiuser_iFbOXRnDcPmD Posted at 2018-3-23 22:45
Hi Kurt.
Do you need to check the manually selected 2.4gh channel before each flight?

Yes, it's good to check if the selected channel is not too busy (channels in the red) before you take off, otherwise you should change to different one.

Flip_L Posted at 2017-12-8 09:04
Can’t speak for using otg, but without it you should be able to select “custom” and after that you have to scroll down and choose one of the available channels. The lower # 1-13 are 2.4GHz and the others 5.8GHz. Select a channel with little to no interference (shortest green bar). And after that you’re Spark will reboot and you should be able to fly using the 2.4GHz band.

Hope that helps,

That's the solution!!! DOH!!! Thank you very much Flip!

I solved it! The most stipid thing is that using android app, I couldn’t switch any channel! Run it on iPhone and voila - worked like a charm! If you don’t have iphone, find a friend and ask him for a favour - just to switch the frequency! I dont know why is this stupidity with android, but I am using lenovo phone with 4.4.2.

KurtVD Posted at 2017-12-8 09:20
That's exactly what I needed to know / to do! Thanks a lot.

So you get a better connection Wifing w/o OTG and selecting 2.4GHz than OTG and it auto-selecting 5.8GHz??

cannabenoid Posted at 2017-12-13 10:03
Did anyone have issues with 2.4ghz frequency and Wifi interference from routers? I've been advised to avoid 2.4 because it's the most commonly used Wifi router frequency/is more susceptible to interference? Then again, I have also heard Bluetooth from your phone can also interfere with the device. New to the forums and appreciate the advice.

Wifi router only have a very short range and are blocked by walls etc and are very unlikely to affect your drone.

AntDX316 Posted at 5-31 11:02
So you get a better connection Wifing w/o OTG and selecting 2.4GHz than OTG and it auto-selecting 5.8GHz??

To my amazement, this was my exact experience yesterday after reading this thread.

I've used OTG pretty much since my Spark came out of the box, mainly because the concensus seemed to be it improved video feed and distance.

Yesterday, I went out into the fields by my house where I often do some training, left the OTG cable in the bag, set the frequency to custom and chose the best looking 2.4ghz channel. I was more than a little surprised at the difference.

For months, I've struggled to get any further out than 5ooft in distance with the OTG connected without losing signal and RTH kicking in. First attempt last night, she went a full 1,100 feet out without video or signal break up on just wi-fi. On second attempt, I was pushing 1,200ft out before the signal started dropping, but even then, it came back intermittently and I was able to turn around and bring it back to full signal.

I'm genuinely amazed. All this time with the OTG cable and I could have been getting better performance on just wi-fi. I realise circumstances will differ for others, but I' ll be flying wi-fi only from now on.

Thanks for all the great info in this thread folks

Red Zeppelin Posted at 8-5 04:27
To my amazement, this was my exact experience yesterday after reading this thread.

I've used OTG pretty much since my Spark came out of the box, mainly because the concensus seemed to be it improved video feed and distance.

I forgot my USB-C cable and had to fly w/ wifi and I was amazed as the smooth feed too.

Flip_L Posted at 2017-12-8 11:06
No worries. Glad it worked ;)

Just wanna day Thank you Flip for the excellent explanation about spark WiFi channels,  so clear to me now after all that time searching;)