Hello All,
I have the Phantom 4 Pro, and I was wondering what radio frequency is better to use for flying.

Thanks!

IMO - I have tons of hours flying it and 1000% leave it in automatic. It picks up what it needs. Don't want to limit to one freq.

it depends on your location.  I see you're in the US.  In general, with no interference, you should do better with 2.4 ghz.  If you're urban, you may very well do better with 5.8 ghz.

Good luck.  

Not to go into all the radio theory, but the general technical differences are:
- 2.4ghz is a lower frequency so it's less directional than 5.8ghz. Meaning, 2.4ghz radio waves will go around and through objects a bit better than 5.8. So if you start to descend below the horizon, or a bunch of trees gets in between you and the drone, etc., 2.4ghz will be a little more forgiving. 5.8ghz, OTOH, will tend to do the opposite; it's more easily blocked by obstructions, hills, etc. that intervene between you and the aircraft.
- more bandwidth is available on the 5.8ghz band, I believe, so the transmission will be a little better quality. At least in theory, I haven't actually tested this yet with my P4P, but it makes sense.
- 5.8ghz has less other traffic on it than 2.4ghz, so you're less likely to encounter interference on the 5.8ghz band.

So pluses and minuses to each one. According to the specs, the transmitter output power (effective radiated power) is the same on both bands, so theoretically the range should be similar....

luciens Posted at 2018-1-27 18:59
Not to go into all the radio theory, but the general technical differences are:
- 2.4ghz is a lower frequency so it's less directional than 5.8ghz. Meaning, 2.4ghz radio waves will go around and through objects a bit better than 5.8. So if you start to descend below the horizon, or a bunch of trees gets in between you and the drone, etc., 2.4ghz will be a little more forgiving. 5.8ghz, OTOH, will tend to do the opposite; it's more easily blocked by obstructions, hills, etc. that intervene between you and the aircraft.
- more bandwidth is available on the 5.8ghz band, I believe, so the transmission will be a little better quality. At least in theory, I haven't actually tested this yet with my P4P, but it makes sense.

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated!   

pasta10 Posted at 2018-1-27 20:11
Thanks for the response. Much appreciated!

To simplify on luciens great response:
In and around built-up areas (with microwaves, wifi hubs, etc), use 5.8 Ghz - it's a less "busy" band, but has short range.
Outside of built-up areas, use 2.4 Ghz - it has a longer range.

Punchbuggy Posted at 2018-1-27 21:58
To simplify on luciens great response:
In and around built-up areas (with microwaves, wifi hubs, etc), use 5.8 Ghz - it's a less "busy" band, but has short range.
Outside of built-up areas, use 2.4 Ghz - it has a longer range.

That makes a little bit more sense to me. Thanks for the reply!  

Same as your home router. 5.8 has faster transmission speed, although it's wasted because data coming from your ISP is usually much slower so it's a pointless gimmick. And that speed trails off rapidly with distance. 2.4 on the other hand carries further and the drop off is not nearly as steep. Additionally 5.8 is actually a health risk as well. I have 3 routers at home to cover my needs & I've since turned off all the 5.8 GHz radios in all.of them.

Freightshaker Posted at 9-9 22:44
Same as your home router. 5.8 has faster transmission speed, although it's wasted because data coming from your ISP is usually much slower so it's a pointless gimmick. And that speed trails off rapidly with distance. 2.4 on the other hand carries further and the drop off is not nearly as steep. Additionally 5.8 is actually a health risk as well. I have 3 routers at home to cover my needs & I've since turned off all the 5.8 GHz radios in all.of them.

That reply is a mine of misinformation. "5.8 has faster transmission speed", pure bull... and has nothing to do with the radio link used in the DJI aircraft. "Additionally 5.8 is actually a health rishk", more bull.... Show me the proof. The OP has already had his question answered, you added nothing to the conversation except rubbish.

Punchbuggy Posted at 2018-1-27 21:58
To simplify on luciens great response:
In and around built-up areas (with microwaves, wifi hubs, etc), use 5.8 Ghz - it's a less "busy" band, but has short range.
Outside of built-up areas, use 2.4 Ghz - it has a longer range.

Absolutely spot on,  but if you leave it in Auto the AC can choose what it thinks is best at the time.

Freightshaker Posted at 9-9 22:44
Same as your home router. 5.8 has faster transmission speed, although it's wasted because data coming from your ISP is usually much slower so it's a pointless gimmick. And that speed trails off rapidly with distance. 2.4 on the other hand carries further and the drop off is not nearly as steep. Additionally 5.8 is actually a health risk as well. I have 3 routers at home to cover my needs & I've since turned off all the 5.8 GHz radios in all.of them.

Sorry but none of that is correct.

5.8Ghz is often used by industrial areas for intercomms across factories and buildings as there are usually less transmissions using it unlike 2.4.
We had an instance locally where pal of mine using a boosted 5.8 was advised by local Police to stop using boost and return to normal power - it was interfering with the Port Terminals comms. His booster was 'dirty'.

It is true that 5.8 is more likely to be blocked by obstructions - a factor that increases as frequency increases. But we ought to be flying with clear line controller to AC so its a mute point.

In Urban areas without industrial communication setups - 5.8 can be better ... while in rural areas - both 2.4 and 5.8 should fair about same.

I do not have a P4 .. but I did use a P3S which used both frequencies (albeit WiFi based) but they worked fine.

Geebax Posted at 2019-9-9 22:57
That reply is a mine of misinformation. "5.8 has faster transmission speed", pure bull... and has nothing to do with the radio link used in the DJI aircraft. "Additionally 5.8 is actually a health rishk", more bull.... Show me the proof. The OP has already had his question answered, you added nothing to the conversation except rubbish.

Cordial conversation is what Id expect, apparently Captain Smegma has proof behind his spitballing Freightshaker's contribution.  Sounds like a Democrat who's response to notions not their own is to resort to name calling and profanity.

5.8 GHz and 2.4 GHz are both radio frequencies, traveling at a speed of 300,000km/s or 186,000mi/s (lightspeed).  Home routers sending and receiving telephony transmission or free space radio signal to and from drone to RC makes no difference.  5.8GHz (2.04") is a narrower radio wave that is stumped by solid objects.  2.4GHz has a 4.92" wavelength that can penetrate some object and are diflected more readily than 5.8GHz.

Is 5.8GHz a health hazard?  Perhaps.  Consider Cell Phone radio frequencies and the documented health hazards  associated with them.  These radio signal receivers operate in the  700-800MHz bands.  Which doesnt say much for WiFi (900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 5.9 GHz, and 60 GHz bands) either.

5.8GHz is not to be confused with new age 5G networks.  This is IMO a definite health hazards.  5G operates in the 30GHz-300GHz frequencies, the milimeter band measuring 1-10mm.  A question to be raised, the answer has yet to be disclosed is, how much 5G radio signal leakage will occur along antiquated transmission lines.  How much 30GHz (top of microwave band/10mm and bottom of 5G band) radiation is already occurring.   The projected many thousands of rooftop and street corner antennas in NYC alone is apt to devastate wildlife in the city.  Pigeons haters will appreciate this in short order.  Overtime...there wont be any bees, in cities that open up to 5G, to pollinate anything.  Is there a link between Cell-phone tower radiation and the Nation wide collapse of honey bee colonies?

solentlife Posted at 2019-9-10 02:45
Sorry but none of that is correct.

5.8Ghz is often used by industrial areas for intercomms across factories and buildings as there are usually less transmissions using it unlike 2.4.

Again, another Captain is spitballing a previous statement that 5.8GHz is faster than 2.4GHz.  It is in the sense that it is a narrower wavelength.  Data flows more readily/narrowly over the band.  Radio wave propagation speed is all the same.  Is a laser beam faster than 2.4GHz, no; but it will cut steel.

Comparing an internal intercom system with telephony line transmission or A/C to RC.  5.8GHz on the intercom is more effective with no crowding.  

Most people don't understand how radio waves travel through space.  They don't travel in straight lines like a laser beam.  If they did, there would be no such thing as a fresnel zone.  They actually travel in crazy curves and arcs.   So in that sense, one could make an argument that lasers are faster than RF by a miniscule amount.  But it's a moot point because RF is fast enough.  Besides, the OP didn't ask which is fastest, he asked which is better for flying?

I believe, in general, 2.4 ghz has an edge.  One thing I've learned over the years is that the DJI engineers do their homework, they do their research, and they are smart.  Look at the evolution of the Phantom.  I believe DJI deliberately chose 2.4 ghz for their original Phantom because 2.4 ghz had an advantage.  I believe that's why DJI deliberately switched to 5.8 ghz to control the FC 40 and the P2V - because they needed to use the better 2.4 ghz freq to move the massive FPV data (coupled with telemetry).  I believe that's why DJI deliberately went back to 2.4 ghz for control when they invented Lightbridge for the P3.  Obviously there are environments where 5.8 ghz would be favored - hence, DJI gave us that option with the P4.  I don't think the Phantom evolved this way by accident or by coincidence.  Note that the world distance record for the P3 is just under 86,000 feet linear distance from home which was in 2.4 ghz.  And yes, the world record for the P4 is just over 86,000 feet (same pilot), but was the pilot using 5.8 ghz with the P4?  My guess is probably not.  I think it's likely he ran in 2.4 ghz.  He never lost his connection up or down in either flight, and he hovered with the P3 for five additional minutes after arriving home which equates to more mileage had he chosen to turn around later in the flight.

Given the above, all things being equal, I would choose to fly in 2.4 ghz unless I had a reason not to.  MHO

Heretik Posted at 11-7 00:47
Cordial conversation is what Id expect, apparently Captain Smegma has proof behind his spitballing Freightshaker's contribution.  Sounds like a Democrat who's response to notions not their own is to resort to name calling and profanity.

5.8 GHz and 2.4 GHz are both radio frequencies, traveling at a speed of 300,000km/s or 186,000mi/s (lightspeed).  Home routers sending and receiving telephony transmission or free space radio signal to and from drone to RC makes no difference.  5.8GHz (2.04") is a narrower radio wave that is stumped by solid objects.  2.4GHz has a 4.92" wavelength that can penetrate some object and are diflected more readily than 5.8GHz.

"Cordial conversation is what Id expect, apparently Captain Smegma has proof behind his spitballing Freightshaker's contribution. "
You expect cordiality, then come out with that crap. Sounds like a Trump Chump to me, go back under a log, your time is over. And just to give you more fuel, I am not even American, look under the avatar, dumbarse.

"5.8GHz is not to be confused with new age 5G networks.  This is IMO a definite health hazards.  5G operates in the 30GHz-300GHz frequencies, the milimeter band measuring 1-10mm.  A question to be raised, the answer has yet to be disclosed is, how much 5G radio signal leakage will occur along antiquated transmission lines.  How much 30GHz (top of microwave band/10mm and bottom of 5G band) radiation is already occurring.   The projected many thousands of rooftop and street corner antennas in NYC alone is apt to devastate wildlife in the city.  Pigeons haters will appreciate this in short order.  Overtime...there wont be any bees, in cities that open up to 5G, to pollinate anything.  Is there a link between Cell-phone tower radiation and the Nation wide collapse of honey bee colonies?"

More unadulteraded bullsh1t from you. Here's a tip for you: To avoid wasting other peopel's time, get a brain before you spout this garbage.