check out these two pictures taken from 2 different Mavic Mini's

Those are different sides of the PCB it would be interesting to see both sides in both versions.

yes I see stby

see red circle , fcc board

CE board missing amplifier

here the full FCC board, the chips are all covered with blue pasta

dji_MODDER Posted at 11-26 08:12
[view_image]

CE board missing amplifier

this is wrong as well. in post #5 you have a totally different part circled... in this picture in Post #6 the little black square is covering what you have circled in post #5

Isn't that front and back of ONE mainboard?

TruGreen Posted at 11-26 08:32
this is wrong as well. in post #5 you have a totally different part circled... in this picture in Post #6 the little black square is covering what you have circled in post #5

I agree you can clearly see the IC is also in CE version. Wrong part selected inside the red circle.

Seems photos are wrongly marked! One with the missing chip (my guess amplifier) supposed to be CE!

these would be a better comparison with both boards side by side. not seperate photos

Despite the way these photo's are laid out and mis-circled areas, I can see what the OP is trying to get at. There is a hardware difference between FCC and CE boards in the Mavic Mini. originally a lot of us thought that there weren't any real hardware difference, but a software difference, I guess this kind of rules that out.

Keep them side by side in one picture!

Can you see all the symbols on the missed chips? Chip from the right side is a wifi power amplifier from Skyworks Inc. I cant find a datasheet for sky746..... All needed part would cost a few euros I think...And you need good soldering skills/equipment to solder a lot of smd components (resistors, capacitors...)

You are showing 2 different sides of the motherboard... and yes, theres's an FCC version and a EU version.

Thanks a lot for the pictures! So now we know for sure that there are two different hardware versions, not just different firmwares...

Having all the missing hardware in place doesn't guarantee that what you're hoping for will work. Software/firmware could still be an issue. But if someone has a donor mini and is willing to try we may never know otherwise.

JodyB Posted at 11-27 06:53
Having all the missing hardware in place doesn't guarantee that what you're hoping for will work. Software/firmware could still be an issue. But if someone has a donor mini and is willing to try we may never know otherwise.

Agree with you. I think there is more things to do than just add a missing hardware.   

JodyB Posted at 2019-11-27 06:53
Having all the missing hardware in place doesn't guarantee that what you're hoping for will work. Software/firmware could still be an issue. But if someone has a donor mini and is willing to try we may never know otherwise.

Basically for new buyers it confirms one has to buy a FCC version in USA or via china if one wants to use the GPS hack to use the FCC mode for a more stable video connection (or utilize the full 4km distance).

Since modding an existing drone will certainly void the warranty one may just import an FCC drone.

Donsir_LTU Posted at 2019-11-27 04:52
Can you see all the symbols on the missed chips? Chip from the right side is a wifi power amplifier from Skyworks Inc. I cant find a datasheet for sky746..... All needed part would cost a few euros I think...And you need good soldering skills/equipment to solder a lot of smd components (resistors, capacitors...)

I think now it makes sense to me. If SKY is a booster for 5Ghz that would mean the two in red are the missing chips to provide the 2.4Ghz on FCC.

Therefore a CE drone while it has 5Ghz, without the booster it won't physically have the capability of the same performance of the FCC drone (for the full 4km distance/stronger connection).

Even if one manages to flash a CE kit with FCC to unlock the mode, it won't have the hardware in the drone to do it. (Modding it seems not worthwhile the hassle. Hopefully Aliexpress sellers will bring down the price to match/beat that of the official one from stores.)

dji_MODDER Posted at 2019-11-27 03:22
[view_image]

Your posts are confusing. In your previous pictures the FCC is missing the SKY chip and in your side by side comparison it's there. Did you mixed them up in the comparison picture, meaning the left is FCC and right is CE?

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 03:49
I think now it makes sense to me. If SKY is a booster for 5Ghz that would mean the two in red are the missing chips to provide the 2.4Ghz on FCC.

Therefore a CE drone while it has 5Ghz, without the booster it won't physically have the capability of the same performance of the FCC drone (for the full 4km distance/stronger connection).

Correct?

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 04:05
Correct? [view_image]

It's missing all the little components too.  If you guys just get a Mavic 2 Zoom it would squash all these problems.

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 03:59
Your posts are confusing. In your previous pictures the FCC is missing the SKY chip and in your side by side comparison it's there. Did you mixed them up in the comparison picture, meaning the left is FCC and right is CE?

[view_image]

If people are going to compare properly with everything off, at least clean off the thermal paste so we can compare the chip specs.  Do a close orthomosaic of the PCB in detail rather than have the images super blurry.

People need to know how to do the drag slider so we can compare CE vs FCC by dragging a vertical bar.

dji_MODDER Posted at 2019-11-26 08:12
[view_image]

CE board missing amplifier

Red circles are around two different spots.  Thus nothing missing.

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 04:05
Correct? [view_image]

There are other missing components in FCC vs CE combined picture.
For example: Two small chips missing in upper left corner of CE version below top red circle.

4example

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 04:05
Correct? [view_image]

I do not think, here is the instruction for the module on the Atheros AR1021X chip, I think the essence of the circuitry will be clear.

Atheros AR1021X

Alevpi Posted at 1-13 04:59
I do not think, here is the instruction for the module on the Atheros AR1021X chip, I think the essence of the circuitry will be clear.

Atheros AR1021X

Sorry, should have looked at the big chip first, being the Wifi controller AR1021X-CL3D

Ok the guys over here got much further with pictures and insights https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-mini-a-look-inside.75814/page-3

djidroneservice provided some good close ups


Amplifier for FCC 5.8GHZ is the sky85746-11 which probably get's disabled during EU GPS coordinates (if detected prior take off).

markusd1984 Posted at 1-13 07:36
Sorry, should have looked at the big chip first, being the Wifi controller AR1021X-CL3D

Ok the guys over here got much further with pictures and insights https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-mini-a-look-inside.75814/page-3

no idea though why the pics are different to dji_MODDER if they both are supposed to be FCC, unless that's actually the CE version. Anyway, two good high res pictures to compare now.

Need a full description of AR1021X-CL3D!

Hi,
Is there any differences at RC command hardware level, or only at Aircraft hardware level?

Thanks,
philippe

Wouldn't the RC also need to be different between the two versions?  The FCC version of the RC would also need the extra power amp to be able to transmit with higher power to reach the Mini at greater distances, too.

Has anyone done a tear-down of the RCs so we can see and compare that side of things?

AntDX316 Posted at 1-13 04:16
It's missing all the little components too.  If you guys just get a Mavic 2 Zoom it would squash all these problems.

Or Mavic 2 Pro

This topic is getting more interesting, let me just send this comment and follow it

BobWinNV Posted at 1-13 17:01
Or Mavic 2 Pro

But the lack of zoom

AntDX316 Posted at 1-13 17:51
But the lack of zoom

I can zoom in post.  

A 1 inch sensor and variable aperture  is more important to me.

BobWinNV Posted at 1-13 18:24
I can zoom in post.  

A 1 inch sensor and variable aperture  is more important to me.

I prefer to zoom in while on-site so I can remain undetected or be at safer distance.  Zooming in post makes it not as sharp.  They don't market it as an inspection drone but it really is a great inspection drone.

BobWinNV Posted at 1-13 18:24
I can zoom in post.  

A 1 inch sensor and variable aperture  is more important to me.

I agree.   Having adjustable aperture would be fantastic.  And of course the larger sensor.  But I want both, so I retain the resolution of the sensor as I zoom.  ;)

But alas, a zoom lens to "feed" a 1" sensor would be big and heavy, so I'm sure we won't see that on a drone the size of a Mavic.  Gotta go with one of the larger platforms if you want it all, I'm afraid.

I like zoom lenses.  Despite what some people say, you cannot "zoom with your feet"  (or with your drone).  A zoom lens allows you to adjust both perspective AND composition.  You can't do that with a prime.  But as you say, you can always crop, and that does it, too.  You just give up some resolution, of course.