RE addons prepared

RE installed_3

RE 3D printed_1

I just used a MI 4 k drone until now (oct 2019). BTW, it is an extraordinary drone with 4K capabilities but unfortunately in my country I had to register it (which I did't) and the penalty for flying unregistered drone is 4000 euro (thank God I never had one...)! Here you don't have to register drones under 500 grams so I made decision for Mavic Mini which I don't regret. The only drawback is 2.7 K instead of 4K video and as now the flying range. With Mi 4K I was able to cover 2 km at the beggining and 4.3 km after installing range extenders! Now I've tested Mavic Mini (european mode) and I succedeed to fly 900 m till signal loss. I decided to upgrade with range extenders. Bought from Amazon range extenders as you will see in pictures below. I realised that there are 2 models: one shorter than antennas an one slightly longer than antennas. I chose the longer type to use the whole antenna power to be redirected forward. When I received extenders I saw that it was not the best quality (some antenna movement was possible because fixture mode - 1 point at antenna's bottom) so I decided to improve it by adding an extra fixing point, so I designed and 3D printed auxiliary parts which I installed on extender. As soon as weather condition will allow a new test I will update with new results. Anyway I'm sure that extender's designer is a little bit out of physics laws (I have to check the focal length of extenders... he missed at least one of the focal points because of antenna's assimetry).

Hi. Thank you for reaching out to DJI Forum and sharing this informative insight. For the said range extender. Just a friendly reminder, DJI does not recommend using any third party range extender because this may affect the performance and stability of the said drone during flight. In addition. I will be posting a link for more details regarding the warranty policy. Thank you and safe flying.

DJI Paladin Posted at 1-29 08:23
Hi. Thank you for reaching out to DJI Forum and sharing this informative insight. For the said range extender. Just a friendly reminder, DJI does not recommend using any third party range extender because this may affect the performance and stability of the said drone during flight. In addition. I will be posting a link for more details regarding the warranty policy. Thank you and safe flying.

[view_image]

Thank you Paladin for these reminders!
I didn't find any link to buy an original DJI extender so I made a little search on this issue (Maybe DJY should advertise a link for original reaplacements and upgrades also)
Question: I had yasterday a little wind and my signal loss landing was not the best... no connection to drone... What I could see was that drone started losing altitude when the connection dropped! Is that OK? Result was only one broken propeller which I already replaced...

Ikarus61 Posted at 1-29 08:35
Thank you Paladin for these reminders!
I didn't find any link to buy an original DJI extender so I made a little search on this issue (Maybe DJY should advertise a link for original reaplacements and upgrades also)
Question: I had yasterday a little wind and my signal loss landing was not the best... no connection to drone... What I could see was that drone started losing altitude when the connection dropped! Is that OK? Result was only one broken propeller which I already replaced...

I am sorry to know about the hard landing that your DJI Mavic Mini experienced. With regards to this query. Even if the external part of the drone does not show any damages, I would recommend to have the said drone sent in and let our DJI repair team do the assessment to check if the internal components of the drone was not affected by the hard landing. You may reach our DJI support team at ( https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav ). Thank you.

Ikarus61 Posted at 1-29 08:35
Thank you Paladin for these reminders!
I didn't find any link to buy an original DJI extender so I made a little search on this issue (Maybe DJY should advertise a link for original reaplacements and upgrades also)
Question: I had yasterday a little wind and my signal loss landing was not the best... no connection to drone... What I could see was that drone started losing altitude when the connection dropped! Is that OK? Result was only one broken propeller which I already replaced...

lol there is no such thing as an original dji extenders.  because range extenders are mostly gimmicks, you'll only find them in aftermarket.

I have tried them on two of my drones, they are very much a placebo.

What really stresses me on this Extender: You can't reach the controller-sticks properly anymore when you use two fingers for each stick. It's just blocking the way upwards. Tried it one time but I guess this was wasted money.

I tried these on my Zoom and it does not do any better with them on, my mini gives me 4km which is more then enough for a drone of its weight and size

hallmark007 Posted at 1-29 16:33
I have tried them on two of my drones, they are very much a placebo.

On my ex drone (MI 4K) they had very good result increasing range from 2Kmm to 4,3 Km
This was first test: home made extenders from deodorant can... increased from 2 km to 3,6 km
I just bought factory products after this test and reached over 4 km

DJI Paladin Posted at 1-29 15:58
I am sorry to know about the hard landing that your DJI Mavic Mini experienced. With regards to this query. Even if the external part of the drone does not show any damages, I would recommend to have the said drone sent in and let our DJI repair team do the assessment to check if the internal components of the drone was not affected by the hard landing. You may reach our DJI support team at ( https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav ). Thank you.

It was not a hard landing but just after landing the wind caused a flip-over of the drone on asphalt surface...

Bought these some time ago https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32942812778.html

Very well made and work a treat in combo with the device hood or alone. I'd say if you normally do 1 Km w/ extender you can expect a more reliable connection for 1.2 Km. They're not very selective in their refraction path but I wouldn't use them in a situation where good omni directional reach is required, and your MM doesn't close up on the MPro reach... but it gives you a more reassuring signal when operating in vLOS.

Ikarus61 Posted at 1-30 01:03
On my ex drone (MI 4K) they had very good result increasing range from 2Kmm to 4,3 Km

Sorry really I meant for me this is what I witnessed, for those who can see a change then good luck to them, if it works then continue to use them .

I got a pair of range extenders with the kit of goodies a retailer included with my Mini Fly More kit.  I also got an SD card, card reader, landing pad, etc.

Anyhow, I have not tried the extenders, but some back-of-the-envelope gain calculations gave me a theoretical gain for these small, presumably parabolic, reflectors of 0.62.  In other words, a negative gain with respect to unity!  And that's probably generous because their distance from the antenna is so small (less than one wavelength, actually) and that was based on the 5ghz band, to boot.

So I don't have much faith that they'd be useful.  But who knows?

Mixed feelings about these reflectors, I had one for my P3S and it did help getting a better connection, but didn't double the distance or anything like that. Moreover, it was useful only if you were doing straight long-distance flights, LOS, so you could aim at the AC. In every other situation, benefits were marginal. The MM has a better Wi-Fi connection than the P3S, and - at least in FCC mode - I don't see the need for a reflector. In EU, it might be a different story.

Ikarus61 Posted at 1-30 01:07
It was not a hard landing but just after landing the wind caused a flip-over of the drone on asphalt surface...

Thank you for the update. Please fly safely, if you feel that the drone needs to be sent in for further diagnosis, please feel free to contact our DJI support team to assists you with regards to this matter. Thank you.

I have just received one of these and will test it.  I doubt it will help much ...but what the heck. I think it will depend a lot on how well you point the antennas to the drone, and if you don't, the signal will diminish a lot. This is one of the hazards of being a test engineer ;-)

Here youtube test about this. Shortly its pointless to use these extenders.

Great,  now I won't have to test it. Thanks for the video. Now I am shopping for aluminum foil at the supermarket tonight ;-)

GaryDoug Posted at 1-30 23:41
Great,  now I won't have to test it. Thanks for the video. Now I am shopping for aluminum foil at the supermarket tonight ;-)

Exactly

Mell Posted at 1-30 23:29
Here youtube test about this. Shortly its pointless to use these extenders.

https://youtu.be/kuGExSEPqiU?t=36

It's very weird on youtube, half of the videos show no gain, a few show small gains and a few show tremendous gains. It really seems to depend a lot on the circumstances.

Dear friends,

Range extenders work like this (Range extender principle)
I had to chose between and
I decided to Var_2 because all antenna's hight was inside mirror so I got maximum output power! Disadvatage: just a lower fixing point and possibility of loose paralelism between antenna and reflector. That's why I've decided to print 3D additional supports in each reflecting point (btw I'm convinced that the focal length was not calculated by anyone because as you see in pics distance between mirror and antena is not the same though it shoul be...). Var_2 was chosen because the whole antenna length was inside the reflecting surface and therefore more signal will go ahead...)... phisycs... for those who who have studied wave reflection in school...

Suren Posted at 1-29 23:44
I tried these on my Zoom and it does not do any better with them on, my mini gives me 4km which is more then enough for a drone of its weight and size

Hi Captain,
there is something wrong in your reported distance: 6.892.254 ft would be 2.100.759m... Love that!

The Saint Posted at 1-29 16:20
lol there is no such thing as an original dji extenders.  because range extenders are mostly gimmicks, you'll only find them in aftermarket.

387498.0m ??? WOW!

Mell Posted at 1-30 23:29
Here youtube test about this. Shortly its pointless to use these extenders.

https://youtu.be/kuGExSEPqiU?t=36

Thanks for video Mell but that is not a Mavic Mini drone so maybe is not the right place to upload that link.

Ikarus61 Posted at 1-31 11:10
Thanks for video Mell but that is not a Mavic Mini drone so maybe is not the right place to upload that link.

It doesn't matter Mavic mini, pro or zoom and so on. Its clearly shows that this reflector pointless for Mavic type controllers. Work principle for both of them are the same. Just the result in different conditions can be different. So many things what can effect on the range of signal.