I have just ran 2 tests, sadly slightly flawed as the compass was acting up again, wasn't expecting to have to calibrate the RC as often.

Anyhoo, in CE using the DJI RC 1st run I got about 1km before the 3 second RTH kicked in
2 run achieved 1.2km before the 3 second RTH kicked in.

BTW, all runs were at 119m and over 1km above a housing estate.

FCC, using the N1 RC the 1st run hit 1.3km before the 3 second RTH kicked in.
2nd run hit 1.6km before the 3 second RTH kicked in.

To be honest, I was expecting a little more for the money but it was urban so you can only expect so much.

That performance, although not up to advertised limits, has been plenty for me. And about double that, when over open countryside, it seems.

Blériot53 Posted at 8-16 06:19
That performance, although not up to advertised limits, has been plenty for me. And about double that, when over open countryside, it seems.

In CE rural, its done 5.5km, so i would expect great things in FCC

Bashy Posted at 8-16 06:31
In CE rural, its done 5.5km, so i would expect great things in FCC

I didn't get that far

Blériot53 Posted at 8-16 06:34
I didn't get that far

at 30m high, well, 29m i think it actually was lol, but you really have to be on the ball, and it still had a little left under the tank, perhaps about 30m high and 6km is doable with the standard battery.

With that in mind, FCC mode isn't really needed with the standard battery, as long as you have direct line of sight, then signal shouldn't be an issue, rural that is, urban is another kettle of fish, hit and miss i suppose you could say.

Bashy Posted at 8-16 06:41
at 30m high, well, 29m i think it actually was lol, but you really have to be on the ball, and it still had a little left under the tank, perhaps about 30m high and 6km is doable with the standard battery.

With that in mind, FCC mode isn't really needed with the standard battery, as long as you have direct line of sight, then signal shouldn't be an issue, rural that is, urban is another kettle of fish, hit and miss i suppose you could say.

Given that VLOS is harder to maintain in the urban environment, a lesser maximum range there is not necessarily a handicap.

Blériot53 Posted at 8-16 07:29
Given that VLOS is harder to maintain in the urban environment, a lesser maximum range there is not necessarily a handicap.

Definitely, it's not something I would entertain as a rule, I do the odd test run here in the village, VLOS is lost after around 400m anyway with these little things, 600m of its a phantom and that's if ya don't blink lol

Bashy Posted at 8-16 07:34
Definitely, it's not something I would entertain as a rule, I do the odd test run here in the village, VLOS is lost after around 400m anyway with these little things, 600m of its a phantom and that's if ya don't blink lol

At much over 500m, blink and it's gone
Greyish - white cloud is a better background than clear blue sky for maintaining VLOS, I find.

I’m quite disappointed by those rules.  The yanks make us believe that fcc is so wonderful.

DAFlys Posted at 8-16 08:43
I’m quite disappointed by those rules.  The yanks make us believe that fcc is so wonderful.

It is when crunch comes to crunch, ie rural. certainly was the case with both my Phantom 4 Pro and my Mini 2, not yet tested the MIni 3 Pro using FCC in a rural setting, maybe a while yet as i doubt there is much point with the standard battery, FCC isnt going to get much further than it did in CE due to the battery.

Bashy Posted at 8-16 18:39
It is when crunch comes to crunch, ie rural. certainly was the case with both my Phantom 4 Pro and my Mini 2, not yet tested the MIni 3 Pro using FCC in a rural setting, maybe a while yet as i doubt there is much point with the standard battery, FCC isnt going to get much further than it did in CE due to the battery.

Have you tried the trick to start up with the normal remote get FCC mode and then swap to the DJI RC remote?

DAFlys Posted at 8-16 22:47
Have you tried the trick to start up with the normal remote get FCC mode and then swap to the DJI RC remote?

Mutha...  Bl00dy forgot about that trick, goddammit lol, I will try in a bit if the rain holds off, and my back is a bit better, I will report back, do you find that you have to constantly calibrate the RC compass? Shouldnt have to keep doing that, surely?

DAFlys Posted at 8-16 22:47
Have you tried the trick to start up with the normal remote get FCC mode and then swap to the DJI RC remote?

Yes, it works as stated, didn't manged any better than the 1.3km mind but yeah, it works, it's a bit time consuming if it was for a full range test mind, valuable timed used up faffing about, but totally worth it if it was the plus battery though...  You would rack up the miles then that's for sure ;)

DAFlys Posted at 8-16 08:43
I’m quite disappointed by those rules.  The yanks make us believe that fcc is so wonderful.

DA, did you see the range that Dirty Bird got on his last video?  4.3 miles using FCC mode.  

Bashy Posted at 8-17 01:05
Mutha...  Bl00dy forgot about that trick, goddammit lol, I will try in a bit if the rain holds off, and my back is a bit better, I will report back, do you find that you have to constantly calibrate the RC compass? Shouldnt have to keep doing that, surely?

Mines been quite random lately.   but I put that down to where I was flying from.   Rebar re-enforced sea walls.

DowntownRDB Posted at 8-17 03:26
DA, did you see the range that Dirty Bird got on his last video?  4.3 miles using FCC mode.

Yes I did,   seemed pretty solid didnt it.  

Bashy Posted at 8-17 02:52
Yes, it works as stated, didn't manged any better than the 1.3km mind but yeah, it works, it's a bit time consuming if it was for a full range test mind, valuable timed used up faffing about, but totally worth it if it was the plus battery though...  You would rack up the miles then that's for sure ;)

I wonder if you could leave a battery bank connected to the drone whilst you do the swapping about.

Remind me,  that app is android only?

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 03:47
Yes I did,   seemed pretty solid didnt it.

It sure did.  Out of the question for me as I can't see 4.3 miles which is way past my VLOS.  

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 03:47
I wonder if you could leave a battery bank connected to the drone whilst you do the swapping about.

Remind me,  that app is android only?

Im not 100% sure but i think you probably couldn't turn it on whilst its connected to a power source or if its already on then the power source connection would be disabled, i think that's how it works and yeah i do believe its just android

DowntownRDB Posted at 8-17 04:09
It sure did.  Out of the question for me as I can't see 4.3 miles which is way past my VLOS.

I think you might be looking at it wrong.

Bashy Posted at 8-17 04:14
Im not 100% sure but i think you probably couldn't turn it on whilst its connected to a power source or if its already on then the power source connection would be disabled, i think that's how it works and yeah i do believe its just android

Just tried it and it seems you can have the charger connected at the same time its on.  You get a warning that says connected to usb unable to take off,  but after removing the cable after a few seconds that clears.  

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 04:22
Just tried it and it seems you can have the charger connected at the same time its on.  You get a warning that says connected to usb unable to take off,  but after removing the cable after a few seconds that clears.

That's good to know, thanks for checking, are you gonna bite the bullet?

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 04:14
I think you might be looking at it wrong.

Could be.  

Bashy Posted at 8-17 04:43
That's good to know, thanks for checking, are you gonna bite the bullet?

Probably not,  the only android phone Ive got knocking around somewhere is an Samsung S5 and Im probably wasting my time with that if it even still works.   

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 05:27
Probably not,  the only android phone Ive got knocking around somewhere is an Samsung S5 and Im probably wasting my time with that if it even still works.

Yeah, that might be pushing it, I keep and old s7 in my bag, they work bit boy, it's small...

Bashy Posted at 8-17 05:32
Yeah, that might be pushing it, I keep and old s7 in my bag, they work bit boy, it's small...

Have you done the .0300 software update that came out today?

Bashy Posted at 8-17 05:32
Yeah, that might be pushing it, I keep and old s7 in my bag, they work bit boy, it's small...

Have you done the .0300 software update that came out today?

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 05:38
Have you done the .0300 software update that came out today?

No, didn't know there was one, it didn't show up earlier, I will leave it for a while I think...

Bashy Posted at 8-17 05:54
No, didn't know there was one, it didn't show up earlier, I will leave it for a while I think...

Mostly it improves hyperlapse and other un mentioned fixes.

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 06:10
Mostly it improves hyperlapse and other un mentioned fixes.

I'm still to even try hyperlapse, I see the RC PRO now works for the Mini 3 Pro...

Bashy Posted at 8-17 06:17
I'm still to even try hyperlapse, I see the RC PRO now works for the Mini 3 Pro...

Shame on you Bashy for not even trying yet.   

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 06:40
Shame on you Bashy for not even trying yet.

To be honest, there is nothing around here of any interest to even practise on lol, I am smack in the middle of Thetford Forest, there's trees, lots of trees that we ain't allowed to drone in, I'm gonna though... , a cruddy town and a nice quiet village, oh and did i mention that i am surrounded by RAF and USAF bases (fast jets mostly) and a large training ground called Stanford, AKA, Stanta, a vast area that would have been great for droning. And on top of all that, its the flattest part of the country, we don't even have any decent quarries here lol

Bashy Posted at 8-17 06:49
To be honest, there is nothing around here of any interest to even practise on lol, I am smack in the middle of Thetford Forest, there's trees, lots of trees that we ain't allowed to drone in, I'm gonna though... , a cruddy town and a nice quiet village, oh and did i mention that i am surrounded by RAF and USAF bases (fast jets mostly) and a large training ground called Stanford, AKA, Stanta, a vast area that would have been great for droning. And on top of all that, its the flattest part of the country, we don't even have any decent quarries here lol

Just find your local roundabout and have a play.  

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 10:31
Just find your local roundabout and have a play.

Ah, local, erm....  That's probably about 10 miles away I think, give or take, so yeah, doable, my cost an arm and a leg mind, I have a diesel v70 that does about 35mpg, at the time fuel wasn't too bad lol oh hindsight eh? Lol

Bashy Posted at 8-17 10:36
Ah, local, erm....  That's probably about 10 miles away I think, give or take, so yeah, doable, my cost an arm and a leg mind, I have a diesel v70 that does about 35mpg, at the time fuel wasn't too bad lol oh hindsight eh? Lol

10 mikes to a roundabout.  That must be a record.

DAFlys Posted at 8-17 11:07
10 mikes to a roundabout.  That must be a record.

I was thinking of busy ones, but there is one a little under 5 miles away but its a big village and its not the largest of roundabouts, a little bigger than a mini lol, the next one (well 4 actually) is on the A11 going past Thetford, the closest there is about 20 mins away), then the next one is on the A11, again, but at Barton Mills (poss about 20/30 mins the other way), that would be a good one to do and prob the best one around here.

Bashy Posted at 8-17 15:39
I was thinking of busy ones, but there is one a little under 5 miles away but its a big village and its not the largest of roundabouts, a little bigger than a mini lol, the next one (well 4 actually) is on the A11 going past Thetford, the closest there is about 20 mins away), then the next one is on the A11, again, but at Barton Mills (poss about 20/30 mins the other way), that would be a good one to do and prob the best one around here.

OK,  what about a stretch of road that you could follow and just capture the traffic.