Hi, just got the drone for Xmas and it is a great drone so easy to fly and set up and photographs look great.  I live in the UK and my question is about range, I’m not naive enough to think I’ll get the advertised 4k but I’ve never really got more than 300M and that was in an open area with nearest houses around 100M away before I lose the connection.   What I did notice on flight yesterday was (and I’ve watched in log) is that I go from full bars signal to no connection in a couple of seconds, when I’ve watched range test videos on YouTube the feed goes first, and the drone continues a while longer with the flight telemetry data being able to be seen the drone continuing.  I tried going max height right above me but again lost signal at 115M.

I did get the antenna error message and when I’ve checked I had them wrong, literally just pointing straight out from the controller and not even rotated, weather has stopped me trying this out to see what happens but can they make much difference.  I’ve checked manual transmission and I’m always on 5 ghz plus and channels with little interference but do I need to be on 2ghz in urban areas and 5 in open?

As I say I don’t expect or even want or need 4k as that would be illegal in the UK but I’d have thought 1k urban and 2k rural would be achievable?

"I’ve checked manual transmission and I’m always on 5 ghz plus and channels with little interference but do I need to be on 2ghz in urban areas and 5 in open?"

I don't know the answer to your question about range but be very cautious about changing to 'Manual' transmission mode.  In fact, don't do it.  There are multiple threads or posts about this at the top of the forum.  After selecting 'Manual' mode several users have reported the aircraft will not connect to the remote the next time they attempt to fly. This happened to me last week.  I spoke with DJI support and there is no fix for it.  I sent my mini SE back yesterday in exchange for a new one.  

Did you actually switch from 'Auto' mode to 'Manual?'  If so, were you able to connect the next time you tried to fly?  

Hi no I’ve never done it yet, I’ve heard about those issues too so am not likely to try it either!

weapon90 Posted at 1-6 05:54
Hi no I’ve never done it yet, I’ve heard about those issues too so am not likely to try it either!

You might want to re read the range section of the manual, check the model numbers of your drone and controller and check them against the theoretical limits you cite.
I believe the SE to be a slightly modified version of the Mavic Mini and I have had my CE spec Mavic mini out to beyond the specified max range. I have also seen another CE spec Mavic Mini go, percentage wise, significantly further, the drone was brought back because the pilot was getting nervous. As I recollect my signal strength dropped quite rapidly as it approached loss of connection.
Yet with my Mavic Mini I have also lost contact somewhere in the 300 - 400m range when the environment was 'just wrong'.
Indeed with a test of the 1.2 something version of the app I lost connection under 10ft away, needless to say I went back to a 1.something version.
I AM NOT suggesting you swap app versions and you probably CAN NOT use a 1.something app.

Regarding high overhead, you are quite likely to suffer connection problems when the drone is 'high' (100ft+ for me) and more-or-less overhead, I suspect this is due to the best radiation and reception of the drones antennae being primarily horizontal and fore and aft.
I would also warn you that wind strength tends to increase with height, do you know how to deal with strong wind?  
If you are new to drones then low, close and slow in wide open spaces is generally a safer beginning. Increase height and range limits as your familiarity with the drone increases. I understand the desire to see what things look like from 'up there', been there done that, but to be honest most of my actual looking at things flights are probably under 100ft.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-6 07:29
You might want to re read the range section of the manual, check the model numbers of your drone and controller and check them against the theoretical limits you cite.
I believe the SE to be a slightly modified version of the Mavic Mini and I have had my CE spec Mavic mini out to beyond the specified max range. I have also seen another CE spec Mavic Mini go, percentage wise, significantly further, the drone brought back because the pilot was getting nervous. As I recollect my signal strength dropped quite rapidly as it approached loss of connection.
Yet with my Mavic Mini I have also lost contact somewhere in the 300 - 400m range when the environment was 'just wrong'.

Yeah I’ve flown a Tello for several months, you’re right I just wanted to see what 120M looks like

weapon90 Posted at 1-6 14:58
Yeah I’ve flown a Tello for several months, you’re right I just wanted to see what 120M looks like

The box claims 4k, I’m guessing in the UK I’ve got the 2.8 / 5.4 model so box reads wrong? What’s difference between MIC/CE and CE?

FCC & CE are the national rules and regs governing radio equipment. The UK uses CE and your specified range limit is 2km, same as the Mavic Mini.
4km is the range where FCC compliant equipment is used, its radio power is greater than the CE version.
Check the model number on the back of your controller, as I suggested earlier, and I bet you will find it is MR1SD25. A CE controller will not work with an FCC drone nor vice versa.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-6 15:39
FCC & CE are the national rules and regs governing radio equipment. The UK uses CE and your specified range limit is 2km, same as the Mavic Mini.
4km is the range where FCC compliant equipment is used, its radio power is greater than the CE version.
Check the model number on the back of your controller, as I suggested earlier, and I bet you will find it is MR1SD25. A CE controller will not work with an FCC drone nor vice versa.

Thank you I will, so is it likely the drone is one model and controller the other or both CE? Bit naughty putting the 4km on the box then, forgive me if you’ve already clarified this but the drone automatically switch between 2.8 and 5.4 to find the channel with least interference, presumably selecting 2.8 as the best channel for distance?

weapon90 Posted at 1-7 01:25
Thank you I will, so is it likely the drone is one model and controller the other or both CE? Bit naughty putting the 4km on the box then, forgive me if you’ve already clarified this but the drone automatically switch between 2.8 and 5.4 to find the channel with least interference, presumably selecting 2.8 as the best channel for distance?

I have never looked into whether or not the equipment automatically switches between 2.4Ghz & 5.8GHz in this sense but I think each frequency contains 'bands' and I think the equipment at least automatically switches 'bands' within the individual frequencies and I think it does this all they way through a flight so that it uses the clearest 'band'.

Both your drone and controller are likely to be CE compliant. As I have said, check the model numbers on your equipment to determine which set of rules your equipment is built to comply with.
The way DJI produced the Mavic Mini & Mini SE you can not mix CE and FCC compliant devices, they will 'talk to one another'.
The Mavic Mini & Mini SE are, I believe, the only DJI drones where the equipment is built to comply with only one set of rules.
All the other models automatically switch between CE & FCC compliance as befits the country they are being flown in.
With regards to the greater range being on the box, I don't see it as naughty. I have the impression that many manufactures cite the most 'favourable' attributes of their products. I would be somewhat surprised if, somewhere on the box ,there is not some "small print" that makes it clear that 4km applies to an FCC drone & controller and that the theoretical range of the CE equipment is less and or 2km.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-7 02:37
I have never looked into whether or not the equipment automatically switches between 2.4Ghz & 5.8GHz in this sense but I think each frequency contains 'bands' and I think the equipment at least automatically switches 'bands' within the individual frequencies and I think it does this all they way through a flight so that it uses the clearest 'band'.

Both your drone and controller are likely to be CE compliant. As I have said, check the model numbers on your equipment to determine which set of rules your equipment is built to comply with.

Thanks good advice, my naughty comment born of frustration as I researched distances before I bought and had I seen the true distances I may have gone for the Mini 2, I’m still into early days though and as I said earlier I had the antennae in completely wrong position, the map below is an earlier flight screenshot where I lost connection and I’d flown my Tello further with a repeater in this location, I’ll try again using correct antenna position and some more knowledgeable flying

Bear in mind my comment that my Mini has lost connection at 300m to 400m in one place yet elsewhere (over the sea, I won't range test over land) exceeded CE specs and I have seen a CE Mini reach 2.4km. It all depends on the local radio environment.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-7 05:56
Bear in mind my comment that my Mini has lost connection at 300m to 400m in one place yet elsewhere (over the sea, I won't range test over land) exceeded CE specs and I have seen a CE Mini reach 2.4km. It all depends on the local radio environment.

Thanks that’s useful to know, can I pick your brain in a different topic, I haven’t put a memory card in as I’m happy with footage going to phone, on first flight in garden everything worked fine but since then I’m getting no recorded video on phone? Tried googling and looking in manual but can’t see what the issue is?

There is something about allowing the app to cache video on the phone but I have never looked into it.  I suspect it is a switchable option but don't have a phone to hand at the moment to check. Try googling "DJI switch off cache video".

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-7 07:18
There is something about allowing the app to cache video on the phone but I have never looked into it.  I suspect it is a switchable option but don't have a phone to hand at the moment to check. Try googling "DJI switch off cache video".

Yes, there’s an option to change the cache size, it fixed the trick, it was set to 2gb so changed to 16 gb.  Interestingly when I looked at manual transmission was on 5.8ghz I tried looking at other channels and it said would have to reset Wi-Fi as had been changed, when it reset came back on to 2.4ghz.

Hello, there. Thank you for reaching out. Please know that when using the remote model of MR1SD25, this will provide 2000M for 2.4 GHz (MIC/CE) and 500M for 5.8 GHz (CE). Furthermore, the distance of image transmission is closely associated with various factors in the current environment, including the interference of Wi-Fi signals, signal transmitting power, relative direction and location of signal reception, obstructions, etc. You may try to follow our recommendations below:

> Make sure to update the firmware and application.
> Set the transmission to "Auto" mode. >DJI FLY APP>General settings>Transmission>Dual-band>Auto
> Place your antenna correctly. Refer to the image below:


I hope this information helps. Please feel free to reach us anytime.