There have been countless complaints about the terrible range of the DJI mini 3 Pro. Sadly, Dji has not fixed the problem. Share your tips below.

A Freudian slip there, perhaps, , you might like to replace "bellow" with "below". There has been plenty of bellowing concerning this already.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-23 11:59
A Freudian slip there, perhaps, , you might like to replace "bellow" with "below". There has been plenty of bellowing concerning this already.

it says below.

I pretty certain it said bellow.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-23 12:39
I pretty certain it said bellow.

oops...lol

Mine worked fine in a rural area, with no other signals. But the Mini 2 was a smidge better. It is possible that the signal is better from the back, but go to some place where the signal is dropping and rotate, to find out. Most people who would complain about this are using CE mode, so you could go dodgy and get the hack, but it costs. The other recommendation is to check 5.8GHz in the transmission.

My testing against the Mini 2 was favourable towards the Mini 3 in both urban and rural by 200m and 700m respectively using both the DJI RC and the DJI N1 and if the humidity stays at 94% and my headache subsides, i will be testing it with the DJI RC Pro later this morning, i say later, i mean at about 8 am, its currently 3am. BTW, the Mini 2 also needed a very good alignment once you got further out, its how radio waves work but i will concede that the Mini 3 Pro is more sensitive to alignment than one would expect.

The problem you are facing cannot be fixed by DJI without hardware modifications to the drone or a decent increase in power to the RC, but it can be fixed by yourselves and you already know this as you've commented in the other thread, spot on alignment is your friend, also less pitch helps too, try flying at about 4kkph or about 2.5mph or even fly backwards at full speed. In my opinion, it is the placement of the antennas in the drone that is the issue, the steep pitch partially blocks a strong signal, i think it's because the antennas angle upwards with the steeper pitch, flying backwards angle then downwards, fly very slow and they angle outwards, those are better than them facing upwards. This is only my opinion based on what i have learnt through extensive testing.

If you follow my tips in the other thread then you will find that the Mini 3 Pro will easily fly much further than what the standard battery will allow I'm talking CE mode here, and you're in the US under FCC mode, what's that, 10x more power (guesstimate based on cr@p maths), Dirty Bird surpassed hit 26k feet and some (if i remember right) with the Plus battery in the US, so tell me, who is doing something wrong, DJI, you or Dirty Bird? I have also seen excellent results in urban in FCC counties when the alignment is very good.

If after you have followed my tips and still struggle then you have 2 options, open a ticket with DJI and send it in for repair or get a refund and get the Mavic 3.

Define bad range,   Back to back testing with a Mini2 for the first 700km of flights (Im over 4300km now) and the Mni3 was better 99% of the time and certainly much smoother video feeds.  

DAFlys Posted at 1-24 02:15
Define bad range,   Back to back testing with a Mini2 for the first 700km of flights (Im over 4300km now) and the Mni3 was better 99% of the time and certainly much smoother video feeds.

Folks just dont want to listen half the time, they just down vote, unless i said something that was inaccurate in my last reply but I don't think I did.

I have given my best advice for increasing the range and one guy did manage to hit 4.3km but still trying to say its not the alignment. I think i am going to stop advising on the matter, certainly for the repeat offenders.

Bashy Posted at 1-24 04:10
Folks just dont want to listen half the time, they just down vote, unless i said something that was inaccurate in my last reply but I don't think I did.

I have given my best advice for increasing the range and one guy did manage to hit 4.3km but still trying to say its not the alignment. I think i am going to stop advising on the matter, certainly for the repeat offenders.

I squeezed a bit more than that on one flight shortly after grtting the plus battery.   the last 500m was a bit sketchy though.

Never mind on the downvote,  most dont pay attention to that.

DAFlys Posted at 1-24 04:14
I squeezed a bit more than that on one flight shortly after grtting the plus battery.   the last 500m was a bit sketchy though.

Never mind on the downvote,  most dont pay attention to that.

My best in CE was 5.5km, the transmission dropped and 3 secs it hit RTH, so as the battery was at my 65% cutoff i didn't stop it and try for more, that's my intention tomorrow, although the wind will have picked up, i can try for a CE range test using the Plus battery so I will have plenty of reserves, i will be using the RC Pro though so, perhaps not a fair test, but I will deffo try the N1 test the next time though, i cant reset the DJI RC for now so that will have to wait.

I know what ya mean about the voting, its just annoying as you know who did it but for the wrong reasons, thats what bugs me. Oh well, leave them to it

Bashy, I have the RC Pro(FCC) and a 2S, even with that combination, alignment is critical at long range. When I get the disconnect warning, I can move the controller just a few degrees and get good signal back. Good for a couple hundred more yards.

Mobilehomer Posted at 1-24 08:36
Bashy, I have the RC Pro(FCC) and a 2S, even with that combination, alignment is critical at long range. When I get the disconnect warning, I can move the controller just a few degrees and get good signal back. Good for a couple hundred more yards.

Deffo, this is what many do not understand, alignment is critical with all DJI drones, but especially more so with the mini 3 pro zi think it's because when it pitches forward the antennas point upwards, this loses some of the alignment, it's what is causing many to think that there is a problem, but if the RC alignment is spot on with the drone then you do not see the problem until your on the edge of signal loss, only then you can see as I've shown in the video I posted in the RC Pro section.

Basically just turning the drone 180 degrees is enough to change the signal from 1 bar to 3, its poor placement for the antennas is what's not helping folk but its not really enough to warrant  a recall. If folk get the alignment right then there shouldn't b any issues, it's a shame there no indicator for the vertical alignment, that would be most useful.

Arpettaz Posted at 1-24 08:46
The Mini 3 Pro does not have a range issue if you keep to the drone laws and consider your environment. I am happy with the performance of my drone. But hey, some people just moan all the time.  Some people don’t understand their environment and how it affects RC performance. And some people don’t give a crap about rules and laws and don’t understand VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT flying (which applies to just about every country in the world)

This is very true, having the A2 CofC and using strobes greatly increases VLOS, I can easily see the Mini 3 pro at 1km and know its orientation using the red and green strobes, I haven't tried it further as yet.

Bashy Posted at 1-24 04:10
Folks just dont want to listen half the time, they just down vote, unless i said something that was inaccurate in my last reply but I don't think I did.

I have given my best advice for increasing the range and one guy did manage to hit 4.3km but still trying to say its not the alignment. I think i am going to stop advising on the matter, certainly for the repeat offenders.

Yes, I am that guy. And nope, it's not always the alignment. But have it your way.

Drone Buddy Posted at 1-24 12:37
Yes, I am that guy. And nope, it's not always the alignment. But have it your way.

Youve seen this yourself, how can you now say otherwise?
The most important factor for a decent range is the alignment, if that is off then nothing else matters.
If the alignment is spot on then its down to other external factors that will make a difference in how far you get, in your case, its just atmospherics, 9 times out of 10 you should be able to get pretty close to that 4.3km, get a day when there are poor atmospherics and you will lose at least a 1000m

You can easily prove this to yourself again, go back to that hill, send it out to just 2km, thats less than half of what you managed, then turn the RC just a couple of degrees and wait for a couple of seconds, then come back and tell me what happens. Actually, I would like you to screen record it and with the Radar on screen, that way we can all see the alignment and see you turn slightly for ourselves. You can bet your last £ that the signal will at the very least drop a bar or 2 and at worst it will drop completely so make sure that your settings are set to RTH on signal loss, heck, it doesn't even need to be 2km, you can see this happen at just 1km but it will be more pronounced at 2km

Hi, PixelPro. Thanks for reaching out, and apologies for any inconvenience caused. Here are some recommendations that you may try:
1. Update or refresh the firmware of the drone and the remote controller through the DJI Assistant 2 (Consumer Drones Series).
2. Ensure that the remote controller's antennas are placed in an optimal position. See the picture below:

3.  Keep note of tree and house obstructions near the flying field. After flying for a period, note the obstruction near the horizontal line to ensure that there are no visible obstructions in the aircraft's direction. Take off from an area with no signal-blocking obstacles.
4. If there is significant signal interference in the area, replace the environment and check if the issue remains.
Should you have further concerns, please reach back here at DJI Forum. Thank you, and have a nice day.

DAFlys Posted at 1-24 02:15
Define bad range,   Back to back testing with a Mini2 for the first 700km of flights (Im over 4300km now) and the Mni3 was better 99% of the time and certainly much smoother video feeds.

4,300 km is fantastic!  Isnt that transatlantic?

fans21f46d12 Posted at 1-25 06:10
4,300 km is fantastic!  Isnt that transatlantic?

Heathrow to London is 5500km so not quite.

Why is the range so crappy on my device. I watched videos on how to make it better, spent an hour watching different range videos and still can't go far w/out the rc going in the red, then automatically returns to home?? I live in USA surrounded by a bunch of trees.  Anymore info u need lmk o and I do dual for the frequency.  

D-Rock Posted at 8-2 11:30
Why is the range so crappy on my device. I watched videos on how to make it better, spent an hour watching different range videos and still can't go far w/out the rc going in the red, then automatically returns to home?? I live in USA surrounded by a bunch of trees.  Anymore info u need lmk o and I do dual for the frequency.

Check your transmission screen to see whether you are in CE or FCC mode. I'm living in Europe and my rc remote was using CE  mode, then i made it work at FCC and now zero issues at all. It has full strenght of signal whereas i lost drone in CE mode at the same distance.

D-Rock Posted at 8-2 11:30
Why is the range so crappy on my device. I watched videos on how to make it better, spent an hour watching different range videos and still can't go far w/out the rc going in the red, then automatically returns to home?? I live in USA surrounded by a bunch of trees.  Anymore info u need lmk o and I do dual for the frequency.

the trees are probably your main problem, but you can try raising your altitude. I see you were flying at 90 or so feet. Try 150-200 and tell me how it turns out.

D-Rock Posted at 8-2 11:30
Why is the range so crappy on my device. I watched videos on how to make it better, spent an hour watching different range videos and still can't go far w/out the rc going in the red, then automatically returns to home?? I live in USA surrounded by a bunch of trees.  Anymore info u need lmk o and I do dual for the frequency.

Flying over areas like this will have wifi and other signals, which will decrease the range, then there are the trees etc, and then there is the height, in areas such as in your image, you really need to fly at the 400ft height if range is important to you.

Without seeing the radar in the bottom left corner I shouldn't really comment on the RC to drone alignment but i bet that is a factor too, the horizontal and vertical alignment has to be spot on.

I need to imagine that there is a laser dot coming out the top of the RC, you have to keep that dot on the Drone at all times. The radar in the bottom left corner will help with the horizontal alignment, the RC indicator will turn green with its good. Something that will help with vertical is this, when the drone is 1500m (4921ft) out and at 122m (400ft) high, the drone will only be about 4 degrees above the horizon. That means that the RC would need to be pretty flat in your hands, i.e. scree pointing pretty much straight up.

I know you wasn't out that far but it gives you an idea how things play out.
Use the FAR (Flight Attitude Radar) in the bottom left corner, this will help with horizontal
For horizontal you will need to use your judgment (the further you go, the lower the RC needs to point) and use the signal meter to gauge this.
The further out you go the smaller the RC adjustments.

e.g. lets say youre struggling at 1500ft, raise the drone to a height that brings the signal back, use the Radar (bottom left), is the RC indicator on there blue or green, if its blue, you can see which direction youre pointing on there too, so swing the RC so that it points to the drone and it will turn green, if its already green, make sure its pointing 100% at the drone. Using the signal meter for fine tuning helps greatly. There is a wee knack to it, you will soon get then hang of it.

I am in CE and i have managed over 2km over heavy urban at 120m

My first post: I have a new Mini 3 Pro. I live at sea level, 500 yards off the Gulf of Mexico. No serious wind, no obstructions other than a few tall buildings that are not obstructing my signals. I have tried sending the drone in two directions, one over land, the other over water. I have hit about 1.7 KM at best. That's a far cry from the advertised 12 KM. Am I being unrealistic about what to expect from the drone?

djiuser_ceyTzlJM5oWA Posted at 8-4 06:10
My first post: I have a new Mini 3 Pro. I live at sea level, 500 yards off the Gulf of Mexico. No serious wind, no obstructions other than a few tall buildings that are not obstructing my signals. I have tried sending the drone in two directions, one over land, the other over water. I have hit about 1.7 KM at best. That's a far cry from the advertised 12 KM. Am I being unrealistic about what to expect from the drone?

That is true total not fair from Dji total not honest  expensive but u dont get the full quality what they putting on the box

DJI Tony Posted at 1-24 22:15
Hi, PixelPro. Thanks for reaching out, and apologies for any inconvenience caused. Here are some recommendations that you may try:
1. Update or refresh the firmware of the drone and the remote controller through the DJI Assistant 2 (Consumer Drones Series).
2. Ensure that the remote controller's antennas are placed in an optimal position. See the picture below:

Hi

Hi
I’m having the same issue with DJI mini 3 pro after I bought a new RC controller and started using it 5 weekss ago. It’s loosing connection with network error in less than 150  m.
I was using Rc-N1 with my iPhone and did not see this happen until distance Is farther than  1000 m  ( which seems low compared to others are getting - but it’s good enough for the kind of videos and pics I take for now)

I have updated the firmwares to the latest. And I have tried keeping the RC antennas aligned towards the drone in your tips.

Has there been any other solution or workaround for this since you last posted?
Thanks

djiuser_6DfLkBnDvpWs Posted at 10-15 00:22
Hi

Hi

Hi there. Sorry about the experience. Does this issue occur even when flying in a different location? Preferably an open field.

Question from a newbie: What is the difference between CE or FCC mode ? Can I fly a longer distance with FCC mode because FCC provides a stronger and more stable signal ? And why do some demand these extreme ranges ? I have not flown further than 1000 meters because then the signal strength usually changed to red and find that is already a considerable range for a drone that may actually only be flown on sight.

Dirty Bird Posted at 10-15 05:27
Correct.  FCC mode transmits with far more power than CE mode, allowing much greater range & stability.    As to why some seek greater range while you are content is a matter or personal choice.  The world is a big place yearning to be discovered.  Adventure is out there!

https://youtu.be/eA0sEaxyujQ?si=xWlwXG1Dly5SVETv

I must admit that more range also appeals to me because I love adventure

Was this amazing adventure trip over 6 kilometers in range ?

I've had my second replacement of both remote and the drone, still can't go past 500m-600m range even in open spaces.

fans28ba9447 Posted at 11-6 12:19
I've had my second replacement of both remote and the drone, still can't go past 500m-600m range even in open spaces.

Hi there. Sorry about the inconvenience. Hello there. The main factors that affect the transmission distance are firmware, signal transmitter power, attenuation, obstruction, and electromagnetic interference. Please check the notes below and see if it will help:
1. Check the aircraft image transmission distance in your country.
2. Check if the aircraft firmware, remote controller firmware, and app versions are the latest. If not, please update the firmware to the latest versions first.
3. Check the remote controller antenna position. Please place your remote controller antenna in the optimal position.

4. Keep note of trees and house obstructions near the flying field. After flying for a period, note the obstruction near the horizontal line to ensure that there are no visible obstructions in the aircraft's direction.
5. Check whether there is significant interference in the flight environment. Please turn on the Image Transmission Settings to check the real-time channel quality. If the interference is significant, we recommend changing the flight environment. Common electromagnetic interference sources include but are not limited to Wi-Fi hotspots, routers, Bluetooth devices, high-voltage power lines, high-voltage transmission stations, mobile phone base stations, and television broadcasting towers. Have a great day ahead.

DAFlys Posted at 1-25 06:54
Heathrow to London is 5500km so not quite.

Think you might be wrong there.

fans28ba9447 Posted at 11-6 12:19
I've had my second replacement of both remote and the drone, still can't go past 500m-600m range even in open spaces.

See if post 28 helps, youve had 2 now so that must tell you something ;)

primeshooter Posted at 11-7 05:02
Think you might be wrong there.

Yeah.  Bit of a goof up there.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-7 05:28
Yeah.  Bit of a goof up there.

made me chuckle

Bashy Posted at 11-7 07:41
made me chuckle

That should have read New York.

DAFlys Posted at 11-7 07:42
That should have read New York.

Ive not looked but i bet it does now lol

Bashy Posted at 11-7 07:46
Ive not looked but i bet it does now lol

I didnt go back as this is a really old thread.

DAFlys Posted at 11-7 07:54
I didnt go back as this is a really old thread.

nah, still in 2023 lol to be fair, i didnt even notice its inception