I just need a mental check on sources of interference.  My first question is how much interference could a neighborhood of 1/3 acre, 35-ish year old homes induce?  No antennas visible from rooftops, and I’m 385’ up.  But I hit dead zones around houses where I was casually flying along a road and suddenly I have to make a U shape around a specific section.  And it isn’t once or twice; it’s dozens of flights always get interference at the same spots.

My second question is what could cause interference over undeveloped farmland.  Again, 385’ up (it might only be 325’ given elevation), but I lose complete signal overtop of absolutely nothing - the field isn’t even growing crops.

I’m near an airport, but I’m fine 2 miles parallel to the airport in either direction, along a string of 50,000 volt power lines, but 1/2 mile directly away from the airport I hit interference.  I can fly right up next to a water tower littered with cell phone antennas - 2 miles away - but if I go 1/4 mile in either direction from there I completely drop connection.  Can underground metal deposits cause that kind of interference?

I'm only aware of Area 51...

Jokes aside, no. I don't think so...

My first question is how much interference could a neighborhood of 1/3 acre, 35-ish year old homes induce?
Plenty.
Most houses and businesses have wifi and electrical activity which causes interference.

My second question is what could cause interference over undeveloped farmland.  Again, 385’ up (it might only be 325’ given elevation), but I lose complete signal overtop of absolutely nothing - the field isn’t even growing crops.
The field is unlikely to be a source of interference.
Just because you lose signal when the drone is there, doesn't mean the source of the problem is located there.
As your drone gets furtehr away from the controller, the signal received by the controller becomes fainter and can be swamped by interference between the drone and the controller, or perhaps close around the location of the controller.

Can underground metal deposits cause that kind of interference?
Only if they are giving out radio signals ... which they don't.

Orientation of the antenna's is also important.
But many big objects and / or signals will cause interference.

Labroides Posted at 6-26 20:14
My first question is how much interference could a neighborhood of 1/3 acre, 35-ish year old homes induce?
Plenty.
Most houses and businesses have wifi and electrical activity which causes interference.

I need to ponder and test the first item.  I hadn’t considered a residential home having that much electrical activity, but I’ll see what I can come up with.

The problem with the farm - and let’s highlight the one in particular is an Amish farm - is that I can draw a circle on the map and go around that circle in either direction.  Once I go around it, I’m clear for another 3/4 mile.  It’s the type of interference I get near a nursing home where they’re stacked on top of each other and hundreds of short range devices.

My thinking on metal is like the steel beams in a house or an elevator in a commercial building.

Fromgar Posted at 6-27 04:07
I need to ponder and test the first item.  I hadn’t considered a residential home having that much electrical activity, but I’ll see what I can come up with.

The problem with the farm - and let’s highlight the one in particular is an Amish farm - is that I can draw a circle on the map and go around that circle in either direction.  Once I go around it, I’m clear for another 3/4 mile.  It’s the type of interference I get near a nursing home where they’re stacked on top of each other and hundreds of short range devices.

My thinking on metal is like the steel beams in a house or an elevator in a commercial building.
Metal doesn't create radio interference.
It's only a problem if it's between the controller and drone, blocking transmission.

Fromgar Posted at 6-27 04:07
I need to ponder and test the first item.  I hadn’t considered a residential home having that much electrical activity, but I’ll see what I can come up with.

The problem with the farm - and let’s highlight the one in particular is an Amish farm - is that I can draw a circle on the map and go around that circle in either direction.  Once I go around it, I’m clear for another 3/4 mile.  It’s the type of interference I get near a nursing home where they’re stacked on top of each other and hundreds of short range devices.

The plot is thickening.... Amish farm you say?... Interesting....