Im off to test the FPV range of my phantom 4 against my phantom 3 again today. I hope I can get better than 70% of my stock phantom 3's range. I haven't in the past week but this time I am going over water so hopefully the candlelight bridge in my phantom 4 will turn out to be real light bridge in this situation.

I due two back to back flights. Flew the phantom 3 first. At the end it was still possible to go further but I turned it around anyway. The phantom 3 had substantially more FPV glitches throughout the flight. But I went anyway. Speed on the p4 was better by 2 meters per second against a pretty good head wind. I lost total FPV on first flight on the phantom 4 and realized that I didn't have recording on. So I went for a second attempt the moment I got FPV back. In all honesty I had better performance from the phantom 4 today than I did the previous week. Flying over water must have helped some. But regardless, the good old November delivery phantom 3 still outperformed the light bridge on the phantom 4. I also had better consistency with the FPV on the phantom 3. While I love the phantom 4, I wish if had the same light bridge capability of my phantom 3 advanced. Which, I must say, would make sport mode flight much more enjoyable. Here are the two flights. It is unacceptable, at the cost of the phantom 4, to have a step down in range and FPV quality.

Here is phantom 4

FPV comparison. Here is phantom 3

Here goes my phantom 4.

Last edited by david.p.mann@earthlink.net In 2016-3-20 16:45 Editor


All,

I tested max. range on my new P4 (23,652 feet / 4.5 miles) in an unobstructed rural area two days ago, which slightly exceeded my maximum range flight with my Inspire 1. I could fly the P4 out much farther than my P3Pro due to the P4's increased speed capability (37 mph vs. 26 mph in P mode) and the P4's higher battery capacity.  

You need to set up RC antenna and DJI GO app settings properly for optimal maximum range performance:

1) Both antenna pointing straight up, parallel to one another with wide flat surfaces facing the P4.  Never point the tips of the antenna at the aircraft (like pointing a gun).
2) In HD Menu, choose custom channel, observe channel interference plot for several minutes, and choose a channel with the lowest interference signal levels and with no periodic large spikes. Note: I almost always use channel 20.
3) Set HD transmission rate slider to the lowest setting (far left), which is 4 Mbps.  This will increase max HD Link range and insure stable, stutter-free video.
4) Change your body position, or maintain it, as needed to keep the antenna facing the aircraft throughout the flight.  
5) I use one simple, inexpensive ($30), non-permanent antenna mod (no RC wiring mods required) to increase signal strength - a well-made aluminum parabolic reflector purchased from an eBay vendor, which I slip over the pair of upright antenna.  The curved aluminum reflectors will be BEHIND the antennas and facing the P4 (like a satellite dish faces the satellite from which it is receiving programming).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/262 ... s&ul_noapp=true

6) Remember - there must be unhindered LOS between the antennas and the P4. So, no trees, buildings, fences, people, etc. in front of you blocking signals. Even distant obstructions can interfere with signal transmission when P4 is far away. Flying at higher elevations (under 400 feet) ensures you better signal strength.  I flew out 21,000 feet at 250 feet elevation and started to lose HD signal strength. Increasing altitude to 350 feet restored full HD signal strength.
7) Flying in P-mode with obstacle avoidance turned off will allow you fly P4 at up 37 mph with full GPS functionality (like P-GPS mode on P3Pro).  This will increase your maximum range.
8) Be sure to continuously monitor your battery levels, and leave sufficient battery capacity to return safely home. With fully charged battery, that had been cycled twice, I turned around at 62% and barely made it home with 8% battery left. That's cutting it too close

No worries about my antenna positioning and slider on HD options. I'm not new to this stuff. I probably have about 300 phantom 1 flights, a couple of hundred of vision, another couple of hundred of vision plus, another 300 long range flights in the 3. So, all of the above have have been done. But something surprised me. I bound my phantom 3 GL300B controller to the phantom 4 and got better results. I'll keep using it.

I kinda laugh a little bit, my modded P3S gets more range then the stock P4.  

Yeah, when I get the P4, first thing I will be doing is cracking it open and correcting a few minor mistakes I have seen from others.  To me it appears yet again, the dBi is weak on the antennas and the on the bird.

----Do my eyes deceive me,  or is the P4 showing more prop than the P3?   Because to me it looks like it is showing a lot more.  
Also,  saddened to hear about the poor range.  Especially since I get around 13,000 feet one way here in the mountains where I live,  on my Advanced.  
Kudos to you guys for being early adopters and saving many of the rest of us from jumping in until some of the bugs are worked out.  Thanks.

pgrover516 Posted at 2016-3-22 17:04
hummmm, how does one learn about this cracking open and fixing things?

Well first off you will break your warranty from DJI if you do so.
Depends on what you want to change.  For me it was to extend the range and also get a dedicated signal without any external WiFi interference.

Have you ever thought about modding your device?  

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-3-22 20:18
----Do my eyes deceive me,  or is the P4 showing more prop than the P3?   Because to me it looks lik ...

Yes, the phantom 4 always shows more prop than the phantom 3. That was P mode, sensors off. Sport mode isn't worth discussing as far as props showing, but one must keep in mind that P mode with sensors off is as fast as atti on the phantom 3. Regardless, I never bought the DJI official story about mounting the motors higher in order to keep the props out of film. Nah. From launch day, the moment I saw the blown up segment on the video I realized the reson for the higher motors. Cooling, sure, but the real reason is to have them sit on the top of the upper shell, screwed from the bottom shell, thereby having a far stronger motor mount. The higher motors were a side effect of that. Of course, had they said that it would be an admittance of a major weakness in all previous phantom shell designs. Of which i have cracked every one in spite of never having had a crash. And being products they are still marketing and sellimg. So no. Higher motors have absolutely nothing to do with keeping props out of frame. Besides, if one flew a phantom 3 at the 10 meter per second phantom 4 sensor on speed, no props would show there either. Now if DJI wants to keep pushing the keep props out of frame story, fine. But had they stated that the motors were mounted higher due to the new improved and stronger postition, I would feel that it is a far more accurate story.