Hi guys,

Today it was scary!!!
I have my P3P for almost 6 months now and never had any problems.
Always updated the drone and the RC with latest firmwares.

Today i was flying and got an error in my screen, SIGNAL LOST!!
The video link was lost. I was lucky i could see the drone fly. This way i could fly it to me.

But i find it scary this error.
Anyone with this error? What could cause this?

thanks in advance

yThis is not an error. It just tells you that the connection between your Phantom and your RC is temporarily lost. It happens all the time in environments where there is electrical interference like powerlines or buildings with high-powered WiFi-transmitters.
Nothing to worry about if you have enabled RTH: if the loss of signal (not only for the video but also the remote control signal). In that case the pahnatom will automatically return to the point where it took off and will land there.
I'm a bit amazed that this is the first time you have this situation if you are already flying your phantom for 6 months. Are you always flying very close to yourself ?

How far away?  Obviously not very far if you could see it to fly.  Were you near possible sources of interference?

"What could cause this?"

Lots of things but as you found out you still  had connection to the Phantom (you can confirm by seeing the green light on the controller - it's red if you have no connection).
You only lost the video signal, it's usual for this to go first.
You could still control the Phantom or you could have used the RTH button to bring it back.
If all  else failed, and you really did lose connection, the Phantom would come home after 3 secs with no signal.
You could even have triggered that by switching off the controller.

Practising RTH in an open area will give you more confidence to deal with tricky situation.

I was flying about 400m away from a powerline, maybe that could caused the loss of signal.
Was the first time it happened so i did not know what kind of communication i still had.
Will have to practice with RTH to be prepared for the next time.
thanks guys!!

jason666 Posted at 2016-5-9 08:56
I was flying about 400m away from a powerline, maybe that could caused the loss of signal.
Was the f ...

At 400 metres a powerline will have no effect  on your Phantom

I am not sure if there was anything interfering with my drone. I was flying where i never flew before so it was new for me.
If the powerlines were not the cause so it is very suspecious what happend.

jason666 Posted at 2016-5-9 09:10
I am not sure if there was anything interfering with my drone. I was flying where i never flew befor ...

You haven't given any details about where or how far out you flew but if you fly far enough, or fly over an urban area,  or fly less distance but lower down or if you get a few trees between you and the Phantom or don't have your antennas well  aligned and directed toward the Phantom etc,  etc, you will experience loss of video signal.
It's just nature's way of letting you know to come back a little or go a little higher or get out from behind the tree etc.

This video may help:

Use "Airplane" Mode in the same location and see if that clears the problem up.

Yes,mine flow away last week. Fell somewhere in the bush.After 5 day my neighbour Rudi Bronkhorst found it. Luckely the video way on and recorded the area. Dont know the reason yet.Francois Ferreira Pretoria

francois3 Posted at 2016-5-9 13:08
Yes,mine flow away last week. Fell somewhere in the bush.After 5 day my neighbour Rudi Bronkhorst fo ...

I've had two 'loss of video' errors. Both between 100 and 200 metres away, and less then 100m high. This is flying over fields. No houses, other people, or other sources of interference. Both since the latest updates.
Retained control of the quad, and the log didn't show any problems with the signal.

I confronted the exactly same issue. I sent email to DJI and get the following solution.
Would you be so kind to try the following:

Please downgrade your remote controller to 1.5.8 by following the steps below:
a. turn on the remote controller and connect your mobile device
b. open the DJI GO App, press and hold the academy button for about 10 seconds
c. download the firmware and downgrade to 1.5.8.

After downgrading the remote controller, please upgrade the aircraft to 1.8.1. Please see the instructions in the manual: http://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/i ... e_Guide_en_v1.4.pdf

Once you upgraded the aircraft, please re-upgrade the remote controller to the latest version by using the DJI GO App.

Please relink the remote controller by following the video:

Coincidentally, before they sent me this email. I tried this method, and it works. In the method they provided, I believe they perhaps want to say 1.8.80 rather than 1.8.1. Have a try. Please let me know if it works for you.

However, this is still a mysterious thing. If anyone knows what is going wrong, it will be very appreciated if you can share the knowledge.

if "signal lost" is an error, i have errors in all my flights

Yes mine has lost signal that last two times I have taken it out!  Very close range maybe a 100 yards away.

You were not very far away so you should have not lost signal, watch this video to make sure you have correct antenna orientation.
Also, you will generally lose video before RC signal. you can always just expand the map and turn the aircraft towards home and fly the green line and that will take you directly home. Video signal signal should come back fairly quickly.
As far as RTH, always make sure you have your RTH altitude set to each flight environment you are flying in.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-5-10 00:47
You were not very far away, watch this video to make sure you have correct antenna orientation.
Also ...

Ken,

Not for anything (I don't think) but he shouldn't be losing the signal at 100 yards..  Going to try to get out this afternoon in some wide open areas and see if I'm hitting any of this..

imagesbyjas Posted at 2016-5-9 11:52
Ken,

Not for anything (I don't think) but he shouldn't be losing the signal at 100 yards..  Going ...

I was in open field with line of site! 100 yards! also had lost signal two days before, but only  when a drone was taking off  "Aspire" but he was about three yards away. a little worried about flying?
Todd

imagesbyjas Posted at 2016-5-9 11:52
Ken,

Not for anything (I don't think) but he shouldn't be losing the signal at 100 yards..  Going ...

antenna orientation was correct. any suggestion's would be helpful.

tshaden Posted at 2016-5-10 01:07
antenna orientation was correct. any suggestion's would be helpful.

It has to be interference in your area,
Can you post a screenshot from the map of where you were flying at.
Or provide your email address you log in the GO app with and I can look at your flight record.

i am checking the quality of the Radio Channel on the APP and sometimes (every 2-3 minutes) i get a message: Poor, Strong interferance. Fly with caution.
I am checking this in the livingroom. Never checked this but after the signal lost error i am inverstigating this.
Any idea?

more information: i am checking the firmware version of the Remote controller and the drone and now it says N/A!!!!!
I have video link and can start the motors, but dont dare to flight!!!!
help!!!

jason666 Posted at 2016-5-10 03:56
i am checking the quality of the Radio Channel on the APP and sometimes (every 2-3 minutes) i get a  ...

You cannot check signal interference in your house, your going to get all those warnings in your house.

jason666 Posted at 2016-5-10 04:06
more information: i am checking the firmware version of the Remote controller and the drone and now  ...

Can you post a screen shot, you have everything powered up and have camera view correct?

here is a screenshot when i have connection.

rodger Posted at 2016-5-9 05:16
Use "Airplane" Mode in the same location and see if that clears the problem up.

What is an "Airplane mode"?

i never had problems with the drone. Why now use airplane mode?

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-5-9 12:17
It has to be interference in your area,
Can you post a screenshot from the map of where you were f ...

toddhaden@gmail.com

Yesterday I was flying near power lines, and under objects, so I've set my "on loss of signal" to hover, but normally I have it set to RTH and works beautifully. I have lost range anywhere between 600 and 3000 ft, yesterday I had some issues around 2400 ft, and because I left it in hover mode, I pretty much extended my radio in a rather uncomfortable pose, till I got signal enough to send RTH.. no problem.... I never tried it in a true clean area with no interference at all, but I am sort of questioning the whole 3.1mile distance... after all I have not gotten to even 1 mile yet... Oh well.. as I fly more and try different areas, I am sure I'll learn more on this subject and learn to maximize the range. The antennae positioning, no doubt, does make a huge difference, so be aware of that. I wonder if there's much impact of having V pattern vs II pattern if you are flying far away forward....

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-5-9 12:17
It has to be interference in your area,
Can you post a screenshot from the map of where you were f ...

toddhaden@gmail.com

Flying directly overhead will do it if you haven't angled the receiver well up as well. The RC unit does not receive/transmit from the tips of the antennas.
Happened to me on my first flight, always have the flats of the antennas as close to perpendicular to the
Phantom as possible.

gtokarsk Posted at 2016-5-9 15:35
Yesterday I was flying near power lines, and under object, so I've set my "on loss of signal" to hov ...

V configuration is not optimum.  They should be parallel with each other II, and as parallel to the legs of the drone (where the antennas are) as possible.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2016-5-9 16:35
V configuration is not optimum.  They should be parallel with each other II, and as parallel to th ...

Thx! Good to know!

gtokarsk Posted at 2016-5-9 16:29
What is an "Airplane mode"?

Airplane mode is in your Tablet and Phone. I don't know which you are using. Airplane Mode turns your Cell connection off thus filtering the signal from those sources. we are in the same band. It may or may not remedy your issue. Can't hurt to give it a whirl.

rodger Posted at 2016-5-10 04:53
Airplane mode is in your Tablet and Phone. I don't know which you are using. Airplane Mode turns y ...

Ah! Got it, u mean enable airplane mode on the device to disable all possible interference! Got it.. my mind was stuck on us flying, so I figured it's some Phantom flight mode i am unaware of!

gtokarsk Posted at 2016-5-10 12:39
Thx! Good to know!

The DJI tutorial video on proper ways to use Antenna is really pretty good..  I try to stay close to being in line with the Aircraft, and angle up when I bring the elevation up..  DJI-Ken has been posting it on several of these threads about connectivity issues..

imagesbyjas Posted at 2016-5-11 00:03
The DJI tutorial video on proper ways to use Antenna is really pretty good..  I try to stay close  ...

And one more time in case someone doesn't scroll through this thread.

So DJI-KEN, just wondering, did anyone in your office run a test on P3A on current firmware in an open area, as well as in somewhat populated area, and could you post what sort of range did you get before losing signal? There's so many questions about range, it would be nice to hear from you guys. Of course I'd assume that most users do understand that 5km, 3.1mi is OPTIMAL, and it is not reasonable to assume we gonna actually get this every time we try.....
Maybe it would be worth making a thread dedicated to DJI tests of range on various models, to give us a "reasnable" estimate? But then again, I know why you may not want to do it, without posting 2 mln disclaimers, so totally to your guys discretion....
GT