Good day all,

I hope this thread finds you all well.

I've just returned home from a Volcano trek trip with my P3S. It was subjected to very light quantities of ash (iron) during the trip but since then has been thoroughly cleaned.
Upon my return home I've experienced an odd consistent signal loss at above 40m. I can fly the P3S to 70m+ of distance but I lose VIDEO/APP signal entirely when breaching 35-40m in altitude. I still maintaiin remote control most of the time.
Now that I recall, around the ash plains I did lose signal around 40m+ as well.
Could there have been hardware damage during the trek or trip... But how could hardware damage affect altitude only...The signal drops, the app requests if I wish to RTH, but I can still control the drone via remote.

Any insight you folks can provide would help. I'm miles overseas from any capable repair centre so I've got to figure this out myself.

Cheers,

Yorick

Are you aware of correct antenna orientation? The worst place for signal is directly above you, as it is off the end of the antenna, so if that is where you experienced the signal loss, then it might help explain it.

Geebax Posted at 2016-10-2 11:34
Are you aware of correct antenna orientation? The worst place for signal is directly above you, as i ...

Hi Geebax,

Thank you for your reply. Yes I am aware of it.
During Saturday's flight the drone was well away from me at a 45 degree angle. Today's test also.
Although on the odd occasion when it is above me, I do put the antenna straight.
So I always ensure the antenna doesn't 'point' to the drone but shows its side.

Have exactly the same problem but i dont know how to solve

are you using the 1.6.8 firmware thats the reason its full og bugs and diffrent issues hope dji soon give us an update

Thanks for asking.
Yes I'm using 1.6.80, but why would this issue occur now and not prior to my voyage to the volcano...?

DJI, is there a hardware that could have been damaged during the trip, either in the remote or drone, that could explain a total loss of video feed from 35-40m of altitude onwards?
I don't see how it could. But would you mind asking your techs?
Stress that I can still control the drone via remote. It's only the video signal that drops completely with the phone.

Just to repeat the conditions:

• It's a P3S.
• It's just been on travels through rough terrain (including exposure to volcano ash containing iron) albeit in its hard backpack so it may have occured light internal damage, but visibly it's 100% ok.
• It flies just fine. HUD reports no issues aside from the occasional compass error due to inteference, etc...
• It can fly to 70m+ of distance at low altitude.
• It begins to lose signal video feed at around 35-40m of altitude.
• It maintains remote control signal.
• If I leave it at 40m+ of altitude, it will continue to struggle to return video feed, and eventually offer to RTH.
• I can still bring it back manually, and when it returns to below 40m the video begins to return.
  

I'm trying to understand how it could lose video feed at such low altitude, when it can travel well beyond 40m of distance, but not altitude.
What internal component either in the remote or drone could be damaged to explain this? Is it possible that something moved during the travels?
I was thinking of popping her open to check but common logic suggests that damage would lead to inconsistent issues, not this consistent 40m+ video loss.

Anyone got any ideas?

yoricknicholls Posted at 2016-10-7 14:34
Just to repeat the conditions:

It's a P3S.

It's just been on travels through rough terrain (in ...

Hello yoricknicholls, sorry to hear about that. The signal lost no matter where you were, right?
Please make sure the mobile device is in DJI recommended list, and you could try to delete app and re-install it.
Would you please fly it farther firstly then higher? or change the direction to have a test, such as West then East?
If no improvement after the basic troubleshooting, it would be best to send in to our service center for further analysis. Please feel free to contact our tech support at support@dji.com for further help.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2016-10-7 18:47
Hello yoricknicholls, sorry to hear about that. The signal lost no matter where you were, right?
P ...

Hi Natalia,

Problem solved, I think.
I've just returned from doing an aerial photography job OUT of town, and I flew to 120m altitude, even up to 200-300m distance at said altitude without the slightest loss of signal aside from when I lost line of sight (which is expected).
Must be something in town that interferes with my signal... Any idea how this can be? Can the Air Traffic Authority put a restriction on such a thing where I maintain frequency but lose video feed?

yoricknicholls Posted at 2016-10-10 14:57
Hi Natalia,

Problem solved, I think.

Wow, glad to hear that. It seems the environment in town has a negative influence on the flight.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2016-10-10 18:13
Wow, glad to hear that. It seems the environment in town has a negative influence on the flight.

The environment or a deliberate effort to hinder UAV operations in town.
That being said, my friend was above to fly his P3P comfortably. Could there therefore be an interference on the 5.8 frequency of my P3S only? Tough call...