So I have purchased the new Spark and am in Australia. It seems there is a big difference in power output for CE and FCC modes. So which one applies to Australia? If its CE then the range of the Spark goes from 2km to 1km in basic numbers. Can anyone answer which applies?

Thanks!

I hope you get an answer before its delivery. After buying Osmo pro and it turns out to have loss frame issues. I will not commit until its products are exhaustly tested out by beta users.

DTK Posted at 2017-5-25 02:36
I hope you get an answer before its delivery. After buying Osmo pro and it turns out to have loss frame issues. I will not commit until its products are exhaustly tested out by beta users.

Thanks DTK. I hope I get a response soon. Even Google doesnt seem to have an answer which is odd! Big difference having a 500m range to a 2km range!

BrentA3 Posted at 2017-5-25 02:38
Thanks DTK. I hope I get a response soon. Even Google doesnt seem to have an answer which is odd! Big difference having a 500m range to a 2km range!

Won't be easy getting this little bambino back from 1.2 miles in any reasonable wind, 500 meters is far for spark.

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-5-25 02:44
Won't be easy getting this little bambino back from 1.2 miles in any reasonable wind, 500 meters is far for spark.

Yes it is a long way still (500m) but hate being artificially limited. I race drones and at racing events we all use 25mw but away from all that in the outback everyone bumps it up to 500mw. Shame...

It's gonna be a deal breaker for me if somehow "CE" drops from 1km on the Mavic to "CE" of 500 meters on the Spark

That's why I'm here, to see if that's a typo or if this thing really will be restricted to half a klick here in Malaysia, Australia or the UK etc?

CE is a European standard.
FCC is a American standard.
But Australia has their own regulation called RCM, see below

This is the only thing I could find about your question based on the a few articles that I was reading

2.4 GHz radio Systems - If a club member personally imports a transmitter and that transmitter has FCC or CE (or both) certification by the manufacturer, can that transmitter be used in Australia without a C Tick?        
   Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA)

The C Tick is a requirement of the ACMA for product that is sold in Australia as providing evidence that the supplier accepts the responsibility that the product meets the Australian Standards. The suppliers are subject to audit by the ACMA to prove they have the supporting documentation.

"Certain specific FCC and ETSI Standards, which are listed in MOP058, are accepted by the ACMA as being the equivalent to the standards specified for operation under the 2.4 GHz Class License.
If a C tick has not been applied by either the manufacturer or the importer then the user is the one who accepts responsibility for the product meeting the Australian Standards. This is the legal situation not an MAAA position.
Products that are labelled with overseas markings (for example, 'CE' mark or FCC approval) cannot automatically be lawfully supplied in Australia.

The ACMA regulatory framework for products supplied to the Australian market includes regulatory arrangements covering:
telecommunications customer equipment (CE) and customer cabling (CC)
radiocommunications devices
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance of electrical and electronic devices, vehicles and devices with internal combustion engines
electromagnetic energy (EME) from radio transmitters.

The ACMA’s four labelling notices impose obligations on a supplier, including the requirement to comply with technical standard/s, maintain compliance records and apply the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) to the product."

Compliance mark for products supplied in Australia

"For all ACMA regulatory arrangements, the compliance label is the RCM.

An overseas compliance mark on a product DOES NOT indicate that the product:
complies with any of the Australian regulatory arrangements
can be automatically labelled with the RCM compliance label
can be supplied in Australia without the RCM compliance label.

Evidence of compliance

In limited situations, overseas compliance documentation may be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with Australian requirements. However, even in such situations, the product must still meet Australian labelling requirements and be labelled with the RCM.

A supplier should first refer to the applicable labelling notice/s to determine which technical standard/s are applicable to their product. This will indicate if international compliance documentation may be used to establish compliance for the product to be supplied in Australia.

A supplier may need to engage the services of an independent consultant and/or a test laboratory to determine if the overseas test reports or other documentation are suitable for use in Australia (to demonstrate compliance with Australian requirements). For example:
CE Certificates are not acceptable as proof of EMC compliance in Australia. Only complete copies, in English, of EMC test reports to an applicable ACMA-mandated EMC standard are acceptable.
Establishing telecommunications compliance will, in virtually all cases, require testing to Australian telecommunications standards. Further information is available on the Testing - product compliance page.

If the overseas test reports or other documentation are sufficient to demonstrate compliance with Australian requirements, the product may be labelled with the RCM.

Testing against Australian requirements undertaken outside of Australia — Mutual Recognition Arrangements

Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) enable conformity assessment—testing, inspection and certification—of specified products intended for export to the other party's territory to be undertaken in the country of export. This has the effect of reducing non-tariff (technical and regulatory) barriers to trade between the countries.

Under a MRA, regulatory authorities in both countries recognize test reports and certificates issued by Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)—bodies deemed by both countries competent to assess products as conforming to the standards of the other country—to demonstrate that products meet their domestic regulatory requirements"


Rich

RichJ53 Posted at 2017-5-25 07:35
CE is a European standard.
FCC is a American standard.
But Australia has their own regulation called RCM, see below

Thanks for that Rich. Thats the only link I found as well and didnt clear it up. However lets review the facts.

In Australia, on the 2.4GHZ frequency, we are allowed 4W of transmitter power total output, i.e. with a 0dbi gain antenna or in dbm terms 36dbm. I am doubtful that the transmitter or the spark has a antenna gain of anything more than 6dbi so in fact, in Australia, we are allowed to have the Spark Operate atleast at the FCC power rating.

Does that make sense? I wish DJI would comment here because this may be relevant for UK as well...

Is it possible for DJI to clear this up?

AFAIK all the other DJI products in Australia are CE standard.

It does not matter that much as it is enough range to fly VLOS which is the legal requirement in Australia. It's hard to see an Inspire at 400m and less than that for a Phantom. An aircraft this size will be down to about 200m at a guess.

Cabansail Posted at 2017-5-25 19:49
AFAIK all the other DJI products in Australia are CE standard.

It does not matter that much as it is enough range to fly VLOS which is the legal requirement in Australia. It's hard to see an Inspire at 400m and less than that for a Phantom. An aircraft this size will be down to about 200m at a guess.

Thanks. My mate got back to me who has a Mavic and said his has CE on the sticker and gets about 3.6km out of it so sounds about right. So looks like 500m range is it for the Spark in Australia :,-(

BrentA3 Posted at 2017-5-25 20:57
Thanks. My mate got back to me who has a Mavic and said his has CE on the sticker and gets about 3.6km out of it so sounds about right. So looks like 500m range is it for the Spark in Australia :,-(

That should be enough for legal flights. If your mate is flying his Mavic 3.6km then he is flying illegally. There can be quite big fines if CASA become aware.

Cabansail Posted at 2017-5-26 01:50
That should be enough for legal flights. If your mate is flying his Mavic 3.6km then he is flying illegally. There can be quite big fines if CASA become aware.

I didnt  say he was responsible...

It would be good for DJI to chime in here and definitively say whether the Spark will operate on FCC mode in Australia. DJI??? Please!

BrentA3 Posted at 2017-5-26 13:01
I didnt  say he was responsible...

It would be good for DJI to chime in here and definitively say whether the Spark will operate on FCC mode in Australia. DJI??? Please!

Best solution is to get on the DJI tech support online chat. Ask the direct question and you should get an answer.
I had a similar question about Mavic Pro and they confirmed this aircraft "auto regulates" between FCC & CE mode based on its GPS location data.

We are CE unfortunately I have found out. Trying to get around that tho

It is SRRC in Australia

mavic used ocusync this Type of Wifi don't have restriction or have little ristriction (FCC 7km CE 5km)

http://www.benelec.com.au/forms/ ... ic%20Ant%20Inst.htm
https://higher-frequency.blogspo ... s-in-australia.html
should be following FCC...


Sparks Transmission power for the RC
2.4 GHz
FCC: ≤26 dBm; CE: ≤18 dBm; SRCC: ≤18 dBm; MIC: ≤18 dBm

5.8 GHz
FCC: ≤28 dBm; CE: ≤14 dBm; SRCC: ≤26 dBm; MIC: -

I have been able to get over 1KM on the spark so far and really haven't tried to push it any further just yet, I will when I get out in to the open a little more.

If Australia doesnt know then DJI doesnt know. Therefore DJI would just assume worst case scenario and set to CE for Aus.

GCBrent Posted at 2017-7-11 11:52
We are CE unfortunately I have found out. Trying to get around that tho

How did you find out, do you have a link?

I've flown over 1.2KM in Australia in an open field, no interference

I've lost connection at less than 400m when I flew over a hill...(auto RTH worked a treat)

I've flown over 2000 metres in Australia over paddocks and grassland.

Greg Glasson Posted at 2018-1-26 22:38
I've flown over 2000 metres in Australia over paddocks and grassland.

Badass !!  ;-)

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-1-26 22:50
Badass !!  ;-)

Hey Cookster please read my PM about OTG thanks

If I buy the spark from the us and brought it back to aus would it not operate using the FCC standard?

I use 5.8ghz (No OTG) with an iPhone and I can easily get over 2km. (My Spark was bought in Sydney)

teknikal90 Posted at 2018-1-26 23:45
If I buy the spark from the us and brought it back to aus would it not operate using the FCC standard?

GPS knows where you are methinks?

Mr Sparkle Posted at 2018-1-27 02:33
I use 5.8ghz (No OTG) with an iPhone and I can easily get over 2km. (My Spark was bought in Sydney)

2685m my record in Australia, OTG with iPad 2017

actually you can change from ce to us fcc easily

eylneb Posted at 2017-8-6 15:35
http://www.benelec.com.au/forms/ ... ic%20Ant%20Inst.htm
https://higher-frequency.blogspo ... s-in-australia.html
should be following FCC...

Seeing as they are using the GPS to work out where you are, they could make a little more effort to validate the country regulations against the device operations rather than a blanket "if you are not in the USA, you are CE" policy.

For example, here in New Zealand the relevant standards for the 5.8GHz band (found online at rsm dot govt dot nz) state that we can use up to 3dBW (which converts roughly to 33dBm or 2W EIRP).

I'm not sure what the antenna gain is on the Spark and the RC controller, but given that the transmission power you list shows the FCC setting uses up to 26dBm, and the FCC regulates EIRP of 36dBm I'd imagine the system gain can't really exceed 10dBm.  I find it hard to believe the drone can have a 10dBm gain antenna inside it, and I know for sure those two omni antennas on the RC can't be any more than 4dBm, there is really something wrong here.

DJI, support more than just FCC or NOT-FCC please!!!  Spend some effort to code for country regulations, or at the very least unlock some more range for countries that have EIRP's that match or exceed the FCC.

Hi, Currently I live in Spain, so the transmission method of the Air unit is CE. I have to travel to Chicago, and I would like to change the transmission method to FCC. I understand that it is done automatically with Dji assistant, which geolocates you through the ip of the computer.
Would it be possible to force the switch to FCC with a VPN?
Thnaks!

Australia is well a kinda of a province of Europe ? participating in Eurovision

But anyhow nice to know this information!

Mike32: when you arrive in Chicago the Spark will change to FCC mode. When you come back outside US and the Go App asks you to change region, just press Cancel every time and you stay in FCC.

fansb181213c Posted at 2017-8-6 14:38
It is SRRC in Australia

Yes that's what I've heard too.

Greg Glasson Posted at 2018-1-26 22:38
I've flown over 2000 metres in Australia over paddocks and grassland.

I watched my friend fly his mini 2 about 3.7 km away before losing signal in Australia and In pretty ideal conditions. he hasn't been able to get that far again. if your in an open field and you don't fly over the other side of a hill you will 2.5 km easily he got the drone hack fcc mod  last night so I'm going to watch him push it further today. between 1000m to 500m mark you loose signal at about 30 meters off the ground because the signal has trouble penitrating the tree line.
if it was made for a range of 10km then I'd say that Australia has got DJI to limit the power on it's transceiver.