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range issues
961 14 2019-2-27
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Pilot Ramai 88X
Sweden
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hi guys.

I am having trouble with my Dji Phantom 3 standard.
I bought the drone around two years ago and it was running great.

I don't really remember what the sequence was, but I think it showed up that it was a new firmware available.
Then I upgraded the firmware to 1.09.2 and just continued to fly.

I don't remember what order all these things happened but I think that after the firmware upgrade it started to get a bad range.

Approximately 50 meters (164 ft) far away and 30 meters (98 ft) high was the range I had.

That was sad!

So then I searched on the internet and find ARGtek antennas, I bought them and installed them.

As I remember I started to fly with them and I think I got the range better to something around 200 meters (650 ft) far away and around 70 meters (230ft) high.

I was thinking that it was still to short range for the drone, so I searched on the web and thought about firmware downgrade would fix the problem.

So yesterday I downgraded to 1.08.10 (dji) and calibrated imu etc, same range.

I saw that some people on the internet said that 1.07.9 would do so you got better range.

So I downgraded to 1.07.9 and I hade same range.

I have tried some different locations for example flat field, on a small hill, near my house and close to a lake.

the max distance I have got is 469 meters (1538 ft) and around 120 meters (393 ft) high.

I have log out and into the go app and changed the antenna direction.



Is this the max range for the drone? Do you have any thoughts, questions or answers

Please feel free to write something that would be very appreciated!!!



Thank you so much!   
















2019-2-27
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ALABAMA
Captain
Flight distance : 10442687 ft
United States
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The P3S is notorious for short range in average locations.  What you're getting is fairly normal, unless you fly from a very elevated location without many obstacles.
2019-2-27
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Pilot Ramai 88X
Sweden
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ALABAMA Posted at 2-27 07:25
The P3S is notorious for short range in average locations.  What you're getting is fairly normal, unless you fly from a very elevated location without many obstacles.

But I have Argtek antenna so then I should get 2x distance at least,
Especially in open areas where I have flown.
2019-2-27
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TomBee
Second Officer
Flight distance : 913891 ft
India
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Pilot Ramai 88X You are correct, you should get a lot further with the ARGtec, I am getting a range of 1400m to 1720m with the ARGtec, this was in an open field with some trees nearby.
I am using the Litchi app and not the DJi Go App. Not sure if this has anything to do with the range though.
Hope you get it fixed soon.
2019-2-27
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North pilot Ramai
Sweden
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TomBee Posted at 2-27 10:09
Pilot Ramai 88X You are correct, you should get a lot further with the ARGtec, I am getting a range of 1400m to 1720m with the ARGtec, this was in an open field with some trees nearby.
I am using the Litchi app and not the DJi Go App. Not sure if this has anything to do with the range though.
Hope you get it fixed soon.

ok, I will try with Litchi app and see if it is any different.
Thanks for advice TomBee!
2019-2-27
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Rene Jensen
First Officer
Denmark
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Are you logged in to your dji go account when flying??you need too or else you get the range issue with 50 meters in range and 30 meters height.my standard in firmware 1.7.9 and i fly in city and getting about 1300 meters range with only stock antenna.i use litchi almost every flight and sometimes the dji go app.remember to log out of your dji go account when using litchi to fly
2019-2-27
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DarthvJNI
lvl.1

Mexico
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Same exact issue here.

Bought my P3S (used from a photographer that upgraded to a Mavic 2) as my first serious dron, he reported me this distance loss but attributet it to a falulty antena (lost its hinge pin and the cable was a little bitten) so i opted not to replace the original but to go directly to the ARGTEK mod and use the 3 10db omnis. It was already upgraded to the 1.09.2 FW

Surprise.... 50 mts above me signal lost RTH, pointing antenas perpendicular to drone... manage to get to 100 mts hight but started loosing signal sins 80mts after a while on 100mts... signal lost RTH/landing

Note: There is another issue that will look apart wich is every turn off/turn on needs syncing and compass calibration is solicited by DJI GO at the same time (can live with the syncing and the compass calibration but not with the signal lost)

Searching i found a youtube video that states that 1.09.2 FW Upgrade blew up a chip (i don´t by that) and he made a MOD Bypassing that chip with a cable soldered making a bridge). Here is the link (have not tried it yet until i understand the logic on this mod,  Risky.... 100% in ignorance).I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS so i only share a posible fix not tested take your own risk.

Cannot post link, search: Phantom 3 Standard Range Issue Fix

I have read somewhere that this problem is because of output power restriction (which sounds like it due to DJI publishing each firmware with more restrictions on each release) and that it can be fixed modifiying parameters on the firmware files (to geeky for me but plausible, it needs decompiling he bin and rebuilding it there is a post someware showing how)

I followed the ARGTEK that recomends downgrading to 1.07.9 but ended up with a Barometer Error, following threads DJI sent a 1.07.9 correcting this error but just directly to the ones that complained and did not sent a public firmware update until the 1.08.10 FW, somewhere i read that the barometer error was corrected in a 1.07.94 release but do not find it anywhere i´ve looked.

Finally installed the 1.08.10 that has the 50mts restriction (could not test the 1.07.9 becouse of the barometer error and that is the one ARGTEK recomends to solve the 50mtr signal lost)

Hope someone has more luck than me (and/or report if the hardware bridge mod really works with the 1.09.2)
2019-2-27
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Geebax
Captain
Australia
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DarthvJNI Posted at 2-27 14:53
Same exact issue here.

Bought my P3S (used from a photographer that upgraded to a Mavic 2) as my first serious dron, he reported me this distance loss but attributet it to a falulty antena (lost its hinge pin and the cable was a little bitten) so i opted not to replace the original but to go directly to the ARGTEK mod and use the 3 10db omnis. It was already upgraded to the 1.09.2 FW

'Surprise.... 50 mts above me signal lost RTH, pointing antenas perpendicular to drone... manage to get to 100 mts hight but started loosing signal sins 80mts after a while on 100mts... signal lost RTH/landing'

Nothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

'Note: There is another issue that will look apart wich is every turn off/turn on needs syncing and compass calibration is solicited by DJI GO at the same time (can live with the syncing and the compass calibration but not with the signal lost)'

You will most likely find the prompt is NOT asking you to calibrate the compass, and in any event you should not do so. More likely you are launching from a spot where there is magnetic effect due to something in the launch surface, such as rebar in concrete.


2019-2-27
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DarthvJNI
lvl.1

Mexico
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Geebax Posted at 2-27 16:45
'Surprise.... 50 mts above me signal lost RTH, pointing antenas perpendicular to drone... manage to get to 100 mts hight but started loosing signal sins 80mts after a while on 100mts... signal lost RTH/landing'

Nothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

Nothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

Total Logic, will try some 50 mts away


You will most likely find the prompt is NOT asking you to calibrate the compass, and in any event you should not do so. More likely you are launching from a spot where there is magnetic effect due to something in the launch surface, such as rebar in concrete.

Ups....... all the houses and driveway, even perimeter walls are concrete filled constructions, every house is a Faraday cage, we all are having issues with cellphones inside the house, i have received magnetic disturbance near my car.

Will make a trip to an open field calibrate there and perhaps the same issue triggers resync problems

Thanks Geebax, changed and/or focused my newbie perspective
2019-2-27
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Geebax
Captain
Australia
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DarthvJNI Posted at 2-27 17:25
Nothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

Total Logic, will try some 50 mts away

Yes, this is a quite common issue with new fliers, and not one that DJI even mentions in their manuals. Any concrete is a no-no, also taking off from the hood of a car, picnic table (steel frame), roof of a building or balcony and many other places.
2019-2-27
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North pilot Ramai
Sweden
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Rene Jensen Posted at 2-27 14:22
Are you logged in to your dji go account when flying??you need too or else you get the range issue with 50 meters in range and 30 meters height.my standard in firmware 1.7.9 and i fly in city and getting about 1300 meters range with only stock antenna.i use litchi almost every flight and sometimes the dji go app.remember to log out of your dji go account when using litchi to fly

Every time I fly I am logged in to the DJI go app.
I get like 300 m so I think it's not the issue.
But at the same time, I can lose the signal at 15 m high.
It's like the signal is very weak.
2019-2-28
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North pilot Ramai
Sweden
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Geebax Posted at 2-27 16:45
'Surprise.... 50 mts above me signal lost RTH, pointing antenas perpendicular to drone... manage to get to 100 mts hight but started loosing signal sins 80mts after a while on 100mts... signal lost RTH/landing'

Nothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

cNothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.
2019-2-28
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North pilot Ramai
Sweden
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North pilot Ramai Posted at 2-28 01:33
cNothing surprising about that, having the aircraft direcly above you often results in loss of signal, even with other models of the aircraft. This is because it is the worst position for the antennas in the legs of the aircraft. Known problem, don't fly above yourself.

when I bought the drone I could go 100 meters above me.*
(straight above)
2019-2-28
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Geebax
Captain
Australia
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North pilot Ramai Posted at 2-28 01:40
when I bought the drone I could go 100 meters above me.*
(straight above)

Co-incidence. Don't fly directrly above yourself.
2019-2-28
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Peterx
Captain
Flight distance : 1499708 ft
Germany
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Geebax is right. The birds antennas don´t get any good signal to receive straight  overhead. And if you do that then the antenna of the RC must be parallel to the ground.
2019-3-1
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