Frustrating waypoint mission

[Aerodrone1]

Yesterday I programmed a waypoint mission that took the aircraft about a quarter mile away. I was flying at 200 feet and had constant video loss and loss of link from the controller to the aircraft. I changed antenna position several times but that didn't help. I set up the waypoints with the aircraft powered up but motors off, told it to begin the mission and it gave me a warning that waypoint flight is only available in GPS mode, to which the controller was set. I powered everything down and started over with the same results. I finally put the aircraft into a hover and then I could begin the mission. All of these quirks are very frustrating, especially signal loss at such a close range. I certainly don't anticipate being able to achieve the advertised range.

 

[fundy]

I don't think you are "in" GPS mode until you are in the air. If you start your waypoint mission at low altitude and don't set a waypoint altitude it won't be pretty.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Not saying this is going to solve your problem but I added two old CD disks to act like the 3D printed kit that is being sold online and it seems to help.

 

[Aerodrone1]

I don't think you are "in" GPS mode until you are in the air. If you start your waypoint mission at low altitude and don't set a waypoint altitude it won't be pretty.

I'd set the altitude to 200 feet so that part wasn't a concern.

 

[Aerodrone1]

Not saying this is going to solve your problem but I added two old CD disks to act like the 3D printed kit that is being sold online and it seems to help. View attachment 344 [/QUOTE
Certainly worth a try!

 

[Jagerbomb52]

If you give it a try all I did was undo the screw that holds Phone\Tablet clamp and drilled the two disks as close to the edge without cracking the disks. Thats the hard part, you need a fast drill or I guess a dremel would also work. The screw size is a 3.0MM hex head.

 

[Aerodrone1]

Not saying this is going to solve your problem but I added two old CD disks to act like the 3D printed kit that is being sold online and it seems to help. View attachment 344

It looks kind of silly but if it works....I wonder if a piece of curved copper sheet would work as kind of a parabolic antenna.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

You can buy them cheep from amazon or CarolinaDronz.
Some say it works and others say it did not help. They been around for ever in the RC old days.
Amazon.com: SKYREAT Copper Antenna Range extender Windsurfer for Autel Robotics X-Star / X-Star Premium Drone: Toys & Games

 

[Aerodrone1]

So is it safe to assume that unless we fly in perfect conditions the advertised range just isn't going to happen without modifications?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Where I live it is in the middle of nowhere basically. With the stock antennas at 200 feet elv. I can go just a tad over 1 mile. I do not lose video but I do lose tx connection and it will start its RTH. About 30 seconds into the RTH I gain control again and fly back.
I think it all has to do with where you are flying. I can go to town at the marina where they have free WiFi and I can't go more then 500 feet without video interference.

 

[WildDoktor]

So is it safe to assume that unless we fly in perfect conditions the advertised range just isn't going to happen without modifications?

Correct; all manufacture advertised ranges say "under ideal conditions" in the fine print somewhere. I fly in the same spot at lunchtime a few times a week, and on different days I have different amounts of video glitching...sometimes it varies even within the 50 minutes that I fly (I use 3 batteries in those 50 minutes and land at about 30%.)

 

[WildDoktor]

Not saying this is going to solve your problem but I added two old CD disks to act like the 3D printed kit that is being sold online and it seems to help. View attachment 344

Ha! That's brilliant!!

But, does it work with cassette tapes? I don't know if I have any unused CD's laying around...

 

[GA-XSP-Pilot]

You could go really old school and do the 12" LPs, or some reel-to-reel tapes...

 

[Aerodrone1]

I was gonna try a couple of 8 track tapes...maybe some Stones or Led Zeppelin.

 

[WildDoktor]

I was gonna try a couple of 8 track tapes...maybe some Stones or Led Zeppelin.

I think that just may *increase* the distortion...

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Not saying this is going to solve your problem but I added two old CD disks to act like the 3D printed kit that is being sold online and it seems to help. View attachment 344

Bro... that is not helping your distance and it certainly doesn't help with your cool factor either.
The range extenders from Skyreat will help some. A DBS panel will work well but they are not for everyone.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

LOL
You need to be a believer TJ .......The Poor Man's Antenna Amplifier online at AerialDroneAccessories.com

 

[LuvMyTJ]

LOL
You need to be a believer TJ .......The Poor Man's Antenna Amplifier online at AerialDroneAccessories.com

Is it April 1st already? With an omnidirectional antenna you would want to focus the waves at the stick, (there is nothing more than a thin wire in there on one side and two wires in the other), and a flat panel won't do that. That's why the commonly sold ones are curved.
I suppose that is one way to put that old Vanilla Ice CD to use.
When you finish your pop here's another idea to try...

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Is it April 1st already? With an omnidirectional antenna you would want to focus the waves at the stick, (there is nothing more than a thin wire in there on one side and two wires in the other), and a flat panel won't do that. That's why the commonly sold ones are curved.
I suppose that is one way to put that old Vanilla Ice CD to use.
When you finish your pop here's another idea to try...

Ya I saw that one on youtube a while back. I would have to get a couple of tall boy beer cans first to drink to make that.

 

[Bluekobra]

Bro... that is not helping your distance and it certainly doesn't help with your cool factor either.
The range extenders from Skyreat will help some. A DBS panel will work well but they are not for everyone.

Hey TJ i use two trash Can lids...i can fly for miles.....ha