H+ Distance Tests?

[Barton]

Edit: Moved per your request, thanks for noticing your mispost.

A topic that I have not seen discussed (or found with search) on this forum is the maximum range distance of the H Plus.

I know the specs state 1 mile which exceeds VSOL unless you are an eagle or hawk so I hadn't worried too much about this topic, until today.

Today I did an unintentional distance test with my H+ (thought I would have no issues reaching my location of interest) and was surprised to loose the 2.4 GHz control WiFi connection at 1,200 feet (yes, there was a single row of trees that the WiFi had to penetrate). Tried the test twice, lost the signal twice at roughly the same distance. Good news - Return To Launch Works when WiFi control is lost!

There were two aspects to my surprise:

1. 1,200 feet is a long way from 5,280 feet. While I didn't expect to fly to 1 mile, losing connection at 20% of maximum range doesn't reflect a very robust control system. Also, part of my surprise was the characteristics of how I lost connection. There was no warning, just suddenly the video locked and then a warning on the display that WiFi was lost. What seemed like an eternity elapsed before a 'WiFi connection established' was displayed along with the RTL activated message.
2. I was monitoring the WiFi signal strength icons and was down to 1 bar for the video signal WiFi (using the patch antenna) but the 2.4 GHz was still all bars showing. Thanks to the video recorder for the ST monitor, I can review how the WiFi indicators performed just before signal loss. I claim the 2.4 GHz indicator is NOT dynamic but just an icon. It went from full signal to loss of signal in 1 second... (on both tests).

I stumbled across this test of the Itelite system: Typhoon H Plus ITELITE Booster Test where the tester turned around at 4,000 feet without loss of either 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz signals. Other than the downside of 'yet another addition' to my ST16S accumulation of goodies, it might be worth considering this booster system. Not because I want to exceed VLOS but because I want to have a ROBUST control system within VLOS that I can rely on...

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

@Barton are you using the mushroom shaped antenna or the flat square one? The flat one is more directional, but has greater range.

 

[AeroJ]

If there is a line of trees between you and your H, are you expecting that to be fine ? I'm not sure it would be - certainly I try to make sure that there is nothing but air between me and the flyer, especially at longer distances.

 

[Barton]

@Barton are you using the mushroom shaped antenna or the flat square one? The flat one is more directional, but has greater range.

I was using the flat (directional patch) antenna. I expected the video signal might be weak but it appears that I lost the 2.4 GHz control WiFi signal first...

 

[gwhuntoon]

Barton, you mentioned using the patch antenna which definitely needs to be pointing toward the drone. If you were pointing away from the drone, it may explain the signal loss. Or it just may have been interference. WiFi, while digitally bound is a very polluted signal space and all that extra background noise can diminish signal.

 

[Barton]

If there is a line of trees between you and your H, are you expecting that to be fine ? I'm not sure it would be - certainly I try to make sure that there is nothing but air between me and the flyer, especially at longer distances.

I wasn't expecting it to be fine but was surprised at how quickly the signal degraded once there was some vegetation in the line of sight path. I know moisture will quickly kill high frequency RF, just had to have it demonstrated to me once again . My biggest concern is that where I'm likely to fly, there will be vegetation and even in good VLOS conditions I could temporarily move past/behind a tree and lose control... Therefore, I'm looking for a more robust connection between ST16S and H+.

 

[gwhuntoon]

2.4 is the worst for extra noise and 5.8 is getting there.

 

[Barton]

Barton, you mentioned using the patch antenna which definitely needs to be pointing toward the drone. If you were pointing away from the drone, it may explain the signal loss. Or it just may have been interference. WiFi, while digitally bound is a very polluted signal space and all that extra background noise can diminish signal.

Understood. I was pointing the antennas at the H+. Where I'm flying is kind of out in the boondocks so wasn't expecting there to be much in the way of polluting WiFi. Time to pull out the WiFi analyzer app on the phone and due a survey...

 

[Steve Carr]

The stick antennas must be pointed up and the patch panel pointed at the aircraft. The leaves on vegetation have a high moisture content so the signal will be attenuated. The one mile range is under ideal conditions. I fly in similar conditions as you mention and I only made one flight with the stock antennas. I anticipated problems with the video and had a 4Hawks antenna installed for the 2nd flight.

You mention loosing control signal at 1200'. Are you certain? If you loose control the H Plus will initiate RTH and fly back until it regains the signal. The video is 5.8 GHz wifi, the telemetry is 2.4 Ghz and the control is 2.4. The telemetry and control signals are not wifi and have a much longer distance than the video.

The wifi app will only show you the signal from the camera on 5.8. The 2.4 signal will not appear since it's not wifi.

 

[Barton]

The stick antennas must be pointed up and the patch panel pointed at the aircraft. The leaves on vegetation have a high moisture content so the signal will be attenuated. The one mile range is under ideal conditions. I fly in similar conditions as you mention and I only made one flight with the stock antennas. I anticipated problems with the video and had a 4Hawks antenna installed for the 2nd flight.

You mention loosing control signal at 1200'. Are you certain? If you loose control the H Plus will initiate RTH and fly back until it regains the signal. The video is 5.8 GHz wifi, the telemetry is 2.4 Ghz and the control is 2.4. The telemetry and control signals are not wifi and have a much longer distance than the video.

The wifi app will only show you the signal from the camera on 5.8. The 2.4 signal will not appear since it's not wifi.

Steve, I reviewed the video recorded from the ST monitor and the control signal was lost at 1,200 feet according to the distance reported on the monitor. Once the H+ did the RTL and I was confident of getting it back, I tried the test again, with the same distance result and, fortunately, the same RTL results

 

[Mickeyboo]

Barton, I hope we don't soon read a thread from you about how you've lost your H+. Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall you telling us in another thread that you have little or no experience flying. If that's the case testing the distance it will fly before loss of signal is probably the last thing on a list you should be testing or perhaps I should say the last thing I would be testing if I had your amount of experience. I own the third party antenna you're referring to (Itelite) and I haven't even installed it simply because I've found I don't need it for the kind of work I do and most of the terrain I fly in is unobstructed. I wish you the best at learning about your drone but posts like this are worrisome for me by an inexperienced pilot. Please don't regard this as criticism but merely some friendly advice.

 

[Barton]

Barton, I hope we don't soon read a thread from you about how you've lost your H+. Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall you telling us in another thread that you have little or no experience flying. If that's the case testing the distance it will fly before loss of signal is probably the last thing on a list you should be testing or perhaps I should say the last thing I would be testing if I had your amount of experience. I own the third party antenna you're referring to (Itelite) and I haven't even installed it simply because I've found I don't need it for the kind of work I do and most of the terrain I fly in is unobstructed. I wish you the best at learning about your drone but posts like this are worrisome for me by an inexperienced pilot. Please don't regard this as criticism but merely some friendly advice.

@Mickeyboo Don't worry, I'm a belt and suspenders type of guy. The flight path for the 'test' was basically over open, close-cut fields and dirt parking lots but with one line of single spaced trees (along a road between the fields). I reviewed videos taken previously of my intended path to ensure that if the drone had to be landed that it was basically a straight line walking path from the launch area with no brush, etc to make it difficult in locating the H+. Also, to be clear, when I started the flight, I had no intention of doing a distance test. While I admit I was stretching the definition of VLOS a tad, I was in no way going to exceed the 1 mile max specified distance. In fact, the distance to the POI was less than 2,000 feet. I felt like my flight path was pretty benign which is part of why I was surprised with forced RTL due to signal loss. If I could be caught barely pushing VLOS then I want a more robust communication system.

Thank you for your concern. I now know the distance boundary limits where I'm practicing. If/when I get booster antennas, I may test the same boundary just to see if the system is, in fact, more robust, but I won't be doing this on a regular basis in risky conditions .

 

[Mickeyboo]

Ah yes, thanks for your thoughtful response, I now recall you said it was an unintentional test and not something you were trying to do intentionally. My apologies for not remembering what you said prefacing your remarks about loosing contact.

 

[PatR]

I’ll just say it’s better to remain comfortably within LOS and find a launch location closer to those more distant places. The H class gets pretty hard to see beyond 1200’, and leaves us heavily relying on FPV for navigation.

 

[Mickeyboo]

I’ll just say it’s better to remain comfortably within LOS and find a launch location closer to those more distant places. The H class gets pretty hard to see beyond 1200’, and leaves us heavily relying on FPV for navigation.

Amen brother I always fly LOS otherwise I can't react to a problem or shoot photos or video as well. On the H the Itelite gave me a stronger signal for video which is why I have it but I have not felt the need on the new controller to hook it up. By the way I got it for free from a dealer I probably would not have paid for one.

 

[Barton]

I’ll just say it’s better to remain comfortably within LOS and find a launch location closer to those more distant places. The H class gets pretty hard to see beyond 1200’, and leaves us heavily relying on FPV for navigation.

Agreed. That said, if I do sometimes stray close to the 1,200 foot limit, I want to be in control with a robust system and not have it force a RTL.

 

[Barton]

The stick antennas must be pointed up and the patch panel pointed at the aircraft. The leaves on vegetation have a high moisture content so the signal will be attenuated. The one mile range is under ideal conditions. I fly in similar conditions as you mention and I only made one flight with the stock antennas. I anticipated problems with the video and had a 4Hawks antenna installed for the 2nd flight.

You mention loosing control signal at 1200'. Are you certain? If you loose control the H Plus will initiate RTH and fly back until it regains the signal. The video is 5.8 GHz wifi, the telemetry is 2.4 Ghz and the control is 2.4. The telemetry and control signals are not wifi and have a much longer distance than the video.

The wifi app will only show you the signal from the camera on 5.8. The 2.4 signal will not appear since it's not wifi.

Steve, since you immediately updated the ST16S to the 4Hawks antennas I suspect you have no pre-post comparison data on upgrade performance? Do you have any pre-post for previous UAVs or have seen test results? I watched one video that showed the ST16 needing to be taken apart. From the 4Hawks website, if I am understanding correctly - I want the solution for the H520, no modificaiton to the ST16S is required, correct? I do like the fact that the final product looks sleek compared to the Itelite antenna booster solution. Thanks!

Edit: just read a bunch of posts on this forum about the 4Hawks and Itelite. Appears those that have them believe the added directional focus does indeed improve performance range. Went to the 4Hawks website - plenty of antenna plots to stare at .

 

[Steve Carr]

Steve, since you immediately updated the ST16S to the 4Hawks antennas I suspect you have no pre-post comparison data on upgrade performance? Do you have any pre-post for previous UAVs or have seen test results? I watched one video that showed the ST16 needing to be taken apart. From the 4Hawks website, if I am understanding correctly - I want the solution for the H520, no modificaiton to the ST16S is required, correct? I do like the fact that the final product looks sleek compared to the Itelite antenna booster solution. Thanks!

Edit: just read a bunch of posts on this forum about the 4Hawks and Itelite. Appears those that have them believe the added directional focus does indeed improve performance range. Went to the 4Hawks website - plenty of antenna plots to stare at .

The 520 model is the one you would need. Since that model has 3 external antennas you do not need to modify the controller. Plug and Play.
In a test a couple of years ago I checked the range on the H with the stock 2 antenna model. In perfect conditions from the top of one hill to the top of another in a remote area I managed about 4700'. I later added the Itelite to improve the signal strength on the ST16 and it was noticeably stronger with less breakup in less than ideal conditions. The one flight I made with the H Plus (2 batteries) with the mushroom antenna had several dropouts on the first batt and less on the second batt at under 1000'.

 

[Barton]

Thanks Steve. I'll order the 4Hawks for the 520. It will be interesting to see what happens when I repeat my 'test'. Interesting, to me, is that I had no video drop outs before I lost the control WiFi and the RTL was triggered (using the flat, patch 5.8 GHz antenna).

 

[Steve Carr]

I'm still astonished that you lost both the control and telemetry signal. Just to confirm, the two stick antennas were vertical and not horizontal?