Typhoon H video feed issue and range

[AeFox]

Greetings!

I've been a reader of this forum for a year now, since I inherited my Typhoon H. This forum has answered a lot of my questions about proper battery care, general maintenance and so on. But after a frustrating year with having this video problem, I joined today to ask.

My video feed on my ST-16+ has always cut out at 1200-1700 feet. I still have control of the drone, as I have had a remote viewer with me with binoculars. It's just the video that gets cut. I bought that 4Hawks range extender rather recently and still experience the same issue. In the past I've read about people doing their own mods with a couple antenna where they drill holes into the underside of the drone and attach them internally. Is this what fixes the video issue? What am I missing here? I feel like I've found threads on here in the past that sort of cover video issue problems but they don't quite address the solution. Maybe I'm missing something here. If this has been previously discussed, feel free to just send me a link.

 

[Steve Carr]

The video is transmitted from the antenna inside the camera. The two antennas you see by the landing gear are for control and telemetry signal.
Do you have a clear line of sight to the H? Trees, urban area or rural? Are you pointing the 4Hawks at the H?

 

[AeFox]

Ok, I wasn't aware that there was yet another antenna involved for the camera. When I fly with a clear line of sight, say a field completely free of obstructions, I still lose video at about 1500 feet. Every time. Oddly, when I am in an orchard (which I live in one) my video signal cuts out at the same distance. As far as I have seen it almost doesn't matter what sort of environment I'm in. Video loss is always around 1200-1700 feet. The only time I lost video feed in less than 1200 feet was flying it over a hill that was above my line of sight.

 

[PatR]

What you have done is to have established your systems maximum video range, as configured, is 1500’-1700’. Both are near the limit of effective line of human unaided sight so perhaps acceptance might be a good path to take.

 

[AeFox]

True, it is beginning to get close to being out of my line of sight. Not quite though and not that I want it out of my sight. There have been a number of occasions on the job or simply getting to a highly photogenic scene where getting that extra 300 feet or so would have made the shot. Aside from that, I'm not convinced that 1700' is the maximum range of the video signal. If it is, then a number of people have figured a way around it. That or I'm missing some small detail in it's configuration. I don't expect anyone here to troubleshoot my situation, I really did figure there was some sort of solution here that I overlooked. I do appreciate the time though.

 

[PatR]

Some have changed antennas, some just reorient the position of those on the ST-16. Some just rely on the alignment of the sun, moon, and stars and hope for the best. Just remember the video signal is weaker than the RC signal, but how much weaker is anyone’s guess. When one goes prepare for the other to soon follow and take necessary steps to avoid an RC disconnect.

Not to be critical or argumentative, but once we gain a little extra distance we always manage to justify a need for even more distance. Those issues are most often resolved by re-positioning ourselves closer to the subject[emoji6] Man never seems to be satisfied with what we have.

 

[AeFox]

Nah, I hear you. For one, I got pretty obsessed about learning about this drone. And secondly, I really am trying to establish what is fact and what is fiction. Do people actually get 2 miles of distance with their Typhoon H? Possibly. Is video established the entire time to their ST-16? I don't know. Personally, I don't feel the need to fly a great distance, but at 1,500' give or take and video cuts out? Well, that just drives my curiosity more. I do appreciate the time taken to fill in some blanks.

 

[Steve Carr]

I find it interesting that you are only getting 1500' with the 4Hawks. In an open area I would expect it to be at least double that distance.
Were you using the square patch panel antenna prior to 4Hawks?
What altitude are you flying?
Is the center connection on the 4Hawks connected to the center connector on the ST16?

Some people have noticed the coax sma connector bottoms out on the ST16 center connector. They have removed the washer under the nut and fixed the problem.

 

[Mrgs1]

Where are you from? US has a stronger power output than EU version.

 

[FlushVision]

Furthest I've ever flown my TH (U.K. firmware) is 500 mtrs (1640 feet) being the legal maximum distance allowed in the U.K. Video was still rock steady to that distance even though I was using the mushroom antenna and I had the impression that it would have still been steady a lot further out. It's rare that I fly my aircraft to such distances particularly because at that distance my argument that I still have VLOS begins to become questionable. Even so, I've never had video drop out at those sorts of distance.

I can count just two instances in the last three years where I've lost video link (apart from the U.K. firmware issue that sometimes causes a disconnect when raising the landing gear) and on those occasions it happened within just a hundred feet or so of my position so the cause was probably due to some other factor that I've never been able to identify.

Overall, though, the TH is not and was never designed for long distance flights. It is a LOS aircraft. If you feel that you need to fly out to distance, out of VLOS, then another brand of drone is your answer.

 

[Mrgs1]

Furthest I've ever flown my TH (U.K. firmware) is 500 mtrs (1640 feet) being the legal maximum distance allowed in the U.K. Video was still rock steady to that distance even though I was using the mushroom antenna and I had the impression that it would have still been steady a lot further out. It's rare that I fly my aircraft to such distances particularly because at that distance my argument that I still have VLOS begins to become questionable. Even so, I've never had video drop out at those sorts of distance.

I can count just two instances in the last three years where I've lost video link and on those occasions it happened within just a hundred feet or so of my position so the cause was probably due to some other factor that I've never been able to identify.

Overall, though, the TH is not and was never designed for long distance flights. It is a LOS aircraft. If you feel that you need to fly out to distance, out of VLOS, then another brand of drone is your answer.

Raising the legs causes video loss for some, happened to me a few times.

 

[FlushVision]

Raising the legs causes video loss for some, happened to me a few times.

Indeed. happens to me around 25% of flights. Above post edited.

 

[Fred Garvin]

I was losing video around 1300’ until I got a 4Hawks. Now I’m rock solid out to ~2500’, my personal VLOS limit. I also need to be above 250’ at those distances. It’s pretty rare for that though. 95% of my flights are within 300’ and 150’ altitude. I bought the 4Hawks to solidify my connection in heavily congested wi-fi environments, not for distance.

 

[AeFox]

Were you using the square patch panel antenna prior to 4Hawks?
What altitude are you flying?
Is the center connection on the 4Hawks connected to the center connector on the ST16?

Yes, I was using the square panel antenna prior. It's been several months since I used that Mushroom Antenna, but when I was I remember my video began cutting out under 1000'.

I do typically fly at a lower elevation, the valley I live in is around 500' I believe. I never fly above 400' from the ground. But I usually fly between 200' and 400' in altitude.

And yes, the center connection on the 4Hawks is connected to the center connector of the ST16.

Some people have noticed the coax sma connector bottoms out on the ST16 center connector. They have removed the washer under the nut and fixed the problem.

I will check this today!

 

[AeFox]

Where are you from? US has a stronger power output than EU version.

I am from the US

Raising the legs causes video loss for some, happened to me a few times.

Huh, I'm not too sure that I've ever experienced this. But that is certainly interesting to know.

I have gotten a sense from reading other threads here that the Typhoon H has a number of limitations. Such as, I stopped trying to land it on the ground because it tips over 80% of the time and I got tired of buying propellers. But I really really like this drone! It's pretty functional for me and my work since it can withstand wind gusts better than DJI. I probably won't upgrade until all the batteries for this model are gone or I wreck it to the point of no repair. This distance issue really has been the last and most frustrating thing to understand. What I'm getting is that some folks here don't really push it hard or their Typhoon can reach over 2000'. Maybe its just luck of the draw with these things. At any rate, I appreciate everyones feedback on this!

 

[Mrgs1]

I am from the US


Huh, I'm not too sure that I've ever experienced this. But that is certainly interesting to know.

I have gotten a sense from reading other threads here that the Typhoon H has a number of limitations. Such as, I stopped trying to land it on the ground because it tips over 80% of the time and I got tired of buying propellers. But I really really like this drone! It's pretty functional for me and my work since it can withstand wind gusts better than DJI. I probably won't upgrade until all the batteries for this model are gone or I wreck it to the point of no repair. This distance issue really has been the last and most frustrating thing to understand. What I'm getting is that some folks here don't really push it hard or their Typhoon can reach over 2000'. Maybe its just luck of the draw with these things. At any rate, I appreciate everyones feedback on this!

Practice makes perfect, you just have to commit to it, and take control and land.

 

[Mrgs1]

Happend to me too....problems and problems...never ending story..got a Inspire 2 ...

Off to the Dji forum then, no point in commenting now. Most have found solutions to 99% of the problems, perhaps you should of aired your problems, they probably would of been resolved.

 

[AeFox]

Practice makes perfect, you just have to commit to it, and take control and land.

To clarify, the tipping over issue is due to a horrible drift my Typhoon has. It all began when I updated the firmware last year. It used to land like a champ. I probably should review some of the threads concerning this issue because I think some folks figured it out or at least had some pretty solid advice. I just got so used to catching it in the air that it became less of an immediate issue.

 

[Steve Carr]

To clarify, the tipping over issue is due to a horrible drift my Typhoon has

Drift is nearly always a problem with the right stick. Check the sticks following this video:

 

[FlushVision]

I am from the US


Huh, I'm not too sure that I've ever experienced this. But that is certainly interesting to know.

I have gotten a sense from reading other threads here that the Typhoon H has a number of limitations. Such as, I stopped trying to land it on the ground because it tips over 80% of the time and I got tired of buying propellers. But I really really like this drone! It's pretty functional for me and my work since it can withstand wind gusts better than DJI. I probably won't upgrade until all the batteries for this model are gone or I wreck it to the point of no repair. This distance issue really has been the last and most frustrating thing to understand. What I'm getting is that some folks here don't really push it hard or their Typhoon can reach over 2000'. Maybe its just luck of the draw with these things. At any rate, I appreciate everyones feedback on this!

Loss of camera connection on raising the landing gear is an intermittent issue mainly confined to THs that are running on European/U.K. firmware and doesn't manifest itself on those aircraft using the standard (U.S.) firmware.