As a licensed Ham operator I must say that is a pretty darn good explanation of how the antennas work. Yes, if they are made correctly a parabola helps. It's important to understand that it (usually) only affects the backward radiating portion of the signal. The forward signal remains the same and the backwards signal is reflected forwards. To be sure, this would mean an increased in measured signal in front of the antenna. Typically there will be some power gain, especially if measured with an untuned power receiver. Unless it reflects a signal that is close to 180 degrees out of phase with the front facing part that translates to a higher power level and more range. It certainly can't hurt anyway. At 2.4 gHz a quarter wave director element would be just around one inch in length with the elements getting smaller as you go forward. Correspondingly, the reflector element should be longer than the radiating element and ~ 1 inch away. For a Yagi to work at it's best it should have the right element lengths relative to the radiator, or the antenna on the remote control. But again, it is unlikely to hurt your range and could help. By the way, the antenna on the mini remote is a folded dipole. It already squeezes the signal to go forward and backwards, and squeezing it more is probably not going to hurt, and it might help. And by the way, the FCC only cares about the signal strength being radiated by the antenna. You are free to manipulate that signal anyway you want to make it work better. Just remember, phasing matters. A lot. The reflected signal needs to be pretty close to in phase with the front. This is why hams typically don't use parabolics or Yagis unless they are very carefully tuned. Surprisingly, a lot of the increase in signal to noise ration that contributes to range is because the parabolic reflector also tends to block noise from behind. Get a Ham license and you can play around with more powerful remote controls.
Interesting. I have my general license, this is the first time I’m hearing I can modify for more power from my controller. I’ll look it up to read more about it. Thanks for the info! 73
For all the people who keep asking for proof here it is. I screen recorded 2 flights last night exactly the same route in town. 3000ft each at 250ft altitude. I count 37 glitches without anything. With parabolic it glitched twice. You don’t need to fly 17 miles to prove they work. I find the Yagis work well too, although they are a lot less forgiving with controller orientation. Great channel Rick!
I use ParaYagi Boosters (both yagiUDA and parabolic together) with my mavic mini. Increases my range by 40%. Most importantly it gives me nice smooth uninterrupted FPV throughout the flight.
Love the schooling you gave on this video, especially the history of YagiUdo and that’s what I will call it from now on, giving both gentlemen the credit.
It's been many years since I was involved in antenna design, but I noticed a couple things in your test. First, the angle of coverage between your two half power points is called beam width, which directly corresponds to antenna gain. An issue known as mutual coupling may exist here, where the transmitting and receiving antennas may be too close together. I don't know what the general rule is though. Polarization, so you have a vertically polarized signal from the DJI controller and your sniffer antenna is horizontal. Making microwave measurements can sometimes be difficult because of the short wavelength, reflections, wave cancellations, etc. That's why we call it PFM, right? BTW, who makes the measuring device you are using, all I have is an HP spectrum analyzer, kind of bulky. Jim
Engineer here also and was wondering the same thing emptech. There’s also too many variables when it comes to signal strength as demonstrated with the video when Rick’s pen got in the way and lowered the db count and that was just a foot away. If it’s too good to be true than it is. I’ve had a lot of success with my 4hawks and ITELITE mods but those aren’t perfect and they’re powered!
Yes, I was thinking along the same lines too. As I understand it, you are not meant to hold your controller flat on the Mavic Air 2 but rather hold it with the phone in front of you and then the two vertical phone supports act as vertically polarised Antennas. When this mini yagi(-uda!) is attached then you end up with a more directional but still vertically polarised antenna. However, I think the test is a little misleading because of this as the weakest signal would be coming out of the top of the controller before the extenders are attached. I think we would need to see the signal strength with the controller sitting upright for a true comparison. Having said all that, speaking as a radio ham, this was a fantastic explanation of how these things work and I'm sure there is still some benefit to them. However, if you don't plan to travel (a huge amount) beyond VLOS then I think the current DJI technology would not require any enhancements to maintain a strong signal anyway...
I have been looking at these and found all the range examples on you tube to be very bla.. this is concise and straight to the point. You are by far my favourite drone content sir. Very well explained and simple to understand. Bravo!!
I’ve been using the parabolics for quite sometime with my mavic mini. I just ordered the Yagi Yuda from you just because 😏. I’m a little like you I just like to tinker. Always like your videos Rick keep up the good work!
First of all, thanks for a really great video on the range extenders. It's a pleasure to listen to someone explain it and show some actual meter readings rather than just taking you for a long boring ride and telling you how far they got. I have been thinking for a long time about that those Yagi range extender antennas and wondering why we had to have a set of two with one for each frequency. I know that there are two wires going up to the antenna module and that there are two different size antennas in the module at the top. I just assumed that one of the antennas was for the higher frequency and one for the lower. I would think you'd be able to build a Yagi attachment with the higher frequency on one side and lower frequency on the other and not have to worry about setting the frequencies manually. I have an electronics background and so I see some inconsistency between what is said on the videos and what I know in my brain. I am an extra class ham and I build antennas for fun. I know that at these frequencies the cutting and placement of every element is critical. To resolve the conflict, I got the bloody things for my Air 2 and gave them a run. I have done some field strength testing and not found a worthy difference with or without the extenders. I also don’t see much of a directional tendency with just the stock antennas or with the extenders. Even with an extender installed, I can drive to near the end range and turn my back on the drone without loosing contact. If the antenna was directional, I would drop the majority of my signal and contact with the drone. There is no matching to the Yagi as the stock antenna must act as the driven element, and the remaining directional elements are all the same length and distance.. Don’t make sense. This is the only "Yagi" I have seen with all lengths and spacing the same. Plug the freq, into any Yagi design software on the web and you will see what I mean. The stock antennas are flat so they will have the typical null on the ends and I think that is what we are seeing on the meters. They appear to operate like a cell phone antenna. The Alientech antennas are the same shape as the stock but larger, perhaps by a couple of wavelengths. They work much better but cost a bunch and require modification to the controller that can be reversed. Thanks again for taking the time do dig into these issues. I look forward to your explaining my questions. Thanks again for all you do.
We looking for a real review, not a sales man who don’t care if works or not, I starterd vídeo thinking buy, now I will definitely don’t ! Don’t be foo
The nice thing about directional antennas is they increase both the controller signal and range the drone signal can be received. The two antennas on the controller are powered in phase, so the signal is doubled going forward and backward. Assuming the antennas are an odd multiple 1/2 wavelength, the side to side signal cancels, resulting in a radiation pattern that looks like the infinity sign as seen from the top of the antennas. The antennas are taller than a typical 1/2 wave. A 5/8 wavelength reduced the radiation pattern top to bottom, as seen from the side, further increasing the signal. The parabola works for 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz, the Yagi Uda is only 5.8GHz.
Without question, using Range Extenders on the Mini makes a lot of sense. However, the Air 2 has such a solid connection thanks to OCCUSYNC 2.0, I'm not sure it's necessary, except for when you fly in urban areas with a massive amount of RF noise.
Finding ones for the Mini 2 is nearly impossible, and when you do they're all utterly different in spacing of the Yagi Uda elements which drives me nuts! I've seen many tested, they rarely yield more than 100 meters gain which is dismal compared to if you added that element to a regular antenna! Wish DJI would just give us a bloody external antenna port!
I purchased the parabolic boosters and the Yagi Uda last week from Drone Valley and have made 5 flighst with them both on and in 5.8 mode. They definitely allow you to go further. Before using them in my urban area, I would start to loose video feed at about 525 meters. But with the two sets of boosters on I’m now getting out too 730 meters so a good 200 meters further. I’m flying 5.8 in FCC mode.
@@cameltoeinspector6015 Actually, if you click on my picture, it takes you too my UA-cam page and you will soon figure out I’m from Canada. So your theory is way wrong! I’m not an employer, just a frustrated Spark owner, who wasn’t getting good range! And wanted too try these affordable options. Now my range is improved, but still not anywhere close to what DJI states.
The question now is: do the yagi-uda worsen the signal when the RC switches to the other frequency? AKA: can we mount a 5.8 tuned yagi-uda, and still use the remote in auto mode? Thanks!
Guys are coming tomorrow to help me dredge my Mavic Mini off the bottom of the pond. It looks like about $50 for the Yagu Uda's and reflectors for the two transmitters. Are the Drone Valley products better tuned? I also learned that you ALWAYS put floatation on when flying over water, even if it turns over, it floats and can be recovered for replacement!
Dennis, the Yagi-Udas and the parabolics will help increase your signal with the quad but also be careful about flying too low over water. I did a clip a while back explaining that the VIO sensors on the bottom of the quads can get "confused" by reflective surfaces like snow or water and force the drone to take a nosedive if you get too low. I stay above 15' when flying over water to make sure I don't go swimming. Thanks for the post and we have plenty of both items in stock if you decide you want them. Rick
I did read/watch several articles on over water flight after mine sark.. I was flying through an arch over water under a bridge. Lost height perspective and the drone wentin the water. So much for video through arch /tunnel out to look at waterfall. Orange flotation fills going on the drone from. Adds to VLOS, keeps the drove out of the dirt and it will float, even if upside down should I get dunnb again.
Loved the video, I have tried a couple yagi uda extenders but the 8x yagi uda from Miniformer US is the Best. They are also designed to work and fit perfectly with the parabolic reflector. I get amazing range (with spotters) but I have them mostly because I want a strong sign that doesn't cut in and out especially in urban areas where there is lots of wifi interference and trees that momentarily block the signal. Like I said the best set I've found is from Miniformer US, they have an additional reflector on their yagi uda to enhance their ability and also work with the parabolic reflector making the signal rock solid. Miniformer US also have a UA-cam video showing the nerdy stuff about signal gain. The yagi uda are more directional but when you're facing the drone for LOS it not a big deal. Some have gone 8000m before the signal drops off. Keep up the great videos, I love all the nerdy details too!
@@ronaldrt visual line of sight for the Mini lineup is only 500m max so you need someone else in a vehicle to follow the flight, maintaining visual line of sight and continuous communication with the pilot...me. I now have the M3P with the RC controller and have reached 7200m one way 14400m return using the standard battery landing back at my home position with 0% battery. Takeoff was at 910m elevation flying at an altitude of 50m to 120m max in normal mode. There are some that have reached 11000m (22000m return) with the M3P flying at at sea level.
Hello Sir and thank you for this video. I really enjoyed it and the information was excellent. I plan on getting a DJI Air 3 within a month from now. I like how you used both of the 2 different boosters together at once. I think the antennas on the air 3 are shorter than the ones that you have on your remote. Do you have parabolic boosters that will fit the antennas for the Air 3?
Interesting. I have been a Han Radio license holder since 1955 and never heard anyone use the word, “UDA” when discussing a yagi antenna. Learnt something new. 🤓
I may be wrong, Could someone tell me if am correct or not?. The antenna, that is a pair of single wire. the emmiting shape of a simple wire is a toroidal shape centered in the antenna. There is no double beam like an 8 shape centered in the wire. And the effect of the parabolic shape is reflect and create a constructive wave beam. And there is no dipole in this configuration, It may be a single Tx and a single Rx, or some MIMO tech in between. This is just a thought, great video, great explanation, great quality and production for the video. Keep it going
Thanks, im from the UK so our drones have both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, that little lesson you just gave has cleared so much up for me, I have both Yagi Uda 2.4 and 5GHz and the parabolic, so before flight ive always checked to see what frequencies are the clearest, but quite a few people have said to me that its pointless using both Yagi Uda and parabolic, but ive always had a fantastic connection and thats on my mavic mini 1, when I had the mavic pro before all the silly laws changed, because its bigger I could fly that 1/2 mile plus, and still see it and that never dopped any connection, in my opinion it made it a lot safer, but hey, I dont make the laws, I just go ahead and follow them. But again a huge thanks for all that info you gave, its proven I was doing right.
One of the best videos I've ever seen on the subject so far. Right after I got my Mini back in January I bought the parabolic ones and they easily doubled my range. Wouldn't fly without them. Then back in June got some 8 rod Yagi's with the side extensions (made by Miniformer US who has his own channel) and they seem to work just a little better then the parabolic ones. I also prefer using the Yagi's because they have a much smaller footprint over my remote so they don't get in the way of my thumbs as much. I've tried using both together at the same time but if anything the Yagi's work better by themselves. Another thing I've noticed to help range is to manually pick your own channel.
I have to say that regardless of what your talking about, your really focused, never ever pause or say uhh or ya know and you explain principles perfectly clear. I've never seen anyone, anywhere on UA-cam or TV be as clear and on point as you! Your very impressive man. My only criticism is your a little bit paranoid about breaking the law. I'm retired Leo and I'm not really big on these laws that are governing drones. For me they go a bit far, very picky but I understand how dangerous they can be in many levels as nefarious people can use drones in a way that can be harmful to many people, and I understand the fact that they can get sucked into an engine on a plane if you're flying in an area where there's a lot of congestion in the air.
Mike, I really appreciate your comments and it's always great to hear that folks are enjoying the clips. I love tech and do my best to present the details behind how things work so you can better enjoy the product. Drones are a big hobby for me and I do what I can to pass along what I've learned. Stay tuned for more content this week and thanks again! Rick
Excellent explanation! Yagi Uda antennas are now available for the 2.4 band. They are larger physically (double the wavelength so double the length of the individual elements). A search on Amazon for "2.4 Yagi booster for DJI" will list many. They're still not too bulky as they have fewer elements but should help increase the reliability of a 2.4 connection As a side note, I've seen several UA-cam "range tests" that claim the"Yagi boosters" weren't working. It was apparent that 5.8 Yagi's were being used on the 2.4 band! This is likely a common mistake causing a lot of the "they don't work" claims. It's important that users understand that the add-on Yagi antennas are specifically designed for use on only one of the two 2.4 & 5.8 GHz. The parabolic reflectors should be of benefit on both bands.
Funny thing that, how could you buy a product, go through the effort of making a video and not do a tiny bit of research on the proper type of antenna. It's not at all difficult. There's a ton of videos explaining tem.
Amplification on one end relay does not do much good. You need a two way connection and if the Drone does not also have an amplified single. Well... then... However the devices you are showing also work for improved reception as well as transmission. Nice Video!
Yep, both of these signal boosters work in both transmission and reception so you're all set. They are passive but do a great job of improving the signal strength in both directions. Thanks for the post! Rick
Thanks for this video Rick. Didn't know about the Yagi Uda extenders. I already bought the parabolic one from you and just ordered the YagiUda today. Can't wait to use them both on my Mavic2 Pro.
Awesome vlog the best explanation I've ever seen. Thank so much for sharing your knowledge. I use these adds ons on my Fimi 2020 not for distance but for consistency of signal. Never had a drop off. For a few dollars more means less chance of losing your drone. Stay safe
Hi Rick, thank you for the informative video. I am wondering why the Yagi-Uda antenna is only for 5.8 Ghz rather than the 2.4 Ghz considering that 2.4 has a longer range. If I am not mistaken, the 5.8 has a broader bandwidth (higher frequency) with a shorter range while 2.4 has a more narrow bandwidth with of course longer range. Maybe broader bandwidth is needed for higher quality video transmission? I am interested if you have tried or tested any of the Alientech products. As near as I can tell, they are "omni directional" antennas. Some amplified and some not. Why would I want to amplify a transmission when the receiving device is not amplified? It seems as though I could send instructions and possibly not receive a response. Just thoughts from an amateur! Thank you again!
@@tompaddlez The Yagi-Uda also has the 2.4 Ghz version. But they do have a different length on it's antenna. You can check it up. Just type "2.4 Ghz Mavic Mini Yagi Antenna".
Some very great and informative information for someone who didn't know the principles of how these antenna boosters work and how they differ. I do have a question though. Most of the Yagi and parabolic boosters have aluminum rods and aluminum deflectors but copper ones are available. Is there any advantage with copper over aluminum?
Well thank you, I now know the real name of the yagi-uda's. Rather interesting and sad how it got shortened with no credit to uda. So you've taken care of my learning something new every day, and great videos too by the way. By the way, yagi-uda's are made for 2.4 ghz band.
Hi Rick, thanks for confirming and explaining that these signal boosters do work and how they work! Living in CE countries, these do improve the video feed and range since we are having lower transmission powered CE version compared to the much powerful transmission FCC version you are having especially with the Mini. Our Mini version is so much underpowered in terms of transmission power that flying in urban areas seems impossible, so this boosters do help. Thanks!
Hey Rick, Great review. As a technician it annoys me when these things are called range extenders or boosters. The one thing that you didn't mention is that both of these will also help in receiving the weak signal from the drone as well by reflecting the drones signal back onto the receiving antenna. There is a way you could have conducted the test here on earth and only have the transmitter signal eliminating all other 2.4/5.8 GHz signals. But you would need access to a Faraday cage to do it. What would be interesting to know is you cam get 2.4 and 5 8 Yagi Uda's. I wonder if you had both those atennas attached if you would end up improving both frequency bands or would they "fight" each other and actually degrade transmitted signal
Good, informative video, thanks for that 👌🏻 I was looking if it's worh to buy it for DJI Mini 4 Pro. I'm still thinking if this set will fit the antennas of DJI RC2, have you maybe tested it ?
I wonder. The Yagi antennae helps in transmission, but not in reception. Correct? But can I assume that the parabolic kit would help to some degree receiving the signal from the drone? But how much would it help? Doesn't the communication have to go both ways to be of help? What am I missing?
Hi Rick. I have been quietly watching your videos from Canada since July. I joined the drone world with a Mavic Mini in mid July. Although not required I went ahead and got what we call the Small Basic Licence. I have learned so much from your videos and very grateful. I have been considering range extenders and you just help me to decide to make the purchase. I am also a Ham radio operator so have some understanding of signals. Love your explanation. Keep up the great work!
greate video, thanks. But I have question: on 18:50 the different is only 0.7 dBm is like 30% or so if 3dBm doubles the signal strength? doesn't look huge at all for me.
Time for me to dig out the para's I've had for years without using. I too thought it wasn't going to help much. Then again I've never had any connection issues with the Mavic Pro. I think I bought them to get the dollar amount for free air freight.
Just one small point - and understand I’m a great fan of you and Drone Valley. You say at 3:17 that the energy levels are much higher, but, you don’t explain that this is at a given distance down range. The devices don’t increase energy output at source. You had said that, but you appear to contradict yourself here. Your overall explanation of the wave theory is great and really helpful.
One thing to note, they are not boosters, they are just focuses. They focus the beam to a specific direction instead of spreading them equally around the rod antenna. The downside is that they will become highly directional. Meaning you need to always point your remote control to the drone.
Ross, thanks for the post and I agree that these are both "wave shapers" that redirect the signal and I think I mentioned it like 6 times in the clip. They are also the ONLY legal way of increasing your signal strength since they are passive. The other antenna "boosters" actually violate the FCC limits for transmission power and can cause a lot of interference to other devices in the 2.4 and 5.8 gHz range when used.
Great video Rick! I liked how easily you managed to explain the principles between the two types of antennas, I campaigned the same for the Yagi/Uda name in the forum I follow. Speaking of range extenders from a CE standpoint using a Mini on 5.8 GHz (manual selection), I slightly prefer the parabolics as they are better looking, easier to handle and give a wider beam, they fall a bit shorter of the Y/U boosters reach but they go out (at least the Mini does) with a reassuring loss of video downlink, meanwhile the Y/U they go out with a more worrisome loss of connection. Basically with the parabolics you can back out the drone, with the Y/U you have to wait and hope to regain connection otherwise RTH would kick in. When I did these tests there was zero wind, had full battery, flown over mostly open ex-open-pit mine area. I even combined the two reflectors+Y/U but the improvement is negligible.
1850 SkiFi movie? Found the parabolics worked and increased the wave bars,using on the Mavic Air. Hopefully the yagi-uda's will be equaly as good on my Air2.
Good and informative video Rick, and what I got out of it is that it should work same with any Drones, Would you agree with this? ....... Good work thank you
@Drone Valley - can you please tell us what RF meter you used? Also, do you have others that you would recommend if you the one in this video is not your first choice? Thank you!!
Thank you Professor. I have just ordered my Yagi Uda range extender for my MA2. Appreciate you taking the time to put this video up Rick. Best wishes from Largo, FL
Question: you talk about sending, but a DJI drone is about bi-directional signals. I need to receive the signal from the drone as well... do the yagus also make receiving more sensitive?
Hi Rick... Would you be able to do a video on how the ans where the transmission is radiating from on the Mini 2/Mavic Air 2 controllers? Is the antenna at the black tips at the end that clamp your phone? Or are they in the 2 silver poles from the controller? I have parabolica coming for the Mini 2 Controller... Thanks in advance.. Erwin..
Thanks for the post. The Mini 2 / MA2 use the same controller configuration and the black section on the end of the phone holder is actually the antenna. There are a a pair of antenna in there and they radiate primarily from the flat side of the block facing away from you. The Yagi Uda signal boosters we offer on our website are custom made for this controller and work great. I haven't actually found any parabolic boosters that fit the Mini 2 and we are working on a design we may release in a few months. Be careful when shopping for these as a lot of sellers are selling the Mavic Mini boosters for the Mini 2 and the won't fit or work on the Mini 2.
Hiya Rick thanks for the GREAT vids and info what would you say is the best make of parabolic antenner there are a few on amazon Regards Dave Netherton UK.
Rick....Great video. Thanks for sharing :). Let's keep the technology going. Any idea whether or not there is a signal booster for the Autel Evo transmitters?
I've tried the reflector version, and i've learned i kinda prefer omni-directional to a longer range after all. I know you are generally supposed to pay attention and look in the right direction all the time, in theory, but things like bystanders asking me "what do you see on that" and me actually showing them DID happen. With a stable GPS reception (read - not in ATTI) and the drone hovering in a safe spot this isn't really a problem, unless... you have a DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAS on your remote. With directional antennas i suddenly turn away from the drone, ending up seeing the video breaking up and at some point the RTH engaging.
The Yagi etc are only passive range extenders. The 4Hawks or Alientech Pro are the real range extenders as they’re amplified, and eliminate WiFi interference.
Thanks for the post and I did point that out in the clip. I also mentioned that most of the powered Antenna Boosters violate the limit set by the FCC for consumer broadcasts in the 2.4gHz and 5.8gHz bands. The transmitters in the DJI controllers are really close to that limit already and adding a Parabolic or Yagi Uda will make the signal as powerful as is legal. The other challenge with the Amplified models is that they "splash" the Wifi when they're used and can cause issues with other devices in the area. Trust me, if these transmitters could be any more powerful legally, DJI and others would build them that way. Rick
Nice episode Rick, I've used a parabolic "concentrator" antenna with my DJI craft for 5yrs. YES, they work great! It would be nice to see the measurement comparison with the Yagi and parabolic together on an M2 RC. BTW, my measurements show a big drop-off of signal strength beyond a 75 degree direction spread when using the parabolic, and that was the best out of the 4 I tested. Others were good for about 45 degrees. Have you measured the spread?
Peace be upon you. I have a Mavic Pro Zoom Smart drone. I bought a signal booster for it. Does it need to be set from the remote control or does it work automatically?
I always look forward to your very informative and useful videos. BTW,confessing I break the law every single day driving over 35, 45, 55, etc mph in those speed zones.
So question about the Yagi 5.8gHz antenna you have for the Mavic it's the same as the Mini 2's controller... The controller broadcast is dual band... Will it mess up the transmission of the 2.4ghz if it switches over? Yes I realize the 2.4ghz has a longer transmission range but slower speed as to the 5.8gHz shirter transmission but faster speed... I've ordered 3 antennas for my Mini 2 Controller to try out... Both the Yagi 2.4ghz & 5.8gHz antennas & also the Parabolic Reflector. Have the 5.8gHz already just ordered the parabolic and 2.4ghz yagi... It's not so much bout having longer range cause stock it does that just fine flying line of sight.. But more for a stronger connection like you said in more congested areas for interference... I'd like to hear your thoughts or if you can do another Video on the controller being dual band and using the 2 different yagi antennas.. I know you could also just go manual and switch to either band pending on your area and distance you're flying etc..
Erwin, there are a few different styles of Yagi Uda boosters and I always go with the 5.8 gHz when I fly. No need to nail the frequency as the quad will select the cleanest one and will typically settle on 5.8. I do use both the Yagi Uda and the parabolics together as they compliment each other really well. I hope you ordered the range extenders from us :) If not, next time give is a try. Rick
@@Dronevalley Hey I will next time as I saw your video after I had already ordered mine.. Ended up getting both the 2.4 & 5.8gHz Yagi-Uda & the Parabolic Reflectors for my Mini 2.... Can't wait to get the Reflectors to try them out.. Thanks for your response..
Good explanation without referring to the JD Jackson text. ...What other consumer gadget allows one to violate FAA and FCC rules simultaneously? ;)...I guess if you deliver food or medicine with a drone, you can add FDA in there.
I used to tune whip antennae with an oscilloscope about 30 feet away use a piece of wire wrapped on a stick. Just for max signal. Works easier than swr . object being to get heat down in the xmiter.
Great video, just got started flying drones, picked up a Mavic Air & was completely surprised of the Technology, just purchased an Mavic Air 2 & it's really "blown" me away! Interesting new world for me, very fun hobby to have, thanks for the insightful video, also ordered a yagi antenna, keep the great videos coming!
Here's one thing, without getting into the legal details, if you were to, say, connect your drone controller to a directional, parabolic antenna fixed to a tall pole to amplify it's signal, would you be able to extend your drone's range even more? If yes, then how much of an extension are we talking about here?
Rick, if a Yagi is mounted atop the Mini and pointed toward the pilot ....... will it help get the signal from the drone Back to the pilot’s location? Just wondering 😄👋🏼😄
Rick, I use a mini 3 pro with the DJI RC controller. Is there a range extender or similar item that we can use if you cannot actually see the antennas? Thanks in advance. Tony
But why did you not make test on Mavic Mini transmitter?Ocusinc is much stronger and solid Frequency and signal,but WiFi is the other thing.For me Parabolic's dont help and my Mini losse slignal on 20 meteras avay in town and starts to chop the image transmitionon.I have CE versiom (The weaker one for E.U.)....And why is iligal to use other amplifiers?The Crossfire is Legal and Crossfire module works on 1W of output power,and yett Mavic Mini-s output is just 25 mw....I am confused....
what about the 2.4ghz yagi yuda i do believe when flying at range MA2 its using 2.4ghz not 5.8ghz am i correct.i see these are now available as well as the 5.8ghz .great channel keep up the great videos.
Can we have both a 5.8Ghz and 2.4Ghz setup? So whenever the controller decides to switch we covered both? I believe 2.4Ghz is also longer in range? Thank you.
Question regarding the Mini/SE controller, will it "sort of" helps if the antenna are in L position or \_/ (or /\) ? Anyone who owns MR1SD25 controller model and Mini SE? MR1SD25 has dual operating frequency; 2.4 and 5.8Ghz and I noticed the quad switches to 5.8Ghz automatically (just me sitting on front of my laptop doing some controller tests). Just like to confirm, if you're out in the city and polluted with 2.4Ghz fq, does the quad automatically switches to 5.8Ghz? I am planning to buy YagiUda 2.4Ghz + Parabolic reflector but since I noticed this 5.8Ghz, what would be the most sensible frequency to buy? 5.8Ghz?
Wow that was good to know .. Question , I have a Ruko drone with that singal popup antenna that holds the phone... Will the Yagi fit on mine ?? Would love to order one Steve
Rick, there are quite a few yags for the Air 2 on the market. Did you test many before choosing the one that you sell? Thanks and sorry for ragging on you before.
Hello, Does anyone make the Parabolic and the Yagi Uda for the Mavic 3 CINE w/ RC Pro Controller? I don't see that combination of Drone and Controller listed anywhere that these signal enhancers are listed. They all seem to state Mavic 2 or Mavic 3 Mini. Thank you very much.
In ham radio definition a good Yagi antenna can boost your signal 8 or more times. now that does not mean that your distance will also be increased by a factor of 8. every four times of radio waves increase is only a factor of 1 for range increase. and that works only if yagi is placed behind the radio wave emission. in case of a drone RC's it's not cause it in front.
Would these work on fake antennas, if I was to put them on top or not? Thanks 👍like would they pick up the signal from inside the transmitter. Any help. Thanks again
just bought one for my MA2...great price for a little better reception not to go any further than I do now but to hopefully not lose connection again...it's only happened twice before but scary when it did!
If you use the parabolic reflector be careful to peel the sticker off the gold colored metal. When I pulled my sticker off some of the glue stuck to the reflector. I had to get a Q-tip and a drop of 'Goo-Gone' to loosen up the glue being careful not to damage the reflector surface.
The sticker has no practical effect on the antenna other than cosmetics. Yes, it looks better but at the 2.4 MHz & 5.8 MHz frequencies, both plastic and paper are completely transparent. They are shiny and "pretty" to appeal to the buyer. Actually, the reflectors could in theory be black, brown, or whatever as long as they are of quality metal and have an approximate parabolic shape and distance from the main antenna. (Many radar antennas on ships and in the North are covered with radar transparent - plastic or fiberglass protective covers. Many radars operate at similar frequencies.)
@@bblair502 I agree it's cosmetic but the gold looks better never the less. I saw on one of the UA-cam Channels they used two types of antenna boosters. The first was the parabolic reflector that slid half way down the antennas then he took the Yagi antennas and slipped them over the antennas and then slid the parabolic reflector on down the antennas. I don't know if this will cause constructive RF waves or destructive waves. Radio waves do strange things at that frequency. I'm used to operating in the 75 & 80 meter ham radio bands.
I know this video is older but I was wondering which one to get if I'm trying to get a little bit more range ,the 2.4 or the 5.8, the RC link starts dropping before my video link on fpv Drone
Glad you enjoyed it! I love exploring tech and these range extenders are really helpful. Stay tuned for more technical updates this week and some new product reviews as well. Rick
Rick, I am a newb to this hobby and trying to learn as much as I can. After retiring 4 years ago I came across drones while in a park and watching a few guys flying. My wife as since bought me one a few months ago, needless to say, I am not ready to fly it very far away or up very high. My question for you would be, will these work on other drones besides the Mavic? The controller I have only has one antenna and is not an expensive drone.
As a licensed Ham operator I must say that is a pretty darn good explanation of how the antennas work. Yes, if they are made correctly a parabola helps. It's important to understand that it (usually) only affects the backward radiating portion of the signal. The forward signal remains the same and the backwards signal is reflected forwards. To be sure, this would mean an increased in measured signal in front of the antenna. Typically there will be some power gain, especially if measured with an untuned power receiver. Unless it reflects a signal that is close to 180 degrees out of phase with the front facing part that translates to a higher power level and more range. It certainly can't hurt anyway.
At 2.4 gHz a quarter wave director element would be just around one inch in length with the elements getting smaller as you go forward. Correspondingly, the reflector element should be longer than the radiating element and ~ 1 inch away. For a Yagi to work at it's best it should have the right element lengths relative to the radiator, or the antenna on the remote control. But again, it is unlikely to hurt your range and could help.
By the way, the antenna on the mini remote is a folded dipole. It already squeezes the signal to go forward and backwards, and squeezing it more is probably not going to hurt, and it might help. And by the way, the FCC only cares about the signal strength being radiated by the antenna. You are free to manipulate that signal anyway you want to make it work better.
Just remember, phasing matters. A lot. The reflected signal needs to be pretty close to in phase with the front. This is why hams typically don't use parabolics or Yagis unless they are very carefully tuned.
Surprisingly, a lot of the increase in signal to noise ration that contributes to range is because the parabolic reflector also tends to block noise from behind.
Get a Ham license and you can play around with more powerful remote controls.
I learned something new today!💯👍🏽 Thanks! I may even get a HAM license 🤔
Interesting. I have my general license, this is the first time I’m hearing I can modify for more power from my controller. I’ll look it up to read more about it. Thanks for the info! 73
How would this work? it is my understanding that the driven element would be shorter than the reflector?
For all the people who keep asking for proof here it is. I screen recorded 2 flights last night exactly the same route in town. 3000ft each at 250ft altitude. I count 37 glitches without anything. With parabolic it glitched twice. You don’t need to fly 17 miles to prove they work. I find the Yagis work well too, although they are a lot less forgiving with controller orientation. Great channel Rick!
I use ParaYagi Boosters (both yagiUDA and parabolic together) with my mavic mini. Increases my range by 40%. Most importantly it gives me nice smooth uninterrupted FPV throughout the flight.
Love the schooling you gave on this video, especially the history of YagiUdo and that’s what I will call it from now on, giving both gentlemen the credit.
It's been many years since I was involved in antenna design, but I noticed a couple things in your test. First, the angle of coverage between your two half power points is called beam width, which directly corresponds to antenna gain. An issue known as mutual coupling may exist here, where the transmitting and receiving antennas may be too close together. I don't know what the general rule is though. Polarization, so you have a vertically polarized signal from the DJI controller and your sniffer antenna is horizontal. Making microwave measurements can sometimes be difficult because of the short wavelength, reflections, wave cancellations, etc. That's why we call it PFM, right? BTW, who makes the measuring device you are using, all I have is an HP spectrum analyzer, kind of bulky.
Jim
Engineer here also and was wondering the same thing emptech. There’s also too many variables when it comes to signal strength as demonstrated with the video when Rick’s pen got in the way and lowered the db count and that was just a foot away. If it’s too good to be true than it is. I’ve had a lot of success with my 4hawks and ITELITE mods but those aren’t perfect and they’re powered!
Yes, I was thinking along the same lines too. As I understand it, you are not meant to hold your controller flat on the Mavic Air 2 but rather hold it with the phone in front of you and then the two vertical phone supports act as vertically polarised Antennas. When this mini yagi(-uda!) is attached then you end up with a more directional but still vertically polarised antenna. However, I think the test is a little misleading because of this as the weakest signal would be coming out of the top of the controller before the extenders are attached. I think we would need to see the signal strength with the controller sitting upright for a true comparison.
Having said all that, speaking as a radio ham, this was a fantastic explanation of how these things work and I'm sure there is still some benefit to them. However, if you don't plan to travel (a huge amount) beyond VLOS then I think the current DJI technology would not require any enhancements to maintain a strong signal anyway...
I have been looking at these and found all the range examples on you tube to be very bla.. this is concise and straight to the point. You are by far my favourite drone content sir. Very well explained and simple to understand. Bravo!!
I’ve been using the parabolics for quite sometime with my mavic mini. I just ordered the Yagi Yuda from you just because 😏. I’m a little like you I just like to tinker. Always like your videos Rick keep up the good work!
First of all, thanks for a really great video on the range extenders. It's a pleasure to listen to someone explain it and show some actual meter readings rather than just taking you for a long boring ride and telling you how far they got.
I have been thinking for a long time about that those Yagi range extender antennas and wondering why we had to have a set of two with one for each frequency. I know that there are two wires going up to the antenna module and that there are two different size antennas in the module at the top. I just assumed that one of the antennas was for the higher frequency and one for the lower. I would think you'd be able to build a Yagi attachment with the higher frequency on one side and lower frequency on the other and not have to worry about setting the frequencies manually. I have an electronics background and so I see some inconsistency between what is said on the videos and what I know in my brain. I am an extra class ham and I build antennas for fun. I know that at these frequencies the cutting and placement of every element is critical.
To resolve the conflict, I got the bloody things for my Air 2 and gave them a run.
I have done some field strength testing and not found a worthy difference with or without the extenders. I also don’t see much of a directional tendency with just the stock antennas or with the extenders. Even with an extender installed, I can drive to near the end range and turn my back on the drone without loosing contact. If the antenna was directional, I would drop the majority of my signal and contact with the drone.
There is no matching to the Yagi as the stock antenna must act as the driven element, and the remaining directional elements are all the same length and distance.. Don’t make sense. This is the only "Yagi" I have seen with all lengths and spacing the same. Plug the freq, into any Yagi design software on the web and you will see what I mean.
The stock antennas are flat so they will have the typical null on the ends and I think that is what we are seeing on the meters. They appear to operate like a cell phone antenna.
The Alientech antennas are the same shape as the stock but larger, perhaps by a couple of wavelengths. They work much better but cost a bunch and require modification to the controller that can be reversed.
Thanks again for taking the time do dig into these issues. I look forward to your explaining my questions. Thanks again for all you do.
I might be a sucker, but I immediately ordered a set after watching this video. Awesome explanation
Same! Haha
He makes a great salesman
Which ones?
We looking for a real review, not a sales man who don’t care if works or not, I starterd vídeo thinking buy, now I will definitely don’t ! Don’t be foo
@@scottrobinson1564 drone valley
The nice thing about directional antennas is they increase both the controller signal and range the drone signal can be received.
The two antennas on the controller are powered in phase, so the signal is doubled going forward and backward. Assuming the antennas are an odd multiple 1/2 wavelength, the side to side signal cancels, resulting in a radiation pattern that looks like the infinity sign as seen from the top of the antennas. The antennas are taller than a typical 1/2 wave. A 5/8 wavelength reduced the radiation pattern top to bottom, as seen from the side, further increasing the signal.
The parabola works for 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz, the Yagi Uda is only 5.8GHz.
Without question, using Range Extenders on the Mini makes a lot of sense. However, the Air 2 has such a solid connection thanks to OCCUSYNC 2.0, I'm not sure it's necessary, except for when you fly in urban areas with a massive amount of RF noise.
Finding ones for the Mini 2 is nearly impossible, and when you do they're all utterly different in spacing of the Yagi Uda elements which drives me nuts! I've seen many tested, they rarely yield more than 100 meters gain which is dismal compared to if you added that element to a regular antenna! Wish DJI would just give us a bloody external antenna port!
I purchased the parabolic boosters and the Yagi Uda last week from Drone Valley and have made 5 flighst with them both on and in 5.8 mode. They definitely allow you to go further. Before using them in my urban area, I would start to loose video feed at about 525 meters. But with the two sets of boosters on I’m now getting out too 730 meters so a good 200 meters further. I’m flying 5.8 in FCC mode.
thank you Drone Valley Employee
@@cameltoeinspector6015 Actually, if you click on my picture, it takes you too my UA-cam page and you will soon figure out I’m from Canada.
So your theory is way wrong! I’m not an employer, just a frustrated Spark owner, who wasn’t getting good range! And wanted too try these affordable options. Now my range is improved, but still not anywhere close to what DJI states.
The question now is: do the yagi-uda worsen the signal when the RC switches to the other frequency?
AKA: can we mount a 5.8 tuned yagi-uda, and still use the remote in auto mode?
Thanks!
Did you ever figure this out? Not sure what to have my settings at.
How can the antennas be used on the DJI RC Pro? any recommendation ? and does it actually improve the signal strength?
Guys are coming tomorrow to help me dredge my Mavic Mini off the bottom of the pond. It looks like about $50 for the Yagu Uda's and reflectors for the two transmitters. Are the Drone Valley products better tuned? I also learned that you ALWAYS put floatation on when flying over water, even if it turns over, it floats and can be recovered for replacement!
Dennis, the Yagi-Udas and the parabolics will help increase your signal with the quad but also be careful about flying too low over water. I did a clip a while back explaining that the VIO sensors on the bottom of the quads can get "confused" by reflective surfaces like snow or water and force the drone to take a nosedive if you get too low. I stay above 15' when flying over water to make sure I don't go swimming. Thanks for the post and we have plenty of both items in stock if you decide you want them. Rick
I did read/watch several articles on over water flight after mine sark.. I was flying through an arch over water under a bridge. Lost height perspective and the drone wentin the water. So much for video through arch /tunnel out to look at waterfall. Orange flotation fills going on the drone from. Adds to VLOS, keeps the drove out of the dirt and it will float, even if upside down should I get dunnb again.
I have done commercial drone jobs w/ and w/o Yagis. Yagis make a big difference in terms of feed reliability. I get less issues w/ them on than off.
How about with the DJI Smart Controller?
Thanks
Loved the video, I have tried a couple yagi uda extenders but the 8x yagi uda from Miniformer US is the Best. They are also designed to work and fit perfectly with the parabolic reflector. I get amazing range (with spotters) but I have them mostly because I want a strong sign that doesn't cut in and out especially in urban areas where there is lots of wifi interference and trees that momentarily block the signal. Like I said the best set I've found is from Miniformer US, they have an additional reflector on their yagi uda to enhance their ability and also work with the parabolic reflector making the signal rock solid. Miniformer US also have a UA-cam video showing the nerdy stuff about signal gain. The yagi uda are more directional but when you're facing the drone for LOS it not a big deal. Some have gone 8000m before the signal drops off. Keep up the great videos, I love all the nerdy details too!
With spotters?
@@ronaldrt visual line of sight for the Mini lineup is only 500m max so you need someone else in a vehicle to follow the flight, maintaining visual line of sight and continuous communication with the pilot...me. I now have the M3P with the RC controller and have reached 7200m one way 14400m return using the standard battery landing back at my home position with 0% battery. Takeoff was at 910m elevation flying at an altitude of 50m to 120m max in normal mode. There are some that have reached 11000m (22000m return) with the M3P flying at at sea level.
Hello Sir and thank you for this video. I really enjoyed it and the information was excellent. I plan on getting a DJI Air 3 within a month from now. I like how you used both of the 2 different boosters together at once. I think the antennas on the air 3 are shorter than the ones that you have on your remote. Do you have parabolic boosters that will fit the antennas for the Air 3?
Interesting. I have been a Han Radio license holder since 1955 and never heard anyone use the word, “UDA” when discussing a yagi antenna. Learnt something new. 🤓
I may be wrong, Could someone tell me if am correct or not?. The antenna, that is a pair of single wire. the emmiting shape of a simple wire is a toroidal shape centered in the antenna. There is no double beam like an 8 shape centered in the wire. And the effect of the parabolic shape is reflect and create a constructive wave beam. And there is no dipole in this configuration, It may be a single Tx and a single Rx, or some MIMO tech in between.
This is just a thought, great video, great explanation, great quality and production for the video. Keep it going
Thanks, im from the UK so our drones have both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, that little lesson you just gave has cleared so much up for me, I have both Yagi Uda 2.4 and 5GHz and the parabolic, so before flight ive always checked to see what frequencies are the clearest, but quite a few people have said to me that its pointless using both Yagi Uda and parabolic, but ive always had a fantastic connection and thats on my mavic mini 1, when I had the mavic pro before all the silly laws changed, because its bigger I could fly that 1/2 mile plus, and still see it and that never dopped any connection, in my opinion it made it a lot safer, but hey, I dont make the laws, I just go ahead and follow them. But again a huge thanks for all that info you gave, its proven I was doing right.
One of the best videos I've ever seen on the subject so far. Right after I got my Mini back in January I bought the parabolic ones and they easily doubled my range. Wouldn't fly without them. Then back in June got some 8 rod Yagi's with the side extensions (made by Miniformer US who has his own channel) and they seem to work just a little better then the parabolic ones. I also prefer using the Yagi's because they have a much smaller footprint over my remote so they don't get in the way of my thumbs as much. I've tried using both together at the same time but if anything the Yagi's work better by themselves. Another thing I've noticed to help range is to manually pick your own channel.
I have to say that regardless of what your talking about, your really focused, never ever pause or say uhh or ya know and you explain principles perfectly clear. I've never seen anyone, anywhere on UA-cam or TV be as clear and on point as you! Your very impressive man. My only criticism is your a little bit paranoid about breaking the law. I'm retired Leo and I'm not really big on these laws that are governing drones. For me they go a bit far, very picky but I understand how dangerous they can be in many levels as nefarious people can use drones in a way that can be harmful to many people, and I understand the fact that they can get sucked into an engine on a plane if you're flying in an area where there's a lot of congestion in the air.
Mike, I really appreciate your comments and it's always great to hear that folks are enjoying the clips. I love tech and do my best to present the details behind how things work so you can better enjoy the product. Drones are a big hobby for me and I do what I can to pass along what I've learned. Stay tuned for more content this week and thanks again! Rick
The signal is suitable for use on drones in Malaysia. The reason for the special design for Malaysia is CE. Not the FCC
Excellent explanation! Yagi Uda antennas are now available for the 2.4 band. They are larger physically (double the wavelength so double the length of the individual elements). A search on Amazon for "2.4 Yagi booster for DJI" will list many. They're still not too bulky as they have fewer elements but should help increase the reliability of a 2.4 connection As a side note, I've seen several UA-cam "range tests" that claim the"Yagi boosters" weren't working. It was apparent that 5.8 Yagi's were being used on the 2.4 band! This is likely a common mistake causing a lot of the "they don't work" claims.
It's important that users understand that the add-on Yagi antennas are specifically designed for use on only one of the two 2.4 & 5.8 GHz. The parabolic reflectors should be of benefit on both bands.
Funny thing that, how could you buy a product, go through the effort of making a video and not do a tiny bit of research on the proper type of antenna. It's not at all difficult. There's a ton of videos explaining tem.
Amplification on one end relay does not do much good. You need a two way connection and if the Drone does not also have an amplified single. Well... then... However the devices you are showing also work for improved reception as well as transmission. Nice Video!
Yep, both of these signal boosters work in both transmission and reception so you're all set. They are passive but do a great job of improving the signal strength in both directions. Thanks for the post! Rick
Thanks for this video Rick. Didn't know about the Yagi Uda extenders. I already bought the parabolic one from you and just ordered the YagiUda today. Can't wait to use them both on my Mavic2 Pro.
Any update on your experience?
I got both of these about a week ago for my Mavic Air and had no video drop out for a mile+...I use both at the same time.
Awesome vlog the best explanation I've ever seen. Thank so much for sharing your knowledge.
I use these adds ons on my Fimi 2020 not for distance but for consistency of signal. Never had a drop off.
For a few dollars more means less chance of losing your drone. Stay safe
Rick test and try strobe lights for night flying. Think ill like to try but would like to see what you think and is it worth it?
Hi Rick, thank you for the informative video. I am wondering why the Yagi-Uda antenna is only for 5.8 Ghz rather than the 2.4 Ghz considering that 2.4 has a longer range. If I am not mistaken, the 5.8 has a broader bandwidth (higher frequency) with a shorter range while 2.4 has a more narrow bandwidth with of course longer range. Maybe broader bandwidth is needed for higher quality video transmission?
I am interested if you have tried or tested any of the Alientech products. As near as I can tell, they are "omni directional" antennas. Some amplified and some not. Why would I want to amplify a transmission when the receiving device is not amplified? It seems as though I could send instructions and possibly not receive a response. Just thoughts from an amateur! Thank you again!
can someone reply to this
@@tompaddlez The Yagi-Uda also has the 2.4 Ghz version. But they do have a different length on it's antenna. You can check it up. Just type "2.4 Ghz Mavic Mini Yagi Antenna".
Some very great and informative information for someone who didn't know the principles of how these antenna boosters work and how they differ. I do have a question though. Most of the Yagi and parabolic boosters have aluminum rods and aluminum deflectors but copper ones are available. Is there any advantage with copper over aluminum?
This is the best video I have found on the subject.. lots of great information and obviously very knowledgeable about the subject. Thanks.
Tried it myself and it certainly does work. I was skeptical at first but I’m glad I bought it. Great addition to my DJI SE.
Well thank you, I now know the real name of the yagi-uda's. Rather interesting and sad how it got shortened with no credit to uda. So you've taken care of my learning something new every day, and great videos too by the way. By the way, yagi-uda's are made for 2.4 ghz band.
the short bars are 5ghz (usually coupled with the parabolics online) and the long bars (much harder to find) are for 2.4ghz
Hi Rick, thanks for confirming and explaining that these signal boosters do work and how they work! Living in CE countries, these do improve the video feed and range since we are having lower transmission powered CE version compared to the much powerful transmission FCC version you are having especially with the Mini. Our Mini version is so much underpowered in terms of transmission power that flying in urban areas seems impossible, so this boosters do help. Thanks!
Great explanation. I recently got my ham radio license and reminds me of the RF concepts discussed there.
Kudos to you for giving credit to Shintaro Uda in addition to Yagi.. Too often it doesn't happen.
Ordered the Yagi Uda half way through your video lol thanks for not only testing them but giving us the ability to buy them from you directly.
Hey Rick,
Great review. As a technician it annoys me when these things are called range extenders or boosters. The one thing that you didn't mention is that both of these will also help in receiving the weak signal from the drone as well by reflecting the drones signal back onto the receiving antenna.
There is a way you could have conducted the test here on earth and only have the transmitter signal eliminating all other 2.4/5.8 GHz signals. But you would need access to a Faraday cage to do it.
What would be interesting to know is you cam get 2.4 and 5 8 Yagi Uda's. I wonder if you had both those atennas attached if you would end up improving both frequency bands or would they "fight" each other and actually degrade transmitted signal
Good, informative video, thanks for that 👌🏻
I was looking if it's worh to buy it for DJI Mini 4 Pro. I'm still thinking if this set will fit the antennas of DJI RC2, have you maybe tested it ?
I wonder.
The Yagi antennae helps in transmission, but not in reception. Correct?
But can I assume that the parabolic kit would help to some degree receiving the signal from the drone?
But how much would it help?
Doesn't the communication have to go both ways to be of help?
What am I missing?
Hi Rick. I have been quietly watching your videos from Canada since July. I joined the drone world with a Mavic Mini in mid July. Although not required I went ahead and got what we call the Small Basic Licence. I have learned so much from your videos and very grateful. I have been considering range extenders and you just help me to decide to make the purchase. I am also a Ham radio operator so have some understanding of signals. Love your explanation. Keep up the great work!
greate video, thanks. But I have question: on 18:50 the different is only 0.7 dBm is like 30% or so if 3dBm doubles the signal strength? doesn't look huge at all for me.
Time for me to dig out the para's I've had for years without using. I too thought it wasn't going to help much. Then again I've never had any connection issues with the Mavic Pro. I think I bought them to get the dollar amount for free air freight.
Just one small point - and understand I’m a great fan of you and Drone Valley. You say at 3:17 that the energy levels are much higher, but, you don’t explain that this is at a given distance down range. The devices don’t increase energy output at source. You had said that, but you appear to contradict yourself here. Your overall explanation of the wave theory is great and really helpful.
One thing to note, they are not boosters, they are just focuses. They focus the beam to a specific direction instead of spreading them equally around the rod antenna. The downside is that they will become highly directional. Meaning you need to always point your remote control to the drone.
Ross, thanks for the post and I agree that these are both "wave shapers" that redirect the signal and I think I mentioned it like 6 times in the clip. They are also the ONLY legal way of increasing your signal strength since they are passive. The other antenna "boosters" actually violate the FCC limits for transmission power and can cause a lot of interference to other devices in the 2.4 and 5.8 gHz range when used.
Great video Rick! I liked how easily you managed to explain the principles between the two types of antennas, I campaigned the same for the Yagi/Uda name in the forum I follow.
Speaking of range extenders from a CE standpoint using a Mini on 5.8 GHz (manual selection), I slightly prefer the parabolics as they are better looking, easier to handle and give a wider beam, they fall a bit shorter of the Y/U boosters reach but they go out (at least the Mini does) with a reassuring loss of video downlink, meanwhile the Y/U they go out with a more worrisome loss of connection.
Basically with the parabolics you can back out the drone, with the Y/U you have to wait and hope to regain connection otherwise RTH would kick in. When I did these tests there was zero wind, had full battery, flown over mostly open ex-open-pit mine area. I even combined the two reflectors+Y/U but the improvement is negligible.
I just ordered one , you sold me, thanks
Great explanation. Does the yagi uda also work for the received signal or can it only wave-shape the transmission
1850 SkiFi movie? Found the parabolics worked and increased the wave bars,using on the Mavic Air. Hopefully the yagi-uda's will be equaly as good on my Air2.
Good and informative video Rick, and what I got out of it is that it should work same with any Drones, Would you agree with this? ....... Good work thank you
Can you use both of them at the same time
@Drone Valley - can you please tell us what RF meter you used? Also, do you have others that you would recommend if you the one in this video is not your first choice? Thank you!!
Always good stuff from the Drone Whisperer, yes I need the Yagi-Uda
Thank you Professor. I have just ordered my Yagi Uda range extender for my MA2. Appreciate you taking the time to put this video up Rick. Best wishes from Largo, FL
Do they work
Question: you talk about sending, but a DJI drone is about bi-directional signals. I need to receive the signal from the drone as well... do the yagus also make receiving more sensitive?
Hi Rick... Would you be able to do a video on how the ans where the transmission is radiating from on the Mini 2/Mavic Air 2 controllers? Is the antenna at the black tips at the end that clamp your phone? Or are they in the 2 silver poles from the controller? I have parabolica coming for the Mini 2 Controller... Thanks in advance.. Erwin..
Thanks for the post. The Mini 2 / MA2 use the same controller configuration and the black section on the end of the phone holder is actually the antenna. There are a a pair of antenna in there and they radiate primarily from the flat side of the block facing away from you. The Yagi Uda signal boosters we offer on our website are custom made for this controller and work great. I haven't actually found any parabolic boosters that fit the Mini 2 and we are working on a design we may release in a few months. Be careful when shopping for these as a lot of sellers are selling the Mavic Mini boosters for the Mini 2 and the won't fit or work on the Mini 2.
Hiya Rick thanks for the GREAT vids and info what would you say is the best make of parabolic antenner there are a few on amazon Regards Dave Netherton UK.
Rick....Great video. Thanks for sharing :). Let's keep the technology going. Any idea whether or not there is a signal booster for the Autel Evo transmitters?
I've tried the reflector version, and i've learned i kinda prefer omni-directional to a longer range after all.
I know you are generally supposed to pay attention and look in the right direction all the time, in theory, but things like bystanders asking me "what do you see on that" and me actually showing them DID happen. With a stable GPS reception (read - not in ATTI) and the drone hovering in a safe spot this isn't really a problem, unless... you have a DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAS on your remote. With directional antennas i suddenly turn away from the drone, ending up seeing the video breaking up and at some point the RTH engaging.
The Yagi etc are only passive range extenders.
The 4Hawks or Alientech Pro are the real range extenders as they’re amplified, and eliminate WiFi interference.
Thanks for the post and I did point that out in the clip. I also mentioned that most of the powered Antenna Boosters violate the limit set by the FCC for consumer broadcasts in the 2.4gHz and 5.8gHz bands. The transmitters in the DJI controllers are really close to that limit already and adding a Parabolic or Yagi Uda will make the signal as powerful as is legal. The other challenge with the Amplified models is that they "splash" the Wifi when they're used and can cause issues with other devices in the area. Trust me, if these transmitters could be any more powerful legally, DJI and others would build them that way. Rick
@@Dronevalley thanks for your response, yes you did point that out although I'm not based in the USA
Nice episode Rick, I've used a parabolic "concentrator" antenna with my DJI craft for 5yrs. YES, they work great! It would be nice to see the measurement comparison with the Yagi and parabolic together on an M2 RC. BTW, my measurements show a big drop-off of signal strength beyond a 75 degree direction spread when using the parabolic, and that was the best out of the 4 I tested. Others were good for about 45 degrees. Have you measured the spread?
Hi Rick, any update on the parabolic antenna for the mini 2? Thanks
Peace be upon you. I have a Mavic Pro Zoom Smart drone. I bought a signal booster for it. Does it need to be set from the remote control or does it work automatically?
I always look forward to your very informative and useful videos. BTW,confessing I break the law every single day driving over 35, 45, 55, etc mph in those speed zones.
So question about the Yagi 5.8gHz antenna you have for the Mavic it's the same as the Mini 2's controller... The controller broadcast is dual band... Will it mess up the transmission of the 2.4ghz if it switches over? Yes I realize the 2.4ghz has a longer transmission range but slower speed as to the 5.8gHz shirter transmission but faster speed...
I've ordered 3 antennas for my Mini 2 Controller to try out... Both the Yagi 2.4ghz & 5.8gHz antennas & also the Parabolic Reflector. Have the 5.8gHz already just ordered the parabolic and 2.4ghz yagi... It's not so much bout having longer range cause stock it does that just fine flying line of sight.. But more for a stronger connection like you said in more congested areas for interference... I'd like to hear your thoughts or if you can do another Video on the controller being dual band and using the 2 different yagi antennas.. I know you could also just go manual and switch to either band pending on your area and distance you're flying etc..
Erwin, there are a few different styles of Yagi Uda boosters and I always go with the 5.8 gHz when I fly. No need to nail the frequency as the quad will select the cleanest one and will typically settle on 5.8. I do use both the Yagi Uda and the parabolics together as they compliment each other really well. I hope you ordered the range extenders from us :) If not, next time give is a try. Rick
@@Dronevalley
Hey I will next time as I saw your video after I had already ordered mine.. Ended up getting both the 2.4 & 5.8gHz Yagi-Uda & the Parabolic Reflectors for my Mini 2.... Can't wait to get the Reflectors to try them out.. Thanks for your response..
Good explanation without referring to the JD Jackson text. ...What other consumer gadget allows one to violate FAA and FCC rules simultaneously? ;)...I guess if you deliver food or medicine with a drone, you can add FDA in there.
Great video. I have both but never used the Yagi-Uda.
I used to tune whip antennae with an oscilloscope about 30 feet away use a piece of wire wrapped on a stick. Just for max signal. Works easier than swr . object being to get heat down in the xmiter.
Great video, just got started flying drones, picked up a Mavic Air & was completely surprised of the Technology, just purchased an Mavic Air 2 & it's really "blown" me away! Interesting new world for me, very fun hobby to have, thanks for the insightful video, also ordered a yagi antenna, keep the great videos coming!
Great explanation!
What about signal boosters like the RAPTORs made by the Polish company 4HAWKS?
Here's one thing, without getting into the legal details, if you were to, say, connect your drone controller to a directional, parabolic antenna fixed to a tall pole to amplify it's signal, would you be able to extend your drone's range even more?
If yes, then how much of an extension are we talking about here?
Rick, if a Yagi is mounted atop the Mini and pointed toward the pilot ....... will it help get the signal from the drone Back to the pilot’s location? Just wondering 😄👋🏼😄
All your recommendation are for DJI drones, do the same products work with Autel drones? I assume they do but want to verify.
Rick, I use a mini 3 pro with the DJI RC controller. Is there a range extender or similar item that we can use if you cannot actually see the antennas? Thanks in advance. Tony
Do you think the yagee for the air 2 is also useful in Switzerland? The strength power is often less in Europe than USA 😅
Yes 100%
But why did you not make test on Mavic Mini transmitter?Ocusinc is much stronger and solid Frequency and signal,but WiFi is the other thing.For me Parabolic's dont help and my Mini losse slignal on 20 meteras avay in town and starts to chop the image transmitionon.I have CE versiom (The weaker one for E.U.)....And why is iligal to use other amplifiers?The Crossfire is Legal and Crossfire module works on 1W of output power,and yett Mavic Mini-s output is just 25 mw....I am confused....
I bought the Yagi. I estimate a 25% improvement which makes it well worth your money. Less flickering for sure...
what about the 2.4ghz yagi yuda i do believe when flying at range MA2 its using 2.4ghz not 5.8ghz am i correct.i see these are now available as well as the 5.8ghz .great channel keep up the great videos.
Does the Yagi-Uda antenna work with the original DJI Mavic Pro?
I'm not sure if it has 5.8 GHz transmission frequency.
Can we have both a 5.8Ghz and 2.4Ghz setup? So whenever the controller decides to switch we covered both? I believe 2.4Ghz is also longer in range? Thank you.
Question regarding the Mini/SE controller, will it "sort of" helps if the antenna are in L position or \_/ (or /\) ?
Anyone who owns MR1SD25 controller model and Mini SE?
MR1SD25 has dual operating frequency; 2.4 and 5.8Ghz and I noticed the quad switches to 5.8Ghz automatically (just me sitting on front of my laptop doing some controller tests).
Just like to confirm, if you're out in the city and polluted with 2.4Ghz fq, does the quad automatically switches to 5.8Ghz?
I am planning to buy YagiUda 2.4Ghz + Parabolic reflector but since I noticed this 5.8Ghz, what would be the most sensible frequency to buy? 5.8Ghz?
can you and should you use both? better performance?
Wow that was good to know .. Question , I have a Ruko drone with that singal popup antenna that holds the phone... Will the Yagi fit on mine ?? Would love to order one
Steve
What about if you have the DJI Smart Controllers? which model works since the antennas are down instead of up as you showed with the Mavic
Interesting results. I’m seeing this 2 years after it was filmed. Hopefully you have a solution for 2.4 ghz by now.
Rick, there are quite a few yags for the Air 2 on the market. Did you test many before choosing the one that you sell? Thanks and sorry for ragging on you before.
Great vid. I finally got some real answers. So what do you think about the quite propellers? How do they work if at all
Hello,
Does anyone make the Parabolic and the Yagi Uda for the Mavic 3 CINE w/ RC Pro Controller?
I don't see that combination of Drone and Controller listed anywhere that these signal enhancers are listed. They all seem to state Mavic 2 or Mavic 3 Mini.
Thank you very much.
In ham radio definition a good Yagi antenna can boost your signal 8 or more times.
now that does not mean that your distance will also be increased by a factor of 8.
every four times of radio waves increase is only a factor of 1 for range increase.
and that works only if yagi is placed behind the radio wave emission.
in case of a drone RC's it's not cause it in front.
Would these work on fake antennas, if I was to put them on top or not? Thanks 👍like would they pick up the signal from inside the transmitter. Any help. Thanks again
If I put BOTH types of antennes on my DJI mavic mini controller would the effect be twice as good?
I have a transmitter with an 8 inch long 2.4 ghz antenna. Do they make range extenders for my antenna?? Thanks.
just bought one for my MA2...great price for a little better reception not to go any further than I do now but to hopefully not lose connection again...it's only happened twice before but scary when it did!
If you use the parabolic reflector be careful to peel the sticker off the gold colored metal.
When I pulled my sticker off some of the glue stuck to the reflector.
I had to get a Q-tip and a drop of 'Goo-Gone' to loosen up the glue being careful not to damage the reflector surface.
The sticker has no practical effect on the antenna other than cosmetics. Yes, it looks better but at the 2.4 MHz & 5.8 MHz frequencies, both plastic and paper are completely transparent. They are shiny and "pretty" to appeal to the buyer. Actually, the reflectors could in theory be black, brown, or whatever as long as they are of quality metal and have an approximate parabolic shape and distance from the main antenna. (Many radar antennas on ships and in the North are covered with radar transparent - plastic or fiberglass protective covers. Many radars operate at similar frequencies.)
@@bblair502 I agree it's cosmetic but the gold looks better never the less.
I saw on one of the UA-cam Channels they used two types of antenna boosters.
The first was the parabolic reflector that slid half way down the antennas then he took the Yagi antennas and slipped them over the antennas and then slid the parabolic reflector on down the antennas. I don't know if this will cause constructive RF waves or destructive waves. Radio waves do strange things at that frequency.
I'm used to operating in the 75 & 80 meter ham radio bands.
I know this video is older but I was wondering which one to get if I'm trying to get a little bit more range ,the 2.4 or the 5.8, the RC link starts dropping before my video link on fpv Drone
when are you going to have Mavic pro Propellers back in stock? I need those CF PROPS BABY!
Thanks for doing this test, and your explanation was extremely valuable. 👍
Glad you enjoyed it! I love exploring tech and these range extenders are really helpful. Stay tuned for more technical updates this week and some new product reviews as well. Rick
Rick, I am a newb to this hobby and trying to learn as much as I can. After retiring 4 years ago I came across drones while in a park and watching a few guys flying. My wife as since bought me one a few months ago, needless to say, I am not ready to fly it very far away or up very high. My question for you would be, will these work on other drones besides the Mavic? The controller I have only has one antenna and is not an expensive drone.