Does anyone know the distance if you flew the MoVI on a Cinestar and using the MoVI Controller for camera movement?
Hello Richard, Manufacturer specs the range as 300m line of sight. We are finding a reduction in control range when the MoVI Controller receiver is adjacent to a video downlink transmitter. Currently testing other locations and mounting options for the receiver and video downlink. Greetings, Adam
right now we are seeing range of about 150-200 meters... it is a bit less then we would like but also going to play with rx placement..
Richard, Further testing this week has revealed that moving the MoVI Controller Rx to the landing gear leg has improved the range out to the manufacturer's spec even when used in conjunction with a 1Watt video Tx. We used the longer spare IMU cable that comes with the "MoVI repair kit" for the relocation: http://www.quadrocopter.com/Freefly-MoVI-Repair-Emergency-Kit_p_1190.html Greetings, Adam
I think this tends to support the idea that it was either carbon fiber "shielding" the Rx, or proximity to a "loud" transmitter that was swamping the MōVI Controller's RF signal. Andy.
If the range is max 300m line of sight how are people using it with their drones? [Give you may want to fly further] Are people using the supplied Spektrum DX7 as a replacement? Does anyone know the range of this? Curious as to people's choice.
The range of a DX7 should be near to 1000m. If 2-300m is all that people are getting with the Movi remote then that is terrible. Given the price of the controller and the fact that it uses 2.4GHz (at least I presume it does) then the range should be nearer to the 1000m mark. Im not saying that drone operators will fly that far out but having a range of about 1000m will ensure a robust link out to 500m in real world conditions.
Angus the distance numbers for most TX in this realm are based on someone flying an RC airplane, typically not made out of carbon and using a standard RX with a 4-6 inch antenna. The Spektrum Sat RX's and the MoVI RX have relatively short antennas and there is likely some signal shadowing going on. Easy remedy is to use a diversity setup for the Spektrum with multiple Satellite RX's or add additional RX's on the MoVI.
Sorry Garry but I completely disagree. I have used Spektrum for many years on carbon infested helis and on my MRs (for the camera only). I regularly fly out to 500m and have never had a range issue. Antenna length is determined by the frequency/wavelength so a short antenna does not necessarily mean reduced range. If you look at a Fuataba antenna for instance, it might look like it is 6 inches long but only the last inch is active. Same with Jeti. Funnily enough, the Spektrum sat antennae are also about an inch long- its all to do with the wavelength and 1/2s and 1/4s thereof. if I am right that means that the active element of most 2.4GHz receivers is approx 31mm in length ie 1/4 of the 2.4GHz wavelength. So with a good satellite on the Movi, if I am regularly getting 500 range using my DX8 then I should still easily be getting this using the Movi controller but by looking at comments so far this isnt the case thus the issue has to be with the Movi controller.
at the moment we have switched back to our 14sg radio and are just using the movi controller for handheld stuff where we are not going the distance. as of right now, even moving the RX to the very end of the landing gear we might get 120-150 meters of distance before the movi starts tilting up and losing signal. would really love to find a solution to extend the range..
What is the point of the controller if it has such a terrible range? Why even go to the effort of making once which such low range?? Are people buying the controller to just use for handheld close stuff then using their DX7 for further drone shots? Honestly can't see the point in having to use both, surely wouldn't be that hard to make it with better signal especially since with all the future investments going no with focus pulling etc.