Hi all,
Have starting my journey into FPV, and so far, am enjoying it! Learning quite a few new things and the risks, but on the whole, it's bloody cool! Even managed a landing! Nothing too ambitious at the moment, just getting an idea of range etc. RTL has suddenly become very useful...:-)
However, I am nagged by range and quality issues, and wonder if I'm expecting too much?
My setup:
Fatshark 5.8 250mw tx + bluebeam CP
Fatshark 420 camera + gopro on gimbal
Hobbyking FPV switcher
MinimOSD (about to be replaced with ezOSD)
Attittude SD + bluebeam CP
Arranged thusly:
My issues:
1. Range (isn't it always? :-)). I'm getting around 400m LOS before picture starts to get really gitchy and snowy. Though in some directions, it's 300m LOS.
2. Quality. Video quality is best when the copter is level. Pitch forward, and the colours all wash out. There's no glitching or snow though, until rule 1.
3. Return flight, even when pitched forward, is very glitchy.
4. Don't fly directly overhead. There seems to be a big hole there.
5. My 433mhz 3DR telemetry goes out the window at 350m, though the mimumOSD is still ok.
I'm assuming this is normal, without having to go for bigger ground antenna's?
Replies
Some of it will depend upon the surrounding RF noise. If you're in an urban environment, maybe you're doing OK. But if you're flying in the country you can do better.
Firstly I'd replace your 250 mW transmitter with the ImmersionRC 600 mW one. It will really help. In a rural environment, using ordinary SpiroNET CP antennas on my aircraft and my Predator goggles, I can do 1.5 kilometers with a reasonable video image. If I replace the little SpiroNET antenna on the goggles with a high gain patch I can go much further. I don't know how far as it would outdistance my current 2.4 GHz control link.
The other thing I see from your picture is the location of your Bluebeam. With that orientation your electronics cluster will block your signal if your frame is rotated in certain directions. It will seriously reduce your range. If you can instead point your Bluebeam down, it might give you a clean line of sight beneath your frame. Of course it needs to remain clear of the ground when landing. The key to longer range is have the TX antenna in a location where there's nothing between it and you on the ground.
A reduced signal overhead is normal. Picture the radiation pattern of your Bluebeams as an apple. There are "dimples" at the top and bottom where the stem is. Other than those two specific locations the pattern is pretty spherical.