Question: How do I extend the range of a drone

Boris Galkin answered on 6 Nov 2020:

The radio link between a drone and a remote controller is affected by several factors: the antenna gain, shadowing, and interference.

The antenna gain is the ability of the antenna to send and receive signals in a certain direction. A flashlight only sends light in a certain direction, and radio antennas are similar: they send radio waves better in one direction than others. If you change the antenna gain to “focus” the radio signal in the right direction you can increase the drone range.

Shadowing refers to objects blocking the radio signal. If you stand in front of a light source the light can’t travel past you and you create a shadow, something similar happens with radio waves. If an object is between the remote controller and the drone the radio signal quality will worsen. Make sure to have no obstacles in the way to improve the radio signal and the drone range.

Interference is when several radio signals using the same frequency channels “collide” and reduce the signal quality. Drones today usually use the WiFi bands for communicating with their remote controllers, make sure you’re away from other WiFi devices to improve the radio signal and increase the drone range.