Strong radio frequency interference...

Figbar · Aug 14, 2015

I've been flying (safely) in the downtown area of Columbus, Ohio now for over a year without any real "issues."

Recently, in several locations downtown upon start up...on the initial status screen that appears...I get a warning that there is "strong radio frequency interference and to not attempt long-range flights." The screen indicates that there is a poor signal for the remote. This has happened in several locations and has just appeared over the last 2 weeks...previously, tons of flights with no warnings...smooth flying and great images.

I can move a half mile away from this area and the craft behaves fine and I get no warning like this.

The statehouse is in the middle of downtown...state capital...I was thinking that perhaps some type of jamming signal has been initiated to keep uavs from flying close? Just fishing here.

I contacted the Cols police captain, he knows nothing but is checking...I have worked with him prior to this.

I know I should know this, but is the frequency between the RC and the craft adjustable?

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Have I become a conspiracy theorist?

Thanks for any help.

Scotflieger · Aug 14, 2015

Figbar said:
I've been flying (safely) in the downtown area of Columbus, Ohio now for over a year without any real "issues."

Recently, in several locations downtown upon start up...on the initial status screen that appears...I get a warning that there is "strong radio frequency interference and to not attempt long-range flights." The screen indicates that there is a poor signal for the remote. This has happened in several locations and has just appeared over the last 2 weeks...previously, tons of flights with no warnings...smooth flying and great images.

I can move a half mile away from this area and the craft behaves fine and I get no warning like this.

The statehouse is in the middle of downtown...state capital...I was thinking that perhaps some type of jamming signal has been initiated to keep uavs from flying close? Just fishing here.

I contacted the Cols police captain, he knows nothing but is checking...I have worked with him prior to this.

I know I should know this, but is the frequency between the RC and the craft adjustable?

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Have I become a conspiracy theorist?

Thanks for any help.

You need to get hold a handheld spectrum analyser to see what interference is there.

damoncooper · Aug 14, 2015

Scotflieger said:
You need to get hold a handheld spectrum analyser to see what interference is there.

Or use the simple one built into the RC & apps. Are channels 1-20 red and spiking with traffic?

Can you post a screen shot of that from your takeoff point?

SultanGris · Aug 14, 2015

Did you just update firmware? Lots of people reporting this error after doing do. If you don't have any problems it's likely a bug causing it to false report.

Carlsberg · Aug 14, 2015

Figbar said:
I've been flying (safely) in the downtown area of Columbus, Ohio now for over a year without any real "issues."

Recently, in several locations downtown upon start up...on the initial status screen that appears...I get a warning that there is "strong radio frequency interference and to not attempt long-range flights." The screen indicates that there is a poor signal for the remote. This has happened in several locations and has just appeared over the last 2 weeks...previously, tons of flights with no warnings...smooth flying and great images.

It's the newer ios app !!!
same exact thing happened to me at my home location of 20 yrs.
never been hooked to iTunes so I can't revert back via old file.
(ill have to jailbreak, which is also an issue right now on latest ios software)
if you can go back to the older app you will never see that message again

Figbar · Aug 15, 2015

Thanks for the info...for some reason, I was not notified via e-mail that these responses were made.

damoncooper said:
Or use the simple one built into the RC & apps. Are channels 1-20 red and spiking with traffic?

Can you post a screen shot of that from your takeoff point?

I never took off...didn't want to do this with this type of warning. I have updated firmware to the latest. My IOS on my IPad does need to be updated...just saw this needed to be done yesterday...but I've been having these warnings for the past couple weeks.

I'm not aware of how I monitor the analysis in the app...I know you can monitor video signals, channels, etc...but how do I view channels 1-20? Does this not apply to the video monitoring signal?

The thing that scares me is that as soon as I move away from this area around downtown, I don't get any warnings at all. I really don't think I should attempt to fly when I get a message that my RC signal/ connection is poor.

Thanks for your feedback.

Mike Meyer
Columbus, Ohio

Ward Paterson · Aug 15, 2015

I have the same issue yesterday when I was flying to drain all my batteries for recal. "strong interference" in a place I've never had that error before.. DJI updates just make things worse.. I give up.

Also the Android DJI Go app crashed twice - once on the ground and once in the air yesterday too.. I had no background apps on, and fresh reboot of the Nvidia Shield tablet..

SultanGris · Aug 15, 2015

The crashing is related to Google play services new version, had to do with the app using Google maps. Im pretty sure it's djis fault for not coding the app using new version of Google play. Revert to old version of Google play app fixes this issue

Figbar · Aug 15, 2015

Ward Paterson said:
I have the same issue yesterday when I was flying to drain all my batteries for recal. "strong interference" in a place I've never had that error before.. DJI updates just make things worse.. I give up.

Also the Android DJI Go app crashed twice - once on the ground and once in the air yesterday too.. I had no background apps on, and fresh reboot of the Nvidia Shield tablet..

I'm not sure why I don't get this warning when I move away...1/2 mile from this large area downtown...I'd rather this be a firmware glitch than radio jamming...I sound like a paranoid nutcase.

Scotflieger · Aug 16, 2015

Figbar said:
I'm not sure why I don't get this warning when I move away...1/2 mile from this large area downtown...I'd rather this be a firmware glitch than radio jamming...I sound like a paranoid nutcase.

Look for the simple answers first. It is most likely to be the dense wifi clutter in the 2.4GHz band that is the source of your interference. We want wifi wherever we go and this is the consequence. Flying in populated areas is not a good idea

lake_flyer · Aug 16, 2015

Scotflieger said:
Look for the simple answers first. It is most likely to be the dense wifi clutter in the 2.4GHz band that is the source of your interference. We want wifi wherever we go and this is the consequence. Flying in populated areas is not a good idea

I can even connect to the wifi of my neighbours router (if he would give me his key), even at 1200feet distance, on the beach. And that's only one router. Just saying.

Figbar · Aug 16, 2015

The only thing that perplexes me is that this just happened. I have been flying in this area safely...Sunday mornings, no traffic, people...for a long time and now I'm getting this warning. I don't think there has been a radical jump in wi fi routers...maybe the new firmware is now "more sensitive" to this and is giving this warning?

I'm wondering if others are having this issue and if DJI is aware and has responded?

Thanks

Carlsberg · Aug 16, 2015

Figbar said:
The only thing that perplexes me is that this just happened. I have been flying in this area safely...Sunday mornings, no traffic, people...for a long time and now I'm getting this warning. I don't think there has been a radical jump in wi fi routers...maybe the new firmware is now "more sensitive" to this and is giving this warning?

I'm wondering if others are having this issue and if DJI is aware and has responded?

Thanks

So why did you ignore my post, I thought you wanted this fixed?
(these wifi interference "guesses" are just plain stupid, it's NOT that!)

damoncooper · Aug 16, 2015

Figbar said:
Thanks for the info...for some reason, I was not notified via e-mail that these responses were made.

I never took off...didn't want to do this with this type of warning. I have updated firmware to the latest. My IOS on my IPad does need to be updated...just saw this needed to be done yesterday...but I've been having these warnings for the past couple weeks.

I'm not aware of how I monitor the analysis in the app...I know you can monitor video signals, channels, etc...but how do I view channels 1-20? Does this not apply to the video monitoring signal?

The thing that scares me is that as soon as I move away from this area around downtown, I don't get any warnings at all. I really don't think I should attempt to fly when I get a message that my RC signal/ connection is poor.

Thanks for your feedback.

Mike Meyer
Columbus, Ohio

In the app settings is a channel selection section. While your pilot app device is connected to the RC, you can see real time spectrum analysis of the channels.

Figbar · Aug 16, 2015

Th

Carlsberg said:
So why did you ignore my post, I thought you wanted this fixed?
(these wifi interference "guesses" are just plain stupid, it's NOT that!)

I'm sorry...didn't mean to ignore your post....You say the reason for this warning is the new IOS APP, correct? I definitely want to fix whatever the issue is. Is there any way to confirm that this is the issue>

Figbar · Aug 16, 2015

damoncooper said:
In the app settings is a channel selection section. While your pilot app device is connected to the RC, you can see real time spectrum analysis of the channels.

Thanks...this is under the RC icon in the app, I'm assuming?

damoncooper · Aug 16, 2015

Figbar said:
Thanks...this is under the RC icon in the app, I'm assuming?

Video icon I think

Figbar · Aug 16, 2015

damoncooper said:
Video icon I think

Here is what I don't understand...and please forgive me, I am sometimes not as technically savy as others on the fourm...the warning message that I am getting refers to the RC. On the initial menu that comes up when I turn everything on...it says "RC Connection - Poor - strong radio frequency interference...do not attempt long fights." A lot of people are here are talking about the video link frequency...I think. I'm not so much concerned about loosing video signal. The connection between the RC and the AC is what I am concerned about. I don't think the 2 are connected, are they?

Again, I can be totally upside down with all of this. All I know is when I get a warning that I have a poor RC connection, I'm not going to fly...given that this just appeared in the areas I'm flying, I am trying to figure it out. Folks have sited firmware, ios application and wi fi in the area. I'm pretty much at a loss.

damoncooper · Aug 16, 2015

Figbar said:
Here is what I don't understand...and please forgive me, I am sometimes not as technically savy as others on the fourm...the warning message that I am getting refers to the RC. On the initial menu that comes up when I turn everything on...it says "RC Connection - Poor - strong radio frequency interference...do not attempt long fights." A lot of people are here are talking about the video link frequency...I think. I'm not so much concerned about loosing video signal. The connection between the RC and the AC is what I am concerned about. I don't think the 2 are connected, are they?

Again, I can be totally upside down with all of this. All I know is when I get a warning that I have a poor RC connection, I'm not going to fly...given that this just appeared in the areas I'm flying, I am trying to figure it out. Folks have sited firmware, ios application and wi fi in the area. I'm pretty much at a loss.

The link DJI uses on the Inspire is using a technology/protocol called Lightbridge. That (experts please forgive my layman's understanding) interleaves control and video signal in the same connection.

SultanGris · Aug 16, 2015

It's unlikely anything changed, the new app is buggy and dji is Chinese, Chinese to English translations don't usually end up accurate. Your control rc signal will go about ten times farther than video.I think you're reading too much into nothing.