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Correct me if I am wrong

Malc

Well-Known Member
Join
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
51
Age
79
Correct me if I am wrong, but I have watched endless videos claiming increased range with an OTG cable. My understanding is that the cable only connects between the phone and controller and therefore would have no effect on the range of the drone.
Another point is I see huge distances and heights being claimed. Here in the UK the height limit is four hundred feet, and the drone must be in visible range at all times.
 
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When I had my spark, I never noticed a difference in range while using otg. The reflectors helped. The otg did help with the live video feed, but not enough to make we want to always use it. I actually miss the wireless connection between the controller and my tablet on the MP.
 
You are not wrong in my experience. I also think that most people abide by the height limit and VLOS requirements. At least I hope so. I don't see those as limits - just good common sense. However, there will always be those few that just have to push the limits.
 
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OTG has no bearing on range of the spark. It does however improve your chances of a solid video downlink from the drone to your mobile device when pushing the limits of distance.
 
There may be circumstances where OTG may improve the range, (as well as improving the video signal).

In the UK, for example, European Android phones don't have the 5GHz channels that the Spark tries to use for the link to the phone.

This means that the link then defaults to the 2.4GHz channels and the Spark then uses 5GHz for the link from aircraft to controller which may have a potentially shorter range.

If you use an OTG cable, you're then able to select either a 2.4GHz channel or (if they're busy) a 5GHz channel for the aircraft-controller link.

This isn't a problem if your country has the full 5GHz channel spectrum available in your phone, as the Spark chooses one of those channels by default for the phone-controller link by default, so you won't have noticed it.

I struggled with this when I first set up my Spark with a UK Android phone.

Correct me if I'm wrong, by all means, always happy to learn.

EDIT: Here's a post from another UK owner to confirm this:


Bumping this as I've been experimenting with ActiveTrack recently and I have to reset the Spark's WiFi EACH TIME I want to connect with my phone, the reason likely being that I'm in Europe and that the Spark defaults upon booting up to an illegal 5.8Ghz frequency that my phone (an Android) cannot connect to. Resetting WiFi apparently forces 2.4Ghz, at least temporarily.

Hope that helps someone !
 
I use OTG to reduce video delays. Early on, I flew without it, but it was hard to guide spark with the camera because it was sometimes several seconds behind.

The range theory is that with OTG, the remote does not have to fire up the second wifi signal for the phone and that signal can reduce the range of the wifi signal it uses to reach the spark. I have done no testing on this so I don't know if it so.

"We know this is true because we always say it is."
 
BTW: If a woman ever says, "Correct me if I'm wrong," it is a trap. DO NOT CORRECT THAT WOMAN!
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Found out if I turn on the remote only, allow it to pair with my phone then turn on the Spark it works first time
 
Found out if I turn on the remote only, allow it to pair with my phone then turn on the Spark it works first time
It, of course, does not pair with the phone if you're using the OTG cable. There is no WiFi pairing in that case. It is connected directly by cable.
 

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