Tello 507 meters challenge

raulvolador · Oct 29, 2018

Hi,

I'm glad to share this with you. This weekend I broke a half kilometer milestone flying Tello. I know I'm not the first person to do it, but I feel happy the same.

I got a 507 meters range with plenty control and good video signal. It let the door open to future marks.

I used a Xiaomi Wifi Extender two and Gamesir T1 wired controller.

I'll give this advices for mark breakers:

Use a good Flight aplication. I flew using Excelect aTelloPilot Play Store app. This allows me to have a distance meter, a back home button and connect a wired fly controller.
Fly in a wide, open space, free of electromagnetical interference. It means you should avoid houses (wifi routers) and people (mobile phones)
Use a Wifi Extender. I recommend you cheap and proved Xiaomi Wifi Extender 2. Try to place it in a high place. A camera stand is great, but I used a simple cardboard box about 50 centimeters height. Keep repeater at least five or ten meters away from you. YOU are an interference source too.
Unwear/switch offf your bluetooth devices, for example activity watches.
Use a wired USB OTG controller. I used a Gamesir T1. Avoid connecting it throught bluetooth.
Plan your route carefully. I suggest you following an straight line against the wind.
Don´t turn Tello when you are far away. Stay straight. You can lost signal easily due to change of antenna orientation.
Train and memorize back home maneouver: In case of problems or loss of video image pull the lever so that the Tello approaches you and thus recover the connection. Push FAST mode if neccesary.

Good flights !

Raul

ph2t · Oct 31, 2018

You’re just as crazy as me Raul! Great work mate. This weekend I’m going to hack my xiaomi into the external antenna setup I’ve got going from the other (not very successful) wifi repeater I tried. Hopefully I get a third of the distance you are!

Cheers,
ph2t.

Ansia · Oct 31, 2018

What voice messages did atellopilot give you when you reached the 507 mark? All I could understand was “ninguno”. Great job on it and congratulations. Can’t wait for my xiaomi repeater to arrive. I feel it has taken months and it only has been 2 weeks.

Mattia Vessecchia · Nov 1, 2018

To infinity, and Beyond!

Ansia · Nov 1, 2018

I gave it some thought. So if you put the range extender some 150-200 meters from you, towards your destination. Wouldn't you be able to reach 700+ meters? If one side of the range extender can reach that far, surely placing it in the middle, would double the range.

raulvolador · Nov 2, 2018

Ansia said:
What voice messages did atellopilot give you when you reached the 507 mark? All I could understand was “ninguno”. Great job on it and congratulations. Can’t wait for my xiaomi repeater to arrive. I feel it has taken months and it only has been 2 weeks.

Flying forward I could heard 'battery warning uno'. This message matches 70% batttery capacity. It's very curious the way Android mixes English and Spanish ('uno' = 'one') in the same sentence.
In the back home path I heard 'fast on' when I pushed that button and at the very end of the video 'battery critical' when battery capacity reached 20%.

Yesterday I tried to repeat flight in the same place and I was unable to go beyond 200 meters mark. Then I realized a guy flying a toy quadcopters hundred of meters away. I have learned lesson: Tello's wifi is extremely sensitive to interference. I was lucky that guy din't start flying when my Tello was far away, becouse I would complety drop signal and losted Tello forever.

Be extremely careful when you fly great distance. Better try into a lonely place.

Raul
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Ansia · Nov 2, 2018

raulvolador said:
Flying forward I could heard '350 battery warning uno'. This message matches 70% batttery capacity. It's very curious the way Android mixes English and Spanish ('uno' = 'one') in the same sentence.
In the back home path I heard 'fast on' when I pushed that button and at the very end of the video 'battery critical' when battery capacity reached 20%.

Yesterday I tried to repeat flight in the same place and I was unable to go beyond 200 meters mark. Then I realized a guy flying a toy quadcopters hundred of meters away. I have learned lesson: Tello's wifi is extremely sensitive to interference. I was lucky that guy din't start flying when my Tello was far away, becouse I would complety drop signal and losted Tello forever.

Be extremely careful when you fly great distance. Better try into a lonely place.

Raul
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Glad you didn't lose the Tello. I didn't know atellopilot app had spanish settings. Might just switch to it, just to get a kick of it. What I was trying to tell you, that if you find the perfect conditions for flying without any interference, put the Wifi Extender some 150-200 meters from you, and in theory will let you reach at least the 700 meter mark. I have yet to receive my range extender, but will try this once I do.