What are some causes of drone signal interruption?
Learn what the most common causes of drone signal loss are.
When piloting your drone, you probably wouldn’t want to lose your connection with the device. This could lead to a crash, drone loss, potential damage and property damage the machine can cause, etc. Repairs and property damage can cost you quite a bit.
There are many instances where you may happen to lose connection with your drone. One of the most common reasons is the last update you made. But why might this happen? What other reasons could there be for the signal interruption? We will answer these questions in the next lines of this article.
Why should you perform a firmware update?
To remove existing bugs and have all the new features, it is necessary to update your drone's firmware periodically before flying. However, if failures occur during the update, it may cause the drone to lose connectivity during flight.
Let's take a closer look at the reasons why this might happen.
Why does my drone's signal disconnect after an update?
The firmware is the software through which the drone operates. Thanks to this software, you can monitor and control fields, track battery charge, set various settings, etc. To ensure that everything will be fine during the flight, you should update the firmware before each one.
But why do experts recommend updating this software regularly? It's because errors can occur that can affect the flight and even endanger your drone. After the update, you'll have peace of mind that your machine is in peak condition to fly. That's why it's a good idea to make this a regular practice.
However, there is also something that is good to keep in mind. Modern drones incorporate the latest achievements of drone technology. These machines have the best and most advanced control systems. However, sometimes new firmware updates may have issues that then cause the signal to break.
It's also possible that problems can occur if you fail to complete the update or the connection was interrupted during the update. This is likely to happen if you do not have a reliable internet connection. If the connection is still interrupted during the update, delete the download and start over.
Since a problematic update will almost certainly cause the drone to lose signal during flight, it's a good idea not to be one of the first to test the latest updates. For one thing, it's a good idea to wait a few days to get confirmation that all is well with the newest version and then perform the download.
If you come across corrupted firmware, it's better to revert to the previous version and wait until the manufacturer clears all the bugs.
Why does the drone keep losing signal?
It's not just firmware updates that can cause a drone to lose signal. Here are some other possible reasons:
Extreme weather conditions
While drones are tough machines, excessively high or low temperatures, high humidity, and high winds can affect flight stability and the connection to the drone. This is because these extreme conditions reduce radio signals, and the drone's range becomes less.
Electromagnetic interference
Another condition that can interrupt your connection to the drone is electromagnetic interference. Where can this interference come from? Usually, it is power lines, because the electricity flowing through them creates a field of electromagnetic signals. These signals can interrupt the radio waves that the drone receives from the controller.
Certain obstacles
When the drone flies at a distance, radio waves manage to pass through unconducive materials such as wood and concrete. However, things are different in the presence of metal and water, as they not only do not transmit radio waves but also reflect them. For this reason, when piloting in areas with many buildings and cars, there can be interference and even signal interruptions.
Flying out of range
You are advised not to experiment in this area and pilot within the distance stated as permissible in the drone manual. However, there are occasions when this range may be considerably less - as we have said, this happens in adverse conditions.
Interference from other devices
As mentioned, drones operate via radio waves that are on a particular radiofrequency. If there are many wireless devices in the area, the drone's signal can be disrupted.
If, after a firmware update, you notice that the machine is working fine, but you lose the signal at some point, consider whether any of the above conditions are present.
How far can a drone go without losing its signal?
Medium and high-end drones can fly up to 5 km before losing signal. Some higher-end drones, such as the Mavic Air 2, can reach up to a remarkable 18 km before losing signal.
If you're on the hunt for your new drone, be sure to check out our offerings at COPTER.BG. Contact our team if you have any queries.
