Mavlink - longer range through just one-way communication?

ArduPlane
1

Is this a relevant question, and if it is, how do you set it up in ArduPlane?

2

Note that “MavLink” is a protocol organizing the information. It is independent of the transmission layer, and mostly irrelevant to the physical over-ground range of your communications link. (If I understand your question correctly)

If you want longer range, you need to investigate better transmission radios to find one that achieves the range that you want.

I have no knowledge about one-way transmission, and it seems like a dangerous thing to do (for multiple reasons). But if you could get higher range through one-way comms, which one-way link would you want?

3

Thanks. I got the idea for the question from here, but as I do not know the subject (yet) at all I thought of asking with the risk of a stupid question. Is there much info going towards the plane during a normal mission? Perhaps not?
http://www.dragonlinkrc.com/instructions/v3equipment/pixhawktelemetry/

4

It is unsafe (and often illegal) to fly further than your ability to visually-see-and-manually-control the aircraft.

Most (all?) available radios work two-ways at that distance… so I am assuming you plan to send your aircraft further than you can see-and-manually-pilot it. Without knowing details of your situation, and how you plan to do this safely, I am unwilling to give any further help for doing something which sounds that dangerous.

5

I am just asking if only a one-way data transfer, from the plane to your computer, to display the flight progress, provides any benefits regarding range. (You can read it as …making it possible to use smaller power radios to create less disturbance to the environment, if you wish.). …and if so, how do you implement it in ArduPilot settings.

6

Sorry, I’m not able to help. Maybe someone else will?

7

You do not… But you can modify SIK Radio settings,

http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-3dr-radio-advanced-configuration-and-technical-information.html

allowing more Air to Ground traffic than Ground to Air. You can also lower the rate of transmission, allowing a stronger signal.

Duty Cycle, Serial Speed, Air Speed, Tx Power are the key.

Serial speed is common to the Air and Ground station. Duty cycle and Air Speed can be different.

Marc

8

Thanks Marc. This was the information I was looking for to get me forward in “minimizing my 433mhz radio”.