<p>Any purpose built machine can make it out that far:
<a href="https://rotorbuilds.com/build/29119" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://rotorbuilds.com/build/29119</a></p>
<p>That is well within the range of hobby grade analog and digital control and video systems.</p>
<ul>
<li>The DJI digital FPV system has a hard limit of 14km due to a timing anomaly, however for long rangers it is generally pretty reliable out to that point</li>
<li>HDZero has definitely made it out that far</li>
<li>Analog long range FPV records are pushing 100km. These are fixed wing machines, but multirotors can definitely make it that far in terms of battery life, and the radio equipment used is the same</li>
<li>My personal FPV distance record on a multirotor is 4.7km with analog 5.8ghz video and ELRS radio.</li>
</ul>
<p>Worth noting that navigation is much more difficult than direct range when flying over open ocean. Magnetometers must be carefully calibrated so that a course can be maintained effectively.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-07T05:57:49.907Z
Clicking on your first link, models like that can be had for under 300$. So clearly in the range of hobby pilots. That was the context information I was looking for, thanks.
quarague
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-07T11:45:29.317Z
@quarague do note that doesn't include goggles (400\$), a transmitter (300\$) and all supporting peripherals. This is an expensive hobby - don't be fooled
Brydon Gibson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-07T11:48:14.913Z
I'm not about to try that. I mostly wanted to figure out whether the drone in the article could have come from a hobby pilot or whether 'civilian drone' is just a nice way of saying 'military hardware but without weapons'.
quarague
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-30T08:22:47.627Z
@quarague Civilian drones include (relatively) large and expensive drones for commercial operations. Like mapping, photogrammetry, crop monitoring and so on. Most drones for military reconnaisance and artillery fire correction used in Ukraine are civilian models.
Vladimir F Героям слава
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-06T19:26:42.213Z
2022-09-06T19:26:42.213Z
Brydon Gibson
<p>Probably the most popular drone for taking video (you'll see it a lot on youtube) is the DJI Mavic, and it's <a href="https://www.dji.com/uk/mavic-3/specs" rel="nofollow noreferrer">specs</a> include:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Range: Low Interference (open landscape abundant line of sight, few competing signals): Approx. 9-15 km</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Max Flight Distance: 30 km</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Their 'mini' version has slightly reduced range, but is still easily capable of operating 4km away.</p>
<p>These are drones that you can buy ready-to-fly, off the shelf in the high-street and operate without much skill or experience. They're around $1000</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-07T07:34:28.500Z
2022-09-07T07:34:28.500Z
Robin Bennett
<p>I have to say, having owned the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic Air, and the DJI FPV, the dji fpv was the most competent by far...distance wise. And bear in mind, you need battery life to get back, clear line of sight, and the watwr would be an issue in RF as far as I know (dont quote me on that)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-23T07:58:53.270Z
2022-11-23T07:58:53.270Z
Bor
<p>Aparently Taiwan shot down a civilian drone near the Lion islet of the coast of Xiamen (<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/01/asia/taiwan-shoots-down-civilian-drone-kinmen-intl-hnk/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a>). The island is 4km away from the Chinese city of Xiamen.</p>
<p>Question, what kind of drone would be able to fly 4km over the open ocean while being remote controlled from land?</p>
<p>I would think that for a low end commercial drone the range of the remote control is nowhere near 4km but I have no experience with that. Essentially is something like that within the capabilities of a commercially available hobby pilot drone or does that require military grade hardware?</p>

<flight-controller><long-range-drone><range>
What kind of drone could be remote controlled over 4km of open water?
quarague
# What kind of drone could be remote controlled over 4km of open water?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-02)

Aparently Taiwan shot down a civilian drone near the Lion islet of the coast of Xiamen ([source](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/01/asia/taiwan-shoots-down-civilian-drone-kinmen-intl-hnk/index.html)). The island is 4km away from the Chinese city of Xiamen.

Question, what kind of drone would be able to fly 4km over the open ocean while being remote controlled from land?

I would think that for a low end commercial drone the range of the remote control is nowhere near 4km but I have no experience with that. Essentially is something like that within the capabilities of a commercially available hobby pilot drone or does that require military grade hardware?

**Tags:** flight-controller, long-range-drone, range


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-09-06. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Any purpose built machine can make it out that far:
<https://rotorbuilds.com/build/29119>

That is well within the range of hobby grade analog and digital control and video systems.

* The DJI digital FPV system has a hard limit of 14km due to a timing anomaly, however for long rangers it is generally pretty reliable out to that point
* HDZero has definitely made it out that far
* Analog long range FPV records are pushing 100km. These are fixed wing machines, but multirotors can definitely make it that far in terms of battery life, and the radio equipment used is the same
* My personal FPV distance record on a multirotor is 4.7km with analog 5.8ghz video and ELRS radio.

Worth noting that navigation is much more difficult than direct range when flying over open ocean. Magnetometers must be carefully calibrated so that a course can be maintained effectively.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Clicking on your first link, models like that can be had for under 300$. So clearly in the range of hobby pilots. That was the context information I was looking for, thanks.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 do note that doesn't include goggles (400\$), a transmitter (300\$) and all supporting peripherals. This is an expensive hobby - don't be fooled  
> **username_0**: I'm not about to try that. I mostly wanted to figure out whether the drone in the article could have come from a hobby pilot or whether 'civilian drone' is just a nice way of saying 'military hardware but without weapons'.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Civilian drones include (relatively) large and expensive drones for commercial operations. Like mapping, photogrammetry, crop monitoring and so on. Most drones for military reconnaisance and artillery fire correction used in Ukraine are civilian models.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-09-07. Score: 1

Probably the most popular drone for taking video (you'll see it a lot on youtube) is the DJI Mavic, and it's [specs](https://www.dji.com/uk/mavic-3/specs) include:

> Range: Low Interference (open landscape abundant line of sight, few competing signals): Approx. 9-15 km

> Max Flight Distance: 30 km

Their 'mini' version has slightly reduced range, but is still easily capable of operating 4km away.

These are drones that you can buy ready-to-fly, off the shelf in the high-street and operate without much skill or experience. They're around $1000


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-11-23. Score: 0

I have to say, having owned the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic Air, and the DJI FPV, the dji fpv was the most competent by far...distance wise. And bear in mind, you need battery life to get back, clear line of sight, and the watwr would be an issue in RF as far as I know (dont quote me on that)


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