Want to know how to keep the drone stable and transmit images over long distances? You need to correctly understand everything about the frequency bands of drones.
What are the frequency bands of drones?
The frequency bands of drones refer to the range of electromagnetic wave frequencies used for wireless communication between drones and remote controllers, ground stations or other devices.
The frequency band selection of drone remote controllers needs to be comprehensively judged based on the specific usage scenario, device compatibility and environmental interference.
At the same time, the selection and performance of the frequency band directly affect the control distance, signal stability, anti-interference ability and data transmission quality of the drone.
Understand the characteristics and applicable scenarios of common frequency bands of drones
Drones mainly use radio frequencies for remote control, video transmission and data communication. Common frequency bands include: 2.4GHz band, 5.2GHz band, 5.8GHz band and 900Mhz band.
1. 2.4GHz band
Advantages:
Strong penetration: The signal can effectively penetrate obstacles such as buildings and trees, and is suitable for complex environments such as cities and mountainous areas. Wide coverage: In an open environment, the transmission distance can reach 10 kilometers under the FCC standard (such as Autel EVO Nano+), and about 6 kilometers under the CE/SRRC standard.
Anti-interference mechanism: The Autel Skylink system reduces the interference impact of the 2.4GHz band through automatic frequency hopping technology.
Disadvantages:
Band congestion: The ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) band is used worldwide and is license-free. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other devices use this band extensively and are susceptible to interference, especially in city centers or event sites.
Low transmission rate: The maximum bit rate is about 12Mbps, which is suitable for basic flight control, but has limited support for high-resolution image transmission.
2. 5.8GHz band
Advantages:
Less interference: Low device occupancy rate, suitable for open environments such as the wild and the seaside, can provide more stable connections and lower latency.
High bandwidth: supports higher image transmission quality, such as SkyLink 3.0 image transmission of EVO MAX series can achieve 1080p/60fps real-time transmission at 5.8GHz. Long transmission distance: up to 15 kilometers under FCC standard (such as Autel EVO II PRO V3 6K Drone), about 8 kilometers under CE/SRRC standard.
Disadvantages:
Weak penetration: The signal is easily blocked by high-rise buildings and mountains, and may be frequently disconnected in complex environments.
Regulatory restrictions: Some countries/regions (such as Japan and Russia) have restrictions on the 5.8GHz frequency band, which needs to be verified by local regulations.
Read More: 2.4G or 5.8G | Drone Image Transmission Signal Selection
3. 900 MHz
Advantages:
Non-ISM frequency band, requires specific license (depending on national regulations).
Extremely strong penetration, suitable for long-distance communication and complex environments (such as forests and cities).
Low bandwidth, not suitable for high-definition video transmission.
Disadvantages:
Only exists in some FPV drones, industrial or military drones, with high equipment cost, strict regulatory restrictions and low data rate.
4. Multi-band drones
Multi-band drones refer to drones with dual-band systems, tri-band systems or multi-band systems. Several frequency bands can achieve fast intelligent automatic switching, lower latency, strong anti-interference ability, and enhanced long-range image transmission communication capabilities.
Multi-band drones can be used for flight in a variety of scenarios, whether it is inspection areas with many obstacles such as cities and forests, or daily aerial photography in open areas.
Factors affecting drone frequency band performance
The performance and applicability of frequency bands are affected by many factors, among which drone flight environment interference, flight distance and frequency band penetration, data transmission requirements, regulations and permits, antenna design and hardware, weather and terrain, equipment compatibility, etc. are all major factors.
Environmental interference:
Urban environment: The 2.4 GHz band is susceptible to interference from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other electronic devices, resulting in signal loss or delay. 5.8 GHz has less interference, but the distance is limited.
Rural or outdoor: 900 MHz or 433 MHz is more suitable because of strong penetration and less interference.
Distance and penetration:
Low frequency band (such as 900 MHz, 433 MHz): long wavelength, strong ability to penetrate obstacles (such as walls, trees), suitable for long distances or complex terrain.
High frequency band (such as 5.8 GHz): short wavelength, fast attenuation, suitable for open environments but not good at penetration.
Data transmission requirements:
High-definition video: requires high-bandwidth frequency band (such as 5.8 GHz), supporting 4K/8K video streaming.
Remote control signal: low-bandwidth frequency band (such as 433 MHz) is sufficient to transmit control commands.
Impact: The type of mission determines the frequency band selection, for example, FPV racing drones prefer 5.8 GHz, and agricultural drones may use 900 MHz.
Regulations and licenses:
ISM bands (2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz): Unlicensed worldwide, but power and channels are restricted.
Non-ISM bands (900 MHz, 433 MHz): Specific licenses are required, and regulations vary from country to country. For example, China strictly restricts the use of 900 MHz.
Antenna design and hardware:
Antenna type: Directional antennas (high gain) are suitable for long distances, omnidirectional antennas are suitable for omnidirectional coverage.
Transmit power: High power increases distance, but is limited by regulations and consumes a lot of power, such as Autel Alpha.
Weather and terrain:
Weather: Rain, fog or strong winds will weaken high-frequency signals (such as 5.8 GHz), while low frequencies (such as 900 MHz) are less affected.
Terrain: Strong penetration bands are needed in mountainous areas or forests, and high bands can be used in flat areas.
Device compatibility:
Multi-frequency support: High-end drones (such as Autel EVO Max series) support 900MHz/2.4GHz/5.2GHz/5.8GHz four-frequency switching, automatically selecting the best frequency band.
Protocol compatibility: Proprietary protocols (such as Skylink system) may not be compatible with other devices, limiting scalability.
Frequency band compliance
China (SRRC): The transmission power limit of the 5.8GHz band is ≤26dBm, and the 2.4GHz is ≤20dBm.
Europe (CE): The 5.8GHz power limit is stricter (≤14dBm), which may affect the transmission distance.
Japan (MIC): The 5.8GHz band is disabled and 2.4GHz must be used.
Summary
The drone frequency band (such as 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 900 MHz, etc.) determines its communication distance, data transmission capability and anti-interference performance.
2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz are the mainstream frequencies for consumer drones, suitable for short distances and high-definition image transmission; 900 MHz and 433 MHz are suitable for long distances and complex environments; in the future, emerging technologies such as 4G/5G and 6 GHz will emerge to expand more application scenarios.
When buying a drone, try to choose a multi-band drone. The drone will automatically switch to other frequency bands when the signal is poor and automatically optimize the interference situation. Autel's full range of drone products supports multi-band transmission, and the signal is stable and the image transmission distance is long.
