DJI O3 - CE vs FCC vs Ham firmware hacks
DJI O3 - CE vs FCC vs Ham firmware hacks
I've recently purchased a DJI Avata, and I've been reading about the different "hacks" to enable higher power modes and additional channels for the O3 system.
I understand that CE mode is specifically for European countries with more restrictive power limitations. I'm in the USA, so I apparently my drone is in "FCC mode" by default. I'm specifically curious about "Ham mode," though. I am a licensed ham radio operator, which means that legally, I can use frequencies and power levels that are outside the range of normal Part 15 devices. In general, the regulations state that my transmissions must be unencrypted, I must transmit my callsign every 10 minutes, and I'm limited to 1.5kW (which is obviously far less than any drone would use). Is there a firmware hack that allows this?
I'm not trying to break the line-of-sight rules, but if I can enable a mode that would allow me to get better signal fidelity within the FCC and FAA regulations, I'd like to try it. Even a little bit of extra power can make a significant difference in certain cases.
Super easy, just drop (blank text doc)ham_cfg_support in the root of the sd card and reboot. You should see 7 channels instead of 3 when using the manual channel selection. Side note how did you get your ham license. I wanted to get mine.
If it's that easy, I might as well give it a try; thanks for the tip. As far as getting your license, it's not particularly difficult, but it does require some study. I have a background in electronics, which helps.
When I got my license (around 13 or so years ago), I just studied the FCC's question pools for a few months, then took my test. They publish the questions (or at least they used to), so you can either just study the published questions directly, or use one of several online services for study. I did a combination of the two; I think I used HamTestOnline for online study. It's possible to just memorize the questions, but there are a lot of them; I would encourage you to at least do some research on concepts you may not be familiar with.
When you're ready to take your licensing exam, you can search online for an organization near you that will administer the exam. I took my exam with a local radio club. There are 3 levels of licensing: Technician, General, and Extra. You must take them in order, but you can take more than one in a single session if you like; I did all 3 at the same time. I'd have to re-read the regulations, but I think that just a Technician class license would be enough for drone use. The higher licensing levels allow for usage of more of the frequency spectrum and higher power levels. Once you have your license, you just have to renew with the FCC every 10 years; if I remember correctly, it's just a small fee.
It's also worth noting that the FCC removed the morse code requirement around 15 years ago, so you don't have to learn morse code unless you're interested in doing CW operations. I'm far from an expert, but I'm happy to answer any questions if you have them.
Hey there! First off, congrats on the new DJI Avata – that's a sweet piece of tech! So, diving into your question about Ham mode, it's pretty awesome that you’ve got the credentials to explore that.
From what I've gathered, there are indeed firmware hacks floating around that can open up higher power modes on the O3 system. However, it's crucial to remember that while your ham license gives you more flexibility, it also comes with the stipulation to transmit your callsign and avoid encrypted transmissions. Most of these drone communication protocols are encrypted, which could put you in a bit of a tricky spot compliance-wise.
Additionally, while boosting the power might seem like a good idea, it can lead to unintended consequences like interference with other critical communication systems. Plus, the FAA is pretty strict about maintaining the visual line-of-sight rule for safety reasons. So, there's a bit of a fine balance to strike here.
I'd say, before diving into any modifications, it might be worth reaching out to the ham radio community or even a specialized drone forum. They often have the latest insights and can share experiences on whether such hacks are both effective and compliant with all regs.
Keep flying safe and having fun with your Avata! And hey, always nice to meet a fellow radio enthusiast. 73!
It's been a while since I took my exams but I'm pretty sure radio control of a drone falls under "telecommand of model craft" (part 97.215) which limits you to 1W. You wouldn't need to identify though, just label your call sign, name, and address on your transmitter.
You're probably right. It's been a long time since I got my license; 1W seems a lot more reasonable for radio control than the overall 1.5kW limit.