So i built a groundstation to test the project in the field. the plan is to feed it from a 12 volt to 230 volt inverter in the back of a car and drive to an open field to test performance at one meter. When a usable feed is achieved at 500 meter (~1600 feet) i am satisfied and will start aerial tests.

The only worry i have is interference with the RC control which also works at 2.4GHz.

I could use a long range rc link on another frequency or somehow minimize the interference. Enough challenge ahead!

This is the new antenna. This is a biquad antenna which should have a radiation pattern that looks like this:

This is the smaller and more handsome field testing unit (FTU). It is also more rugged and does not feature tape to hold the boards together. The change from lead acid to LiPo made it significantly lighter. The unit can be lifted by a multicopter. The component weight without battery approaches the weight of regular FPV gear.

Also watch the video:

Until next time!