Understanding the Drone Frequencies

In the previous blog post~The Evolution of Drones: From Military Tools to Everyday Technology. In this blog post, we will look at the frequency bands that drones operate on and how to choose the right frequencies.

Common drone frequencies

Drone frequencies refer to the radio frequencies used for communication between a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV) and its remote controller, as well as for transmitting video and other data. These frequencies are crucial for ensuring stable and interference-free operation. 

1. Remote Control Frequencies

• 2.4 GHz Band: This is the most common frequency band for drone remote control. It offers a good balance between range and signal penetration. Most consumer drones, such as those from DJI, use this band.

• 5.8 GHz Band: This band is also used for remote control, especially in areas with high 2.4 GHz interference. It provides faster data transmission but has a shorter range compared to 2.4 GHz.

• 900 MHz Band: Less common but used for long-range drones, as it has better penetration through obstacles and longer range, though with slower data rates.

2. Video Transmission Frequencies (FPV)

• 5.8 GHz Band: Widely used for First Person View (FPV) video transmission due to its ability to handle high-quality video with minimal latency.

• 2.4 GHz Band: Sometimes used for video transmission, but it is less common due to potential interference with remote control signals.

• 1.3 GHz Band: Used for long-range FPV systems, as it offers better range and penetration but requires larger antennas.

3. GPS and Telemetry Frequencies

• GPS: Operates on 1.57542 GHz (L1 band) for civilian use.

• Telemetry: Often uses the same frequencies as the remote control (2.4 GHz or 900 MHz) for transmitting flight data like altitude, speed, and battery status.

• 4G/5G Networks: Used in advanced drones (e.g., Skydio 2+) for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.

4. Advanced Frequency Technologies

• Frequency Hopping (FHSS): Drones like DJI use this to dynamically switch channels and avoid interference.
• Dual-Band Systems: Combine 2.4 GHz (control) and 5.8 GHz (video) for optimized performance (e.g., DJI OcuSync 3.0).
• Digital Transmission: Protocols like DJI Lightbridge or HDZero compress video data for low-latency HD transmission.
• LoRa (Long Range): Sub-GHz frequencies (868 MHz in EU, 915 MHz in U.S.) for ultra-long-range telemetry.

5. Emerging Trends

• 5G Integration: Enables real-time HD streaming and swarm coordination.

• AI-Driven Frequency Management: Automatically selects optimal channels.

• Satellite Links: For military/commercial drones requiring global coverage.

How to choose the right frequencies?

Here’s a decision chart to help choose the right drone frequencies based on use case, environment, and regulatory requirements:

In my next blog – everything about drone jammers – we’ll go a bit further on the different types available.