Due to the versatility that drones or the UAVs (Unmanned Artificial Vehicles) offer, they have made their way in four major industries – military, transportation, agriculture, and consumer goods. With advanced navigation systems, better data storage, increased range, and tech-driven mapping software, drone technology has become innovative over the years.
In this article, we will try to answer the question of how far can a drone camera see and how the range of a UAV can be improved to gain in-depth insights into the object data and improve the surveillance system for more clarity.
How Far Can a UAV See?
The visibility range of drone cameras varies based on weather, camera quality, nearby obstacles, and lighting conditions. All these factors are discussed in detail in the following section of this article. During clear daylight, a high-quality drone camera can cover the area up to 1500 to 2000 feet far from its position.
During the nighttime, a drone can see up to 165 feet or 50 meters away. Beyond this distance, a drone may only be able to capture blurry images that are not discernible. Moreover, the drone captures images during the night only if it is equipped with night vision cameras.
Although everyone has a right to privacy, it is quite complicated to safeguard this right in the modern era. Today’s drone can easily cover anything and everything that comes into the range; certain factors influence the precise distance a drone can see.
With a higher battery, the drone can fly farther and can capture more area. So, integrating a higher mAh battery may help. Plus, you need to keep your mapping device, such as a laptop, charged so that you can map and process data efficiently.
Processing images and other data sent by drone takes time and focus. Long work sessions may lead to technical issues, and if you wonder why your laptop is overheating or shutting down abruptly, you need to search for a solution.
Various factors that affect the coverage range of an unmanned artificial vehicle include but are not limited to the following.
Lighting
Drones integrate cameras that help them to cover and capture the area up to a few kilometers from its position. Similar to regular cameras that we have in our smartphones, a perfect balance of lighting is important. A drone camera can cover more distance in the daylight in comparison to the nighttime.
Terrain
Another notable factor that affects the drone’s capability to capture more area and decide how far can a drone camera see is the terrain it is flying on. If you are trying to capture objects in uneven or tuff terrains, the drone may not be able to see much farther. However, the UAV can cover more areas on terrains with no humongous obstacles.
Quality
We are talking about the camera quality, as the more megapixels the camera has, the better will be the media output. This works the same as in smartphones or digital cameras. Different drone models come with different camera quality. So, if you are looking for high-quality aerial photography, make sure that the drone you use has a top-notch integrated camera.
Weather Conditions
Getting higher visibility on a rainy or windy day is difficult, no matter how advanced the drone is. The range coverage will minimize during harsh weather conditions. So, during extreme conditions, you may get blurry images. On the contrary, you can get sharp and clear images in normal weather, particularly when captured on a sunny day.
So, these were several factors that affected the range of drones. Let’s now discuss what you can do to improve the camera range.
How to Increase the Drone’s Range?
If you are thinking, is it even possible to improve the range of the drone, here is the answer? Yes, you can increase the drone’s range by using additional equipment such as signal boosters designed exclusively for drones.
Signal loss is annoying and a random situation that can occur anytime. However, there’s a solution for every problem. The frequency used in drone technology and environmental factors largely affects the range of the UAVs.
Apart from the factors mentioned above, other external factors that affect the UAV range are the mountains or trees between the drone and the controller station, mobile phone towers, and populated WiFi areas, to name a few.
Three technical aspects decide the range and how far a drone can see. These aspects are the types of antennas, transmission power, and the positioning of the antennas. So, you can find a technically advanced drone that has an improved antenna and a powerful transmitter.
Installing a signal booster to extend the range can help in covering distant areas. The signal boosters normally extend communication by up to 15%; however, this depends on the drone technology and the type of range extender you are using.
