The DJI Air 2S is a drone powerhouse that hobby flyers and professional drone pilots can use to capture incredible aerial footage. Of all of the featured highlights, video transmission via the O3 transmission system seems to be one of the most impressive upgrades.
The DJI Air 2S has four built-in antennas and is capable of long-range video transmission utilising the OCUSYNC 3.0 technology. This technology offers a maximum transmission range of 12 km and video quality of up to 1080p.
The remote controller uses Occusync 2 and works at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz and will automatically select the best transmission channel. The fact that the remote uses Ocusync 2 does not affect the transmission distance.
The maximum transmission distance refers to the maximum distance the aircraft can send and receive video and piloting transmission signals. Some people get confused and think it is the maximum distance an aircraft can fly in a single flight – it is not.
Here are all the different levels of Ocysunc and the frequency range they operate.
Different levels of Ocusync
Ocusync is a proprietary transmission system invented by DJI, and it can get a little bit confusing. They have continued to make the system better and more powerful over time. So, there are a load of different versions.
Here is the power and frequency range of each Ocusync version for your comparison.
| Version | Power (W) | 2.4 Ghz | 5.8 Ghz |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 | 0.4 | ✅ | ❌ |
| O2 | 0.4 | ✅ | ✅ |
| OEnterprise | 0.9 | ✅ | ✅ tri channel |
| O3 | 1 | ✅ | ✅ 2T4R antenna |
| O3+ | 2 | ✅ | ✅ antenna 2T4R + Wi-Fi 6 connectivity |
Newer drones, such as the DJI Mini 3 Pro utilise the O3+ transmission system. The more recent drones released by DJI will likely have access to this more powerful transmission system.
In some regions, the 5.8 GHz transmission is not supported due to local laws and regulations.
Also, the maximum permissible power is 4 watts in the US.
If the power of the transmission signals doubles with each release (like the trend set by previous versions), we will likely see the maximum power being achieved before O5.
2.4 vs 5.8 Ghz
You may have heard of different types of WiFi offered in drone technology as 5GHz or 2.4GHz.
These numbers refer to the frequency at which they will transmit the data. The two important distinctions between the two are:
- The speed at which the data is transferred. The faster the information is shared between the drone and your controller – the more “real-time” the image is on your screen. Take home message: 5GHz is faster.
- The distance that the signal can communicate. It’s annoying when you get out in the field, all ready for a flight, and you end up with a weak or unstable connection. Take home message: 2.4GHz travels further.
In real life, however, the speed, distance and stability that each WiFi signal can communicate is determined by several different factors.
2.4 Ghz
When you first turn on your DJI drone, it will automatically select the most stable channel through which to connect to the controller on the 2.4GHz frequency.
This is because the longer waves are better suited to longer-range communication – perfect if you want to send your drone off into the distance.
However, the 2.4GHz is a pretty crowded frequency!
This frequency is used by nearly every bit of wireless technology you can think of! Old garage doors, baby monitors, and older-style cordless phones. So you can end up with a lot of interference and instability with your connection.
This is why I always get a weak signal when I fly my DJI drones on this frequency.
5.8 Ghz
I now use this frequency every time I use my drone. I select a 5GHz frequency manually from the GO4 app. I never get an unstable connection warning – I used to get warnings all of the time.
The 5 GHz band is much less busy than the 2.4GHZ band for drone flight.
You’ll also get higher speeds of data transfer when using 5GHz.
The trade-off (there’s always at least one) is that this frequency is less able to get through walls and solid objects.
In most countries, drone regulations do not allow you to fly out of the line of sight, so this won’t be an issue for most people.
You’ll always have a direct line of sight between the drone and the remote control.
Remote controller transmission system – Air 2S
The remote control provided with the Air 2S is capable of long-range transmission. It offers a maximum transmission range of 12 km and displays video from the aircraft on a mobile device at up to 1080p resolution.
In wide open areas with no electromagnetic radiation interference, the aircraft uses Ocusync O3, and the remote controller uses OcuSync 2.0 to transmit video.
The difference between the drone and the controller (O3 and O2) does not affect the transmission distance. The only difference between the two transmission systems is the protocol used in the software to communicate.
The DJI Air 2S has four antennae, giving it a much further range and transmission strength.
The dual frequency of the video connection means that latency reduces to 120 – 130 ms.
The lower the latency, the more responsive you can be as a pilot to your drone flight.
Wrapping up
This article has covered everything you need to know about the DJI air 2S Ocusync 3 transmission system.
Importantly, the drone can transmit to and communicate with remote control up to 12 km away at resolutions of up to 1080p. The drone will select the best frequency (2.4 and 5.8 GHz) to ensure the transmission remains as low a latency as possible.
Newer drones released by DJI will almost certainly include Ocusync 3+ and its next updated version.
