Tools : Range Calculator
Plan your link.
Estimate before you fly.
A link-budget estimator for CY-2-class radios. Pick your antennas, altitude, terrain, and bandwidth: get an estimated reliable range, link margin, throughput mode, Fresnel clearance, and the radio horizon.
Planning value only. Real field performance depends on antenna mounting, RF noise, regulatory power limits, channel width, obstructions, polarization, and alignment. Treat all numbers as estimates, not guarantees.
Estimated reliable range
2.42-3.73km
Best-case engineering range ≈ 11.8 km
WeakLink margin
+5.5dB
at 5.0 km : vs -94 dBm robust mode
Received power
-88.5dBm
at 5.0 km
Throughput estimate
6Mbps
Stable telemetry + video : below planning margin
Link margin vs distance
Reliable margin against the most robust mode
Fresnel clearance
4.8 m neededPath midpoint clears 60% of the first Fresnel zone at the selected distance (8.0 m radius). Visual LOS plus this clearance is the planning baseline.
Radio horizon
50.9 km capEarth curvature does not limit the link at the planned range. Increasing altitude pushes the horizon further out (50.9 km available).
Regulatory
29 dBm EIRP @ 2 dBiEIRP at the air unit is ≈ 30.2 dBm. Verify against your local authority's limits for the 5.8 GHz band: many regions cap unlicensed operation at 30-36 dBm EIRP.
Link budget at 5.0 km
All terms in dB : running total = received power