xiaomi Parabolic Reflector

thingiverse

I'm excited to share my experience with this parabolic reflector for the Xiaomi WiFi repeater, which has significantly improved the range of my Tello Drone. Initially, my range test only reached 100 feet, but I was plagued by WiFi interference at just 78 feet and often lost connection altogether before using the reflector. However, after implementing the reflector, I was able to sustain a strong WiFi signal strength of 90db at 100 feet, giving me confidence that I can push the limits even further. To build this reflector, I purchased a round metal enclosure measuring 100mm in height from a Home Depot ductwork section, which was easy to cut with scissors and fit perfectly into my 3D printed holder. I used Simplify3D to generate the GCODE for printing, and a factory file is included. Note that I've updated the design to version 7, increasing the thickness of the walls where the repeater slips into the mount, and also updated the STL file to orient the print from bottom up, which I had previously fixed in Simplify3D but not updated for uploading. Today, I took the Tello up to an impressive 178 feet while still maintaining clear video, although I did receive WiFi interference warnings. You can view my initial test on YouTube at https://youtu.be/BdAqB5eRZJI.