FCC mode allows you to have access to the full 700mW output power and 8 channels, while the CE mode only supports maximum 25mW and 4 channels available. I will show you how to easily switch to FCC mode in this tutorial.
Make sure you follow your local regulations, don’t do it if it’s illegal.
Benefits of FCC Mode
By enabling FCC mode, you will have access to 8 channels and 4 different levels of output power:
- 25mW
- 200mW
- 500mW
- 700mW
Only in FCC mode, you can do the 1200mW output power hack, and enable the 50Mbps bit-rate for your video feed.
Are You on CE or FCC Mode?
To find out whether you are on CE mode or FCC mode, simply check how many channels are available in your DJI FPV goggles (under the Player option).
4 channels means CE mode and 8 means FCC mode, and if you are on CE mode, the only power option is 25mW. If you are already on FCC mode then you don’t have to do anything here.
Switch to FCC Mode in DJI Air Unit
- Take the micro SD Card out of the Air Unit
- Create a text file on the root directory, name it
naco(so the file name and extension becomesnaco.txt) - Write
1in the text file (which means FCC mode for USA) - Insert SD card in the Air Unit
- Power up goggles, and then Air Unit
To verify if you have successfully changed it, check again in the Player menu and see if there are 8 channels.
Can’t get it to work? Download my text file and try again.
You can put it back to CE mode by entering number 3 in the text file. The meaning of the number in the text file:
- 1 – FCC mode for US, 8 Channels
- 2 – FCC mode for Canada 4 Channels
- 3 – HK CE 4 Channels
- 4 – CN SRRC 4 Channels
- 5 – JP Japan 3 Channels
- 6 – KR Korea 4 Channels
- 7 – BR Brazil 4 Channels
- 8 – FR CCA 4 Channels
Enable FCC Mode in Caddx Vista
- Power up the VISTA and DJI Goggles, wait until you see image in the goggles
- Connect USB cable to the VISTA, external drive should pop up on your computer
- Create a text file, name it
naco(so the file name and extension becomesnaco.txt) - Type
1in the text file, and save it - Copy text file in the Vista external drive, unplug USB cable and restart Vista
To verify if you have successfully changed it, check again in the Player menu and see if there are 8 channels.
Can’t get it to work? Download my text file and try again.
You can put it back to CE mode by entering number 3 in the text file.
Repeat This Procedure After Every Update
When you update the firmware on your DJI FPV goggles and Air Unit, it will reset the power setting back to the default settings according to your region (e.g. if you are from Europe, it will put it back to CE mode), therefore you might have to repeat this process.
Other Methods
Apart from the text file method, I’ve heard using VPN when flashing firmware also works but I have not tried this myself. (using US IP).
Edit History
- Mar 2020 – guide created
- Jun 2020 – added procedure fore Vista
So I solved my problem above. Windows 10 didn’t create a drive to store the txt on, by default. It did however when I changed the drive letters of the recognized devices. For that you have to go to the disk management: “create and format disk partitions”. There you will see the Caddx Vista as two drives, I changed both to some higher letters (F and G) and then Windows instantly created a storage drive.
Plugging in the Caddx Vista doesn’t make it appear as a storage device for me. I tried different laptops. Windows 10 finds a device and sets it up successfully, the DJI Assistant software finds it too. It however doesn’t give me a normal drive, on which I could place the text file. Can anyone help?
You might have to install the driver for the Vista
I’ve tried the FCC to CE manual hack half a dozen times following the instructions explicitly. It doesn’t seem to work anymore.
make sure the text file name is naco.txt, not naco.txt.txt
Hi Oscar!
I’m living in the EU and mij airunit is on firmware V1.6
Is there a other way to switch to FCC? Your methode doesn’t work anymore….
I hope there is!! Can’t wait to see the 50mbps!
Keep up the good work!
Sander
I literally just did this hack yesterday on firmware 1.6. Worked like a charm.
Make sure you follow the instructions
Hi Tristan, what exactly is the VISTA? Ive been trying to find what it is, but no luck. If you mean the DJI assistant, I have tried powering up, connecting the cable afterwards and checking for an external drive to show up. No luck. Do you have any idea how to fix this, since the SD-Card method doesnt work anymore?
Hi Oscar,
Regarding: Enable FCC mode on DJI FPV System (700mW 8 Channels)”
Someone wrote: Since as of update 1.05 to be blocked. Can anyone confirm that?
I have update 1.05 on my Caddx air unit and the 700mW hacking still works.
Regards,
Gilbert
Since as of update 1.05 to be blocked. Can anyone confirm that?
Doesn t work on firmware 0500 van you help please
Hi Oscar,
Might be worth adding in the info about the Vista on this article.
“It’s been confirmed that the switching between CE and FCC mode, as well as the 1200mW power hack can be done by accessing internal storage via USB cable.
Power up the VISTA, then connect the USB cable, an external drive should pop up on your computer. Then put the .txt file in there as usual.”
Thanks! Does the DJI controller automatically transmit in FCC mode if it sees that the air unit is in FCC mode, or does the controller also need to be updated somehow?
Once paired the Air Unit will do whatever the Goggles tell it to do.