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HOME » News / Blog » Optical Communication » FPV Drone Fiber Optic Spool — Stop Signal Loss & Unlock Stable Long-Range Flights

FPV Drone Fiber Optic Spool — Stop Signal Loss & Unlock Stable Long-Range Flights

Author: James     Publish Time: 04-12-2025      Origin: Site

 Inner-Winding FPV Fiber Spool Overview

Zion Communication FPV drone optical fiber spool is an industrial-grade optical tether designed explicitly for long-range FPV, industrial inspection drones, tunnel and pipeline robotics, and high-EMI mission profiles.
It features an inner-winding, allowing frictionless payout of the tether, extremely low attenuation, zero fiber crossover, and fast payout capabilities.
The spool configuration is ideal for applications requiring reliable anti-jam communication at distances of 80 km or less.

 Key Advantages of Inner Winding

Ultra-low Attenuation & Frictionless Payout

  • No friction with the wall of the spool

  • Provides a very low signal loss

  • Payout is easy in any direction

No Fiber Crossover or Kinking

  • Inner winding design keeps the fiber organized without crossing or sticking to itself.

Strong Anti-jam Reliability

  • o threat of radio jamming or electromagnetic interference

  • Provides consistent HD video/data transmission for long-range missions

Suitable for Faster Payout FPV Missions

  • Safe operational speed: ≤ 180 km/h

  • No risk of spooling fiber jamming or snapping

 Inner-Winding FPV Fiber Spool Technical Specifications

Optical Fiber Characteristics

Parameter

Value

Attenuation @1310/1550 nm

≤0.21 dB/km

Typical measured attenuation

0.21–0.24 dB/km

Fiber outer diameter

0.239 mm

Tensile strength

>70 N

Payout tension

2–3 N

Cable length options

5 km / 10 km / 15 km / 20 km / 30 km / ... 80 km

 

Fiber Spool Dimensions & Weight

Fiber Length

Spool Size (mm)

Weight (g)

5 km

OD 94 × H 350

~1096 g

10 km

OD 110 × H 365

~1445 g

15 km

OD 120 × H 375

~1830 g

20 km

OD 120 × H 425

~2650 g

30 km

OD 136 × H 505

 


 Inner Winding vs. External Winding Under Comparison

Feature

Inner Winding

External Winding (Traditional)

Jam Risk

 No jam issues

 High risk of knotting or jamming

Attenuation

 Ultra-low attenuation

 High fiber attenuation

Payout Flexibility

 Frictionless payout in any direction

 Fiber needs to be horizontal when payout

Fiber Integrity

 No risk of fiber snapping

 Fiber is prone to snapping

Fiber Organization

 No fiber crossover

 Prone to crossover and tangling

 

Conclusion

Inner-winding is the safest and most reliable configuration for long-range 5–80 km FPV missions.


 Application Scenarios

The following scenarios can utilize the system:

  • Long-range FPV aerial transmission

  • UAV surveillance

  • High-EMI RF environments

  • Tunnel, pipeline, and industrial inspection robotic applications

  • Wired communications for emergency missions

  • Tethered UAV in tactical and industrial applications

  • Utilities and mapping special missions

 System Connectivity Overview

Airborne Module Wiring (Drone-Side)

Inner-Winding_FPV_Fiber_Spool FPV (1)

Wire Color

Function

Red

5V Power

Black

Ground

Yellow

RX

Green

TX

 

Ground Module Connection

Ground Module Connection



This module converts electrical video/control signals into optical signals for transmission through the fiber spool.

 


Ground Station Topology

  • Optical receiver module

  • FPV goggles

  • (Optional) Monitor

  • RC transmitter/receiver

  • XT60 power input

  • Tethered fiber input port

The ground station uses an optical demodulator to translate the optical signals back to video or control data.


 Flight Safety Guidelines

For safe and easy payout of the fiber tether:

  • Check that the fiber releases freely from the spool before flight

  • Do not place fiber outlet near the propellers

  • Avoid high-speed deceleration and drops

  • Avoid making a small-angle left/right descending turn

  • Do not exceed 180 km/h payout speed

  • Manually pull out 2–3 m of fiber from the spool before flight

  • Before flying, please put FC connector ground module of FC interface .

  • Steadily apply acceleration to the drone during takeoff to avoid generating extra fiber tension

  • Avoid sharp edges at the payout point where the fiber exits the spool

Following the above rules reduces the risk of fiber tension buildup and cutter damage.


 Why Choose Zion Communication Optical Fiber Spools

Proven fiber solutions for FPV, UAV, and industrial applications

  • High-quality G.657A2 micro-diameter fiber — bend-insensitive, ultra-low loss, ideal for compact drone integration

  • OEM customization available — fiber length, connector type, strength member, spool size, color, laser marking

  • Wide range of spool capacities — from 1 km disposable reels to 80 km heavy-duty inner-winding capsules

  • Reliable performance in professional environments — tested in tunnels, high-EMI zones, emergency response, and defense operations

 Ideal for:

✔ FPV long-range pilots — jammable-free HD video & control beyond 30 km
✔ Industrial UAV integrators — plug-and-play tether systems for inspection, mapping, and payload telemetry
✔ Tactical and surveillance drones — secure, non-RF communication for sensitive missions
✔ Robotics and inspection systems — ROV/AUV, pipeline crawlers, tunnel bots with stable wired links
✔ Communication technology developers — modular optical transceivers, ground stations, and full-system integration support


Contact us for more information

James Zion



James is a technical manager and associate at Zion Communication. 

Specializes in Optical Fiber communications,  FTTH Solutions, 

Fiber optic cables,  ADSS cable, and ODN networks.

james@zion-communication.com

+86 13777460328







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