Follow me for dune bashing?

[Wissam]

Hello. New to drones. Considering buying spark or mavic depends on expert member advice. My passion is desert offroading. My terrain is soft sand desert with lots of dunes. My offroading involves dune bashing which is climbing/jumping over dunes, maneuvering in between dunes etc. My question is will I be able to take action footage in follow me mode whereby the drone circles around my truck at a 2 to 3 meters high as it follows it? If yes what is the ideal app to do this and would a spark do the job or I need to spend on a mavic? I understand the follow me feature depends on line of sight between drone and object. This could be an issue if my truck disappears behind a dune. Is there a way to activate follow me using GPS tracking on phone? Thanks

 

[HE15 RGP]

Welcome To The Forum Wissam

The spark only has a 2 axis Gimble were as the Mavic Pro has a 3 Axis Gimble which I would think would give you a more fluid shots while following your action. I am only a new member, this detail alone would make my mind up and second would be I think once your used the Spark you might then wish you bought the Mavic Pro even with the Price difference , As A Tool its Far Better for what I think you want to Achieve Wissam

Edited to Add : I would not fly as low as 2 to 3 meters As there is a risk the Drone might lose site of you as you drop the other side of a Dune If the Mavic Pro was in Active Track Mode Or Follow me Mode Only available On the Mavic Pro and Mavic Pro Platinum, Which is the Done I have on order from DJI.Com The app you would need for your phone or tablet The Mavic Pro Or Mavic Pro Platinum Is the DJI Go 4 app (ios or android which ever fits the bill)

 

[msinger]

Both the "ActiveTrack" and "Follow Me" flight modes can be used to follow an object. ActiveTrack requires the object to be visible at all times (since the object is visibly being tracked in DJI GO). Follow Me follows the GPS location of the mobile device running DJI GO (which requires GPS on the mobile device). The Spark does not have Follow Me, so the Mavic will be your only option between those two drones.

By default, the Mavic (and all other DJI drones) are setup to auto return back to the home point when the remote controller signal is lost for 3 seconds. That means the Mavic would start returning home if your truck disappears behind a dune for 3+ seconds. You could change the remote controller signal lost setting to "Hover" to make the Mavic hover in place instead of returning home. However, I'm not sure Follow Me would resume when the remote controller signal is reestablished. If not, then you'd have to keep the Mavic closer so it stays within sight of the remote controller the entire time (which should be possible).

 

[HE15 RGP]

Both the "ActiveTrack" and "Follow Me" flight modes can be used to follow an object. ActiveTrack requires the object to be visible at all times (since the object is visibly being tracked in DJI GO). Follow Me follows the GPS location of the mobile device running DJI GO (which requires GPS on the mobile device). The Spark does not have Follow Me, so the Mavic will be your only option between those two drones.

By default, the Mavic (and all other DJI drones) are setup to auto return back to the home point when the remote controller signal is lost for 3 seconds. That means the Mavic would start returning home if your truck disappears behind a dune for 3+ seconds. You could change the remote controller signal lost setting to "Hover" to make the Mavic hover in place instead of returning home. However, I'm not sure Follow Me would resume when the remote controller signal is reestablished. If not, then you'd have to keep the Mavic closer so it stays within sight of the remote controller the entire time (which should be possible).

Am I wrong in thinking the DJI GO 4 App should be Used with the Mavic Pro ?

 

[msinger]

Am I wrong in thinking the DJI GO 4 App should be Used with the Mavic Pro ?

No. It must be used since DJI GO 3 is not compatible with the Mavic.

 

[HE15 RGP]

Both the "ActiveTrack" and "Follow Me" flight modes can be used to follow an object. ActiveTrack requires the object to be visible at all times (since the object is visibly being tracked in DJI GO). Follow Me follows the GPS location of the mobile device running DJI GO (which requires GPS on the mobile device). The Spark does not have Follow Me, so the Mavic will be your only option between those two drones.

By default, the Mavic (and all other DJI drones) are setup to auto return back to the home point when the remote controller signal is lost for 3 seconds. That means the Mavic would start returning home if your truck disappears behind a dune for 3+ seconds. You could change the remote controller signal lost setting to "Hover" to make the Mavic hover in place instead of returning home. However, I'm not sure Follow Me would resume when the remote controller signal is reestablished. If not, then you'd have to keep the Mavic closer so it stays within sight of the remote controller the entire time (which should be possible).

Here You Say DJI GO ...... not 3 or 4 and it looks like you should use DJI Go But every place I have seen on YouTube Say the Mavic Pro app Should be DIJ GO 4 the above text is confusing . I know you might feel I am Being Picky But I have spent about 300 hours Viewing YouTube Videos On How the Use and Set Up A Mavic Pro .Both Me And Wissam are new here But I for one is/are not Stupid

 

[msinger]

And if you're still confused, I'm also referring to the Mavic Pro AND the Mavic Pro Platinum above

 

[HE15 RGP]

And if you're still confused, I'm also referring to the Mavic Pro AND the Mavic Pro Platinum above

Yes I know That, As you may know from my other posts, I have on Ordered The Mavic Pro Platinum from DJI.com and I Know that the App For That Is the DJI GO 4 . I am not Confused at All but maybe a edit to your Text might help to clear this up for other readers as I feel people come here to learn as well as Post Videos .

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I’ve had some success with desert tracking with the Mavic Pro, good advice re set rth to hover if tracking or wireless signal lost.
Also, settings to allow backwards flying should be turned on. .

If tracking with controller in vehicle, you may need to have longer lead and keep device on dash mount, controller near window.
I would recommend not trying to drive yourself, but fly as a passenger, or better / more safe from outside the vehicle while someone else drives.
An external antenna setup might be worth fitting if you plan longer drives, or complex flying, rather than flights around one or two dunes only each time.

I’ve found active tracking best, follow me does not seem to like speeds over about 25 to 30 hm/hr.
(Maybe it was a controller inside vehicle issue.)
Even with active track I can lose contact now and then and have to manually fly to recontact vehicle.

I’ve only done the one big desert trip as it’s a few thousand km away from where I live.
General speeds were limited to crawling speeds to about 35km/hr..
If you are driving Saudi type dunes at fast speed (like you see on the www) then I don’t think you’ll have a lot of success with tracking.

Have only tested follow me and active track modes a couple of times before that trip so your mileage might vary.

 

[Wissam]

Welcome To The Forum Wissam

The spark only has a 2 axis Gimble were as the Mavic Pro has a 3 Axis Gimble which I would think would give you a more fluid shots while following your action. I am only a new member, this detail alone would make my mind up and second would be I think once your used the Spark you might then wish you bought the Mavic Pro even with the Price difference , As A Tool its Far Better for what I think you want to Achieve Wissam

Edited to Add : I would not fly as low as 2 to 3 meters As there is a risk the Drone might lose site of you as you drop the other side of a Dune If the Mavic Pro was in Active Track Mode Or Follow me Mode Only available On the Mavic Pro and Mavic Pro Platinum, Which is the Done I have on order from DJI.Com The app you would need for your phone or tablet The Mavic Pro Or Mavic Pro Platinum Is the DJI Go 4 app (ios or android which ever fits the bill)

Many thanks. I guess I'll wait for platinum to be released to get a better deal on mavic pro

 

[msinger]

I guess I'll wait for platinum to be released to get a better deal on mavic pro

The Mavic Pro Platinum is now shipping if you buy from the DJI Store here. That hasn't affected the price of the Mavic Pro, but some holiday deals are available. The Mavic Pro is $100 off at places like Best Buy, Costco, and here on Amazon. I'm sure we'll see some holiday deals from DJI soon too.

 

[Wissam]

Welcome To The Forum Wissam

The spark only has a 2 axis Gimble were as the Mavic Pro has a 3 Axis Gimble which I would think would give you a more fluid shots while following your action. I am only a new member, this detail alone would make my mind up and second would be I think once your used the Spark you might then wish you bought the Mavic Pro even with the Price difference , As A Tool its Far Better for what I think you want to Achieve Wissam

Edited to Add : I would not fly as low as 2 to 3 meters As there is a risk the Drone might lose site of you as you drop the other side of a Dune If the Mavic Pro was in Active Track Mode Or Follow me Mode Only available On the Mavic Pro and Mavic Pro Platinum, Which is the Done I have on order from DJI.Com The app you would need for your phone or tablet The Mavic Pro Or Mavic Pro Platinum Is the DJI Go 4 app (ios or android which ever fits the bill)

Thank you

 

[Wissam]

I’ve had some success with desert tracking with the Mavic Pro, good advice re set rth to hover if tracking or wireless signal lost.
Also, settings to allow backwards flying should be turned on. .

If tracking with controller in vehicle, you may need to have longer lead and keep device on dash mount, controller near window.
I would recommend not trying to drive yourself, but fly as a passenger, or better / more safe from outside the vehicle while someone else drives.
An external antenna setup might be worth fitting if you plan longer drives, or complex flying, rather than flights around one or two dunes only each time.

I’ve found active tracking best, follow me does not seem to like speeds over about 25 to 30 hm/hr.
(Maybe it was a controller inside vehicle issue.)
Even with active track I can lose contact now and then and have to manually fly to recontact vehicle.

I’ve only done the one big desert trip as it’s a few thousand km away from where I live.
General speeds were limited to crawling speeds to about 35km/hr..
If you are driving Saudi type dunes at fast speed (like you see on the www) then I don’t think you’ll have a lot of success with tracking.

Have only tested follow me and active track modes a couple of times before that trip so your mileage might vary.

Thanks much

 

[Wissam]

The Mavic Pro Platinum is now shipping if you buy from the DJI Store here. That hasn't affected the price of the Mavic Pro, but some holiday deals are available. The Mavic Pro is $100 off at places like Best Buy, Costco, and here on Amazon. I'm sure we'll see some holiday deals from DJI soon too.

Thanks. Do you think there's a risk of OS obsoletness, OS update limitations or new apps if I buy mavic pro as opposed to mavic platinum? I see that I can save USD 200 between the 2 now and don't think 2 mins of extra flight time and more silent propellers (which probably can be bought as accessories for mavic pro later) is worth it. Thoughts?

 

[HE15 RGP]

Many thanks. I guess I'll wait for platinum to be released to get a better deal on mavic pro

You can order it now https://store.dji.com/product/mavic-pro-platinum just need to wait 25 working days for it to arrive I orderd one on the 27-10-17

 

[Xtreme Drone Pilot]

My question is will I be able to take action footage in follow me mode whereby the drone circles around my truck at a 2 to 3 meters high as it follows it?

No, this will 100% crash your drone, as 2-3m is not enough to clear dunes (Mavic will maintain constant altitude in follow modes (unless it's terrain mode which won't work in this scenario, either)). To avoid crash, you must fly Mavic higher than any dune on and near your path.

 

[Kilrah]

Not to mention that Follow me does just that, follow without any advanced moves. If you want that get someone experienced to fly it manually...

 

[msinger]

Do you think there's a risk of OS obsoletness, OS update limitations or new apps if I buy mavic pro as opposed to mavic platinum?

No. The only differences are the color and new ESCs that allow for a few extra minutes of flight time. If you buy the Mavic Pro and want to use the new low noise props, you can buy them here on Amazon or from DJI here.