Litchi now supports Mavic Air 2!

[Tufargon]

Definitely! I agree. Just wish that DJI would bring back a "proper" API.

It's a hardware issue with the lack of onboard memory is what my research suggests. Otherwise it would be easy for DJI or any other third party developers to have autonomous instead of virtual sticks.

 

[Mike Drop]

It's a hardware issue with the lack of onboard memory is what my research suggests. Otherwise it would be easy for DJI or any other third party developers to have autonomous instead of virtual sticks.

Just typing out loud here. What if it was possible to have the aircraft 'read' a mission plan from the micro sd card? Would be kind of a pain to r&r the SD card for each mission, but it might be doable with a firmware update in the bird.

 

[Tufargon]

Just typing out loud here. What if it was possible to have the aircraft 'read' a mission plan from the micro sd card? Would be kind of a pain to r&r the SD card for each mission, but it might be doable with a firmware update in the bird.

I have no clue how it all works exactly.

 

[JetM]

It's a hardware issue with the lack of onboard memory is what my research suggests. Otherwise it would be easy for DJI or any other third party developers to have autonomous instead of virtual sticks.

From my discussion directly with Litchi engineers the amount of data required for even your largest missions (e.g., 99 waypoints) would require absolutely a trivial amount of storage (well less than 1 kilobyte) and it would cost DJI next to nothing to include this amount of storage onboard. And remember you're only flying 1 mission at a time. So if DJI failed to include the miniscule amount of memory onboard to accommodate Missions then that is an Epic fail/ bone tradeoff IMO.

We just need users who want decent mission planning capabilities on DJI drones to request it. Maybe with enough requests they will come to their senses...if they don't I'll vote with my $'s and buy my next drone from Autel. I'm jussayin....

 

[Tufargon]

I think it has to do with VLOS and regulations but who knows and as far as I can tell it won't be put on any more DJI consumer drones anymore.

 

[JetM]

I think it has to do with VLOS and regulations but who knows and as far as I can tell it won't be put on any more DJI consumer drones anymore.

You mean why DJI wouldn't support uploading missions? I personally think that the DJI has concluded that Waypoints are NOT important for their market and it's been deprioritized by them and they will just rely on 3rd party vendors to supply that functionality via the "Crappy" Virtual Sticks API.

For me I have no problem with DJI not offering Waypoints themselves IF and only if they provide a decent API rather than the "crappy" virtual sticks API. I don't see how anyone could use the current Litchi Waypoints solution professionally (e.g., mission to film progress of a construction site over time or anything with curves). In that scenario you will most likely be doing a circle around the construction site and that is exactly where you get the most jerky video. Could you change your workflow to avoid doing the shot you want, maybe. But why should you have to do that. And for that matter I wouldn't even use the Litchi waypoints for non-professional videos because it's just too jerky unless you are only flying a straight path or you are willing to edit out anything with curves because of the jerky video.

So what we need is for people who want Waypoints to contact DJI and tell them Waypoints are important and the current solution via the "crappy" Virtual Sticks API just doesn't cut it. I've told DJI that many times but I'm just one voice.

 

[Tufargon]

You mean why DJI wouldn't support uploading missions? I personally think that the DJI has concluded that Waypoints are NOT important for their market and it's been deprioritized by them and they will just rely on 3rd party vendors to supply that functionality via the "Crappy" Virtual Sticks API.

For me I have no problem with DJI not offering Waypoints themselves IF and only if they provide a decent API rather than the "crappy" virtual sticks API. I don't see how anyone could use the current Litchi Waypoints solution professionally (e.g., mission to film progress of a construction site over time or anything with curves). In that scenario you will most likely be doing a circle around the construction site and that is exactly where you get the most jerky video. Could you change your workflow to avoid doing the shot you want, maybe. But why should you have to do that. And for that matter I wouldn't even use the Litchi waypoints for non-professional videos because it's just too jerky unless you are only flying a straight path or you are willing to edit out anything with curves because of the jerky video.

So what we need is for people who want Waypoints to contact DJI and tell them Waypoints are important and the current solution via the "crappy" Virtual Sticks API just doesn't cut it. I've told DJI that many times but I'm just one voice.

I totally agree.
They've been told a gazillion times that people want it. It just falls on deaf ears unfortunately.

 

[JetM]

I totally agree.
They've been told a gazillion times that people want it. It just falls on deaf ears unfortunately.

yep...I think we just need to tell them 2 million times Or vote with our $'s which I will do with my next drone. I'm done with DJI at this point. It's time to give Autel a shot.

 

[Tufargon]

yep...I think we just need to tell them 2 million times Or vote with our $'s which I will do with my next drone. I'm done with DJI at this point. It's time to give Autel a shot.

I'm a fan of Autel and I owned an XSP for years. I sold it when batteries were discontinued and got the MA2 to give DJI a try.

 

[justcruisin]

We just need users who want decent mission planning capabilities on DJI drones to request it. Maybe with enough requests they will come to their senses...if they don't I'll vote with my $'s and buy my next drone from Autel. I'm jussayin....

Which Autel drones support completely autonomous missions with all the flight data uploaded to the drone before hand?

 

[JetM]

Which Autel drones support completely autonomous missions with all the flight data uploaded to the drone before hand?

Autel Evo 2 uploads the mission to the drone. See the following video at @5:28. You will see the 'trainer' hits the upload button:

How to Use the Mission Planner Autel EVO II Drone

A waypoint mission is a series of pre-defined locations (waypoints) the aircraft will fly to. A location is a latitude, longitude and altitude. Aircraft heading and altitude between waypoints can change either gradually or at the waypoint itself. How to Use the Mission Planner Autel EVO II Drone.

www.autelpilot.com

 

[maelstrom]

Care to share any of the "many countries" and their specific legislation where missions following loss of signal are illegal?

If you lose signal you can't directly control the drone. Just a very quick search produced these:

Article 8 of the The Chicago Convention (which many countries have signed up to and is referenced in the UK drone regulations) requires that “each contracting State undertake to insure that the flight of such aircraft without a pilot in regions open to civil aircraft shall be so controlled as to obviate danger to civil aircraft”.

CAP 722 in the UK says "suitable radio equipment must be fitted in order to be able to effect positive control over the UA at all times."

EASA regulations say that "autonomous drones need a level of verification of compliance with the technical requirements that is not compatible with the system put in place for the ’open’ category. Autonomous operations are, instead, allowed in the ’specific’ category, where the Regulation includes a tool flexible enough to verify requirements with the appropriate level of robustness". EASA defines autonomous drones as "An autonomous drone is able to conduct a safe flight without the intervention of a pilot. It does so with the help of artificial intelligence, enabling it to cope with all kinds of unforeseen and unpredictable emergency situations".

 

[JetM]

If you lose signal you can't directly control the drone. Just a very quick search produced these:

Article 8 of the The Chicago Convention (which many countries have signed up to and is referenced in the UK drone regulations) requires that “each contracting State undertake to insure that the flight of such aircraft without a pilot in regions open to civil aircraft shall be so controlled as to obviate danger to civil aircraft”.

CAP 722 in the UK says "suitable radio equipment must be fitted in order to be able to effect positive control over the UA at all times."

EASA regulations say that "autonomous drones need a level of verification of compliance with the technical requirements that is not compatible with the system put in place for the ’open’ category. Autonomous operations are, instead, allowed in the ’specific’ category, where the Regulation includes a tool flexible enough to verify requirements with the appropriate level of robustness". EASA defines autonomous drones as "An autonomous drone is able to conduct a safe flight without the intervention of a pilot. It does so with the help of artificial intelligence, enabling it to cope with all kinds of unforeseen and unpredictable emergency situations".

Interesting..thanks for sharing. I think CAP 722 seems to be the most clear regulation. I wonder if the FAA has any such restrictions/limitations that apply to this scenario here in the USA (excluding BVLOS restrictions). I've used autonomous missions (beyond signal range) to overcome range limitations in wifi "polluted" areas but where the drone is still in LOS (granted at the edge of LOS).
Cheers,
Jet

 

[up&overimaging]

I have Litchi and I've successfully flown Phantom 3's with it.
If it performs as well with the MA2 I will be happy.

It does not!!!! you will get camera movements and jerks all over the place!!!! I have run the air on 6 missions a piece on Litchi, dronelink, and maven and when you compare the videos the maven app is way by far the smoothest of all the videos. The videos in the dronelink app was so bad it could not even be fixed with the warp stabilizer in premier pro.

 

[JetM]

It does not!!!! you will get camera movements and jerks all over the place!!!! I have run the air on 6 missions a piece on Litchi, dronelink, and maven and when you compare the videos the maven app is way by far the smoothest of all the videos. The videos in the dronelink app was so bad it could not even be fixed with the warp stabilizer in premier pro.

Likely the result of the "crappy" virtual sticks API. DJI previously offered a MUCH better API for 3P Mission planners before they switched to the "crappy" virtual sticks API. And did I mention how "crappy" this new virtual sticks API is?

 

[up&overimaging]

Likely the result of the "crappy" virtual sticks API. DJI previously offered a MUCH better API for 3P Mission planners before they switched to the "crappy" virtual sticks API. And did I mention how "crappy" this new virtual sticks API is?

LOL yes i think you did say something about CRAPPY!!!!! LOL but I still fly my phantom 4 pro and it flies smooth as butter in litchi

 

[JetM]

LOL yes i think you did say something about CRAPPY!!!!! LOL but I still fly my phantom 4 pro and it flies smooth as butter in litchi

Okay I wasn't sure if I mentioned DJI's "crappy" virtual sticks API but thanks for acknowledging that I did in fact mention DJI's "crappy" virtual sticks API.

Your Phantom 4 is flying smoothly because Litchi is able to utilize the older "good" API not the new "crappy" virtual sticks API that they offer now days.

Cheers.

 

[up&overimaging]

Okay I wasn't sure if I mentioned DJI's "crappy" virtual sticks API but thanks for acknowledging that I did in fact mention DJI's "crappy" virtual sticks API.

Your Phantom 4 is flying smoothly because Litchi is able to utilize the older "good" API not the new "crappy" virtual sticks API that they offer now days.

Cheers.

LOL ok thanks so very much!!!!! way to funny.

 

[wienog]

Is there any way to get in touch with Michelle?

I'd like to lobby him to add some code to over-ride the Smart RTH function during waypoint missions. Yes, it bothers me that much and I really want this fixed LOL

I read several of your posts and still don't understand: i use Litchi for 90 % of my flights with my Mavics and Mavic 2 Pro. ALL of these flights lose contact between RC and drone after two or three minutes but nicely go on and follow all the instructions uploaded at the start. I know the expected duration of the flight and just switch off my remote controller and switch it back on a few minutes before the drone is expected back. I Never had any problem with hundreds of these flights.
Smart RTH has occured once, when I forgot to switch batteries for the next flight and the drone came back after half of the trip. I don't know why on earth you would want to switch off Smart RTH ?? Your drone will hover and land wherever it is at that moment. Is that what you want ?

 

[wienog]

Is there any way to get in touch with Michelle?

I'd like to lobby him to add some code to over-ride the Smart RTH function during waypoint missions. Yes, it bothers me that much and I really want this fixed LOL

I read several of your posts and still don't understand: i use Litchi for 90 % of my flights with my Mavics and Mavic 2 Pro. ALL of these flights lose contact between RC and drone after two or three minutes but nicely go on and follow all the instructions uploaded at the start. I know the expected duration of the flight and just switch off my remote controller and switch it back on a few minutes before the drone is expected back. I Never had any problem with hundreds of these flights.
Smart RTH has occured once, when I forgot to switch batteries for the next flight and the drone came back after half of the trip. I don't know why on earth you would want to switch off Smart RTH ?? Your drone will hover and land wherever it is at that moment. Is that what you want ?