Marco Polo tracker placement

[BAPaik]

Hey, I may already have the answer to this question, but I just wanted to gauge how necessary getting a Marco Polo is. In my head, it's insurance in terms of being able to find it if the drone goes rogue.

Is that what you all have purchased it for? Does it often happen that you'll need to use it?

 

[RallySoob]

Oh ya trackimo is water proof too so u can find it under water. Battery last like 90 days so you can find ur drone if it takes a while...

 

[Slantnose79]

Oh ya trackimo is water proof too so u can find it under water. Battery last like 90 days so you can find ur drone if it takes a while...

Disclaimer: I'm being silly here: So, let me get this straight: your drone crashes in a body of water; it sinks down [say just 15']; you can still receive the Trackimo signal from under the water? I'd like to see a demonstration of that!! I see marketability for "Scuba divers whom fear being left behind" [SDWFBLB]. I usually pay the scuba guide an extra $20 'upfront' to make sure I'm back on the boat before the boat leaves!

 

[RallySoob]

Disclaimer: I'm being silly here: So, let me get this straight: your drone crashes in a body of water; it sinks down [say just 15']; you can still receive the Trackimo signal from under the water? I'd like to see a demonstration of that!! I see marketability for "Scuba divers whom fear being left behind" [SDWFBLB]. I usually pay the scuba guide an extra $20 'upfront' to make sure I'm back on the boat before the boat leaves!

Hey me too... but they do claim its waterproof and can be used to find a submerged drone in their drone soecific advertisement on youtube. They have a few different commercials. The drone tracking section on their website goes over it also. Again, click the www.trackimo.com link and see being there are phantom mounts made for the trackimo Consensus is its the ONLY 3g gsm/gps tracker to buy. 60 sec refresh on real time tracker map using app on ur phone. I watched some user demonstration videos for it and the user interface is awesome. Correction the batt only last 3 days, its a simular battery as new go pro use. Extras are like 20$... hardwire kit for cars etc is another 15.
I also bought a dog collar made to hold the trackimo just in case we take our dog on a trip and something happens etc.. i got all sorts of ideas for using this thing

 

[RallySoob]

I wish i had the ability to make my Tile or Trackimo emit a flashing light beacon on command. That would be a nice addition to the beeping sound locater. If u cant find it in the day time you may be able to at night. Also that woild assist in a submerged rescue.

The goal being to avoid a loss because the dji care refresh plan will cover submerged drone once its recovered...they wont cover a lost drone

 

[BD0G]

I may print a small hole in the 3 D printed enclosure that only goes part way through the enclosure and cut a piece of straight clothes hanger about 3 inches long which can be inserted in the hole and glues in or just a friction fit Then the Marco Polo Antenna can be routed straight through the hole in the enclosure and up along side of the hanger and with one zip tie will stay clear of propellers / prop wash concerns.

 

[BD0G]

Hey, I may already have the answer to this question, but I just wanted to gauge how necessary getting a Marco Polo is. In my head, it's insurance in terms of being able to find it if the drone goes rogue.

Is that what you all have purchased it for? Does it often happen that you'll need to use it?

There is / was an issue in which certain Mavics would generate high current levels as motors were at high RPM's. This would then interfere with one of the onboard compasses and send erroneous data to the on board flight controller. The flight controller would compare the information from the compass against the GPS information and not allow proper orientation and in some cases abrupt fly aways.

 

[jerryflah]

I BOUGHT A "TRAX", hoping to use it with my Chroma and of course now with my yet to be available MP. But I'm not thrilled by its performance. It's definitely a hit and miss device. Now with the expenditure of $1400 I may have to spend more for Marco P "insurance".

 

[Robbyg]

L

I want to design a 3 D Printed enclosure that allows the Marco Polo to snap into the 2 tabs on the underside of the Mavic. With an exposed hole for the antenna to route through and also an exposed hole for the charger port.

This could be designed very light weight and position the Marco Polo well behind the lower vision sensors

I like that idea. I was thinking about that also.

 

[Dwayne Dove]

I mount mine to the back - see photo's. The thread (heavy duty weatherproof) is for if the Mavic takes a bird strike (or anything else) hard enough to jolt the Velcro loose. I never have to take it off to fold or pack it away. I bought the Marco Polo because some areas I fly in have no cell coverage. If my Mavic ever goes down or flies away I will always have a last known GPS that should get me close enough to track it down with the Marco Polo unit. Well worth the cost to me.

 

[Spanish Flyer]

I have a Trackimo and love it; no distance limits, plenty of battery for several days, and for the price you pay, it comes with a SIM card and the service from Trackimo is free for one whole year. You can track the flight from any mobile and even on your computer at home; you just enter your email and
password in trackimo.com and they keep the data from any and all your flights; I also use it in my car and other moving devices (including my dog...). I will have to pay for the for the annual fee in 2018, but it is my believe that I will pay it willingly.

Once thing I believe not correct is the statement I've seen above that it is waterproof, or that it keeps sending the signal underwater . It does come with a silicon half cover that will protect it against rain, but unfortunately I don't plan on flying my Mavic if it rains.

I have it installed with velcro on the flat surface right in front of the battery and weight wise, the 40 grams mean nothing to the drone; placed on top of the Mavic it has plenty more chances to get good satellite readings than fitted on the side or bottom of the craft.

By the way, I chose this tracker after watching a video from another Maivic owner and his comments:

Spanish Flyer

 

[Slantnose79]

I mount mine to the back - see photo's. The thread (heavy duty weatherproof) is for if the Mavic takes a bird strike (or anything else) hard enough to jolt the Velcro loose. I never have to take it off to fold or pack it away. I bought the Marco Polo because some areas I fly in have no cell coverage. If my Mavic ever goes down or flies away I will always have a last known GPS that should get me close enough to track it down with the Marco Polo unit. Well worth the cost to me.

I mounted mine to the back also. However, I put the antenna facing down. I was too afraid in a crosswind or something that the antenna could get into the propellers. If that happens, I would really need a tracker!


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[leesmavic]

I wonder if pet tracking toys from loc8tor that promise 122 meters of LOS range are good enough to walk me last 50 meters to my bird. Any thoughts?
Tabcat Cat Tracker

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[Wing Dude]

Here is where I mount it, I found it the best out of 4 places I tried. Doesn't get in the way of the props, battery, or SD card slot.
View attachment 3919

Good placement. Looks like the new Marco Polo trackers are different now.

 

[Fplvert]

View attachment 4258
Good placement. Looks like the new Marco Polo trackers are different now.

That's the pet tracker version. Longer battery life and waterproof case, but bigger and heavier than the RC version.

 

[F6Rider]

That's the pet tracker version. Longer battery life and waterproof case, but bigger and heavier than the RC version.

Or to track your Girlfriend, just clip it inside her purse when she isn't looking, I have found they can't find anything in there anyway

 

[Slantnose79]

I posted this on another thread, but wanted to get your take. I had an "uncontrolled ascent" this AM and my MP ascended through it's maximum altitude of 392' and got close to 450'. After a lot of research [on my end] and thinking about what may have changed this AM vs all the other days I've flown, I came up with this: Yesterday I traveled with the MP and all accessories tightly packed in a bag. I flew it successfully and packed it back up. I think this may have "moved the position of the antenna to right below the rear VPS." Then, this AM I unpacked at home for a quick flight. Within seconds of my launch, the MP began to rise without input on my end. It then began to ascend at a very very rapid pace all the way up to 454' [ish]. then, because I had my hand on the left stick all the way down, it eventually triggered an auto land and "disabled the VPS on the bottom." From there, it was an uneventful descent and landing [where I did have lateral control but could not cancel the landing]. I'm attaching a picture of the antenna and my flight log. What do you guys think?

Log: Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

 

[Motley]

I posted this on another thread, but wanted to get your take. I had an "uncontrolled ascent" this AM and my MP ascended through it's maximum altitude of 392' and got close to 450'. After a lot of research [on my end] and thinking about what may have changed this AM vs all the other days I've flown, I came up with this: Yesterday I traveled with the MP and all accessories tightly packed in a bag. I flew it successfully and packed it back up. I think this may have "moved the position of the antenna to right below the rear VPS." Then, this AM I unpacked at home for a quick flight. Within seconds of my launch, the MP began to rise without input on my end. It then began to ascend at a very very rapid pace all the way up to 454' [ish]. then, because I had my hand on the left stick all the way down, it eventually triggered an auto land and "disabled the VPS on the bottom." From there, it was an uneventful descent and landing [where I did have lateral control but could not cancel the landing]. I'm attaching a picture of the antenna and my flight log. What do you guys think?

Log: Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

View attachment 4261

I would say that it definitely could have been the cause, I would ensure that antenna is routed out the back instead of under the Mavic on future flights. There is a camera right in between those landing legs and it was likely picking up the antenna as an obstacle.

 

[Fplvert]

I posted this on another thread, but wanted to get your take. I had an "uncontrolled ascent" this AM and my MP ascended through it's maximum altitude of 392' and got close to 450'. After a lot of research [on my end] and thinking about what may have changed this AM vs all the other days I've flown, I came up with this: Yesterday I traveled with the MP and all accessories tightly packed in a bag. I flew it successfully and packed it back up. I think this may have "moved the position of the antenna to right below the rear VPS." Then, this AM I unpacked at home for a quick flight. Within seconds of my launch, the MP began to rise without input on my end. It then began to ascend at a very very rapid pace all the way up to 454' [ish]. then, because I had my hand on the left stick all the way down, it eventually triggered an auto land and "disabled the VPS on the bottom." From there, it was an uneventful descent and landing [where I did have lateral control but could not cancel the landing]. I'm attaching a picture of the antenna and my flight log. What do you guys think?

Log: Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

View attachment 4261

That's very strange!
I wonder if your battery wasn't fully charged when you took off? The antenna shouldn't be pointed down there though!

 

[Slantnose79]

That's very strange!
I wonder if your battery wasn't fully charged when you took off? The antenna shouldn't be pointed down there though!

Yeah, the antenna was never pointed down there until I packed the Mavic. I think it migrated to below the sensor in the move.


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