Total noob here. A few questions before i crash!

[Pabby1980]

Hi all,

Just received my Mavic Pro about 2 weeks ago. I've had it out a few times but i'm still completely new to all this and the weather really isn't helping me get any practice here in the UK!

Anyway, a few questions if any of you are kind enough to help;

1) I'm using the DJI GO app, not the DJI GO 4 app, even though apparently i should be doing it the other way around. I have a Samsung S5 which i use to fly with and the GO 4 app simply didn't want to connect, or work at all, whereas the GO app seems to work OK, begging the question.....why do i need to get the GO 4 app? Am i missing something?

2) I've just been looking at the DJI GO app comments on the Google Play Store and there are a whole bunch of posts about it not using Google Maps anymore, and the RTH function can now be up to 800m off it's actual location. Is this true, and if so should i just spend the £20 and get Litchi? (which seems to have some great reviews).

3) Without going into too much detail, am i still legally allowed to fly this drone around the UK? I'm not silly enough to fly it in city centres, but can i be fined for flying it over open countryside/parks/my own land? The answers seem to vary from person to person when i've asked so called "experts" (in the pub) and i'd rather just ask here and get a simple definitive answer.

4) Is there anyone who knows of a course, or a good set of videos to watch to learn how to fly this thing properly? It's my first quad, and although i've had it up in the air, i'm an amateur at best. Watching a few videos of people flying mini quads around their kitchens really exposes how poor my abilities are at the moment, so a few lessons or trusted tutorials would be advisable i think.

My main concern with the above is the app issues. I really have no problems in buying the Litchi app if you guys recommend it, especially seeing as it works on both my S5 and old S4, and i'm currently unable to get DJI GO 4 to work on either.

Thanks a lot in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond.

Cheers.

Paul.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Hi all,

Just received my Mavic Pro about 2 weeks ago. I've had it out a few times but i'm still completely new to all this and the weather really isn't helping me get any practice here in the UK!

Anyway, a few questions if any of you are kind enough to help;

1) I'm using the DJI GO app, not the DJI GO 4 app, even though apparently i should be doing it the other way around. I have a Samsung S5 which i use to fly with and the GO 4 app simply didn't want to connect, or work at all, whereas the GO app seems to work OK, begging the question.....why do i need to get the GO 4 app? Am i missing something?

2) I've just been looking at the DJI GO app comments on the Google Play Store and there are a whole bunch of posts about it not using Google Maps anymore, and the RTH function can now be up to 800m off it's actual location. Is this true, and if so should i just spend the £20 and get Litchi? (which seems to have some great reviews).

3) Without going into too much detail, am i still legally allowed to fly this drone around the UK? I'm not silly enough to fly it in city centres, but can i be fined for flying it over open countryside/parks/my own land? The answers seem to vary from person to person when i've asked so called "experts" (in the pub) and i'd rather just ask here and get a simple definitive answer.

4) Is there anyone who knows of a course, or a good set of videos to watch to learn how to fly this thing properly? It's my first quad, and although i've had it up in the air, i'm an amateur at best. Watching a few videos of people flying mini quads around their kitchens really exposes how poor my abilities are at the moment, so a few lessons or trusted tutorials would be advisable i think.

My main concern with the above is the app issues. I really have no problems in buying the Litchi app if you guys recommend it, especially seeing as it works on both my S5 and old S4, and i'm currently unable to get DJI GO 4 to work on either.

Thanks a lot in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond.

Cheers.

Paul.

1. The DJI GO 4 app has specific functions the Mavic has and the original app doesn't. I think at this point the GO 3 app will no longer work with the Mavic.
2. RTH is not run on the app. All the app does is to tell the drone where the home point is. In the GO 3 app with the RTH the reason it fails is because the GO 3 app doesn't work correctly with the Mavic and the home point resets for some reason. This is not an issue with the GO 4 app. RTH is calculated and executed on the drone itself and it heads to the last set home point.
3. No clue. I live in the US. Make sure you are in compliance with your country's aviation laws regarding UASs.
4. I don't have any suggestions for videos. Go outside in your yard and fly it around in a low altitude to get the feel for controls. It's what I did and it didn't take long for me to be flying 4km out.
5. The Litchi app is amazing. I would get it if you can drop the money. It's a great tool.

 

[BD0G]

1. On the Samsung S5 Galaxy there is a very good chance that when one setup DJIGO 4 upon it there was the need to enable PTP mode for the USB connection. Essentially the S5 default wants to provide charging only through the USB cable and not allow data transfer through the cable.

So after installing DJIGO 4 you should go into settings and then APPS and look for the option to turn on PTP mode for the app when it senses a connection to the Remote Controller. That way the data that needs to be transferred through the cable to the DJI GO 4 App will be allowed to pass to and fro.

You definitely should be using the newer DJIGO 4 app.
Having owned a Galaxy S5 myself I found that it is no longer the most robust Android platform to run DJIGO 4 upon and an Android device with faster processor should be considered. I also did not care for all the Samsung "bloatware" that just ate up processor cycles for needless apps in the background. I ended up reflashing the ROM with a more Pure Android variant that did not contain all the extraneous garbage.

2. Lichti is very strong with its focused uses. Its great for autonomous flight if thats your interest. Planning missions needs to be done with knowledge, care, and attention. Once mastered it will provide footage and pictures (i.e. panorama's) that are much more stable and intricate than what would be achievable flying by manual stick control.
20 $ is kinda steep in that if you have different devices being on IoS and Android you will need to pay for two instances of Lichti. I would suggest taking a look at the online Lichti Mission hub Mission Hub - Litchi
Then enroll in the Phantom Flight School at the bottom of the page. They have free tutorials that explain exactly how to plan Waypoint an Point of Interest Missions .

3. Home

This website above is designed to answer this exact question. They have an app that can be downloaded and installed that will give one a definitive answer.

4. Just search Youtube for Mavic and flight or fly as the search terms. When a video seems appealing and informational you will know thats the video for you.

 

[Pabby1980]

Thanks for the replies guys, i'm going to attempt to do as BDOG suggests and reinstall DJI GO app 4, and also do some reading on the links provided as to where and when i can fly my drone legally in the UK.

As mentioned the weather is terrible here, and i'm not about to start messing about with the quad indoors, so once we get a bit of a break in the rain i'll update back with the progress.

I'm tempted to purchase the Litchi app regardless as it does sound like a great tool, but i think getting the basics up and running first is the way forward for now.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond Cyberpower and BDOG....much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Your welcome.

 

[BD0G]

Always remember this when you feel a wave of panic. You can simply take both fingers off the sticks and the Mavic will hover. So you have time to think about your net move. Figure out where you are in relation to the Home Point. Turn the Mavic while watching the orientation of the Radar representation.

Too many times people act on thier panic which can exserbate the issue rather than hands off and think .

This applies to just about all scenarios except critical l battery . Even then if the Mavic is going to force land due to low battery swing that camera down to determine where its going to put down.

Good idea on the no indoor flight unless you get prop guards and turn on Propeller Cage in the DJI GO 4 settings.

 

[Pabby1980]

Always remember this when you feel a wave of panic. You can simply take both fingers off the sticks and the Mavic will hover. So you have time to think about your net move. Figure out where you are in relation to the Home Point. Turn the Mavic while watching the orientation of the Radar representation.

Too many times people act on thier panic which can exserbate the issue rather than hands off and think .

This applies to just about all scenarios except critical l battery . Even then if the Mavic is going to force land due to low battery swing that camera down to determine where its going to put down.

Good idea on the no indoor flight unless you get prop guards and turn on Propeller Cage in the DJI GO 4 settings.

Thanks for this.

One more thing if you can help; i've managed to get the DJI Go 4 app installed and working on the Galaxy S5, but the problem is now with the maps. The map in the bottom left of the screen, when i click and enlarge it just has the word "here" written on it, with no map details at all. I did have the map working on the old DJI Go app, but since getting GO 4 it just shows a green blurry screen, and after a short flight shows some lines on it of where i flew.

I've tried researching this and there is mention of using the cache memory for the maps when connected to WiFi, but quite frankly the details are sketchy at best.

Have you (or anyone else reading this) come across this issue, and if so can you give me a simple (noob) solution to it?

I'm very worried about flying without the map data showing as i really don't know what the consequences might be.....i.e is the GPS even working.....will the RTH function work etc etc.

We finally got a half decent day here in the UK and i'm stuck indoors trying to work out a solution!

Many thanks guys. Much appreciated.

 

[BD0G]

So my PTP solution worked to resolve the DJI GO 4 app?

First-
Make sure your GPS on Galaxy S5 is turned on .
Then load Google Maps .
Does it display your current location?
Zoom in on your location and zoom out on your location.

Force Close Google Maps by going into Settings> Apps> Google Maps> Force Close

Now - Remove gimbal clamp on Mavic Pro
Power up Mavic Pro
Power Up an connect RC to Galaxy S5

Launch DJI GO 4
Now when the DJI GO 4 Map is displayed in the lower right corner tap on the Map itself to fill the screen.

Any difference?

Oh and the GPS on the Mavic Pro will still work properly to allow flight and since one can fly with just the RC alone then the RC knows where the Mavic is. If you look at the RC while flying it will report Distance (which is the Mavic's distance away from the RC) and Altitude (which is the Mavic's Altitude from ground level). The RC would not know these distances and altitudes without being aware using GPS and barometer.

 

[Pabby1980]

So my PTP solution worked to resolve the DJI GO 4 app?

First-
Make sure your GPS on Galaxy S5 is turned on .
Then load Google Maps .
Does it display your current location?
Zoom in on your location and zoom out on your location.

Force Close Google Maps by going into Settings> Apps> Google Maps> Force Close

Now - Remove gimbal clamp on Mavic Pro
Power up Mavic Pro
Power Up an connect RC to Galaxy S5

Launch DJI GO 4
Now when the DJI GO 4 Map is displayed in the lower right corner tap on the Map itself to fill the screen.

Any difference?

Oh and the GPS on the Mavic Pro will still work properly to allow flight and since one can fly with just the RC alone then the RC knows where the Mavic is. If you look at the RC while flying it will report Distance (which is the Mavic's distance away from the RC) and Altitude (which is the Mavic's Altitude from ground level). The RC would not know these distances and altitudes without being aware using GPS and barometer.

You're a genius!

Yup, it all seems to be working now thanks to your advice mate. Now all i need to do is learn how to fly the thing properly!

Many thanks BDOG, you've been a great help.

Cheers,

Paul.