Active Track , what am I doing wrong?

[KBF]

If I walk it will track me, but when I want it to track me on a tractor or even a golf cart it usually gives a message starting with 'can't switch subjects .....', sometimes it has the person icon instead of a vehicle even though I've drawn the box around the vehicle, but loses me immediately, once out of 30+ attempts it came up with the vehicle icon, tracked me for maybe two seconds then lost me.
I've tried being really close the tractor fills the frame, mid distance, far away and zooming in .... What am I doing wrong? Or has active track got something against tractors??

 

[GadgetGuy]

You are exceeding the limitations of the vehicle detection algorithm. Tractors most likely don't fall within the active track detection algorithm for traditional vehicles. Golf carts are also likely outside the vehicle detection algorithm, based upon your experience. Try a real car or truck instead for a happy "vehicle detection" experience with active track.

 

[KBF]

You are exceeding the limitations of the vehicle detection algorithm. Tractors most likely don't fall within the active track detection algorithm for traditional vehicles. Golf carts are also likely outside the vehicle detection algorithm, based upon your experience. Try a real car or truck instead for a happy "vehicle detection" experience with active track.

ok understood. I'll try my truck just to test that's it's working but that makes it unusable for recording footage for our farm blog and for customers. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Cafguy]

Put a reflective sign with a simple pattern on it made with black tape somewhere on the tractor and try- It just may work!

 

[KBF]

Put a reflective sign with a simple pattern on it made with black tape somewhere on the tractor and try- It just may work!

hmmm..... maybe a sign written in Chinese saying 'US Top Secret' ....
Well, I'll give it a try. Thinking on what @GadgetGuy said though, maybe there's just not enough 'vehicle' about a tractor like sheet metal and shape?

 

[360 Guy]

Maybe tie a balloon on the tractor.
Just a guess.

 

[GadgetGuy]

ok understood. I'll try my truck just to test that's it's working but that makes it unusable for recording footage for our farm blog and for customers. Back to the drawing board.

You can always still fly it manually and just follow the tractor or golf cart. Not that difficult.

 

[KBF]

You can always still fly it manually and just follow the tractor or golf cart. Not that difficult.

I'm usually pretty busy when I'm on the tractor, I'll only go and drop the rc or crash the drone

 

[GadgetGuy]

I'm usually pretty busy when I'm on the tractor, I'll only go and drop the rc or crash the drone

Technically, under VLOS, even with active track used in this manner, you'd need at least a spotter to keep an eye on the drone. Just make it a drone pilot instead, or switch places, and let them drive the tractor, while you pilot the drone.

 

[KBF]

Technically, under VLOS, even with active track used in this manner, you'd need at least a spotter to keep an eye on the drone. Just make it a drone pilot instead, or switch places, and let them drive the tractor, while you pilot the drone.

I'd have the controller with me and my tractor is open station so I'd be able to see the drone at any time so I'd still be within regulation.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I'd have the controller with me and my tractor is open station so I'd be able to see the drone at any time so I'd still be within regulation.

I'm sure you are on private property, and driving a tractor on private property shouldn’t require a driver's license, so other regs about flying a drone from a moving vehicle wouldn’t apply either.

From a practical standpoint, as you mentioned earlier, the divided attention of being pretty busy on the tractor, while simultaneously piloting the drone might not end well. However, there are mounts made to secure the controllers to bicycles and motorcycles. Perhaps you can modify one for the tractor, or make a DYI controller mount on the tractor console, to eliminate the risk of dropping the controller. Then, whenever you take your hands off the sticks, due to a tractor distraction, the drone will still safely just hover in place. No risks of crashes that way!

Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

[Cafguy]

I used to follow myself around on my golf cart with my Mavic Pro Plat. BUT even doing that I couldn't keep a good enough eye on the drone, I could hear it fine but turning corners near stuff made me wanna watch the drone while I was trying to drive. every time I stopped watching the drone I could see a tree in my mind grabbing my drone.