Air2s SDK

EdStaffin · Sep 23, 2021

Here's a screenshot from DJI's site. Looks like we WILL have the SDK support at least on Android devices come the new year.
Yea!

Saladshooter · Sep 23, 2021

Its still a long way out..... we could really use support for the Air 2S and Mini 2 now.

GFields · Sep 24, 2021

Thanks for sharing

JetM · Oct 11, 2021

EdStaffin said:
Here's a screenshot from DJI's site. Looks like we WILL have the SDK support at least on Android devices come the new year.
Yea!

View attachment 135222

That's great news! Unfortunately I suspect the SDK is the crippled "Virtual Sticks API" (same as the Mavic Mini and Air 2 SDK's). So feature/functionality from 3rd party Waypoint products will have some limitations (e.g., Missions will not be completed if there is a loss of signal, you won't be able get smooth "curved" transitions between waypoints, etc). But hey I'll take something over nothing. I have to assume the DJI is completely out of the Waypoints game given that they haven't released Waypoints on any drone since the Mavic Air 1 in 2018. I'm okay getting waypoints from some of these 3rd party vendors (Litchi, DroneLink, etc.) if DJI would just provide a proper Waypoint Mode API for them like they use to provide.

Saladshooter · Oct 11, 2021

JetM said:
I have to assume the DJI is completely out of the Waypoints game given that they haven't released Waypoints on any drone since the Mavic Air 1 in 2018.

Don't rule waypoints out for the Mavic 3.... DJI may just be holding it back for their next pro tool.

JetM · Oct 11, 2021

We shall see....I hope they aren't out of the game but I hope they don't make Waypoints and exclusive feature of the M3. Any insider info?

spudster · Oct 12, 2021

JetM said:
That's great news! Unfortunately I suspect the SDK is the crippled "Virtual Sticks API" (same as the Mavic Mini and Air 2 SDK's).

That is most likely a limitation of the hardware and not a fault of the SDK. Just not enough memory in the hardware to pull it off.

JetM · Oct 12, 2021

spudster said:
That is most likely a limitation of the hardware and not a fault of the SDK. Just not enough memory in the hardware to pull it off.

Could be but I seriously doubt it. The amount of data that would need to be stored for even your largest mission is incredibly small...we are talking XXX's KBs. The SDK that DJI provided previously had the ability to upload Mission Waypoints to the Drone because they needed that same API to support their own Waypoint Mission functionality. However since completely abandoning Waypoint functionality DJI has opted to provide a simpler and inferior type of API (Virtual Sticks) for third party vendors to use. Why? Likely because it's simpler for them to support and they no longer needed it for their own native Waypoint functionality and/or they want to create an unfair advantage for their Waypoints should they ever decide to offer it again in the future.

lynnx · Oct 18, 2021

No iOS SDK for Mini 2/Air 2S/Mavic 3 for now

Mavic 3 without iOS SDK support and Mini 2/Air 2S only for Android for now

AZDave · Oct 18, 2021

JetM said:
Could be but I seriously doubt it. The amount of data that would need to be stored for even your largest mission is incredibly small...we are talking XXX's KBs. The SDK that DJI provided previously had the ability to upload Mission Waypoints to the Drone because they needed that same API to support their own Waypoint Mission functionality. However since completely abandoning Waypoint functionality DJI has opted to provide a simpler and inferior type of API (Virtual Sticks) for third party vendors to use. Why? Likely because it's simpler for them to support and they no longer needed it for their own native Waypoint functionality and/or they want to create an unfair advantage for their Waypoints should they ever decide to offer it again in the future.

I don't think that a memory limitation is as unlikely as you seem to think it is, given that DJI's native waypoint capability (fly there, capture the waypoint) for the MA2 is limited to four waypoints. Why would DJI impose that limit if memory wasn't a concern?

Besides, I remember a post here several months back where a forum member posted a reply from DJI saying that memory was indeed the reason they couldn't support autonomous waypoints. I don't actually believe that is the only reason. I still think the DJI has excluded support for autonomous waypoints in their recreational drones in order to defuse government worries about how their drones are used, but it could be that DJI limited the assigned memory in order to accomplish it.

In any case, there seems to be quite a few people here who have been able to get smoother turns than you have from virtual sticks based upon the comments I've read. I'd be interested to know what virtual stick programming techniques you use that give such crummy turns. Do you use additional waypoints closer together in turns? Do you stretch out the radius of curvature? Do you utilize the smoother gimbal settings? I suspect you don't bother with any of that.

JetM · Oct 18, 2021

If you were using Litchi with DJI's prior Waypoint SDK (not the Virtual Sticks API/SDK) you could have up to 99 waypoints and your mission would continue even if you lost signal. If DJI had a limitation of 4 waypoints then it must have been a limitation with DJI's Waypoint software not the hardware otherwise Litchi wouldn't have a limitation of 99. Litchi told me that getting curved waypoints was much more difficult with the Virtual Sticks API.

AZDave · Oct 18, 2021

JetM said:
If you were using Litchi with DJI's prior Waypoint SDK (not the Virtual Sticks API/SDK) you could have up to 99 waypoints and your mission would continue even if you lost signal. If DJI had a limitation of 4 waypoints then it must have been a limitation with DJI's Waypoint software not the hardware otherwise Litchi wouldn't have a limitation of 99. Litchi told me that getting curved waypoints was much more difficult with the Virtual Sticks API.

Good point.