Amazon Fire HD 8

[pjarvo18]

I’m a new Mavic Pro owner and have been using an Amazon Fire HD 8 with no problems. Just wanted to pass along the screaming deal on them right now. The 32GB Fire HD 8 is currently on sale for $59.99 ($50 off) plus an additional 10% off with promo code “Save10off” dropping the price to $53.99 before taxes. Amazon says it’s a 48 hour sale but I’m not sure when it started.

 

[PT_Mavic]

One drawback of the Fire tablets is that they do not include GPS. But they're fine products for general tablet use in browsing, watching Netflix, IMDB etc. It's easy now to install Google Play Store and have full access to the Android environment, including modded versions of Go4 if you want to use them with Mavics.

I've bought three of the HD10 models when on sale for myself and family but have a Nexus 7 for flying with a Huawei Ascend XT ($40 a few months ago) with no SIM card as my backup display.

 

[Top Hat]

Got a killer deal locally on iPhone 6s+ 32 GB for $40 recently and happily enjoying it....NO SIM!

 

[pjarvo18]

One drawback of the Fire tablets is that they do not include GPS. But they're fine products for general tablet use in browsing, watching Netflix, IMDB etc. It's easy now to install Google Play Store and have full access to the Android environment, including modded versions of Go4 if you want to use them with Mavics.

I've bought three of the HD10 models when on sale for myself and family but have a Nexus 7 for flying with a Huawei Ascend XT ($40 a few months ago) with no SIM card as my backup display.

I don’t use the Follow Me feature so the lack of GPS is not too big of a deal to me. I am bummed I didn’t get my Mavic sooner to know about this so called “Wunderphone” of the Huawei Ascend when it was on sale. Still debating buying one from Walmart at the $69.99 retail price to have something a little more portable as a dedicated device.

 

[PT_Mavic]

I don’t use the Follow Me feature so the lack of GPS is not too big of a deal to me. I am bummed I didn’t get my Mavic sooner to know about this so called “Wunderphone” of the Huawei Ascend when it was on sale. Still debating buying one from Walmart at the $69.99 retail price to have something a little more portable as a dedicated device.

It's a great phone for $70 as well, IMHO. I don't know if you've ever seen one in person, but it's MUCH higher-quality than I was expecting for anything under a hundred bucks. It's undoubtedly subsidized by AT&T's prepaid system, but I don't need to connect it to the cell network, so that's fine with me.

 

[thebigbaddan]

FYI-- I have the Fire tablet. It's FABULOUS as a tablet. However, I do not use mine for my drone, as I think it stutters, and isn't as good as my phone in sunlight. However, it does run DJI Go. You can google directions on installing the Google play store on it... I run google apps and Chrome as my browser and it works great. I got mine for $29 refurb on Woot though...

 

[icebox1818]

Hmmmm. I think the Huawei ascend is a good idea. Having a dedicated device for a drone seems appealing to me. Not worrying about phone calls, endless notification.

 

[pjarvo18]

It's a great phone for $70 as well, IMHO. I don't know if you've ever seen one in person, but it's MUCH higher-quality than I was expecting for anything under a hundred bucks. It's undoubtedly subsidized by AT&T's prepaid system, but I don't need to connect it to the cell network, so that's fine with me.

I found an Ascend on Offer Up listed for $50, I asked if firm on price and the seller said he would take $30 for it. Score for me!!!

 

[PT_Mavic]

Hmmmm. I think the Huawei ascend is a good idea. Having a dedicated device for a drone seems appealing to me. Not worrying about phone calls, endless notification.

I wouldn't fly a drone any other way; my Nexus 7 and the backup Huawei are both stripped down, disconnected from DJI and fly in airplane mode only. Why risk an app crash in the middle of a flight?

 

[pjarvo18]

It's a great phone for $70 as well, IMHO. I don't know if you've ever seen one in person, but it's MUCH higher-quality than I was expecting for anything under a hundred bucks. It's undoubtedly subsidized by AT&T's prepaid system, but I don't need to connect it to the cell network, so that's fine with me.

What version of DJI Go4 are you running on the Huawei? Looks like the forums say some run current and some still run 4.1.15.

 

[PT_Mavic]

What version of DJI Go4 are you running on the Huawei? Looks like the forums say some run current and some still run 4.1.15.

I installed NLD-modded 4.1.22 on both my Nexus 7 and the Huawei - they've done some nice tweaking to this version to support new features while still leaving it unshackled from DJI. One neat new trick is to optionally support Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data from NASA so that Go4 now shows me altitude above the terrain beneath the Mavic instead of just elevation above my takeoff point (but it automatically switches to altitude from the bottom sonar when within about 50 feet of the ground for more precision when flying very low or landing). Unless you fly in very flat areas that's more useful info to have.

 

[Malcx]

I've been using an HD8 for a while as a dedicated MP device - a few times I've had a stuttering video feed, but mostly the screen doesn't do well in bright light and can be hard to see. I'm currently waiting on a £80 fairly high spec phone from China to arrive that supposedly has a much brighter screen...

 

[pjarvo18]

I installed NLD-modded 4.1.22 on both my Nexus 7 and the Huawei - they've done some nice tweaking to this version to support new features while still leaving it unshackled from DJI. One neat new trick is to optionally support Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data from NASA so that Go4 now shows me altitude above the terrain beneath the Mavic instead of just elevation above my takeoff point (but it automatically switches to altitude from the bottom sonar when within about 50 feet of the ground for more precision when flying very low or landing). Unless you fly in very flat areas that's more useful info to have.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it as a somewhat new Mavic owner. I will have to give this a try when I have some free time to get everything set up.

 

[pjarvo18]

I've been using an HD8 for a while as a dedicated MP device - a few times I've had a stuttering video feed, but mostly the screen doesn't do well in bright light and can be hard to see. I'm currently waiting on a £80 fairly high spec phone from China to arrive that supposedly has a much brighter screen...

I’ve used my iPhone 7 and HD8 as a monitor. Haven’t had trouble with either with video feed. Both are hard to see in daylight however. Will be testing out the Huawei Ascend XT2 “Wunderphone” tomorrow.

 

[PT_Mavic]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it as a somewhat new Mavic owner. I will have to give this a try when I have some free time to get everything set up.

If you're relatively new to the Mavic, take it slow and get very familiar with what you've got set up now, then make small tweaks as necessary as you go along - no need to make radical changes until you thoroughly understand your starting point.

Have fun!

 

[BlackFrog]

I’m a new Mavic Pro owner and have been using an Amazon Fire HD 8 with no problems. Just wanted to pass along the screaming deal on them right now. The 32GB Fire HD 8 is currently on sale for $59.99 ($50 off) plus an additional 10% off with promo code “Save10off” dropping the price to $53.99 before taxes. Amazon says it’s a 48 hour sale but I’m not sure when it started.

Hi there , I'm New to the Ma Vic air I also want to try the hd 8...it's 2019 now I was wondering if the tablet is working for you still..Thanks and happy flying I did download Google play and go4 wondering about litchi.

 

[pjarvo18]

Hi there , I'm New to the Ma Vic air I also want to try the hd 8...it's 2019 now I was wondering if the tablet is working for you still..Thanks and happy flying I did download Google play and go4 wondering about litchi.

Welcome!! I still use my HD 8 periodically to fly my Pro. I I have never used Litchi so I cannot comment on that, but for me, Go4 has been stable with very little lag. I do have a dedicated Huawei Elate (you can search “Wunderphone” on this forum if you haven’t seen this yet) phone that I use, and an iPhone 7 I use as well to fly. My HD8 is primarily used if I am flying with someone else who wants to see on a bigger screen what I am flying over.

 

[BlackFrog]

Thanks that is helpful..I did fly the other day and all went well..my concern is the tablet not having a gps signal...I assume the drone itself can determine the rth on its own...although I do not think I would fly far enough away to loose sight..have you heard of the fake gps apps?

 

[pjarvo18]

Thanks that is helpful..I did fly the other day and all went well..my concern is the tablet not having a gps signal...I assume the drone itself can determine the rth on its own...although I do not think I would fly far enough away to loose sight..have you heard of the fake gps apps?

The Fire does not have a GPS chip at all, so even spoofing a GPS location can be difficult. You do not need a GPS chip to fly, only if you want to change your home point after takeoff or use a follow me/active track feature. The bird itself has GPS and will lock at takeoff regardless if the tablet does or not. I normally fly about 2000 feet away, well within VLOS. I also have multiple Cree strobes and Lume Cubes on mine so I can see it from over a mile away if the area is flat enough, but normally use my phone when I fly that far out.