Autonomous Flight Possible With Mini 3 Pro

[threeofnine]

I own a lot of land in a very rural area. I used to use the litchi app to send my phantom 3 on autonomous missions to check out areas of my property. I remember when the Mavic Mini came out I was told all flight data was stored in the remote so operating outside of controller range wasn’t possible. Has this changed at all with the Mini 3 pro, or even the 2?

 

[RetiredInFL]

actually the data is stored in the drone ,and there may come a time when the Mini 3 pro is able to fly using third party Apps ,

As I am sure you know the Mini 2, the Air 2S and others use "virtual sticks" to control their "autonomous" missions when the SDK will allow 3rd party apps because the "missions" can't be (or DJI doesn't allow them to be) saved internally on the AC. I have always understood that with "virtual sticks" the AC must be in continuous contact with the RC or it will simply return home. If I am wrong, I am sure you and others will correct me but I think that to be the case. I believe the OP asked if these missions would continue if the AC was out of RC range as will his Phantom 3 and my former Mavic 2 would which I don't believe it will.

 

[old man mavic]

thankyou @RetiredInFL i did misunderstand the question and i have deleted my post

 

[vindibona1]

When the SDK comes out, hopefully faster than it did for the Mini 2, Litchi will be on it. I would suggest programming your missions on the computer via Litchi Mission Hub, then making sure your drone can see it, usually best from home where you have guaranteed wifi connection. Once you know it is recognized in Litchi at home, you can fire it up from the field.

But again, it will be awhile before Litchi supports the Mini 3.

 

[RetiredInFL]

When the SDK comes out, hopefully faster than it did for the Mini 2, Litchi will be on it. I would suggest programming your missions on the computer via Litchi Mission Hub, then making sure your drone can see it, usually best from home where you have guaranteed wifi connection. Once you know it is recognized in Litchi at home, you can fire it up from the field.

But again, it will be awhile before Litchi supports the Mini 3.

His question was: “……..when the Mavic Mini came out I was told all flight data was stored in the remote so operating outside of controller range wasn’t possible. Has this changed at all with the Mini 3 pro, or even the 2?”

SDK won’t help him nor will Litchi or any 3rd party app. It won’t do what he wants just like the Mini 2, Air 2, Mavic 3 or Air 2s will not either because they use virtual stick control which all resides in the App and not on the AC.

 

[Cymru]

Given DJI haven't even bothered with onboard waypoints on the Mavic 3 Pro (or the SDK) it say there's no chance they'll ever bring it to the Mini, even if the hardware can support it.

Since Mavic 2 DJI havent bothered. My suspicion is to leave it as a premium future for future Phantom and Inspires.

 

[Faster]

Add to this that Litchi or other apps won't work on the DJI RC because there is no way to install them on it. To make it simple, Mini 3P would get virtual sticks only missions when SDK is released and using other RCs different than the DJI RC.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

Anything using the Fly app will abort the mission and return home if RC contact is lost. There doesn't look to be onboard waypoints with any of their consumer drones in the near future. It doesn't matter what 3rd party app you are using, they are all virtual sticks from the Air 2 on.

 

[Brojon]

His question was: “……..when the Mavic Mini came out I was told all flight data was stored in the remote so operating outside of controller range wasn’t possible. Has this changed at all with the Mini 3 pro, or even the 2?”

SDK won’t help him nor will Litchi or any 3rd party app. It won’t do what he wants just like the Mini 2, Air 2, Mavic 3 or Air 2s will not either because they use virtual stick control which all resides in the App and not on the AC.

If I understand you correctly I think you are incorrect.
If you lose control while on a Litchi mission it continues to fly the mission.
Dunit many many many times.
The mission does not make the controller act like a puppet with fake stick inputs.

 

[Cymru]

No consumer end drones have had waypoints for a while now.
Not even the mavic 3 pro.

I suspect a lot is deliberate - safety and regulatory issues are huge with a UAS lacking all forms of detect and avoid or transponders operating with no ability for the ground to control them.

 

[Tufargon]

If I understand you correctly I think you are incorrect.
If you lose control while on a Litchi mission it continues to fly the mission.
Dunit many many many times.
The mission does not make the controller act like a puppet with fake stick inputs.

You are incorrect. All of the newer drones that use the Fly app have to be done through "virtual sticks" in their missions and when there is a loss of signal they will not finish the mission. They will execute whatever RTH setting you have it at.

 

[OldBlueHeron]

This is why I have kept the older drones specifically. That and nostalgia.

 

[RetiredInFL]

If I understand you correctly I think you are incorrect.
If you lose control while on a Litchi mission it continues to fly the mission.
Dunit many many many times.
The mission does not make the controller act like a puppet with fake stick inputs.

You are incorrect with any drone that uses DJI FLY out of the box. Those drones will all use virtual stick flight even when/if Litchi etc eventually support them and therefore will not continue a mission after LOS but will RTH. This is aircraft related with nothing to do with running Litchi or other 3rd party apps.

 

[Brojon]

You are incorrect with any drone that uses DJI FLY out of the box. Those drones will all use virtual stick flight even when/if Litchi etc eventually support them and therefore will not continue a mission after LOS but will RTH. This is aircraft related with nothing to do with running Litchi or other 3rd party apps.

Possibly you're right since none of my current drones use Fly.
If so that's a lame way of implementing waypoint missions.
*** - I looked on Litchi. It does indeed use virtual sticks with any Fly drone.
That sucks rocks. Good thing O3 is supposed to be pretty bulletproof.

AIR 2s BETA - Waypoints Signal Lost Option missing

it will do waypoints just fine for the dji air 2s or is there issues ?

forum.flylitchi.com

 

[Brojon]

This is why I have kept the older drones specifically. That and nostalgia.

Yeah I still have my original MP with internal SD card.
Too bad it only has around 20 minute flight time. I was looking forward to more elaborate missions with the 2S.
Now I'll have to test range first.

 

[Tufargon]

You're right since none of my current drones use Fly.
If so that's a lame way of implementing waypoint missions.
*** - I looked on Litchi. It does indeed use virtual sticks with any Fly drone.
That sucks rocks. The O3 will be virtual sticks also..

AIR 2s BETA - Waypoints Signal Lost Option missing

it will do waypoints just fine for the dji air 2s or is there issues ?

forum.flylitchi.com

FIXED!

 

[FlyFarFast]

I own a lot of land in a very rural area. I used to use the litchi app to send my phantom 3 on autonomous missions to check out areas of my property. I remember when the Mavic Mini came out I was told all flight data was stored in the remote so operating outside of controller range wasn’t possible. Has this changed at all with the Mini 3 pro, or even the 2?

This is such a valid use case. I also ponder the accuracy of sticks vs onboard waypoints for litchi missions. My use of Litchi with M1 was to repeat videos / photos at different stages of a project. I could launch the drone, and watch it fly the mission, rather than focus on the photography. I've chosen the M3Pro to avoid licensing and de-classification come Jan 2023. Now really considering a Mavic 2 for specific jobs, just for the missions on private land, it'll never be higher than 40m or more than 200m away, this is for personal documentation, not commercial work.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

As a Litchi user on one of my Air 2S drones, I can certainly confirm that the drone will RTH if the controller connection is lost.

 

[Alex Baxter]

Anything using the Fly app will abort the mission and return home if RC contact is lost. There doesn't look to be onboard waypoints with any of their consumer drones in the near future. It doesn't matter what 3rd party app you are using, they are all virtual sticks from the Air 2 on.

Anything running Go or Go4 can continue 'contact lost' Litchi missions. Last Go4 drone was the Mavic pro (I think).

 

[Cymru]

Anything running Go or Go4 can continue 'contact lost' Litchi missions. Last Go4 drone was the Mavic pro (I think).

Mavic 2 Pro