DJI GO4 app on the Smart Controller

[amstar]

Apparently the DJI GO 4 app on the smart controller is different from the standard DJI go4 app on the android Google play platform that downloads on our smart phones or tablets. This appears to be a customized a DJI go4 app that is made for this smart controller only and is integrated into the smart controller. It appears the hardware and firmware are tied together. For example the app on the android/iOS platform has gone on to 4.3.20 but it has stayed at 4.3.16 on the smart controller with no signs of upgrade. The upgrade of the app happens along with the upgrade of the firmware on the smart controller itself.There are also a lot of files on the controller which are jkson_mod github files. I’ve experienced no issues like disconnect with this app. The other Apps like Litchi work much slower on the smart controller and have issues like disconnect etc. much more than the Litchi app on an iOS tablet or phone where it’s extremely smooth.Wonder if there is a way to compare the performance of go4 app on the standard android platform and the app on the smart controller.

 

[paulatkin73]

they not 'tied together' - it uses a different SDK - if you recall it was the same reason original litchi could not connect to the SC, until new API SDK was published by DJI and litchi devs incorporated that into their code.

 

[amstar]

Litchi app worked once google services were installed. DJI released the SDK after installing the process to install google services and hence other flight control apps could be installed were already made public. But the point here is DJI designed and made a custom app and tab for its own flight app which is seems to be better from the generic version of the app which appears to have more bugs and has now required 4 more versions to address those.

 

[yankfanp]

Apparently the DJI GO 4 app on the smart controller is different from the standard DJI go4 app on the android Google play platform that downloads on our smart phones or tablets. This appears to be a customized a DJI go4 app that is made for this smart controller only and is integrated into the smart controller. It appears the hardware and firmware are tied together. For example the app on the android/iOS platform has gone on to 4.3.20 but it has stayed at 4.3.16 on the smart controller with no signs of upgrade. The upgrade of the app happens along with the upgrade of the firmware on the smart controller itself.There are also a lot of files on the controller which are jkson_mod github files. I’ve experienced no issues like disconnect with this app. The other Apps like Litchi work much slower on the smart controller and have issues like disconnect etc. much more than the Litchi app on an iOS tablet or phone where it’s extremely smooth.Wonder if there is a way to compare the performance of go4 app on the standard android platform and the app on the smart controller.

That is interesting! I have had the SC for about a month and cannot delete uploaded maps, there seems to be no process. I was able to delete them when I had the original controller. I have contacted DJI support and after back and forth emails, they still have no answer so I assume it is the app included with SC.

 

[amstar]

The Go4 app on the SC is a system app which is also somehow integrated with the bootloader. Tinkering with the Go4 app on the SC makes it unstable and when you again connect to M2 it undoes at least some of the changes you made. I’m not sure if deleting this version of Go4 and installing the play store version is a good idea because it’s not available for download anywhere else. Backing up the apk also seems to be limited. It is a combination of a custom OS with a custom app.

 

[amstar]

These are the system files including the bootloader. The apk you see is Go4.

 

[rangemaster728]

I recently received my Smart Controller and updated the firmware to .530 using Assistant 2.0.8 as recommended by DJI.

After all the updating was finished I cycled power and saw I had DJI GO 4 on the controller.

I then pulled out my Mavic Enterprise and paired it with the controller.

Immediately after pairing I saw some files being unzipped in the background and all of a sudden I had DJI Pilot as an app. This is fine, as it’s the recommended app for that aircraft, but now DJI GO 4 is nowhere to be found on the controller!

I opened a case with tech support; after 3 calls to them I finally got a link to the GO4 apk file (presumably the Smart Controller variant) but the controller says “the file may be corrupted”. Yeez.

Per their emailed suggestions:
1. I refreshed the controller firmware to .530.
2. I reset the controller to factory defaults.
3. I tested the SD card (it’s ok, and other apk files install just fine).

Their apk appears to be corrupt.

Has anyone else ‘lost’ GO 4 off the SC after pairing it with an Enterprise?

BTW...the Pilot app works just fine.
And no, I don’t have a Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom...just the Enterprise Zoom.

 

[amstar]

I recently received my Smart Controller and updated the firmware to .530 using Assistant 2.0.8 as recommended by DJI.

After all the updating was finished I cycled power and saw I had DJI GO 4 on the controller.

I then pulled out my Mavic Enterprise and paired it with the controller.

Immediately after pairing I saw some files being unzipped in the background and all of a sudden I had DJI Pilot as an app. This is fine, as it’s the recommended app for that aircraft, but now DJI GO 4 is nowhere to be found on the controller!

I opened a case with tech support; after 3 calls to them I finally got a link to the GO4 apk file (presumably the Smart Controller variant) but the controller says “the file may be corrupted”. Yeez.

Per their emailed suggestions:
1. I refreshed the controller firmware to .530.
2. I reset the controller to factory defaults.
3. I tested the SD card (it’s ok, and other apk files install just fine).

Their apk appears to be corrupt.

Has anyone else ‘lost’ GO 4 off the SC after pairing it with an Enterprise?

BTW...the Pilot app works just fine.
And no, I don’t have a Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom...just the Enterprise Zoom.

The only “smart controller” version of the DJI app you will have will be linked to the variant of M2 you are flying, that will be a system app.
Other apps you can download them from play store and they appear to work, albeit slower in my experience than in iOS.
With Pilot or Go 4 it’s going to be choice which the system installs depending on your equipment. The other version like Pilot for me was installed initially when the SC activates but once I paired with M2P more files were Go4 underwent a few more changes and Pilot was deleted, the “SC” variant.

 

[SBBob]

Apparently the DJI GO 4 app on the smart controller is different from the standard DJI go4 app on the android Google play platform that downloads on our smart phones or tablets. This appears to be a customized a DJI go4 app that is made for this smart controller only and is integrated into the smart controller. It appears the hardware and firmware are tied together. For example the app on the android/iOS platform has gone on to 4.3.20 but it has stayed at 4.3.16 on the smart controller with no signs of upgrade. The upgrade of the app happens along with the upgrade of the firmware on the smart controller itself.There are also a lot of files on the controller which are jkson_mod github files. I’ve experienced no issues like disconnect with this app. The other Apps like Litchi work much slower on the smart controller and have issues like disconnect etc. much more than the Litchi app on an iOS tablet or phone where it’s extremely smooth.Wonder if there is a way to compare the performance of go4 app on the standard android platform and the app on the smart controller.

I have three dji drones, all with smart controllers. Have been flying in class d airspace with FAA LAANC approval for months, however, dji is now overriding the FAA and will not allow the drone to fly unless a special unlocking process is followed. I can request and receive approval from dji, but to complete the unlocking, I need to log into my dji account. So far, the smart controller for my Phantom 4 Pro v2.0 does not allow me to log into dji go 4, it starts automatically when I turn on the controller. I can find the dji go 4 app in settings/apps, but clicking on the icon only gets me to a related app called DJIServiceForSpecialFunction which contains a warning against stopping the running of the dji go 4 app. I can find no means to log in as is required to unlock my drone. So far, no response from DJI. Hope I am not being penalized for spending more money with DJI.

Can anyone help? Thanks.