Does my mobile phone need a sim card and data?

[Helimad2]

Hi all

I will be purchasing a Mavic Pro but just wanted to ask what I hope is not a stupid question. I have a work Samsung Android phone with a SIM card and data coverage, however I don't really want to use that phone with my Mavic.

I also have a personal iPhone 5S which I use for music, podcasts, email, photos etc. but it does not have a SIM as I never make calls with it and use Wi-Fi for everything else.

Question - does the Mavic Pro need a mobile phone with a SIM card and data plan in order to operate the drone? Do I loose any functionality but not having data on the phone?

Thanks

 

[Mikero]

Hi,
No, you don't need a data connection as such but you do to activate the craft and to see the map. This, of course, may be done with WiFi if available.

 

[hellhole]

Can we pre download the map off site first.. Like from home?

 

[Helimad2]

Hi, many thanks for the reply. So if I have no Wi-Fi (and I probably wont if I am out and about), I wont see the map on the phone unless I have a data connection on the phone. Is that correct? All other functionality should work.

 

[chippie]

Hi, many thanks for the reply. So if I have no Wi-Fi (and I probably wont if I am out and about), I wont see the map on the phone unless I have a data connection on the phone. Is that correct? All other functionality should work.

You can cache the map at home over WiFi. Just go to the location you will be flying in, zoom in and pan around slowly. Then as a test, turn wifi off, go back into the app and see if it has cached properly to the smallest detail available.