Does the Mavic 2 Pro Controller have GPS?

[h27]

Hi, I'm a New Mavic 2 pro owner using IPAD mini 4 with no internal gps.. If I change the home point mid flight to return to controller will it update to a new controller position or does the Ipad Mini 4 need to have GPS..

 

[DanMan32]

No, it doesn't. It would rely on the mobile's GPS if you asked it to reset home point to remote's location.

 

[Keule]

does the Ipad Mini 4 need to have GPS.

Yes.

The remote controller does not have builtin GPS

 

[AMann]

Hi, I'm a New Mavic 2 pro owner using IPAD mini 4 with no internal gps.. If I change the home point mid flight to return to controller will it update to a new controller position or does the Ipad Mini 4 need to have GPS..

I’m using an old iPhone 6s plus, they work well even without cell service.

 

[Jerry]

I like to use my iPad to fly with and link it to my phones cell service via hotstop.

 

[CanadaDrone]

A note on the iPads - only the cellular models have GPS. Even the $1500+ iPad Pros do not get you GPS unless you go cellular.

 

[AMann]

A note on the iPads - only the cellular models have GPS. Even the $1500+ iPad Pros do not get you GPS unless you go cellular.

Or get a $100 Garmin GLO bluetooth GPS sender. - but used cell phones like the 6s+ cost about $150 and you dont need cell subscription to use the gps.

 

[parkgt]

Or get a $100 Garmin Nuvi bluetooth GPS sender. - but used cell phones like the 6s+ cost about $150 and you dont need cell subscription to use the gps.

You don't need a cell subscription with a cellular iPad to get GPS either. It is part of the hardware.

 

[AMann]

You don't need a cell subscription with a cellular iPad to get GPS either. It is part of the hardware.

Yeah, the ones without need the external Bluetooth GPS- either by hotspot or by other units like the Nuvi

 

[Meta4]

Having no GPS in the tablet is no big deal and makes almost no difference.
The only GPS the Mavic needs is the one inside the Mavic.
There are only two things that need a GPS unit in the tablet:
1. Follow me flight - no big deal since Active Track is better and doesn't need a separate GPS anyway.
2. Resetting home to the current location of the controller - used if flying from a moving car, boat etc
Again, no big deal since you don't want to drone to land on your car or boat and as soon as you reset the home point, it's out of date anyway.
The main reason to reset, is to prevent the drone from going back to the launch point when it believes it only has enough battery to go all the way back.
Resetting the home point to the current location of the drone is just as good.

 

[ac0j]

Having no GPS in the tablet is no big deal and makes almost no difference.
The only GPS the Mavic needs is the one inside the Mavic.
There are only two things that need a GPS unit in the tablet:
1. Follow me flight - no big deal since Active Track is better and doesn't need a separate GPS anyway.
2. Resetting home to the current location of the controller - used if flying from a moving car, boat etc
Again, no big deal since you don't want to drone to land on your car or boat and as soon as you reset the home point, it's out of date anyway.
The main reason to reset, is to prevent the drone from going back to the launch point when it believes it only has enough battery to go all the way back.
Resetting the home point to the current location of the drone is just as good.

So, in response to the question in the OP, having no GPS IS a very big deal then. for reasons you give both 1 and 2, because if he is active tracking himself, he may not want to go back where he started if the drone RTH (in this case)

 

[Meta4]

So, in response to the question in the OP, having no GPS IS a very big deal then. for reasons you give both 1 and 2, because if he is active tracking himself, he may not want to go back where he started if the drone RTH (in this case)

The OP didn't say he's active tracking but if he was it's still no big deal.
It would be just like flying from a moving boat.
He could simply reset the homepoint to the drone's location.
I do this all the time from boats and it makes no difference whether I set to my location or the drone's current location.
2 seconds after I reset, I'm not there anyway so near enough is more than good enough.

 

[ac0j]

Hi, I'm a New Mavic 2 pro owner using IPAD mini 4 with no internal gps.. If I change the home point mid flight to return to controller will it update to a new controller position or does the Ipad Mini 4 need to have GPS..

The answer to the OP is STILL, YES you need GPS.

 

[AMann]

Having no GPS in the tablet is no big deal and makes almost no difference.
The only GPS the Mavic needs is the one inside the Mavic.
There are only two things that need a GPS unit in the tablet:
1. Follow me flight - no big deal since Active Track is better and doesn't need a separate GPS anyway.
2. Resetting home to the current location of the controller - used if flying from a moving car, boat etc
Again, no big deal since you don't want to drone to land on your car or boat and as soon as you reset the home point, it's out of date anyway.
The main reason to reset, is to prevent the drone from going back to the launch point when it believes it only has enough battery to go all the way back.
Resetting the home point to the current location of the drone is just as good.

I never land from wherever I start- if Im mapping a canyon or site, I have to hike around to maintain VLOS and carry my spare batteries with me.

 

[AMann]

You don't need a cell subscription with a cellular iPad to get GPS either. It is part of the hardware.

My mistake- its the Garmin GLO I referenced - a stand alone bluetooth GPS unit for iPads and other tablets and cameras w/o GPS.

 

[Meta4]

I never land from wherever I start- if Im mapping a canyon or site, I have to hike around to maintain VLOS and carry my spare batteries with me.

Then you are one of the few flyers who could genuinely use a GPS in your tablet.
For most others, it's not needed.

 

[AMann]

Then you are one of the few flyers who could genuinely use a GPS in your tablet.
For most others, it's not needed.

Yeah, but its risky without - what if you have to move for any reason and then initiate RTH? And definitely forget about active track if you have it following you when you are moving somewhere else, you are just not going to get it back where you think it will be.

 

[Meta4]

Yeah, but its risky without - what if you have to move for any reason and then initiate RTH? And definitely forget about active track if you have it following you when you are moving somewhere else, you are just not going to get it back where you think it will be.

Risky?
Very few people fly while moving any distance from their launch point.
Those that do are usually aware of it.
I addressed your active track scenario previously.
In that situation resetting to the location of either the drone or the controller is equally useful and you only need GPS in your tablet to reset to the controller.
Someone tracking themselves should have a reasonable idea where their drone is anyway and be able to manually fly it back to themselves.

 

[ac0j]

Hi, I'm a New Mavic 2 pro owner using IPAD mini 4 with no internal gps.. If I change the home point mid flight to return to controller will it update to a new controller position or does the Ipad Mini 4 need to have GPS..

Yeah, but its risky without - what if you have to move for any reason and then initiate RTH? And definitely forget about active track if you have it following you when you are moving somewhere else, you are just not going to get it back where you think it will be.

I'll answer the question asked again.
YES, YOU WILL NEED GPS TO DO THAT.
Unless you change your question to "do I NEED to do that?"

 

[AMann]

Risky?
Very few people fly while moving any distance from their launch point.
Those that do are usually aware of it.
I addressed your active track scenario previously.
In that situation resetting to the location of either the drone or the controller is equally useful and you only need GPS in your tablet to reset to the controller.
Someone tracking themselves should have a reasonable idea where their drone is anyway and be able to manually fly it back to themselves.

I dunno, there are quite a few lost drone posts where RTH didnt go to where the OP’s were standing - because they moved.