Flying the MV is distressing on its own, but not seeing anything on the screen due to the daylight..

[Bunny Too]

Hi Bunny Too,
My Shield is the old recalled one (not the K). It's still on 5.1 Lollipop and Mavic is 1.03.02. I only update if something is not working. I am running Go4 for the Mavic.

Thank you Fplvert, good to know.
Regards,
-d

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I read somewhere that the price would be closer to US $ 400 or so; now, as you say, the refresh rate is of the most importance when flying fast, so we will see how they perform when they come out. Talked about so much and still not out to the general public... wonder what the problem/s are....
BR,
Spanish Flyer.

Refresh rate is only one aspect, latency is actually more important IMO... Latency is the "lag time" between what is really happening and when you see it. Currently I believe the Mavic has about a 10ms on 720p and 20ms on 1080p. It might not sound like much but in close quarters it is easy to over control the aircraft and go bouncing off an obstruction...

Good tests here: Mavic latency test

 

[thatguy0329]

I'm starting to learn to accept that I have US $ 1,500 somewhere in the sky and that anything can happen to it, but not being able to see a thing on the phone screen is nerve wracking; the pleasure of flying turns into a nightmare. I have purchased and installed one of those screen hoods, but if anything it makes things worse, since I now see my ugly face as if I was looking into a mirror. I have adjusted the screen brightness to maximum and it makes a difference, but on cloudy days and with an ND filter it is just like flying in the dark. Not only you don't see an image, but when trying to reach some point or returning due to low battery is just guessing and most of the times failing in your route. The video you get out of that guessing is useless, flying like a really drunk driver/pilot. Returning home I always use the little red arrow and the track left behind, but I ask myself, where is the fun on that??.

Yesterday I took a huge black T-shirt and after taking off and aiming the MV in the general direction, I covered my head with the shirt, including remote and phone and I immediately noticed a HUGE difference; I could actually see where I was going and even enjoyed the scenery the craft was sending back.
That´s why I'm really looking forward to DJI's goggle release. In the mean time I will use my T-shirt or even something biger, like a dark blanket or similar.

Just wonder how many suffer from the same problem...

Best regards,
Spanish Flyer

Probably a stupid suggestion but have you tried messing with the wheel that changes the exposure. I flew on a sunny day once and my screen was a pitch black reclection I couldn't figure it out and then i spun the exposure wheel and i could see fine

 

[Robert Mitchell]

Lets see a pic of your setup please!!!!

I'm at work so I'll try to get you something this evening.

 

[Spanish Flyer]

Refresh rate is only one aspect, latency is actually more important IMO... Latency is the "lag time" between what is really happening and when you see it. Currently I believe the Mavic has about a 10ms on 720p and 20ms on 1080p. It might not sound like much but in close quarters it is easy to over control the aircraft and go bouncing off an obstruction...

Good tests here: Mavic latency test

That's what I tried to explain (using the wrong parameter); It's the time it takes the image to reach your screen from the drone what is most important... sorry
If slow, by the time you see branches you might already be tangled with them

 

[Spanish Flyer]

Probably a stupid suggestion but have you tried messing with the wheel that changes the exposure. I flew on a sunny day once and my screen was a pitch black reclection I couldn't figure it out and then i spun the exposure wheel and i could see fine

You are right; turning the exposure wheel (right one) does bring more light to the image, but then in most cases you are overexposing the video & or photo
BR,

Spanish Flyer

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Probably a stupid suggestion but have you tried messing with the wheel that changes the exposure. I flew on a sunny day once and my screen was a pitch black reclection I couldn't figure it out and then i spun the exposure wheel and i could see fine

...and your recorded video would be very dark as well :-(

 

[Fletcher500]

4 go outs under my belt now, and getting better at watching it disappear. It is a strange concept to adjust to. The shirt over the head is a good idea. I am also waiting for the goggles, and looking at some after market shade covers. And one thing I found out..novice drone flyers should not drink, even 1 beer, and fly. I was amazed how much it threw my depth perception off, which was already poor drurimg a night run. And no, I don't drink and drive.

 

[dbyantis]

If I see someone with a shirt over their head and controller flying a Mavic around then I'm going to push them and watch them fall down. I think that would be funny.

Like "cow tipping"?

 

[dbyantis]

...and your recorded video would be very dark as well :-(

And check your auto white balance AWB setting, if other than Auto, it might also change the view, if not Auto it might be set for sunny when it is not, etc.

 

[Robert Mitchell]

Lets see a pic of your setup please!!!!

I need reading glasses, so the lens cover. It can be left off, and the screen can be viewed directly, but I kinda like the magnification. It's kinda like poor man's VR goggles. The length of the "tube" is such that the screen is in perfect focus with the lenses. Also, the open bottom can be brought close to your body to close off reflections from there when needed.

 

[HFMan]

Currently the Mavic latency is more like 130-140ms,, not the numbers shown earlier. I've verified this myself. The goggles may be better (let's hope they are, 100+ ms latency is not very good.)

 

[Robert Granata]

I have found that if I remove my trousers and place them over my head with only a small viewing window through the half zippered fly it acts as a camera obscura and improves my screen viability; I also do not get as many distracting questions from bystanders when I fly that way. Glad to know I am not the only one who figured this out Spanish Flyer.
Regards,
-d.

Lets see a pic of your setup!!!
That was truly laugh out loud funny.

 

[SteveCA]

That is indeed very funny!

 

[Deadleg]

I'm starting to learn to accept that I have US $ 1,500 somewhere in the sky and that anything can happen to it, but not being able to see a thing on the phone screen is nerve wracking; the pleasure of flying turns into a nightmare. I have purchased and installed one of those screen hoods, but if anything it makes things worse, since I now see my ugly face as if I was looking into a mirror. I have adjusted the screen brightness to maximum and it makes a difference, but on cloudy days and with an ND filter it is just like flying in the dark. Not only you don't see an image, but when trying to reach some point or returning due to low battery is just guessing and most of the times failing in your route. The video you get out of that guessing is useless, flying like a really drunk driver/pilot. Returning home I always use the little red arrow and the track left behind, but I ask myself, where is the fun on that??.

Yesterday I took a huge black T-shirt and after taking off and aiming the MV in the general direction, I covered my head with the shirt, including remote and phone and I immediately noticed a HUGE difference; I could actually see where I was going and even enjoyed the scenery the craft was sending back.
That´s why I'm really looking forward to DJI's goggle release. In the mean time I will use my T-shirt or even something biger, like a dark blanket or similar.

Just wonder how many suffer from the same problem...

Best regards,
Spanish Flyer

I know exactly what you mean, and I know exactly how to fix it! You need to build a small hood and angle it at about 30 degrees to the screen. You lose very little by looking at the screen at an angle, and no more reflection of your face, or of the sky. I attach photos of my hood. I have also built a small platform for the mobile and angled this forwards by 25 degrees. The end result is that the hood angles back about 5 dergees with respect to the controller, and I find this perfect for viewing for extended periods.

I attach a photo to give you the idea. The mobile support is made of wood and the hood of fairly stiff plastic. The hood is held on by elastcated velcro and folds flat for transport. It works great, even in bright sunshine.

 

[Moose408]

Hoodman makes a nice hood for a phone or tablet. They have stretchy fabric at the bottom that allows you to reach your hand in.

Products in Phone Hoods - www.hoodmanusa.com

 

[plrogers1126]

Assuming you're not going to get sticker shock when you see the price of those goggles, here are a few other options that currently work with the Mavic:

• Epson Moverio BT-300 glasses
• Nvidia Shield K1 used along with any of these FPV goggles/glasses

Is this a better experience than a simple $50 pair of homido goggles. I love those but have not tried any of those much more expensive and complex solutions.

 

[Geezer]

Add me to the list of pilots frustrated by not being able to see the screen on my tablet in bright sunshine, made worse by the brilliant snowpack that's still here. In an attempt to see something, I made the hood shown in the attached photos out of some cheap Walmart felt fabric, some Coroplast I've had lying around, and 3M spray adhesive. It's better, but I'm still waiting for the bugs to get worked out of the Epson Moverio system. It folds up and straps to the Case Matrix case where my Mavic and its peripherals live. I riveted wrist and finger loops to hold the hood to my hands and hold the controller/tablet with the antennae sticking through the holes in the "roof". I still have enough finger movement to tap the tablet screen.

 

[Bigdz]

Hoodman makes a nice hood for a phone or tablet. They have stretchy fabric at the bottom that allows you to reach your hand in.

Products in Phone Hoods - www.hoodmanusa.com

I have this one for my iPhone 7plus definitely worth the purchase, fits on the Mavic controller only negative is; it is close to the sticks, but still easy to manipulate...

 

[msinger]

Is this a better experience than a simple $50 pair of homido goggles. I love those but have not tried any of those much more expensive and complex solutions.

All goggles/glasses offer a very different experience. I don't know if you'll think they are better than what you're using now since it's really a personal preference. If you like what you have, then there probably is no reason to venture on to something more expensive.