Follow Me in an upgrade?

[birderlarry]

Does anyone know if a future upgrade will include a "Follow Me" option?
Thanks!

 

[old man mavic]

cant see it because of the lack of sensors

 

[scuds]

Lack of sensors and also DJI has this feature in higher end models, which they still want to sell.

 

[Chrislaf]

I think its possible via a third party app. Whether any third party app will tackle that function remains to be seen if DJI ever releases the SDK.

I know on my Phantom 3 Standard which doesn't have any sensors at all (no VPS or OA) it works perfectly and reliably via AutoPilot. Unfortunately AutoPilot is no longer being supported or developed and is iOS only.

Chris

 

[DanMan32]

P3 used app GPS coordinates rather than vision for follow me.

 

[TDZHDTV]

They could offer Spotlight

 

[Chrislaf]

P3 used app GPS coordinates rather than vision for follow me.

Yes it follows the device GPS or controller (whichever is more accurate). Regardless it has been super reliable.

I think Litchi and probably GO use vision which in my experience has not been reliable.

Maybe a couple bird party developers will have a Follow me function once the SDK is released. There seems to be lots of demand for it.

Even my Tello has a follow me app that uses computer vision and works surprisingly well.

Chris

 

[RogerDH]

Lack of sensors and also DJI has this feature in higher end models, which they still want to sell.

If that's really why DJI left out all the typical autonomous flight modes like waypoints, point-of-interest tracking, and course lock or tap-to-fly, then they deserve to lose sales to the Fimi X8 SE, the Hubsan Zino, the Parrot Anafi, ... actually, virtually any other GPS drone on the market (and if you read any forums for those drones, the Mini's lack of autopilot features is one big reason they definitely are losing sales). Active tracking is an extremely popular feature, and it's certainly not necessary to buy a $1000+ DJI drone to get it. My own theory is that DJI was in a rush to get the Mini to market and just ran out of time for fully developing the DJI Fly app. But if my theory is correct, perhaps DJI will eventually provide the features they need to be competitive. In the meantime, I've ordered a Fimi X8 SE 2020 because I want to use waypoints for some summer projects, and I don't have any confidence now that Litchi will be able to support the Mini anytime soon. If I like the Fimi, I may sell the Mini.

 

[scuds]

If that's really why DJI left out all the typical autonomous flight modes like waypoints, point-of-interest tracking, and course lock or tap-to-fly, then they deserve to lose sales to the Fimi X8 SE, the Hubsan Zino, the Parrot Anafi, ... actually, virtually any other GPS drone on the market (and if you read any forums for those drones, the Mini's lack of autopilot features is one big reason they definitely are losing sales). Active tracking is an extremely popular feature, and it's certainly not necessary to buy a $1000+ DJI drone to get it. My own theory is that DJI was in a rush to get the Mini to market and just ran out of time for fully developing the DJI Fly app. But if my theory is correct, perhaps DJI will eventually provide the features they need to be competitive. In the meantime, I've ordered a Fimi X8 SE 2020 because I want to use waypoints for some summer projects, and I don't have any confidence now that Litchi will be able to support the Mini anytime soon. If I like the Fimi, I may sell the Mini.

That's fair. My take on it is that they wanted to create an entry-level drone and left out these features on purpose, to make weight (more sensors for active tracking and obstacle avoidance = more weight), and to keep the price entry-level so they could make the drone entry-level.

Imagine a Mini with 4k, active tracking, obstacle avoidance, etc. It would cost a lot more than what I paid for it, which wouldn't make this drone entry-level. And I doubt they could cram all that into a < 250g drone either.

I also feel like they will sell a ton of MM's since they're getting under the restrictions limit for many countries (including mine) and that was the biggest reason why I purchased one. I wanted a bigger, better drone with more features (like tracking) but the MM gets me 75% or more of the way there without the headaches and I'm happy with that. I suspect most people will be as well.

Just my $0.02.

 

[RogerDH]

That's fair. My take on it is that they wanted to create an entry-level drone and left out these features on purpose, to make weight (more sensors for active tracking and obstacle avoidance = more weight), and to keep the price entry-level so they could make the drone entry-level.

Imagine a Mini with 4k, active tracking, obstacle avoidance, etc. It would cost a lot more than what I paid for it, which wouldn't make this drone entry-level. And I doubt they could cram all that into a < 250g drone either.

I also feel like they will sell a ton of MM's since they're getting under the restrictions limit for many countries (including mine) and that was the biggest reason why I purchased one. I wanted a bigger, better drone with more features (like tracking) but the MM gets me 75% or more of the way there without the headaches and I'm happy with that. I suspect most people will be as well.

Just my $0.02.

I'm strictly talking about software functions that are missing, which don't add any weight or cost. Obstacle avoidance is a great feature and a good reason to pay more, but it's not really necessary for any of the standard GPS drone autopilot functions -- otherwise, they wouldn't be standard functions.

 

[birderlarry]

Thanks for all the replies. I knew the lack of obstacle avoidance sensors was to keep the weight down, but It would seem to me if the mighty little drone can do those Quick Shots, then Follow Me could be part of those actions.

 

[Th3DroneroGT]

To be honest, if DJI is analyzing those points to avoid self-competition, it's wrong.

I mean how is it possible that the Spark, a 3 year old drone, is still better in some points than the Mavic Mini.

I am talking about the fact that this drone (the Spark) was almost the same price as the MM and had at least 1 anti-collision sensor (which didn't do much good) and had ActiveTrack and other intelligent flight modes. DJI still doesn't think about the potential that could be gained from the MM weighing at least 249g. I would love to have those flight modes if I visit tourist sites, the spotlight and some new intelligent modes of the Mavic Air 2 could be incorporated into the Mini.

But I repeat DJI still doesn't think that this drone has the special feature that its weight of 249g is easier to use in most places when traveling, it's a real shame that the Spark has more advanced flight modes and Activetrack.

I also think it would be the same if the Mavic Mini sold too much, I mean if someone wants a Mavic Air 2 or a Mavic Pro 2 or the drone that people are going to buy, I think it is silly to think that a 500 dollar drone will leave no room for the others.

It's worth mentioning that with the Spark you can broadcast live and control the manual battery level, something that you can't do with the DJI Fly. I wish DJI would read these suggestions and really improve that app once and for all.

 

[RichR]

Lack of obstacle avoidance sensors isn't really that relevant. As stated above most of the similarly priced (and quite a few cheaper) drones without sensors offer follow modes. My £200, four year old Hubsan H501S does for example. Even does an orbit tracking mode. The manual just warns that you need to be in an open area and to be high enough not to risk hitting the ground. They simply use the GPS location of the transmitter to determine which way to face, with better models (eg Zino, X8SE, Anafi) using the camera to lock onto the subject more precisely.

My view is that it's purely a marketing exercise to offer a few, very limited autonomous modes on the entry level Mini to encourage people to buy the more expensive Air if they want more. The Mini is aimed at being lightweight and easy to fly with a modest camera, ideal for beginners. Once people find they want more, then DJI would like them to buy a more expensive model with more features. I suspect quite a lot of people with Minis never even use the Quickshot modes at all.

I don't have any issues with that at all - it's perfectly sensible marketing given most of DJI's products are much more expensive than the Mini. It's like asking for the features on a top of the range car to be given to you for free at some point on a base model.

 

[Lastrexking]

It's like asking for the features on a top of the range car to be given to you for free at some point on a base model.

This encapsulates it perfectly. DJI has never advertised that the Mini will have follow me, or that it will be introduced. So, if you bought the Mini - you bought it with the feature set as advertised. If you wanted follow me on a drone, you should have bought a different model.

 

[Th3DroneroGT]

This encapsulates it perfectly. DJI has never advertised that the Mini will have follow me, or that it will be introduced. So, if you bought the Mini - you bought it with the feature set as advertised. If you wanted follow me on a drone, you should have bought a different model.

I think it's a very stupid idea that you have to pay a drone almost double the price of the Mavic Mini just to have a FollowMe function, I think it doesn't cost anything to incorporate that mode, the Spark had that mode and I didn't see it competing with other drones of the same brand. Well, maybe if DJI doesn't incorporate it, people will see other brandsm. ?‍

 

[Chrislaf]

Active Track is one of the reasons I kept my Spark and didn’t upgrade to the mini. Paying almost double to upgrade to the next model up, the Air, just for Active track and a few more features I don’t need is just not worth it for me.

If a third party developer like Litchi can implement Active track reliably and some other automated features like pano modes then I would consider the Mini a viable upgrade.

Chris

 

[JM.REYES]

Hello everyone. Once again, I think that the great decision to buy the Mini for me and for many users, was the WEIGHT. ACCORDING to where you live or at that moment, you can fly the mini in the city and above the houses and people, on the beach, a photo to that beautiful cathedral, etc ... WITHOUT HAVING TO REGISTER AND WITHOUT PAPERWORK. That said, I have apart from the Mini, my beloved P3, without sensors with all the characteristics that I would like the Mini to have, follow me mode, points of interest and planets. But in the city without permits and licenses I cannot fly it. I have a video recently placed in this great forum, of my new car, and I can tell you that I really would have liked to have the follow me mode for this video recorded with the Mini, I think it is ESSENTIAL. DJI has been confused and has been wrong, making the decision not to include these modes. We can not say that if we want to follow me, we spend twice as much on a larger model, IT IS NOT FAIR, because what many of us are looking for is the strength of the drone's weight.

 

[GizmoBowler]

From what I have seen, the Mini should be able to do Follow Me with the sensors it has.

I haven’t tried it myself yet, but apparently the Quick Shots do have a limited Active Track ability.

At about the 4:00 minute mark, this guy shows how the mini can follow a moving target.

Of course these are short missions, but they show that the concept is valid.

I can see this being a problem for DJI though because without obstacle avoidance there could be an increase in DJI Care claims with folks running into things. Yes the other quick shots have the same potential, but the flight path is more predictable and nobody intentionally crashes their drone (I hope ?).

Just my two cents ...

Dave

 

[RogerDH]

This encapsulates it perfectly. DJI has never advertised that the Mini will have follow me, or that it will be introduced. So, if you bought the Mini - you bought it with the feature set as advertised. If you wanted follow me on a drone, you should have bought a different model.

Apparently, that strategy makes sense to fans who think DJI is the only game in town, but the reason it's a stupid business strategy is that people who want that feature are buying different drones -- like, virtually any other GPS drone on the market. And no, it's not at all like providing features that cost the manufacturer more. When I bought the Mini, I simply assumed that it would support waypoints -- that's what GPS drones do -- and I still feel cheated that it doesn't.

 

[Deleted member 123354]

I have a $140 drone that follows me perfectly and has way points. It was disappointing not having them on the mini.