how does using Litchi cooperate with the DJI Fly app?

[Ronny St.]

Hello all,
Sorry for asking, but my searches on the internet did not provide me the answers I am looking for, so I will ask it here.
I am considering using Litchi besides the DJI Fly app in order to be able to do some FPV flights and experiment some other stuff (waypoints etc).
But I have no idea what will happen with the flight record of those flights. Untill now I have all my flights nicely in the DJI Fly app and that makes it easy to browse through. But when using Lictchi where will those flight records be stored? I am afraid it will not be stored also in the DJI Fly app and that would mess up my 'database' of previous flights.
And what with pictures or video taken during the Litchi flights? Were will they be stored?
I also have Airdata, but I did understand the flight data with Litchi will be transferred there automatically.
Thanks for answering, I am looking forward to explore new possibilities with my Mini 2
Regards from a sunny Belgium,
Ronny

 

[DJ Wes]

Hello all,
Sorry for asking, but my searches on the internet did not provide me the answers I am looking for, so I will ask it here.
I am considering using Litchi besides the DJI Fly app in order to be able to do some FPV flights and experiment some other stuff (waypoints etc).
But I have no idea what will happen with the flight record of those flights. Untill now I have all my flights nicely in the DJI Fly app and that makes it easy to browse through. But when using Lictchi where will those flight records be stored? I am afraid it will not be stored also in the DJI Fly app and that would mess up my 'database' of previous flights.
And what with pictures or video taken during the Litchi flights? Were will they be stored?
I also have Airdata, but I did understand the flight data with Litchi will be transferred there automatically.
Thanks for answering, I am looking forward to explore new possibilities with my Mini 2
Regards from a sunny Belgium,
Ronny

The answer to your subject (as it was originally worded before your edit) was "yes", they could interfere with each other. It is always suggested that only one of these apps is running at a time. You may need to "force close" the other.

DJI Fly flight records are stored in the DJI Fly app folder. Litchi flight records are stored in the Litchi app folder. However, both can be synced to your AirData account which provides a much better interface than anything DJI (or Litchi) provides on their own.

All pictures and videos are saved to the SD card in the drone no matter which app is used to fly your drone.

 

[Ronny St.]

Hi Wes and thanks for responding! I am seriously considering installing Litchi here and try it out
I must say I found a topic here in this forum at Litchi vs. DJI Fly - the good and the bad of each app where the only thing I am worrying about is the fact that stitching of panorama pictures does not work properly on Litchi and that is precisely something I use my Mini 2 a lot for.

 

[Ronny St.]

Well, I am considering installing it on my older smartphone (Motorola 4G) that does not accept the DJI Fly app. But then I suppose I will have to get me another simcard and I have none experience whatsoever to have another simcard. Do I require another phone number on that second simcard? What do I do to get my other smartphone to work with Litchi and don't I normally have to install there the DJI Fly app also to get Litchi working? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but as told, I have no experience of having another phone with another simcard

 

[Capt KO]

I have litchi on a few different devices (iphone and 2 iPads) and can switch between them seamlessly. The account is attached to you, not the device. If it has enough cpu, install and it will work as is. Note: you must choose/buy either ios or android with one account.
I have Fly and GO4 on these same devices but only have one at a time running, pause the others to avoid interference.

 

[Ronny St.]

I have litchi on a few different devices (iphone and 2 iPads) and can switch between them seamlessly. The account is attached to you, not the device. If it has enough cpu, install and it will work as is. Note: you must choose/buy either ios or android with one account.
I have Fly and GO4 on these same devices but only have one at a time running, pause the others to avoid interference.

Very interesting, I will just have to get a prepaid simcard to have internet connection. However, I just found out that my Motorola 5Gs has no built-in compass, so i guess I cannot use it for flying? Or am I wrong? Can't it fly without compass in the smartphone? If so, what are the consequenses?

 

[vindibona1]

Well, I am considering installing it on my older smartphone (Motorola 4G) that does not accept the DJI Fly app. But then I suppose I will have to get me another simcard and I have none experience whatsoever to have another simcard. Do I require another phone number on that second simcard? What do I do to get my other smartphone to work with Litchi and don't I normally have to install there the DJI Fly app also to get Litchi working? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but as told, I have no experience of having another phone with another simcard

To use an older smartphone with your drone you do not need a sim card. You will need to be able to connect it via WIFI so you can download the apps and updates. But DJI drones have a hard wire connector to the controllers. If you are going to use computer planned Litchi missions it is best that you confirm from home that your older phone sees the saved missions, which will download them. I have an old retired iPhone 6sPlus that I use on my Mini 2 and it works, just fine. I've also gotten an iPhone 5s to work as well. Of course with the older phones the processors are slower which could limit the response of the drone from the controller. But there should be no problem getting older phones to work in general as long as they're compatible to begin with.

 

[Ronny St.]

To use an older smartphone with your drone you do not need a sim card. You will need to be able to connect it via WIFI so you can download the apps and updates. But DJI drones have a hard wire connector to the controllers. If you are going to use computer planned Litchi missions it is best that you confirm from home that your older phone sees the saved missions, which will download them. I have an old retired iPhone 6sPlus that I use on my Mini 2 and it works, just fine. I've also gotten an iPhone 5s to work as well. Of course with the older phones the processors are slower which could limit the response of the drone from the controller. But there should be no problem getting older phones to work in general as long as they're compatible to begin with.

Thanks for responding! The sim card could be not the toughest problem, it might be the fact that there is no compass in the Motorola 5Gs and I have been looking to see if Litchi works on this phone whatsoever but for now I didn't found the answer (yet).

 

[Ronny St.]

Still searching for the answer to the question if Litchi needs a smartphone with compass to run normally, but not found yet, despite all my research on the internet. Maybe someone here that can provide me with the answer?

Update: just found the answer at HELP! Totally confused about phone/tablet compass need and purpose.. So I understand a compass is not needed and you will only 'loose' the blue triangle in the attitude indicator

 

[Firejay27]

I upload my flight records to AirData. Litchi and the DJI apps both support direct uploads so you never have to worry about missing a flight logs. I Hotspot my phone for my RCPro controller and the uploads take place pretty quickly after a flight ends.

 

[RGS2010]

Does Litchi still make you comply with DJI unlocking, etc.?

 

[Ronny St.]

Okay, finally downloaded Litchi on my Motorola 5Gs without problems and just tried out a first flight. It seems to be a superb app providing everything one needs Sync with Airdata is no problem and looks even faster than the DJI Fly app.
One little 'issue' however: the pictures or video taken are not stored to the smartphone to preview them, but it seems that they are still working on that for the Mini 2 so in the meantime one has to await landing and using the SD card for that purpose.
I went through all the settings and also found that some of the settings are not supported but I don't know if that is due to the used smartphone or the Mini 2. It might be they are still working on that also. I hope they will add the +30° of the gimball, though, since that comes sometimes handy.
My internet provider will sent me a free data-only sim card so that is another issue solved for me.
Conclusion: glad I decided to install Litchi on my old smartphone and looking forward to explore the extras on Litchi (follow, track, FPV, etc...)
Thanks to all who contributed to this topic!
Greetings from Belgium,
Ronny

 

[maelstrom]

glad I decided to install Litchi on my old smartphone and looking forward to explore the extras on Litchi (follow, track, FPV, etc...)

For the extra features you mention, Litchi uses the “virtual sticks” method with the Mini 2. The app has to calculate and send all of the necessary stick inputs to control your drone in real time. As a consequence, it needs quite a bit of processing power and you’ll probably find that using an old phone produces quite a jerky response from the drone.

 

[DJ Wes]

Does Litchi still make you comply with DJI unlocking, etc.?

The "flysafe" database and locking mechanism are all uploaded to the drone. If you are in an authorization zone, you wouldn't be able to fly using any app until the drone is unlocked using the DJI app. So, while Litchi does not "make you comply with DJI unlocking", the locking and unlocking still exist and must be handled by the DJI app.

 

[Meta4]

it might be the fact that there is no compass in the Motorola 5Gs

Like almost every phone you can buy, that one has a compass.

Motorola Moto G5S - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

 

[rexster1505]

For the extra features you mention, Litchi uses the “virtual sticks” method with the Mini 2. The app has to calculate and send all of the necessary stick inputs to control your drone in real time. As a consequence, it needs quite a bit of processing power and you’ll probably find that using an old phone produces quite a jerky response from the drone.

While that may be true, the waypoint flying with Litchi is jerky using the RC Pro with my Air 2S as well. Only slowing down the speed and adjusting the yaw stick sensitivity did I get smooth waypoint flying

 

[Ronny St.]

Like almost every phone you can buy, that one has a compass.

Motorola Moto G5S - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

Just to add some information: there are several versions on the market: the European version has NFC but no compass, and the American version has a compass but no NFC

 

[Horbury digi air]

I have litchi on a few different devices (iphone and 2 iPads) and can switch between them seamlessly. The account is attached to you, not the device. If it has enough cpu, install and it will work as is. Note: you must choose/buy either ios or android with one account.
I have Fly and GO4 on these same devices but only have one at a time running, pause the others to avoid interference.

Hi Captain KO, Can the app be used for different Drones i.e. can I use it on both my Mav pro and Mini 2 or will I have to purchase 2 subscriptions? Thanks

 

[Meta4]

Hi Captain KO, Can the app be used for different Drones i.e. can I use it on both my Mav pro and Mini 2 or will I have to purchase 2 subscriptions? Thanks

You can use the same app to fly multiple drones.