How i am Handling the GPS Waiting Game!

[Phantomrain.org]

So this is a problem for everyone , and the days of just laying your drone on the ground and waiting for Santa to give you a gift is over.

Now every Ft counts and I advise you to use every height Advantage you have. I am starting up my drone at 45 ft high and than the minute I can lift off I am up and than blowing my drone up with a huff and a puff and forcing it to gain Satellites to find 12 . You have to take advantage of when your drone is allowed to move and get that drone up in the air .. and if you have to bang up against the Ceiling Warning. height is the only advantage I have found.

If the home point registers over the equator somewhere just change it back using the Map Feature.
At least until they get this fixed, I keep trying to find work around's as 4 to 5 minutes is just to long .

If anyone else has any better system please post them. , but you cannot beat my blowing on the drone to raise it higher.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your M3 in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Mikero]

My average GPS lock is about 30 seconds on the Mavic 3. I have seen a recent video on YouTube where the guy is still without a good signal after nearly 5 minutes!

 

[Wade L.]

My average GPS lock is about 30 seconds on the Mavic 3. I have seen a recent video on YouTube where the guy is still without a good signal after nearly 5 minutes!

Yeah, I have to say that the GPS issue seems very inconsistent across different birds. Knock on wood, I have never had to wait more than about 20 seconds or so (typical is about 10 to 15 seconds) to get a good GPS signal and HP set on my M3, even after cold starts. So far I have only flown with the RC-N1 connected to a cell phone with constant 5G data connection. I’m not smart enough to know whether or not that would affect the issue at all, but I think I’ve seen that mentioned on other threads. It would be interesting to know if those who are experiencing the GPS issue are using controllers with no data connection (SC, Tripltek, etc.).

 

[Mikero]

I should add that I am using the RC-Pro with my M3

 

[Meta4]

I have only flown with the RC-N1 connected to a cell phone with constant 5G data connection. I’m not smart enough to know whether or not that would affect the issue at all, but I think I’ve seen that mentioned on other threads. It would be interesting to know if those who are experiencing the GPS issue are using controllers with no data connection (SC, Tripltek, etc.).

The controller & phone or tablet have no influence on the drone's GPS receiver and how long it takes to acquire GPS.

 

[bonzo]

3-5 minutes here. Bought the first few days it was out

 

[surfbird]

The controller & phone or tablet have no influence on the drone's GPS receiver and how long it takes to acquire GPS.

So you mean the AGPS data that is sent from the controller/phone is not used? How can you be so sure about that?

 

[Phantomrain.org]

So you mean the AGPS data that is sent from the controller/phone is not used? How can you be so sure about that?

So you can check this on your own and just put your drone out side and turn it on. Leave your controller off for 5 minutes and than turn your controller on , and you will notice you have a fair number of satellites already engaged.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your M3 in the Rain. Land on the Water .

 

[Wreckhunter]

Yeah, I have to say that the GPS issue seems very inconsistent across different birds. Knock on wood, I have never had to wait more than about 20 seconds or so (typical is about 10 to 15 seconds) to get a good GPS signal and HP set on my M3, even after cold starts. So far I have only flown with the RC-N1 connected to a cell phone with constant 5G data connection. I’m not smart enough to know whether or not that would affect the issue at all, but I think I’ve seen that mentioned on other threads. It would be interesting to know if those who are experiencing the GPS issue are using controllers with no data connection (SC, Tripltek, etc.).

The data connection has nothing to do with anything.

 

[Wade L.]

The data connection has nothing to do with anything.

DJI apparently disagrees with you.

Post in thread 'Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue'
Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue

 

[Meta4]

DJI apparently disagrees with you.

Post in thread 'Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue'
Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue

DJI's support people are useless if you want accurate information.
They frequently offer nonsense suggestions.
Check propellers are installed correctly was the first suggestion offered in that thread !!!
The issue is how/why the Mavic 3 is receiving so few satellites when there are many more available and why it takes so long to get good GPS location data.
That is independent of whatever controller etc you have.
The drone will/should get full GPS with no controller connected.

 

[Wreckhunter]

DJI apparently disagrees with you.

Post in thread 'Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue'
Official DJI Response to the GPS Issue

How much of what DJI says lately makes any kind of sense

 

[Wreckhunter]

How much of what DJI says lately makes any kind of sense

I run a Tripltek tablet with no data connection and all is just fine.

 

[NCDroneEdits]

So this is a problem for everyone , and the days of just laying your drone on the ground and waiting for Santa to give you a gift is over.

Now every Ft counts and I advise you to use every height Advantage you have. I am starting up my drone at 45 ft high and than the minute I can lift off I am up and than blowing my drone up with a huff and a puff and forcing it to gain Satellites to find 12 . You have to take advantage of when your drone is allowed to move and get that drone up in the air .. and if you have to bang up against the Ceiling Warning. height is the only advantage I have found.

If the home point registers over the equator somewhere just change it back using the Map Feature.
At least until they get this fixed, I keep trying to find work around's as 4 to 5 minutes is just to long .

If anyone else has any better system please post them. , but you cannot beat my blowing on the drone to raise it higher.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your M3 in the Rain. Land on the Water.
View attachment 142882

I have been doing the same shooting up right over my home spot so that it gains satellites faster and then sets the home point pretty much where it needs to be. Def helps recruit the satellites faster. The RTH is not as perfect as when you wait it is always a little bit off the landing pad but good enough.

 

[oztx]

FWIW, the problem could be as simple as bugged handling of the aircraft's real-time clock. In GNSS chipsets I've worked with in the past, satellite search is prioritized by what is expected to be overhead and after failure to lock to those satellites, the search is expanded to other satellites. The wrong time would have the aircraft looking for the wrong satellites and would create a large delay before the right satellites are acquired.

If the time is off by the right amount, I can see how the satellites expected to be overhead are low on the horizon -- and only visible in locations with no obstacles at all, or once inflight. If enough satellites low on the horizon can be acquired and a position fixed, the clock will be updated at that time and problem solved (at least temporarily).

The wrong time also makes A-GPS useless and in some cases would require a cold start and up to 12 1/2 minutes to acquire a position (for GPS).

 

[LeadSledGirl]

FWIW, the problem could be as simple as bugged handling of the aircraft's real-time clock. In GNSS chipsets I've worked with in the past, satellite search is prioritized by what is expected to be overhead and after failure to lock to those satellites, the search is expanded to other satellites. The wrong time would have the aircraft looking for the wrong satellites and would create a large delay before the right satellites are acquired.

If the time is off by the right amount, I can see how the satellites expected to be overhead are low on the horizon -- and only visible in locations with no obstacles at all, or once inflight. If enough satellites low on the horizon can be acquired and a position fixed, the clock will be updated at that time and problem solved (at least temporarily).

The wrong time also makes A-GPS useless and in some cases would require a cold start and up to 12 1/2 minutes to acquire a position (for GPS).

I wondered if they had an almanac problem. I also wonder if they are prioritizing Beidou satellites over using the regional constellation for the drones current location (i.e. use GSP for North America, Galileo for Europe, etc.)

 

[Dynamic Learning Machine]

Ok I just tested my regular M3 w/RC Pro Controller, (I have the Cine Premium Combo also) and I’m being careful with it especially.

I’m on the previous FW 1.5.8

Good gps spot from years of flying. The first boot up was 1:35sec. After that it locked in 20-30 seconds with 12 sats then jumped up to 17 sats at liftoff. Everything seems to work fine.

RTH was on “Brake” not APAS and it rose only to just over tree height but it didn’t stop like it’s supposed to do in “Brake” RTH mode but it came back and perfectly hit the landing mark twice.

I’m participating in the Drone Nerds M3 Symposium today so I’m holding tight with FW until I hear it from Gio Ruiz.

I’ll chime in here later after the Symposium.

This is my 101st DJI Drone.

 

[Dynamic Learning Machine]

Well the DroneNerds M3 symposium was great but nothing on the GPS/Home-point lock.

 

[jnnyr]

Yeah, it is a major frustration and I may shelve it and just use the 2 pro until they get this figured out.
Like you I try to lift it off as high as it'll go which can be sometimes only 4 - 5' and acquire more birds
and raise it again until I get more. Usually takes about 12 until you can really gain altitude. Even getting a strong signal means nothing as it invariably slips back to weak from time to time. This is pretty ****** of DJI and they
knew this all along. Trying to get a critical sunset pic the other night I had 0 Sats for 10 minutes. ******* ZERO.

 

[Dynamic Learning Machine]

There was a solar storm that was significant enough to knock a bunch of satellites of Space-X recently. Like 40-50 satellites fell and burned up in earths atmosphere.

Maybe the solar storm affected our drones also. I don’t really know much about the topic but others here may.