How many use Litchi ?

Storyline · Sep 15, 2018

I am quite a new owner and have been having issues with the official app.

Could any of the more experienced pilots have an educated guess what percentage of regular flyers end up using Litchi ?

It seems quite expensive but if it is that much better I might give it a go.

mikemoose55 · Sep 15, 2018

Litchi is expensive? last I knew it was about $25.00 fron the paly store.
Not insignificant money but only about 2.5% the price of a base package Mavic Pro.
If cost is an issue, (it is with many of us) then you most likely will have something other than a $1000.00 Iphone in which case DJI GO4 will freeze it like a deer in the headlights. Litchi is far less demanding on the phone / tablet processor and works way better than not working at all.
mikemoose55

Fplvert · Sep 15, 2018

Hi @Storyline,
I have no idea what percentage use Litchi, but they’ve been around since Phantom 2. Lots of downloads later, they continue to support DJI drones and as @mikemoose55 said, many devices run litchi with fewer problems than the Go App.

I like Litchi waypoints much better than DJI’s. You will, too! Thumbswayup

Don't Wanna · Sep 15, 2018

@mikemoose, are you running litchi app with your Mavic 2 now. I have it but have not tried it Yet. heard it does not support the Mavic 2 Pro or zoom yet. Where there an update? That allows that capability now? I am waiting so that I can use the new Mavic 2 to run the way points flights that I have saved form the first Mavic Pro using Litchi. For me it’s ease-of-use and options.

Fplvert · Sep 15, 2018

Hi @Don’t Wanna,
Litchi has a Beta for MP2. Email them and they will add you! They send an app called Test Flight to connect.

Don't Wanna · Sep 15, 2018

Thanks for the info. Have you been using the beta? Any changes? I fired my Litchi up the other day by mistake trying to boot up DJI app. and I saw the camera view on the screen. But did not even want to go there until I knew for sure it was fine.

Fplvert · Sep 15, 2018

It’s safe, cool thing works on my iPhone or iPad and have the same saved missions on both.

Don't Wanna · Sep 15, 2018

Fplvert said:
It’s safe, cool thing works on my iPhone or iPad and have the same saved missions on both.

I am so glad that I did not try to fly with litchi. The other day I got a screen of what the cam was seeing. I just tried it again, First time got image again. But it showed it was disconnected. tried to fire it up again and this time no image on the screen. Pays to play it safe.Thanks again.

mikemoose55 · Sep 15, 2018

Don't Wanna said:
@mikemoose, are you running litchi app with your Mavic 2 now. I have it but have not tried it Yet. heard it does not support the Mavic 2 Pro or zoom yet. Where there an update? That allows that capability now? I am waiting so that I can use the new Mavic 2 to run the way points flights that I have saved form the first Mavic Pro using Litchi. For me it’s ease-of-use and options.

No unfortunately I am only a Mavic Pro owner. I might get a mavic 2 someday but not untill DJI fixes everything they screwed up rushing this new and wonderful product out the door .
I think they tend to spend all their time hyping the next great thing. For example Mavic Platinum, Mavic Air, Spark and so on. Because they spend all that time and energy on the hype they do a pretty poor job of getting a clean product on the market. I am sure there will be 1000 horror stories associated with the MP2 series I will not even think about buying one until the Mavic 3 or Mavic 4 comes out next spring

.
Maybe some day DJI will stop selling the sizzle and actually try to sell the steak.
lastly i like Litchi, trying to get the best use out of it. As far as I am concerned GO 4 is only half a phrase! it really is GO 4 a Litchi Thumbswayup

mikemoose55

Don't Wanna · Sep 15, 2018

I agree, We want it all and We paid for perfection. But I’m also thinking when the next generation of Mavic 3 and 4 comes out. And whenever that may be. They too will have their problems until it’s worked out. Should I wait for Mavic 5 &6? Hell, I,m just thinking, I might not be here that long! Time is short, enjoy the moment. I don’t really need all the bells and whistle’s from DJI to be happy. But it sure be nice. And besides, that’s is why we have litchi! To make things Bearable. DJI did give us a steak. unfortunately, it was way undercooked but still better than overcooked still salvageable. Glass half full Always There is nothing wrong with the Mavic Pro. I have 2 of them and will never let them go. In fact, I just got someone into Flying. When and where else can you buy a state of the art drone like the Mavic pro at a price range of $600 and up used? It's a great time for someone getting into it now.

Fplvert · Sep 15, 2018

Time is short, fun shouldn’t be. I’ve enjoyed this hobby (and forum) very much. Sharing good experiences mostly!

Prmath · Sep 17, 2018

I bought it but I’m afraid to use it ...... ‍

......

Fplvert · Sep 17, 2018

j.r.r. · Sep 17, 2018

I'm not sure if I should even post in this topic because of being a new pilot without any experience. I bought my MP last June and due to heavy work load I was able to fly my drone just once before I took off for a 10 days trip to Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec last August. This trip gave me opportunity to fly my drone number of times and I used DJI GO4 with 7.85" CS. All worked very good with exception to footage. Flying and recording a video is very difficult task for newbie and more often then not the footage turns out to be crap

The trip didn't end up the way I planned, broke my left ankle and looks like I will be sitting at home till mid of October. But... the experience from my trip prompted me to look for some solutions to improve the way I record the videos. Reading this forum posts about Litchi way-point mission design ability was enough to purchase the license ($30 CAD --> C H E A P!) and install it on my CS. It is very easy to use app and ability to use it at home at front of a big monitor makes it so much better. In addition I can export my designed mission from Mission Hub as .csv file, then loaded to Google Earth Pro and view / play the route to see how my drone will be positioned against all surrounding obstacles, not to mention to view what my footage will look like. All this without even getting my butt of the chair.

My opinion is pretty much useless since I haven't flown my Litchi setup once but I already have few missions designed and ready to be tested once my ankle is usable again. Bottom line, Litchi app looks very promising and I cannot wait till I'am able to give it a real test(s).

Storyline · Sep 18, 2018

Hi j.r.r sorry to hear about your ankle but I think you are qualified to post and I appreciate it. In some ways we are a bit similar as I have not had my MP for very long but have not flown it much for various reasons.

I do not consider myself having an instinctive talent for filming but I know what I like so have spent a lot of time online assuring I have the best possible settings on the camera and have analysed filming techniques/movement on lots of other peoples films. I got the MP primarily to take film of our sailing holidays but after one cruise with fantastic weather the first one with the Mavic was not very good and I only had one chance to do any decent filming. As it turned out this did not matter as I didn't realise then how essential ND filters are so the day of my filming produced lots of over exposed footage. I have just come back from our final cruise of the season and again the weather was rubbish but had one day in a superb isolated island location. There happened to be one other boat in the anchorage and we met its owner whilst landing ashore in our dinghy. As it turned out this guy had built a small natural harbour for landing his dinghy over the years and this was his favourite spot in Scotland. The weather was good with blue skies and cotton wool clouds. I mounted the correct ND CPL filter and had a great subject so sent the Mavic up and put all I had learned into practice using my new custom damped gimble settings. After lots of silky smooth pans and swooping up and around I had used up two batteries. I could not wait to see the footage and show our new harbour designing friend. When I got back to the boat and took the SD card out and put it into my laptop I was not happy to discover all the videos had failed. I had a few stills but that was it. I do not think it was the fault of the app and blame a new SD card that I think might be fake. However I have lost a bit of faith in the app because of other glitches so hence my interest in an alternative.

Anyway, I digress, I do think I shouldn't have to buy another app to get the most out of the aircraft. Given Its cost I expect that DJI should have the best one available. Hence my view that Litchi is expensive but I take the point that if it is better then why spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar. I like your idea of planning way point flying. I assume you can alter the altitude as well as the latitude and longitude ? If you can, do I understand from your post that you can view a sort of virtual mission before the actual flight ? I have watched a lot of tutorials on making short films and editing them and they all say a similar thing which is to have a predefined plan of what you want to achieve. This also helps a lot when it comes to editing the footage. It sounds like Litchi could be really helpful in this respect.

j.r.r. · Sep 18, 2018

Hey Storyline,

Let me first answer your questions:
1. Yes, you can alter the altitude as well as the latitude and longitude of each way-point of the mission. The same applies to POIs (Point Of Interest). Way-points define the path your drone is going to fly where as POIs allows you to specify where camera of your drone is pointing.
2. Yes, you can view a virtual mission before the actual flight. Not sure how it is done on Macs, I use Chrome on Windows 8.1.

I strongly recommend you sign up to Mission Hub Mission Hub - Litchi, it is free. At this point you don't need to purchase a Litchi license. There are many tutorials on YT which show how to use it, this is one of them Mission Hub - Litchi.
In order to run virtual missions you need to install Chrome Virtual Litchi Mission extension and Google Earth Pro. This video show step-by-step instruction how this is done .

I assume you will ask how to safely specify altitude of way-points without actually being at the site to prevent your drone crashing into some buildings or trees. This is the method I use: .

The images below are one of my missions which I designed and going to test once my leg is fully usable. First image show my mission in Mission Hub, second in Google Earth Pro:

Good luck and fly save.

bkushner · Sep 18, 2018

mikemoose55 said:
Litchi is expensive? last I knew it was about $25.00 fron the paly store.
Not insignificant money but only about 2.5% the price of a base package Mavic Pro.
If cost is an issue, (it is with many of us) then you most likely will have something other than a $1000.00 Iphone in which case DJI GO4 will freeze it like a deer in the headlights. Litchi is far less demanding on the phone / tablet processor and works way better than not working at all.
mikemoose55

I use Litchi with VR goggles which is amazing for a total of $50 vs hundreds for DJI Goggles. Also when using goggles Litch has implemented camera controls so you can see and change your manual camera settings all from the controller on the fly. Amazin App, amazing support.

Storyline · Sep 20, 2018

OK guys you have fully convinced me - this mission planning sounds great and just the sort of thing I will like. One of the problems I have found on my limited flights is that once you have taken off it is easy to forget shots and angles you wanted. This way it can all be double checked first. Also, my flights are often over water and this means I get a bit (sometimes, very

) anxious about the safety of the Mavic - it is stupid because being over water should not affect flight characteristics but it is impossible to be rational sometimes. If I set off on a pre-planned mission I reckon I will be able to relax more.

Also, like bkushner I have a set of DJI Goggles but have not even used them yet as I have never had the opportunity to have someone to fly the aircraft while I watch in FPV. If the mission is flown automatically I can just wear them for that part and take off and land using Mk1 eyeball.

Edit: could not resist downloading the Virtual Litchi Mission app on my main pc. Talk about brain overload - now I am currently learning Resolve for editing the drone footage, House Designer Pro, a cad program for a building project I am starting soon and now these virtual missions together with Litchi. I have recently taken early retirement so have more time but when I explain to my wife how busy I have been during the day when she gets home from work she thinks I have just been messing on the computer and refuses to believe that any of it is actually intellectually demanding ! Seriously though, running my small company with offices in two continents was a walk in the park compared to the learning curve of the CAD program and to a lesser extent Resolve

blakes7fan · Sep 22, 2018

is DJI refresh still valid if third party apps like this are being used

Imtnbike · Sep 22, 2018

Storyline said:
I am quite a new owner and have been having issues with the official app.

Could any of the more experienced pilots have an educated guess what percentage of regular flyers end up using Litchi ?

It seems quite expensive but if it is that much better I might give it a go.

Let this tutorial help you decide if it’s worth the cost