Are you having problems connecting to your drone, or losing connection after you do connect? Connection problems can be broken down into 2 groups.
1. Connection problems between your device and controller (the annoying one)
2. Connection problems between your controller and the drone (the scary one)
Connection problems are frequently misdiagnosed, and can lead to frustration and owner dissonance. It is important that you correctly identify which problem is the one you are experiencing, and what steps you can take to remedy it.
Im going to throw this one out to the forum. How would you solve the above situations, and what can you offer owners as a preventive measure in the future?
I'll reply to Number 1, the "annoying one" as I've had lots of experience with this one!
The first thing I do is everything I know to do to prevent disconnects like this.First, I followed the DJI Support website that explains precisely "How to Set up Android device"
1. I keep my device (an Android, Doogee Mix 4GB / 64GB cell phone) "clean" of free apps that "contaminate" the phone with adware. Nearly 100% of any apps on my phone are "pro-ad-free" "for pay" versions.
2. I do NOT use the USB provided by DJI, but purchased a high quality, braided data-sync USB cable.
3. I do NOT connect cable to the charging port on the Controller, but instead connect to the USB port at the bottom. (I ONLY use the charging port for charging; plus I installed a magnetic USB connector on the Controller so as not to wear out that connection point on the Controller).
Before each flight, I run a "cleaner" app that cleans up RAM memory so that I have the maximum percentage of RAM available for DJI Go 4 to use (usually 75% to 80%).
4. I do NOT connect the USB to my phone until AFTER I start up Controller 1st, then turn on the aircraft 2nd. Once the Controller and Aircraft are connected THEN I plug the USB connection to my phone and allow that connection to "trigger" the DJI Go 4 App.
5. Once I have good GPS, first thing I look for is a good "compass" by comparing the compass reading on the screen with the actual direction I have the drone headed.
6. Once I take off, I'm VERY conscious of the bars showing the strength of the signal between the drone and the controller; and I try to maintain VLOS- but I'm one of those guys that does not fly VLOS "legalistically" as as some.
If I lose connection between the Controller and the Phone- and I still do once in a great while, I IMMEDIATELY seek to get the drone back to home.
1. If I KNOW that I'm flying UNDER 150' AGL, I immediately go for some altitude of 200' - 250'.
2. I quickly establish state of the battery, then the location.
3. If I have LOTS of battery, AND an eye on the drone, I MAY choose to hover and attempt to reconnect my phone.
4. First attempt is to disconnect and reconnect USB; if that fails, 2nd attempt is to shut- down / restart DJI Go App; if that fails 3rd is shut down / restart phone. ALL these assuming I have an eyeball on the drone, plenty of battery, and plenty of altitude.
5. If I'm lacking all of these, or my efforts fail, I'm getting my bird home PDQ, fasted method!
6. Last resort, if I have lost VLOS, is using RTH and Controller screen read-outs to get drone home.
