Ipad Mini 4 GPS and the Mavic

[Altomar718]

Hi All - Can you throw any light on this please? - The ipad Mini 4 has no GPS apparently but does work with locations services like Google Maps and the like. When I was looking to buy a Mini 4, I found out that the actual GPS units are only in cellular Ipads. Will the return to the device (as opposed to take off position) and 'Follow Me' work? Also, would maps have to be downloaded via WiFi before going to where are going to fly to use Waypoints for example.
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[msinger]

Will the return to the device (as opposed to take off position) and 'Follow Me' work?

No. All other GPS related features will work though (since they use data from the Mavic's internal GPS receiver).

If you need to use Follow Me and be able to reset the home point to your location, you could attach a Bluetooth GPS receiver to your iPad Mini. You can find some commonly used Bluetooth GPS receivers here.

 

[CamoGreg]

But the RTH works ???

 

[msinger]

Yes. RTH uses the GPS receiver in the Mavic.

 

[Altomar718]

But the RTH works ???

Yes - I cant get to the bottom of it all ... exactly that .... RTH works but if you read the stuff about the GPS on the ipad Mini 4, there is not one fitted !!

 

[CamoGreg]

If RTH works it's fine for me ! Don't use follow me.... active track is much better !

 

[CamoGreg]

I also think to buy an IPad mini 5 wifi 128go.... [emoji2]

 

[SeaComms]

Yes - I cant get to the bottom of it all ... exactly that .... RTH works but if you read the stuff about the GPS on the ipad Mini 4, there is not one fitted !!

Correct. As the Mavic takes off the gps in the Mavic records the actual take off position as this may be different to the controller position. The Mavic uses its internal gps to return to this position when a RTH is initiated. The gps in the tablet is required to change the RTH coordinates whilst in flight if you relocate and want the RTH position to be manually reset to your current standing location. For example if you take off from a boat then follow the boat along a lake then want to reset the RTH coordinates to where the boat now is.

All the apple devices for some reason only have a GPS in built if they also have the cellular option. The cellular option does not have to be activated to have the GPS work though. I have any iPad Air 2 with cellular but have no SIM card in it so I simply hotspot it to my phone for live map updates, but it uses the internal iPad gps to reset the RTH position. Without the internal GPS (or an external GPS connected by Bluetooth) you can not reset the home position or use the follow me mode.

 

[Altomar718]

What about maps? Do you open Go 4 app and load the maps (scroll around) the area you are going to fly

 

[SeaComms]

No, I hotspot to my phone to get live map updates. You could preload them into the cache but I prefer to have them live.

 

[Altomar718]

No, I hotspot to my phone to get live map updates. You could preload them into the cache but I prefer to have them live.

Thanks SeaComms, but I am not sure what that means - sorry ...

 

[pbzpln]

But using a hotspot (phone or otherwise) won't allow the Return-to-controller on a gps-less Ipad, correct? Or follow-me?
What if I decided mid-flight that I needed to return-to-controller instead of RTH for some reason or follow-me, could I disconnect my ipad mini 4 and connect my Galaxy S7? Not that I want to try...

 

[diabox]

If you hotspot a wifi only ipad to an iphone, the Apple AirLocation service will pass the iphone GPS data to the ipad. At least that was the case for the early ipads. I have a cellular ipad mini 4, so I can't test it.

 

[RaRaRasputin]

I purchased a Garmin GLO bluetooth gps system to use with my iPad Mini 4 Wifi

For the rare occasion that I use Follow Me or anticipate that I will be some distance away from the initial take-off point, it enables me to set a new home point.

I also always map cache the rough area I will be flying in case there is some problem with 3G/4G in that area. Some remote locations can be spotty for cell signal/data signal to the phone/tablet.

It is quite simple to cache the data, just open Go4, move the map to the area/location you will be flying pinch-zoom in and out so you get the detailed maps as well.

For iOS, don’t turn off Go4 after doing this

--

This is one of the rare occasions that Android has one up on iOs as you can download a map package from the Go4 home screen of the country you will be flying and you can turn off the device etc knowing the map is stored

 

[Altomar718]

I purchased a Garmin GLO bluetooth cps system to use with my iPad Mini 4 Wifi

For the rare occasion that I use Follow Me or anticipate that I will be some distance away from the initial take-off point, it enables me to set a new home point.

I also always map cache the rough area I will be flying in case there is some problem with 3G/4G in that area. Some remote locations can be spotty for cell signal/data signal to the phone/tablet.

It is quite simple to cache the data, just open Go4, move the map to the area/location you will be flying pinch-zoom in and out so you get the detailed maps as well.

For iOS, don’t turn off Go4 after doing this

--

This is one of the rare occasions that Android has one up on iOs as you can download a map package from the Go4 home screen of the country you will be flying and you can turn off the device etc knowing the map is stored

Great answer Ra Ra Rasputin - Thanks for taking the time to give the good information

 

[msinger]

But using a hotspot (phone or otherwise) won't allow the Return-to-controller on a gps-less Ipad, correct? Or follow-me?

No. GPS data cannot be shared via a hotspot.

 

[CamoGreg]

I purchased a Garmin GLO bluetooth gps system to use with my iPad Mini 4 Wifi

For the rare occasion that I use Follow Me or anticipate that I will be some distance away from the initial take-off point, it enables me to set a new home point.

I also always map cache the rough area I will be flying in case there is some problem with 3G/4G in that area. Some remote locations can be spotty for cell signal/data signal to the phone/tablet.

It is quite simple to cache the data, just open Go4, move the map to the area/location you will be flying pinch-zoom in and out so you get the detailed maps as well.

For iOS, don’t turn off Go4 after doing this

--

This is one of the rare occasions that Android has one up on iOs as you can download a map package from the Go4 home screen of the country you will be flying and you can turn off the device etc knowing the map is stored

But you are not with the Airplane mode with de iPad ??

So each time you flight somewhere, you download the map before ?? What if you go to adventures ??

 

[RaRaRasputin]

You can enable wifi with airplane mode enabled.

If your iPad is not cellular but you have an iPhone, you can set the iPhone as a hotspot and connect via wifi to your iPad to get the maps.

Always best to try and pre-cache the maps though before going out on adventures in case of no signal or poor signal coverage in those areas.

 

[CamoGreg]

I understand now !! Thks Rasputin !!

 

[Kilrah]

I also think to buy an IPad mini 5

If only that existed...