Litchi app for Mini?

verslen · Oct 30, 2019

Does anyone know if the new Mavic Mini will be supported by the Litchi app?

Max-li · Oct 30, 2019

That would be amazing. If we could fly the mavic mini with litchi, so waypoint Missions werde posible and almost everything the Mp1 could do.

Probably it's the question if the sdk is availabal for the mini. But it should be, shoulnt it?

webvan · Oct 30, 2019

I wouldn't bet on that seeing as how the DJI software is so very crippled at this point...

msinger · Oct 31, 2019

verslen said:
Does anyone know if the new Mavic Mini will be supported by the Litchi app?

Litchi isn't sure if and/or when that'll be possible. See their email reply in this thread.

pmshop · Oct 31, 2019

verslen said:
Does anyone know if the new Mavic Mini will be supported by the Litchi app?

Asked on the Spark site

Litchi’s response to the Mavic Mini

Litchi Support (VC Technology Ltd) 31 Oct, 02:59 GMT Hi, At this time we don't know if DJI will add support for the Mavic mini in the DJI development kit (not to be confused with DJI Go/DJI Fly). If and when DJI does add support for this new drone model, then we will add support in Litchi. It...

sparkpilots.com

Max-li · Oct 31, 2019

Thanks for the hint. Okey, we'll see. it would of course make a huge difference, if one could use Litchi with Pano, Sphares, waypoints, follow me ...

Dave Maine · Oct 31, 2019

DJI Fly suggests that the mini operating system could easily have a new applications programming interface (API) that the one that supports Go4. That will give them tha ability to select what features are available to both Fly and any other 3rd party software. It is a choice that DJI will make as part of their marketing program, not a software limitation.

It will also allow them to control how they handle geofencing, altitude limits, distance limits, all the other constraints that folks bitterly complain about. It is not clear to me how many FAA requirements don’t apply to a drone this light.

webvan · Oct 31, 2019

Probably none other than not having to register !

cms3717 · Nov 3, 2019

You can fly this over people.

webvan · Nov 3, 2019

In which Galaxy ?

Dave Maine · Nov 3, 2019

Not in the US

Mavic 57 · Nov 3, 2019

Not in the UK, you still have to comply with UK drone code, or your in for a large fine.

cms3717 said:
You can fly this over people.

cms3717 · Nov 3, 2019

You may want to read up on pending updates to FAA regulations as a hobbiest for aircraft under .55 lbs aka 249 grams

Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People

The FAA proposes to amend its rules applicable to the operation of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This rulemaking would allow operations of small unmanned aircraft over people in certain conditions and operations of small UAS at night without obtaining a waiver. It would also require...

www.federalregister.gov

Volate!lo · Nov 7, 2019

Dave Maine said:
DJI Fly suggests that the mini operating system could easily have a new applications programming interface (API) that the one that supports Go4. That will give them tha ability to select what features are available to both Fly and any other 3rd party software. It is a choice that DJI will make as part of their marketing program, not a software limitation.

Exactly. I am quite sure MM will not be made compatible with the current SDK and will not allow Litchi to support it. Simply because if someone adds all those features missing from the DJI Fly app they would significantly hurt their larger drone sales.

Dave Maine said:
It will also allow them to control how they handle geofencing, altitude limits, distance limits, all the other constraints that folks bitterly complain about. It is not clear to me how many FAA requirements don’t apply to a drone this light.

The US is maybe the largest single market for drones, but tiny compared to the rest of the world.

For me 250gr makes a huge difference:
In Germany we have a regulation that allows FPV flights only within VLOS of a spotter. With <250gr the spotter may stay at home, and the VLOS requirement is gone if the flight is under 30m altitude.
Now I just hope the video & control range will be enough to make it worth it.

pauls931 · Dec 4, 2019

Hmm seems iffy. Someone else is getting my money this round, I really wanted to buy this, but I have some specific work I want to do requiring waypoints. Probably the Zino Pro or Fimi X8 will win this time.

GerdS · Dec 4, 2019

Volate!lo said:
Exactly. I am quite sure MM will not be made compatible with the current SDK and will not allow Litchi to support it. Simply because if someone adds all those features missing from the DJI Fly app they would significantly hurt their larger drone sales.

I am expecting that the SDK will support the Mini quite soon. Originally I also thought that the API might be totally different from the other drones, but a guy was able to fly a Mavic Air using the Fly app instead of GO4. So basic compatibility must be there.

For me 250gr makes a huge difference:
In Germany we have a regulation that allows FPV flights only within VLOS of a spotter. With <250gr the spotter may stay at home, and the VLOS requirement is gone if the flight is under 30m altitude.
Now I just hope the video & control range will be enough to make it worth it.

I am enjoying flying the Mini via FPV from the first day on. And yes, the range is sufficient.

MAvic_South_Oz · Dec 24, 2019

cms3717 said:
You can fly this over people.

Dave Maine said:
Not in the US

I'm not sure how far this has progressed, see 5:33 here, US / FAA info only.

RogerDH · Dec 24, 2019

GerdS said:
I am expecting that the SDK will support the Mini quite soon. Originally I also thought that the API might be totally different from the other drones, but a guy was able to fly a Mavic Air using the Fly app instead of GO4. So basic compatibility must be there.

I am enjoying flying the Mini via FPV from the first day on. And yes, the range is sufficient.

I hope you're right. I had just assumed that the Mini would support waypoints and points of interest, at least, before I ordered one. When I found that it didn't, I almost returned it. I decided to keep it, basically betting that Litchi will be able to support the Mini soon, because those are features I really want (and expected to have) to get well planned, smoothly executed, professional looking shots, and on the first try. If DJI decides not to support at least simple stuff like that in the SDK, I think they will be sending buyers to the competition rather than to their more expensive drones. The Mini is not competing against DJI's high end models -- it has no obstacle avoidance, no 4K video, no OcuSync, etc.