Litchi for search and rescue

[UD-4L]

I have been using DJI Go4 for my Mavic Pro and Goggles and have not updated any of my firmware for the past 6 months because everything is working well together without restriction. I have long been interested in Litchi waypoint missions but haven't bought the app because everything with my Mavic is working well as is. Now, I am planning on attending a volunteer drone search and rescue training session where they will be using Litchi to plan search grids. If I start using Litchi, am I going to need to do all the latest software updates for my Mavic and Goggles to operate with the new control app? Will updating all the firmware introduce any burdensome restrictions when I go back to using DJI Go4?

 

[TR Ganey]

I downloaded "litchi" to my ipad the other day and was successful in planning and flying some short missions with it. I have not had to update anything and all I had to do to go back to Go4 was select it during start up like I always have. I hope yours is as easy.
Looking forward to shaking hands with you at the training!

BTW: I am using a M2P but I assume it will be very similar if not exactly the same for your MP.

 

[Rnl]

And you can do a mission in Google Earth before bird even hits the air using vlm. It will show grid pattern as well.

 

[Rnl]

Camera angle everything to check aissuon before launch.

 

[RCdancer]

There are no burdensome restrictions. I fly with both DJI Go and Litchi, switching back and forth as needed. In fact the other day, I was trying to fly with DJI Go by the river and an alert popped up that I needed to acknowledge. Problem was that something happened in the DJI app on my mini-ipad and no matter what I did or how hard I clicked "ok", nothing happened. Since the drone was "hot" on the pad and ready to go, I merely switched over to Litchi - and bingo, took off and flew with no problems. Nice to have both options.

BTW - we're working on the training SAR scenario you guys will be flying on the 30th. I think you're going to find it challenging and have fun at the same time.

 

[TR Ganey]

Camera angle everything to check aissuon before launch.

I'd really like to do that but I've watched a couple videos on it and it's still a little fuzzy to me. Without someone taking the time to type out step by step instructions I think I will have to wait until I can be with someone that is comfortable with it and have them give me a one on one tutorial.

 

[Rnl]

Trust me I'm the same way, what I did was watch YouTube search there is a step by step, I hit pause about 100 times but my dumb *** got it to work.
Computers not my thing at all.

 

[Rnl]

Just take your time, walk away for awhile then go back at it, very, very cool tool.

 

[TR Ganey]

@Thunderdrones

I have an issue with my P4 that my brother will be using at the training. It isn't anything that will keep him from participating in the training but an issue that needs to be addressed regardless. I would greatly appreciate it if you could watch and listen to it and voice your opinion on what needs to be done.

Sorry for Hi Jacking the thread! Now back to the topic of "Litchi"!

I am impressed at how easy it was to get the program up and running and also how easy it was to lay out and fly that first mission. My biggest fear right now is ALTITUDE or the lack there of. I haven't flow a mission yet that I have not already flow manually to get the needed altitude settings.

 

[Former Member]

I have an issue with my P4 that my brother will be using at the training. It isn't anything that will keep him from participating in the training but an issue that needs to be addressed regardless. I would greatly appreciate it if you could watch and listen to it and voice your opinion on what needs to be done.

Is it flight related and is a P4, not P4P?

 

[RCdancer]

@Thunderdrones

I have an issue with my P4 that my brother will be using at the training. It isn't anything that will keep him from participating in the training but an issue that needs to be addressed regardless. I would greatly appreciate it if you could watch and listen to it and voice your opinion on what needs to be done.

Sorry for Hi Jacking the thread! Now back to the topic of "Litchi"!

I am impressed at how easy it was to get the program up and running and also how easy it was to lay out and fly that first mission. My biggest fear right now is ALTITUDE or the lack there of. I haven't flow a mission yet that I have not already flow manually to get the needed altitude settings.

You can set altitude relative to ground level by importing a waypoint path from google earth:

Keep in mind though that google earth doesn't know height of trees, etc. I always allow a margin of error.

 

[TR Ganey]

A little back story is necessary here. After I ordered my M2P (my first ever drone) in November I mentioned to a friend that I had ordered one. He replied that had he known I wanted one he would have sold me his hardly used Phantom 4. I asked him the price and on his reply I said sold. I had to give him a few days to find the charger and paperwork that came with it. Meanwhile my M2P came in and I started trying to learn how to fly it. When he got back with me so we could complete the deal I had already figured out that my plate was full learning what I needed to with the M2P and did not need to confuse myself by trying to learn two different platforms at one time. So I loaned it to my brother to learn to fly. He had not ever had a drone the quality of the P4 and really looked forward to learning it. I have only flown it twice. That was the first day I got it and gave it to my brother and this past Sunday. You asked me if it was a P4 or P4P. I cannot honestly answer that without calling him and asking him. I know it's sad but it's true. I am not a computer guy at all and I was so overwhelmed by everything that I didn't even want to look at it! LOL I know it will get better with time and some day I will look back and laugh but for right now I'm on a steep learning curve with the new drone, new computer, DaVinci Resolve 15 Studio, Litchi etc, etc.

As it flies through the air it's rpms surges very noticeably. It will do it in manual flight or in automated flight (RTH). I thought it was probably sensor related so I turned all the sensors off and it still did it. I'm sure someone could look at the flight data and see exactly what is going on.

 

[Former Member]

A little back story is necessary here. After I ordered my M2P (my first ever drone) in November I mentioned to a friend that I had ordered one. He replied that had he known I wanted one he would have sold me his hardly used Phantom 4. I asked him the price and on his reply I said sold. I had to give him a few days to find the charger and paperwork that came with it. Meanwhile my M2P came in and I started trying to learn how to fly it. When he got back with me so we could complete the deal I had already figured out that my plate was full learning what I needed to with the M2P and did not need to confuse myself by trying to learn two different platforms at one time. So I loaned it to my brother to learn to fly. He had not ever had a drone the quality of the P4 and really looked forward to learning it. I have only flown it twice. That was the first day I got it and gave it to my brother and this past Sunday. You asked me if it was a P4 or P4P. I cannot honestly answer that without calling him and asking him. I know it's sad but it's true. I am not a computer guy at all and I was so overwhelmed by everything that I didn't even want to look at it! LOL I know it will get better with time and some day I will look back and laugh but for right now I'm on a steep learning curve with the new drone, new computer, DaVinci Resolve 15 Studio, Litchi etc, etc.

As it flies through the air it's rpms surges very noticeably. It will do it in manual flight or in automated flight (RTH). I thought it was probably sensor related so I turned all the sensors off and it still did it. I'm sure someone could look at the flight data and see exactly what is going on.

Could be a few different things. Has it been crashed? Also, are there OEM DJI props on there?

 

[TR Ganey]

It had the original props with it when I got it. I went ahead and bought him some spares when I ordered mine. I know it had the original on it Sunday when I was checking it out. My brother flew it last and when he landed it on the back of my truck (fiberglass) he attempted to shut it of via pulling both controls down and out. It scooted across the cover and hit the back of the truck and damaged one prop. He has since mentioned that he had replaced the prop but I don't know if he put another oem on or if it is now aftermarket. I had ordered both.

As for the original owner crashing it? I am not 100% sure but I didn't see any damage and he said it hadn't been crashed. According to him he had only flown it 4 times and the recharge history on the battery reflect that.

It flies like it should without errors except for the pulsating rpms. Hopefully it's something simple the we are doing wrong that can be corrected without surgery.

 

[UD-4L]

Thanks for the input. So I am planning on downloading Litchi this weekend without updating my Mavic, goggles, or DJI Go4 firmware. Anyone out there suggest I take the plunge and update it all? I'm mainly concerned about no fly zone restrictions. Looking forward to meeting up with some of you at the DSAR training!

 

[Rnl]

I'm on 3.0400 with magic pro 1 been there forever, it works good. With fooled at least .0700 I think.

 

[Rnl]

I have no restrictions.

 

[Rnl]

Just got to thinking, there will be times search and rescue will be in no fly zones, how to deal with that needs looked at.

 

[Former Member]

Just got to thinking, there will be times search and rescue will be in no fly zones, how to deal with that needs looked at.

Applying for a Public COA vs. Part 107 Certification for Police and Fire Departments | Drone Pilot Ground School

 

[sludge]

And you can do a mission in Google Earth before bird even hits the air using vlm. It will show grid pattern as well.

How did you get it to show the grid pattern?