Litchi Waypoint has focus bug

[Vlakvark]

I've hardly ever used "Auto Record". Usually I set "Start Recording" at the first- and "Stop Recording" at the last waypoint. I overcome the focus issue by pausing the mission, focusing and then continuing the mission, as described in my previous post.

Lately, as I gain more confidence, I am using Litchi less and less and do much more manual fpv flying with DJI Go 4, which I find much more responsive with less latency etc. and never has a focus issue!

However, after Litchi added the "relative to ground" altitude setting to their waypoints I have renewed interest in using Litchi again.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[Gernby]

After posting about this issue a few hours ago, I decided to go do some specific tests to isolate the exact scenario that would cause the blurry recording in a waypoint mission. However, after trying everything I could think of for 6 WP missions, I never was able to reproduce the issue. It seems that Litchi might have fixed the issue with their latest update.(1.15.5).

Here's what I tried:
* Turning on "Auto Record"
* Pointing the camera down toward the ground, autofocus on something very close, then intitiate mission
* Added POI's for the WP's to focus on
* Manually started recording prior to starting the mission while also autofocused on something close

In all cases, the longest amount of time that it was blurry was maybe 5 seconds after takeoff.

 

[Logger]

I've hardly ever used "Auto Record". Usually I set "Start Recording" at the first- and "Stop Recording" at the last waypoint...

This approach is of no use if you use curved turns though as Waypoint actions are disabled.

 

[Logger]

After posting about this issue a few hours ago, I decided to go do some specific tests to isolate the exact scenario that would cause the blurry recording in a waypoint mission. However, after trying everything I could think of for 6 WP missions, I never was able to reproduce the issue. It seems that Litchi might have fixed the issue with their latest update.(1.15.5)...

So seemingly whatever triggered the issue is not the "Auto Record" feature which by the way I use 95% of the time.
I see you fly litchi with ios. I use the ios app to program it and fly with android 3.10.4 beta 1090.

 

[Vlakvark]

This approach is of no use if you use curved turns though as Waypoint actions are disabled.

Waypoint actions still work for the first- and last waypoint when flying curved turns because there are no curves at these waypoint and the Mavic reaches them exactly!

I have flown many such missions and prefer to start the mission directly, without starting, taking off, focusing etc. before the mission. Immediately, after passing the first waypoint, I pause, focus and resume.

This is much more time efficient and the home point is always accurately recorded for a precision home point landing afterwards.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[Logger]

Waypoint actions still work for the first- and last waypoint when flying curved turns because there are no curves at these waypoint and the Mavic reaches them exactly!

Ah I stand corrected. So a good point to know for first and last WPTs.

I have flown many such missions and prefer to start the mission directly, without starting, taking off, focusing etc. before the mission. Immediately, after passing the first waypoint, I pause, focus and resume.

This is much more time efficient and the home point is always accurately recorded for a precision home point landing afterwards.

Yeah whatever works for you. I find pressing play when it is on the ground super time efficient too. It takes off automatically, starts the recording, flies to WPT 1 and as it does so I tap focus once. It then flies the complete mission, and Lands at last WPT which I have set in a safe position & stops recording. In terms of efficiency, hard to beat two taps of the screen from parked on ground prior to takeoff until shutdown after landing. Would only be a single tap if you are happy how the focus has been behaving lately

 

[Mtb Uas]

My experience: Tap to focus does not work during a Litchi Waypoint mission!

I've done many waypoint missions, up to 9.5 km round trip, using my iPad mini and this procedure has always worked well for me:

I start the mission, with the MP on the ground.
The MP takes off and ascends to the altitude of waypoint 1 and then flies to waypoint 1.
Up to this point the image is blurred.
I wait for the mission to start and then hit the pause button, just after it departs from waypoint 1.
The MP stops - image still blurred.
I "tap to focus" and wait for image to sharpen and then hit the "pause" button again, to resume the mission.
The mission completes with good sharp footage!
After completion it makes a perfect precision landing at the home point.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

This fixed my Litchi focus problem, thanks for sharing!

 

[Bullet3scape]

I bought Litchi about three weeks ago because I like the WP feature that Litchi offers. But I am facing the same focus issues with Litchi after weeks of test.

Same issues here with Litchi WP. latest firmware MP .0600, IOS.

Tried to tapped to focus something 30 meters then set focus to infinity but the video is immediately out of focus/soft/blurry.

Tab to focus before mission start sometime there will be partial blur in the video.

Taking video with other autonomous flight is fine.

 

[VilleB]

I had this issue and I did have Autorecord set. The only time this was an issue was one time when I was rushed and didn't focus after taking off. I think you are spot on about the Mavic focusing on a near point while it is still on the ground.

Same happens with GO app

 

[Mtb Uas]

I bought Litchi about three weeks ago because I like the WP feature that Litchi offers. But I am facing the same focus issues with Litchi after weeks of test.

Same issues here with Litchi WP. latest firmware MP .0600, IOS.

Tried to tapped to focus something 30 meters then set focus to infinity but the video is immediately out of focus/soft/blurry.

Tab to focus before mission start sometime there will be partial blur in the video.

Taking video with other autonomous flight is fine.

Did you try the work around that Vlakvark posted? It worked for me:
"I start the mission, with the MP on the ground.
The MP takes off and ascends to the altitude of waypoint 1 and then flies to waypoint 1.
Up to this point the image is blurred.
I wait for the mission to start and then hit the pause button, just after it departs from waypoint 1.
The MP stops - image still blurred.
I "tap to focus" and wait for image to sharpen and then hit the "pause" button again, to resume the mission.
The mission completes with good sharp footage!
After completion it makes a perfect precision landing at the home point."

 

[Bullet3scape]

I like the idea of Waypoint mission that Litchi

Did you try the work around that Vlakvark posted? It worked for me:
"I start the mission, with the MP on the ground.
The MP takes off and ascends to the altitude of waypoint 1 and then flies to waypoint 1.
Up to this point the image is blurred.
I wait for the mission to start and then hit the pause button, just after it departs from waypoint 1.
The MP stops - image still blurred.
I "tap to focus" and wait for image to sharpen and then hit the "pause" button again, to resume the mission.
The mission completes with good sharp footage!
After completion it makes a perfect precision landing at the home point."

Hi Mtb Uas, thanks for your tips.

I am experiencing out of focus issues in Waypoint mission using manual-exposure setting.

I don't doubt that my MP camera is defective. My footage looks great with DJI GO4 and Litchi using auto-exposure did great from the first week up.

Did my third test after spending some times reading each of your comments and following these suggestions but it does not fix the issue for me.

1. Turning off the Auto-record.

2. Fly my bird close to the starting WPT > Tab to focus > press start but getting uneven focus and bad soft spots after a few spin between WPT.

3. Tap to focus will come into focus but at the expense of another area it will becoming partial blurry (camera is incapable of keeping the whole frame in focus)

4. Set focus to infinity but the video is immediately out of focus/blurry.



I am going to have another test over this weekend.

Will try out the following tips.

1. Start WPT mission > pause in WPT1 > tab to focus > pause (resume) start recording.

2. Focus to infinity while in FPV mode, then switch to WP.


Hope it will work out well.

 

[Pol]

After reading all these reactions I've come to the conclusion that Litchi is a very expensive app without the ability to making a good focussed recording without having to walk through all kinds of "manuals" made by several other users of the Litchi app.

To the Litichi developers who might be reading this: Come on guys. Fix this!!!!
Make it possible to switch from auto focus to manual focus and back!!!!!!
Make your slogan come true: "Unlock the full potential of your DJI aircraft with Litchi"

 

[Budmancan]

I like the idea of Waypoint mission that Litchi



Hi Mtb Uas, thanks for your tips.

I am experiencing out of focus issues in Waypoint mission using manual-exposure setting.

I don't doubt that my MP camera is defective. My footage looks great with DJI GO4 and Litchi using auto-exposure did great from the first week up.

Did my third test after spending some times reading each of your comments and following these suggestions but it does not fix the issue for me.

1. Turning off the Auto-record.

2. Fly my bird close to the starting WPT > Tab to focus > press start but getting uneven focus and bad soft spots after a few spin between WPT.

3. Tap to focus will come into focus but at the expense of another area it will becoming partial blurry (camera is incapable of keeping the whole frame in focus)

4. Set focus to infinity but the video is immediately out of focus/blurry.



I am going to have another test over this weekend.

Will try out the following tips.

1. Start WPT mission > pause in WPT1 > tab to focus > pause (resume) start recording.

2. Focus to infinity while in FPV mode, then switch to WP.


Hope it will work out well.

When I fly Litchi Waypoints I set Focus To Infinity and always get great shots. Use the C1 button setting to alternate between Center Focus and Focus to play Infinity.

 

[Pol]

When I fly Litchi Waypoints I set Focus To Infinity and always get great shots. Use the C1 button setting to alternate between Center Focus and Focus to play Infinity.

What do mean by "Use the C1 button setting to alternate between Center Focus and Focus to play Infinity."
If I understand you right, do you mean that you can toggle between "auto" and "manual" focus?
If you can, please tell me how, because I don't see the possibility in Litchi Android

 

[Budmancan]

Once you are connected to the MP using Litchi go into settings and scroll down to the C1 C2 button settings. Two of the options are Center Focus and Focus to Infinity. I set C1 press to Focus to Infinity and the C2 long press to Center Focus. I set the C2 press to zoom in and C2 long press to Zoom out.

I generally will use Focus to Infinity but will use Center Focus and Zoom In for close up shots. Never have a focus problem.

 

[Pol]

"Two of the options are Center Focus and Focus to Infinity"
Sorry but there is no possibllity to "Focus to Infinity" in my Android version (v3.10.10) only "Centre Focus"

 

[halifax]

Vlakvark's solution worked for me. Launch to 30', load and start mission, off to WP1, hit pause, focus, hit pause again to continue, and good to go. Tried it on 2 missions tonight. Problem solved. Thanks VV!

 

[kanefsky]

Have you guys checked that continuous autofocus (also known as AFC or AF-C) is disabled? Otherwise it might not matter how you set the focus at the start of the mission because it may be trying to adjust focus continuously as the mission progresses (which often doesn't work so well).

 

[MaxS]

I don't have Litchi yet. But I have a question on this...
If I understand correctly, a Litchi waypoint path doesn't 'remember' focal distance. So... it will remember where to point the camera, but won't know or remember to re-focus.
My primary use for Litchi waypoints would be for the drone starting far away from a subject and then flying closer & closer to it and finally ending up very close to it.
Does this mean that while it's flying its waypoint path, that I would need to keep manually refocusing (by tapping) as the mavic progresses toward he subject?

I would recommend Autopilot which is much more advanced and does focus the camera correctly

 

[Pol]

Where can i find Autopilot? Is this Android? couldn't find it on Google play Store