MA2 Startup Sequence Issue - GeoZone Limitation

[icecoldgin]

I encoutered a very interesting startup sequence issue this morning.

What did I do?

First, I powered on the MA2
Seond, I powered on the remote
Third, I connected the phone (android) then went into the Fly App

Guess what? I was asked to log in and the MA2 went into its geozone limitation.

I could not fly higher than 30m and farther than 30m. I said to myself WTHeck???? Is this an issue with the Fly App???? This is a bummer, I said to myself.

So I flew the MA2 back, landed, turned it off, turned off the controller, detached my phone from the controller, and exited the app.

Rested for about 5 mintues (with a lot of angst) and went out again with the following startup sequence:

First, mounted the phone on the controller, turned it on and connected it. Note that the controller is still off at this time
Second, powered the MA2
Third, turned on the controller and the phone went into the Fly App

Lo and behold, the geozone limitations are all gone. I was able to do my usual flight (80m altitude only this time) and due to very overcast weather, flew within a radius of 500m only.

This is the first time I realized that using the "incorrect" start up sequence can trigger this geozone limitation ?

 

[Meta4]

This is the first time I realized that using the "incorrect" start up sequence can trigger this geozone limitation ?

It can't .. your issue was not related to the startup sequence.
If you think it was, try to startup again the same way and see if you get the same result.
There is no incorrect startup sequence.

 

[icecoldgin]

It can't .. your issue was not related to the startup sequence.
If you think it was, try to startup again the same way and see if you get the same result.
There is no incorrect startup sequence.

So what do you think triggered the geozone limitations on altitude and distance earlier? The startup sequence was the only thing I did differently. ?

Actually, I am still puzzled but I would not like to experience that again. I am not going to repeat the process and just get some angst in the process. My heart is too weak for that ?

I will just stick to my good ol' proven startup sequence and rest easy

 

[DanMan32]

The AC will definitely go into limited range/altitude if you take off with the RC only and no app. If app disconnects after takeoff, then 'no app' limits are not applied, so don't worry if during flight the app crashes or cable disconnects.

Perhaps now AC determines state on power up as well as takeoff?

You also mentioned logging the app in. That too will impose distance/altitude limit. Perhaps this is the real reason you had the limitation. You only have to log the app in once. You don't have to do it every time the app is started.

 

[Meta4]

The startup sequence was the only thing I did differently. ?

If you are so convinced, it's very easy to test your theory and see if you can repeat the result.
But there is absolutely nothing in the startup sequence that could cause the issue you described.
It's the startup sequence I've used for years and many others do it to.
But no-one has ever had it cause the issue you ran into.
It was something else.

 

[brett8883]

I encoutered a very interesting startup sequence issue this morning.

What did I do?

First, I powered on the MA2
Seond, I powered on the remote
Third, I connected the phone (android) then went into the Fly App

Guess what? I was asked to log in and the MA2 went into its geozone limitation.

I could not fly higher than 30m and farther than 30m. I said to myself WTHeck???? Is this an issue with the Fly App???? This is a bummer, I said to myself.

So I flew the MA2 back, landed, turned it off, turned off the controller, detached my phone from the controller, and exited the app.

Rested for about 5 mintues (with a lot of angst) and went out again with the following startup sequence:

First, mounted the phone on the controller, turned it on and connected it. Note that the controller is still off at this time
Second, powered the MA2
Third, turned on the controller and the phone went into the Fly App

Lo and behold, the geozone limitations are all gone. I was able to do my usual flight (80m altitude only this time) and due to very overcast weather, flew within a radius of 500m only.

This is the first time I realized that using the "incorrect" start up sequence can trigger this geozone limitation ?

?

 

[icecoldgin]

If you are so convinced, it's very easy to test your theory and see if you can repeat the result.
But there is absolutely nothing in the startup sequence that could cause the issue you described.
It's the startup sequence I've used for years and many others do it to.
But no-one has ever had it cause the issue you ran into.
It was something else.

Interesting. Just sharing what happened earlier. I am 100% certain of the sequence and what happened.

Hope that mine was a fluke, an isolated incident. Perhaps just an incidental abnormality ?

 

[Meta4]

I am 100% certain of the sequence and what happened.

There's no way to be certain when you've only seen it happen once.
Particularly when many other flyers do exactly the same without it happening.

 

[icecoldgin]

There's no way to be certain when you've only seen it happen once.
Particularly when many other flyers do exactly the same without it happening.

Like I said, hopefully this was just an unwanted aberration

 

[icecoldgin]

By the way and to be sure that I was not just imagining the aberration, here are the pics of the flight in geo zone and the flight right after with my usual flight startup sequence.

All are screenshots from the Flight Data Center. Same area, same day, and the geo zoned flight and regular flight are just minutes apart.

I am still befuddled on how this happened and the only thing I did differently was the flight startup sequence ?

 

[volition]

By the way and to be sure that I was not just imagining the aberration, here are the pics of the flight in geo zone and the flight right after with my usual flight startup sequence.

All are screenshots from the Flight Data Center. Same area, same day, and the geo zoned flight and regular flight are just minutes apart.

I am still befuddled on how this happened and the only thing I did differently was the flight startup sequence ?

Correlation doesn’t always equal causation. There are too many factors at play to say for certain that was the cause.

 

[icecoldgin]

Correlation doesn’t always equal causation. There are too many factors at play to say for certain that was the cause.

Not sure what these other factors were. Exactly the same were the area, takeoff point, distance to MA2, electric poles still in the same place, cars still in the same place, time of day almost the same, etc. Like I said, the only thing I did different was the startup sequence.

Now you know why I am so curious as to why this happened. But I guess this incident will go the way of the Bermuda Triangle ?

 

[icecoldgin]

The AC will definitely go into limited range/altitude if you take off with the RC only and no app. If app disconnects after takeoff, then 'no app' limits are not applied, so don't worry if during flight the app crashes or cable disconnects.

Perhaps now AC determines state on power up as well as takeoff?

You also mentioned logging the app in. That too will impose distance/altitude limit. Perhaps this is the real reason you had the limitation. You only have to log the app in once. You don't have to do it every time the app is started.

I am always logged in. I have not logged off since the time I started using the Fly App.

It is possible that the earlier startup sequence logged me off automatically from the Fly App that is why it was telling me to log on again.

But the mystery remains - why was I logged off? And then when I did my usual startup sequence, I was logged back on - automatically.

Indeed a puzzler ?

 

[Dave Maine]

Another possibility is related to whatever caused you to need to log in again to DJI. This is definitely not normal, unless you logged out from DJI.

 

[tedledan]

I encoutered a very interesting startup sequence issue this morning.

What did I do?

First, I powered on the MA2
Seond, I powered on the remote
Third, I connected the phone (android) then went into the Fly App

Guess what? I was asked to log in and the MA2 went into its geozone limitation.

I could not fly higher than 30m and farther than 30m. I said to myself WTHeck???? Is this an issue with the Fly App???? This is a bummer, I said to myself.

So I flew the MA2 back, landed, turned it off, turned off the controller, detached my phone from the controller, and exited the app.

Rested for about 5 mintues (with a lot of angst) and went out again with the following startup sequence:

First, mounted the phone on the controller, turned it on and connected it. Note that the controller is still off at this time
Second, powered the MA2
Third, turned on the controller and the phone went into the Fly App

Lo and behold, the geozone limitations are all gone. I was able to do my usual flight (80m altitude only this time) and due to very overcast weather, flew within a radius of 500m only.

This is the first time I realized that using the "incorrect" start up sequence can trigger this geozone limitation ?

when you say "geozone" are you talking about the Do not fly zone?

 

[volition]

Correlation doesn’t always equal causation. There are too many factors at play to say for certain that was the cause.

Simple to confirm your theory then.
Repeat the start sequence as you state and you will have the same issue. Every time! If not every time there is another factor.

 

[TVQ]

Is it possible the app was updated? I had a case where I needed to re-login after I updated the app. As mentioned, the app would limit the alt & dst to 30m if not logged in. Just a thought.

 

[icecoldgin]

Is it possible the app was updated? I had a case where I needed to re-login after I updated the app. As mentioned, the app would limit the alt & dst to 30m if not logged in. Just a thought.

App was already updated and beforehand and I already flew this a number of time prior to this incident

 

[icecoldgin]

when you say "geozone" are you talking about the Do not fly zone?

We do not have a no fly zone here. However, as per UAV Forecast, half of the village is within the yellow radius of a heliport but in our area, we do not have the geofencing or geozone rules like in the US where you need to get permission to fly in certain areas. The only restricted areas here are airport and to a certain extent, public places with or without people. Some private properties here also regulate or prohibit drone flights though.

 

[icecoldgin]

Simple to confirm your theory then.
Repeat the start sequence as you state and you will have the same issue. Every time! If not every time there is another factor.

True but I will pass. Like I said above I do not want to experience that angst again just in case.

I would rather stick to my usual startup protocol and leave the testing to others, if they want to try this.

Just sharing what happened to me and seeing if there are others similarly situated. If none, then hopefully what I shared will add to the library of knowledge in this forum. If this goes by way of the Bermuda Triangle, then at least we know