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Mavic Pro dual controllers query

Davros007

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Hi All - two queries about using dual controllers with a Mavic Pro (1).
1) If you are flying with dual controllers, and the primary controller disconnects, will the drone remain under the control of the secondary controller or RTH?
2) Can you fly with the primary controller to a remote person, who has the secondary controller, who then syncs and takes over, and flys out of range of the primary controller (hence my first question), then flies back to within range of the primary controller and ‘hands back’.

Example: I fly to my mate who has climbed a mountain, then he flies it over into the next valley, takes pics then flies it back to my range and I re-sync and fly back to me.

Cheers, Dave
 
Hi All - two queries about using dual controllers with a Mavic Pro (1).
1) If you are flying with dual controllers, and the primary controller disconnects, will the drone remain under the control of the secondary controller or RTH?
2) Can you fly with the primary controller to a remote person, who has the secondary controller, who then syncs and takes over, and flys out of range of the primary controller (hence my first question), then flies back to within range of the primary controller and ‘hands back’.

Example: I fly to my mate who has climbed a mountain, then he flies it over into the next valley, takes pics then flies it back to my range and I re-sync and fly back to me.

Cheers, Dave
My response is based on theory and not because I have experience, but I am fairly certain in my response.

The secondary remote (slave remote) is actually connected to the primary remote not to the drone. It’s commands are relayed to the drone through the primary remote (master).

If the primary remote loses signal to the drone this also means the secondary remote loses signal.

A secondary remote can be paired with the drone while in flight as long as is able to connect to the primary remote and has already previously been set up as the secondary remote.

Only one primary remote can be paired with a drone at a time. To pair another primary remote requires pressing the pair button on the drone and this can’t be done in flight, obviously.

Your plan would not work, unfortunately.
 
My response is based on theory and not because I have experience, but I am fairly certain in my response.

The secondary remote (slave remote) is actually connected to the primary remote not to the drone. It’s commands are relayed to the drone through the primary remote (master).

If the primary remote loses signal to the drone this also means the secondary remote loses signal.

A secondary remote can be paired with the drone while in flight as long as is able to connect to the primary remote and has already previously been set up as the secondary remote.

Only one primary remote can be paired with a drone at a time. To pair another primary remote requires pressing the pair button on the drone and this can’t be done in flight, obviously.

Your plan would not work, unfortunately.
Interesting! Thanks- anyone confirm?
 
Interesting! Thanks- anyone confirm?
I can't confirm this at all.

Both remotes are bound directly to the Mavic Pro (same for M2P - I have dual controllers for both).

I've not tried your scenario, but their secondary controller can fly the drone without the primary provided both are bound directly to the Mavic; one is the primary as set on the app, the other the secondary.

You can link an occusync or occusync II controller to another controller, but I've only done this with my DJI goggles. That comes with a side effect where your phone or tablet, connected to the remote the goggles links through no longer displays the camera's image. I dislike the side effect so bought a smart controller so I can use HDMI and have screen and goggle display the camera's view.

I just verified this on my M2P. Should be the same for a Mavic Pro, Mavic Platinum Pro (been there, done that).

Just ensure you bind the remotes directly to the Mavic.
 
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I can't confirm this at all.

Both remotes are bound directly to the Mavic Pro (same for M2P - I have dual controllers for both).

I've not tried your scenario, but their secondary controller can fly the drone without the primary provided both are bound directly to the Mavic; one is the primary as set on the app, the other the secondary.

You can link an occusync or occusync II controller to another controller, but I've only done this with my DJI goggles. That comes with a side effect where your phone or tablet, connected to the remote the goggles links through no longer displays the camera's image. I dislike the side effect so bought a smart controller so I can use HDMI and have screen and goggle display the camera's view.

I just verified this on my M2P. Should be the same for a Mavic Pro, Mavic Platinum Pro (been there, done that).

Just ensure you bind the remotes directly to the Mavic.
Thanks!
I’d be interested to know what happens if both are synced, and you turn off the primary controller. Wondering if the secondary remains in control?
 
Thanks!
I’d be interested to know what happens if both are synced, and you turn off the primary controller. Wondering if the secondary remains in control?
My pleasure. I'll give it a try over the weekend. I'll do it with my Mavic Pro Platinum rather than my M2P since that's equivalent to your set up.

Stand by.
 
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My pleasure. I'll give it a try over the weekend. I'll do it with my Mavic Pro Platinum rather than my M2P since that's equivalent to your set up.

Stand by.
Cheers! Much appreciated! I bear no responsibility for said drone defaulting to “return to Wuhan, coordinates locked” on controller shutdown. But I’m still interested!
 
Cheers! Much appreciated! I bear no responsibility for said drone defaulting to “return to Wuhan, coordinates locked” on controller shutdown. But I’m still interested!
I'm in NY, so the hottest spot in the US for Covid-19 - courtesy of how easy it is to travel the world and freely move about while being an unsymptomatic carrier. I hope we don't approach Italy's level of crisis.

I'll ensure the home point is recorded and the return to home altitude is sufficiently high; basically do what I always do - I've got this covered.

Getting outdoors with my Mavics is a great way to leave the day to day challenges of keeping the technology for my company running while keeping my team of 18 engineers as viable as possible. I was hoping 9/11 would be the only crisis I had to manage through, I'll be happy to make this the last and enjoy flying as a distraction.

Stand by - looking forward to a cool, but precipitation free weekend.
 
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I'm in NY, so the hottest spot in the US for Covid-19 - courtesy of how easy it is to travel the world and freely move about while being an unsymptomatic carrier. I hope we don't approach Italy's level of crisis.

I'll ensure the home point is recorded and the return to home altitude is sufficiently high; basically do what I always do - I've got this covered.

Getting outdoors with my Mavics is a great way to leave the day to day challenges of keeping the technology for my company running while keeping my team of 18 engineers as viable as possible. I was hoping 9/11 would be the only crisis I had to manage through, I'll be happy to make this the last and enjoy flying as a distraction.

Stand by - looking forward to a cool, but precipitation free weekend.
Have a good flight and weekend! Hope everything works out for you!
 
My response is based on theory and not because I have experience, but I am fairly certain in my response.

The secondary remote (slave remote) is actually connected to the primary remote not to the drone. It’s commands are relayed to the drone through the primary remote (master).

If the primary remote loses signal to the drone this also means the secondary remote loses signal.

A secondary remote can be paired with the drone while in flight as long as is able to connect to the primary remote and has already previously been set up as the secondary remote.

Only one primary remote can be paired with a drone at a time. To pair another primary remote requires pressing the pair button on the drone and this can’t be done in flight, obviously.

Your plan would not work, unfortunately.
I have a new MPP on the way, along with another controller. I’ve wanted to try a dual controller for a while. Based on your theory, that implies the signal to the AC comes from the primary controller. And thus I can set up my monster amplified ground station as the primary controller outputting a strong signal (maybe choose an Omni antenna), while I walk around with the slave to better maintain VLOS in tight situations. Where can that be? Not sure yet... Just thinking ?.
 
I have tested this on my M2P with the original controller and a smart controller. After correctly pairing the SC as the primary and the original controller as the secondary. Here's the test:
  • I shut down the SC and the secondary controller retained control and automatically became "primary"
  • When I turned the SC back on it reconnected to the M2P and reassumed "primary" role. The original controller automatically switched back to "secondary" role
  • When I turned the secondary controller off it had no influence on primary
  • When I turned the secondary back on it automatically reassumed the secondary controller role
The controllers retain their primary and secondary role mapping after system shut down and restart:
  • I powered down all three; the M2P, the SC, and the original controller.
  • Then I powered them back on in this order: (1) SC, (2) M2P, then (3) the original controller
  • The SC automatically assumed primary role and the original controller assumed secondary role
By the way, in this last test I had removed the phone so the original controller was running without a smart phone display. It worked just fine.

I can see this setup being an option to have a redundant "emergency" controller to be used during high risk flights over water or other unrecoverable areas. If there is a lost link or crash of the SC then the secondary controller can be used to initiate RTH or otherwise control the M2P until the SC can be rebooted or link restored.
 
I have tested this on my M2P with the original controller and a smart controller. After correctly pairing the SC as the primary and the original controller as the secondary. Here's the test:
  • I shut down the SC and the secondary controller retained control and automatically became "primary"
  • When I turned the SC back on it reconnected to the M2P and reassumed "primary" role. The original controller automatically switched back to "secondary" role
  • When I turned the secondary controller off it had no influence on primary
  • When I turned the secondary back on it automatically reassumed the secondary controller role
The controllers retain their primary and secondary role mapping after system shut down and restart:
  • I powered down all three; the M2P, the SC, and the original controller.
  • Then I powered them back on in this order: (1) SC, (2) M2P, then (3) the original controller
  • The SC automatically assumed primary role and the original controller assumed secondary role
By the way, in this last test I had removed the phone so the original controller was running without a smart phone display. It worked just fine.

I can see this setup being an option to have a redundant "emergency" controller to be used during high risk flights over water or other unrecoverable areas. If there is a lost link or crash of the SC then the secondary controller can be used to initiate RTH or otherwise control the M2P until the SC can be rebooted or link restored.
Excellent test. Thanks!
 
I've been following up on this thread.
The one extra thing I've tried today is:
a) Drone connected to primary controller only.
b) Take off and fly to 200m away at 100m height.
c) Secondary controller powered up but I was 50m from the primary controller, 150m from drone. It wouldn't connect.
d) Moved secondary controller to within 10m of primary controller it would then connect.
e) Move Secondary controller back to 50m from primary controller and it still had full control.

This would suggest that the initial connection of the secondary controller goes via the primary but after that, occusync link is directly to the secondary.

I'm trying to use the secondary controller (smart controller in this case) to provide a video feed (via HDMI) to our search and rescue command vehicle with the pilot/primary controller at a remote location.

It appears the only way to do this is for the power up process and linking of controllers to be done at the command vehicle, launch the aircraft and then move to the search area which probably isn't feasible.

Any thoughts to the contrary?
 
It’s possible the controllers will remember the link configuration even after powered down. I haven’t tried this, but if so you may be able to power up and do the link in advance of the mission (at base), then power down until ready to begin. then turn on controllers when ready to fly. Would have to test to see if it works.
 
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