Mavic Pro - Update or not?

[wailermon]

I've had my Mavic Pro for over a year now, and quit updating shortly after getting it since I was concerned forced updates by DJI would either limit my flight areas or introduce updates that could goon up my perfectly flying drone. I have kept my tablet in airplane mode ever since so it could not be forced into updating via DJI. I am only now, a year later, starting to have connection issues with my ASUS 10" Android tablet and have been considering doing the updates to hopefully correct the issues I'm starting to have (multiple attempts to connect and stay connected).

Do you think the updates will correct the connection problems? How likely am I to introduce other issues by doing the updates? What has been your experience with updates?

 

[Mossiback]

Before you update first consider:
• Available memory on your tablet.
• Insure no other apps are running.
• Remove unused apps. One could be causing a conflict.
• Look closely at the USB port on the tablet. Some lint or dirt could be causing an intermittent connection.
• Try a different USB cable.
• Completely shut down and restart your tablet.

I have not updated Go 4 or firmware in over a year myself but I occasionally need to clean up my tablet to free up resources.

 

[LarryM]

If it has worked for a year as is then I would try a new USB cable first. Check the DJI GO app revision to make sure it has not updated by itself somewhere along the line (if you don't have auto update turned off). Very generally newer DJI GO4 revisions work phone and tablets harder than the older ones (I think the phones get too hot), and the video feed starts to pixilate or the app just freezes up (disconnects). In my experience the controller is still working - you can fly but can't see the video feed.

Sometimes you might see the app having problems on a hot day, and not so much when it is cooler.

What DJI GO4 revision are you using?

 

[wailermon]

Before you update first consider:
• Available memory on your tablet.
• Insure no other apps are running.
• Remove unused apps. One could be causing a conflict.
• Look closely at the USB port on the tablet. Some lint or dirt could be causing an intermittent connection.
• Try a different USB cable.
• Completely shut down and restart your tablet.

I have not updated Go 4 or firmware in over a year myself but I occasionally need to clean up my tablet to free up resources.

Thanks for the feedback. To respond . . .

~ There is plenty of room on the internal memory AND a 32GB micro-SD card.
~ I keep it in Airplane mode, and NO other apps are ever running.
~ I did go back and remove a couple more apps, but there were very few to begin with, other than the B4U Fly, Hover, and DJI 4 GO
~ I checked the micro-USB port, and it is clear. I brushed it anyway, and blew it out.
~I have an extremely robust aftermarket cable that I use, that is resistant to crimping or breaking. Both connectors look fine, and it works fine when I tried it between my computer and a card reader.
~Shutting down while flying is not ideal, but could be done.

My problem starts immediately when I try to connect. I get the DJI GO 4 welcome screen and it freezes, or will continue until I get video through the camera, and then will close or ANOTHER iteration fo DJI GO 4 attempts to open, but only gets to the welcome screen. I am forced to close ALL apps and try again. This can occur several times, but eventually I get one good connected app and am able to fly. Sometime that goes fine, other times it disconnects (I'm not that far away, usually less than 1/2 mile with no interference). Sometimes it reconnects on its own, and sometimes I have to close the app and reopen.

Maddening at least. It can cause great anxiety when I'm far out of sight in a new area.

 

[wailermon]

If it has worked for a year as is then I would try a new USB cable first. Check the DJI GO app revision to make sure it has not updated by itself somewhere along the line (if you don't have auto update turned off). Very generally newer DJI GO4 revisions work phone and tablets harder than the older ones (I think the phones get too hot), and the video feed starts to pixilate or the app just freezes up (disconnects). In my experience the controller is still working - you can fly but can't see the video feed.

Sometimes you might see the app having problems on a hot day, and not so much when it is cooler.

What DJI GO4 revision are you using?

I just checked.
App version 4.0.2 01.03.0600

Auto update has been turned off the whole time, and the tablet remains in airplane mode. Never had these issues until about 3 weeks ago. Not sure what changed. I'm a creature of habit!

Yes, I'm in Florida, and it has been warm. But I was in the mountains of NC about a week ago, and had the same startup problems noted above. Had one loss of video when I was a mile out in the mountains. =0 I restarted the app and got signal back and no other events while flying.

 

[Mossiback]

...~Shutting down while flying is not ideal, but could be done...

I meant to shut down the tablet and restart before taking off. I had to do that with mine on one version of Go 4.

It sounds like you covered my suggestions. Perhaps your tablet updated the OS. Mine keeps wanting to update and I keep cancelling it. Now it won't let me install any new programs until I do.

Good luck to you and post your fix if you find one.

 

[bushie]

I know a lot of users here are paranoid about updates but i have always installed them and have all the most up to date firmwear and Go4 installed with zero problems.

 

[LarryM]

I'm assuming your RC controller is still connected and that you can control the mavic with that. If you are far away it's a little hard to see which way the drone is flying but the RC gives you the distance away and you can see if it is getting closer or further away. Anyway fly conservatively while you get this straightened out.

Since there is a possibility the app software is corrupted I would be tempted to delete the GO4 app and reload the same revision. You can download the old ones from apkmirror.con - search for DJI. The link for the 4.0.2 is at DJI GO 4--For drones since P4 4.0.2 APK Download by DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD - APKMirror

I don't think you will be able to find older Mavic firmware so if you update firmware you will need much more recent revisions. Still it mostly seems like it's the DJI GO4 app that is causing the problems.

Hopefully someone else with an Asus tablet can tell you what software they are using. I used an old Insignia Android tablet for half a year; the video feed was pretty flakey especially by the second or third battery and that tablet got worse with software upgrades. I bought an Huawei Ascend XT2 (called the Wunderphone in a lot of old forum posts) for $49 last year, and a second one for $80. It has been pretty robust with most of the DJI app revisions. A lot of Android users with app problems seem to go off and buy Apples. Good luck.

Oh, I was just playing with a Airmap app that can be used with the Mavic Pro as sort of a controller. It doesn't have near the functionality that the DJI app has but it had the video feed, had the maps that showed where the mavic was going and allowed me to take pictures. No idea if it is a stable solution but the app is a free download.

 

[Mossiback]

You could also try Litchi. Some use that exclusively. It doesn't cost much and it wouldn't hurt to have a second way to control your Mavic.