My initial impressions of Waypoints 3.0

Jeff A · Feb 11, 2023

I finally upgraded from the Mavic 2 Pro to a Mavic 3 Classic. I flew my 1st flight yesterday. The aircraft seems to handle well even in less than optimal conditions. The camera is good as well. Now, here comes the problem.

I have been an ardent Waypoint flyer for some time, having used Litchi on the Android platform as well as on iOS. Of course I was disappointed to learn that the whole SDK future as far as the Mavic 3 goes, is in doubt. The good news (I thought) was that DJI has stepped up with their Waypoints 3.0 App. Before my Maiden flight with the M3C, I sat down to flight plan a simple Waypoint mission on my new DJI RC Pro. My plan was to just fly a simple “around the park” mission at a park near my home. Things started badly when I had trouble finding the park that is close to my house with the poor resolution maps that were presented. You can’t simply “zoom out” to see the surrounding area because of the lack of detail. I did find out how to use Satellite maps but that was little help. Also, imagine that you were going to take a family trip to a scenic area suitable for fantastic drone shots. You certainly don’t want to waste your precious vacation time with flight planning chores. You want to do it at home before you leave. How in the world are you going to locate your photo targets that are in another state or another country using the RC Pro, or less? There is just no way that you can comfortably do flight planning on a 5 ½” screen when, for the last few years, you have been flight planning on a 27” 4K monitor! Even with the RC Pro and an excellent stylus, it’s just plain frustration or impossible in the example I previously stated. So I struggled through it and was nearly done with a plan when the RC Pro popped a message on the screen and I jumped back to see why I got the message. Well, that was a serious mistake because when I went back to my map to finish, everything I had done was gone! Not a trace. I had been struggling with it for so long at that point, I just gave up. I could have had 10 missions done in Litchi in the time I wasted in Waypoints 3.0. So being a Waypoint user and dropping a huge chunk of coin on a new drone, controller and all the accessories, I’m feeling pretty stupid today. I have some beautiful equipment, but I am screwed because of software (or Firmware). My Mavic 2 (Now sold) is looking pretty good!

Repaid1 · Feb 11, 2023

Not harping, just commenting. When the Mavic Air (First one) was announced I put one in the Cart at DJI, I was finally going to upgrade from my Phantom 3 Pro and P4. Back when they made the original Mavic, I just didn't feel the need to upgrade to it for many reasons. One being that I really don't film in 4K much and I really like that the Phantoms flew on the now called Go 3 app...in fact at the time it even flew the original Mavic pro before they made the Go 4 App and switched the GO 4 app to handle the overflow. I did stumble onto a Mavic Pro a few months before the transition and flew it with the Go 3 app...unfortunately on one outing someone decided to snag it from a table out in the park when I was in a flight with my P3P with my back turned..Anyway..long story short I sold my P4, still have my P3P. The sad part is it outperforms anything that DJI makes as far as I need. I it has fully functioning SDK and it is a tried proven aircraft with mature firmware and true 4K machine (As I said, don't even use 4K).

So back to the Mavic Air..I kept looking at feature set and the new DJI Fly App. I just got a weird feeling about that set up and feature set. So I pondered and finally found a great deal on a DJI Mavic 2 (Zoom) with a Smart controller bundle at Adorama so cheap that I cancelled the Air. All in with a flymore bundle I was out $1700. I learned the Go4 App and have never looked back. I have a fully functional fully featured DJI Drone that is without bugs and can fly any 3rd party software with a fully functional SDK. It even has both optical tracking orbit and GPS (Old school) orbit as well as optical tracking and GPS follow. Most of the newer guys on here don't remember the days when DJI made Drones people really wanted not what they thought you should have. Long before the days of forced nannyware. My drones are both hacked and I can do whatever I want with them and are free from the nonsense.

I am saddened to hear that you let the last real drone that DJI made with real software and firmware. I know people like the newer craft, but most of them haven't flown DJI since the first Phantoms came out some 7 years ago. When the Inspire 1 and then the P3P were announced where the greatest times for flying. None of the restrictions of today, the ability to use a software switch to shut off the newer NFZ. I have had my Mavic 2 going on about 3 years and it will probably be the last DJI or "Drone" I will own with all of the government nonsense.

I continue to use Litchi as it was first made for the P3, using mission hub as you mentioned. They are remarkable machines. I leave their latest offings to the newer flyers. I have all I will ever need with my small fleet of more than capable flyers compared to what you can buy from them now. I have a P3P that is hacked to fly at 65MPH and a Mavic 2 that can best that and free from DJI. I rarely use that speed, but I have it in reserve. I have all the smart shots built in and what Litchi offers. My "Old" Smart controller is more capable than anything available today as well given it is able to do what I want not what DJI wants.

These threads are full of discontent owners quite a bit and I find it hard to be around anymore, I wish more would post of the good stuff and flights and pictures like we did so many years ago, but DJI is just full of bugs and lack of feature set and they really don't care about their customers anymore just the big money of marketing newer without any real updates to what they had.

I wish you well with your new craft, I hope you get great joy from it, I think now you seem would rather have the M2 back but you took the leap I did not...Best to you and those like you.

Jeff A · Feb 12, 2023

Repaid1 said:
Not harping, just commenting. When the Mavic Air (First one) was announced I put one in the Cart at DJI, I was finally going to upgrade from my Phantom 3 Pro and P4. Back when they made the original Mavic, I just didn't feel the need to upgrade to it for many reasons. One being that I really don't film in 4K much and I really like that the Phantoms flew on the now called Go 3 app...in fact at the time it even flew the original Mavic pro before they made the Go 4 App and switched the GO 4 app to handle the overflow. I did stumble onto a Mavic Pro a few months before the transition and flew it with the Go 3 app...unfortunately on one outing someone decided to snag it from a table out in the park when I was in a flight with my P3P with my back turned..Anyway..long story short I sold my P4, still have my P3P. The sad part is it outperforms anything that DJI makes as far as I need. I it has fully functioning SDK and it is a tried proven aircraft with mature firmware and true 4K machine (As I said, don't even use 4K).

So back to the Mavic Air..I kept looking at feature set and the new DJI Fly App. I just got a weird feeling about that set up and feature set. So I pondered and finally found a great deal on a DJI Mavic 2 (Zoom) with a Smart controller bundle at Adorama so cheap that I cancelled the Air. All in with a flymore bundle I was out $1700. I learned the Go4 App and have never looked back. I have a fully functional fully featured DJI Drone that is without bugs and can fly any 3rd party software with a fully functional SDK. It even has both optical tracking orbit and GPS (Old school) orbit as well as optical tracking and GPS follow. Most of the newer guys on here don't remember the days when DJI made Drones people really wanted not what they thought you should have. Long before the days of forced nannyware. My drones are both hacked and I can do whatever I want with them and are free from the nonsense.

I am saddened to hear that you let the last real drone that DJI made with real software and firmware. I know people like the newer craft, but most of them haven't flown DJI since the first Phantoms came out some 7 years ago. When the Inspire 1 and then the P3P were announced where the greatest times for flying. None of the restrictions of today, the ability to use a software switch to shut off the newer NFZ. I have had my Mavic 2 going on about 3 years and it will probably be the last DJI or "Drone" I will own with all of the government nonsense.

I continue to use Litchi as it was first made for the P3, using mission hub as you mentioned. They are remarkable machines. I leave their latest offings to the newer flyers. I have all I will ever need with my small fleet of more than capable flyers compared to what you can buy from them now. I have a P3P that is hacked to fly at 65MPH and a Mavic 2 that can best that and free from DJI. I rarely use that speed, but I have it in reserve. I have all the smart shots built in and what Litchi offers. My "Old" Smart controller is more capable than anything available today as well given it is able to do what I want not what DJI wants.

These threads are full of discontent owners quite a bit and I find it hard to be around anymore, I wish more would post of the good stuff and flights and pictures like we did so many years ago, but DJI is just full of bugs and lack of feature set and they really don't care about their customers anymore just the big money of marketing newer without any real updates to what they had.

I wish you well with your new craft, I hope you get great joy from it, I think now you seem would rather have the M2 back but you took the leap I did not...Best to you and those like you.

Thanks for your comment. I can only hope that DJI has a change of heart and publishes an SDK so I can use Litchi. I would be happy if DJI just gave us flight planning on the PC like Litchi does on the Litchi Hub.

KB9Radio · Feb 12, 2023

Repaid1 said:
Not harping, just commenting. When the Mavic Air (First one) was announced I put one in the Cart at DJI, I was finally going to upgrade from my Phantom 3 Pro and P4. Back when they made the original Mavic, I just didn't feel the need to upgrade to it for many reasons. One being that I really don't film in 4K much and I really like that the Phantoms flew on the now called Go 3 app...in fact at the time it even flew the original Mavic pro before they made the Go 4 App and switched the GO 4 app to handle the overflow. I did stumble onto a Mavic Pro a few months before the transition and flew it with the Go 3 app...unfortunately on one outing someone decided to snag it from a table out in the park when I was in a flight with my P3P with my back turned..Anyway..long story short I sold my P4, still have my P3P. The sad part is it outperforms anything that DJI makes as far as I need. I it has fully functioning SDK and it is a tried proven aircraft with mature firmware and true 4K machine (As I said, don't even use 4K).

So back to the Mavic Air..I kept looking at feature set and the new DJI Fly App. I just got a weird feeling about that set up and feature set. So I pondered and finally found a great deal on a DJI Mavic 2 (Zoom) with a Smart controller bundle at Adorama so cheap that I cancelled the Air. All in with a flymore bundle I was out $1700. I learned the Go4 App and have never looked back. I have a fully functional fully featured DJI Drone that is without bugs and can fly any 3rd party software with a fully functional SDK. It even has both optical tracking orbit and GPS (Old school) orbit as well as optical tracking and GPS follow. Most of the newer guys on here don't remember the days when DJI made Drones people really wanted not what they thought you should have. Long before the days of forced nannyware. My drones are both hacked and I can do whatever I want with them and are free from the nonsense.

I am saddened to hear that you let the last real drone that DJI made with real software and firmware. I know people like the newer craft, but most of them haven't flown DJI since the first Phantoms came out some 7 years ago. When the Inspire 1 and then the P3P were announced where the greatest times for flying. None of the restrictions of today, the ability to use a software switch to shut off the newer NFZ. I have had my Mavic 2 going on about 3 years and it will probably be the last DJI or "Drone" I will own with all of the government nonsense.

I continue to use Litchi as it was first made for the P3, using mission hub as you mentioned. They are remarkable machines. I leave their latest offings to the newer flyers. I have all I will ever need with my small fleet of more than capable flyers compared to what you can buy from them now. I have a P3P that is hacked to fly at 65MPH and a Mavic 2 that can best that and free from DJI. I rarely use that speed, but I have it in reserve. I have all the smart shots built in and what Litchi offers. My "Old" Smart controller is more capable than anything available today as well given it is able to do what I want not what DJI wants.

These threads are full of discontent owners quite a bit and I find it hard to be around anymore, I wish more would post of the good stuff and flights and pictures like we did so many years ago, but DJI is just full of bugs and lack of feature set and they really don't care about their customers anymore just the big money of marketing newer without any real updates to what they had.

I wish you well with your new craft, I hope you get great joy from it, I think now you seem would rather have the M2 back but you took the leap I did not...Best to you and those like you.

I have the exact same setup you do. Bought it brand new from DJI back in about 2018 or 2019 (can't remember which). Still running the original 3 batteries that are in perfect shape, no swelling and last the same as they originally did. I use Litchi as well for waypoint missions and GO4 for normal flying, both on the smart controller. I see no advantage to the new ones and don't intend to part with the Mavic 2 Zoom. Wouldn't mind adding a Mavic 2 Pro (drone only) some day, but no rush.

Jan Smith · Feb 18, 2023

I agree that DJI needs to do a much better job of allowing users to plan missions on a desktop platform with high-resolution satellite maps. I love my Mavic 3 Classic, but this is one big flaw for DJI to address. I would like to be able to lay out a mission and check all the parameters for each waypoint much more clearly and easily on a big monitor than trying to do it on a small RC screen.

Lespaxvera · Feb 20, 2023

Repaid1 said:
Not harping, just commenting. When the Mavic Air (First one) was announced I put one in the Cart at DJI, I was finally going to upgrade from my Phantom 3 Pro and P4. Back when they made the original Mavic, I just didn't feel the need to upgrade to it for many reasons. One being that I really don't film in 4K much and I really like that the Phantoms flew on the now called Go 3 app...in fact at the time it even flew the original Mavic pro before they made the Go 4 App and switched the GO 4 app to handle the overflow. I did stumble onto a Mavic Pro a few months before the transition and flew it with the Go 3 app...unfortunately on one outing someone decided to snag it from a table out in the park when I was in a flight with my P3P with my back turned..Anyway..long story short I sold my P4, still have my P3P. The sad part is it outperforms anything that DJI makes as far as I need. I it has fully functioning SDK and it is a tried proven aircraft with mature firmware and true 4K machine (As I said, don't even use 4K).

So back to the Mavic Air..I kept looking at feature set and the new DJI Fly App. I just got a weird feeling about that set up and feature set. So I pondered and finally found a great deal on a DJI Mavic 2 (Zoom) with a Smart controller bundle at Adorama so cheap that I cancelled the Air. All in with a flymore bundle I was out $1700. I learned the Go4 App and have never looked back. I have a fully functional fully featured DJI Drone that is without bugs and can fly any 3rd party software with a fully functional SDK. It even has both optical tracking orbit and GPS (Old school) orbit as well as optical tracking and GPS follow. Most of the newer guys on here don't remember the days when DJI made Drones people really wanted not what they thought you should have. Long before the days of forced nannyware. My drones are both hacked and I can do whatever I want with them and are free from the nonsense.

I am saddened to hear that you let the last real drone that DJI made with real software and firmware. I know people like the newer craft, but most of them haven't flown DJI since the first Phantoms came out some 7 years ago. When the Inspire 1 and then the P3P were announced where the greatest times for flying. None of the restrictions of today, the ability to use a software switch to shut off the newer NFZ. I have had my Mavic 2 going on about 3 years and it will probably be the last DJI or "Drone" I will own with all of the government nonsense.

I continue to use Litchi as it was first made for the P3, using mission hub as you mentioned. They are remarkable machines. I leave their latest offings to the newer flyers. I have all I will ever need with my small fleet of more than capable flyers compared to what you can buy from them now. I have a P3P that is hacked to fly at 65MPH and a Mavic 2 that can best that and free from DJI. I rarely use that speed, but I have it in reserve. I have all the smart shots built in and what Litchi offers. My "Old" Smart controller is more capable than anything available today as well given it is able to do what I want not what DJI wants.

These threads are full of discontent owners quite a bit and I find it hard to be around anymore, I wish more would post of the good stuff and flights and pictures like we did so many years ago, but DJI is just full of bugs and lack of feature set and they really don't care about their customers anymore just the big money of marketing newer without any real updates to what they had.

I wish you well with your new craft, I hope you get great joy from it, I think now you seem would rather have the M2 back but you took the leap I did not...Best to you and those like you.