New tracker for iphone users

[Capt KO]

Apple introduces AirTag

Track Anything using your phone. Small tags to find anything Anywhere! $29 or 4 for $99. Cheap but now I need the phone. Not cheap but worth upgrading.

 

[vivalacoulter]

These look like a more useful version of tile, great idea. Shame it only utilises it’s best features with newer iPhones though, I don’t think my iPhone XR would get the most accurate locating with them.

 

[Capt KO]

I don't own an iPhone so don't know which models would work best. Cheaper than my Marco Polo though. With unlimited range.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I don't own an iPhone so don't know which models would work best. Cheaper than my Marco Polo though. With unlimited range.

"unlimited range"? I did not see that, it is on Bluetooth just like TILE. Unless a user phone running the app is nearby it's not going to find it. IMO the Apple version is as actually more limiting that TILE or others since you need to have an iPhone. It might have lot's of bells and whistles, but it's still not a GPS device and still not as good (not even close to the range) as Marco Polo IMO.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

"unlimited range"? I did not see that, it is on Bluetooth just like TILE. Unless a user phone running the app is nearby it's not going to find it. IMO the Apple version is as actually more limiting that TILE or others since you need to have an iPhone. It might have lot's of bells and whistles, but it's still not a GPS device and still not as good (not even close to the range) as Marco Polo IMO.

Not sure, if it's like find my phone (not sure if's the same as the find app, for my wife/son/daughter/ brother phones / locations), then it is anywhere the relative phone connects to.
But not totally accurate down to what Marco Polo might be *AFAIK . . . Find My app just uses cel tower info ?
It might use gps, not sure, all I care about is checking the family's all safe from location.

Part of the blurb does say within range, and the "20' to the left" type of message leans towards bluetooth.
Could be useful if DJI Find my drone works to get you close, then fine tune with this and the audible sound it can produce ?

I'm wondering about how it's powered, and how often battery might need changing.
Just saw CR2032 battery.

 

[Maviac]

Not sure, if it's like find my phone (not sure if's the same as the find app, for my wife/son/daughter/ brother phones / locations), then it is anywhere the relative phone connects to.
But not totally accurate down to what Marco Polo might be *AFAIK . . . Find My app just uses cel tower info ?
It might use gps, not sure, all I care about is checking the family's all safe from location.

Part of the blurb does say within range, and the "20' to the left" type of message leans towards bluetooth.
Could be useful if DJI Find my drone works to get you close, then fine tune with this and the audible sound it can produce ?

I'm wondering about how it's powered, and how often battery might need changing.
Just saw CR2032 battery.

It’s Bluetooth and Apple’s UltraWideband technology. The latter is a lot more accurate but still has very limited range, and it’s not a GPS tracker so it relies on SOMEBODY being within range with an iOS device. So if it’s 1000 feet away you’re going to be out of luck unless someone with an iPhone happens to walk by and the location gets updated. Due to that limitation, I don‘t think it’d be a good option for tracking a drone, though I’ll probably pick up some to supplement my collection of Tiles for other things.

As far as battery, Apple claims around a year.

 

[Capt KO]

My mistake. Thought it meant if in range of cell reception it could be found. Too good to be true I guess. Oh well, back to my Marco Polo. My bad but thanks for the heads up before I bought an iPhone.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

My mistake. Thought it meant if in range of cell reception it could be found. Too good to be true I guess. Oh well, back to my Marco Polo. My bad but thanks for the heads up before I bought an iPhone.

Always is too good to be true... I keep waiting for a GPS tracking device of this size/cost.... not quite there yet!

 

[lilewis]

I'm getting 4, in spite of the inherent distant limitations of Bluetooth. These little trackers will cover 80% of places I fly. The cost/reward ratio is finally getting reasonable.

 

[Jim Flannery K0UNX]

As long as it lands in a place where someone with an iDevice passes by from time to time, it will communicate the latest "spotting." With multiple passes, you can narrow it down. But if you lost your drone in an area where folks don't pass by, then it will be reporting "last spotted location" only, and that could be quite some distance away. So it isn't a sure thing, but at least gives you a starting point. With that starting point, you could initiate your own "grid pattern," working outwards from the "last known location."

 

[Maviac]

As long as it lands in a place where someone with an iDevice passes by from time to time, it will communicate the latest "spotting." With multiple passes, you can narrow it down. But if you lost your drone in an area where folks don't pass by, then it will be reporting "last spotted location" only, and that could be quite some distance away. So it isn't a sure thing, but at least gives you a starting point. With that starting point, you could initiate your own "grid pattern," working outwards from the "last known location."

Yeah, I should revise my comment. IF you are regularly flying where it's likely someone with a phone will be near it regularly, it might be useful.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I'm getting 4, in spite of the inherent distant limitations of Bluetooth. These little trackers will cover 80% of places I fly. The cost/reward ratio is finally getting reasonable.

Will your drone be within 50-60 feet of a cell phone using the app? We've been using the TILE - which is similar on our cat. As long as he is in the immediate vicinity we can find him and the TILE chirps so that helps. On a drone, using your downlink info, you could get in the proximity of last known position and then do a grid search.

 

[BrokenAero]

AirTags have my vote.
A little DualLock makes them secure and swappable and it’s a nice placeholder when my strobe isn’t in use (which is almost all of the time. (11grams) #AWACS-Mini2

 

[CactusJackSlade]

AirTags have my vote.
A little DualLock makes them secure and swappable and it’s a nice placeholder when my strope isn’t in use (which is almost all of the time. #AWACS-Mini2
View attachment 128349View attachment 128350

Haha!... If you put a DJI sticker on that it would look like the old GPS pucks that came with the old DJI NAZA systems!