Return to home/controller

[Timhp]

Does anyone have a work round getting the drone to return to controller to overcome the error message that the GPS signal is weak

 

[supernicko]

try standing outside when you press it? if you are indoors and the gps is iffy - your controller (and drone) may not be getting a gps lock so it wont know where to go?

 

[Timhp]

I only posted the picture to show what message I get. I have tried many times outside in a varitiy of locations and always get the same message

 

[Meta4]

Does anyone have a work round getting the drone to return to controller to overcome the error message that the GPS signal is weak

Weak GPS signal is DJI's way of saying No GPS signal.
So either there's no GPS signal or you are using an iPad and affected by a DJI glitch that's stopping the app from seeing your GPS signal.
Some things to check.
Does your tablet have GPS and is it enabled?
Are you out in the open where it has a good skyview?
Are you using an iPad?

Why do you need to have the drone return to the controller?

 

[Timhp]

I am using an iPhone X and it has a good gps signal. Maps and google maps work very well

 

[msinger]

A fix that works well is to attach an external GPS receiver (like the Garmin GLO) to the mobile device.

 

[Timhp]

quite an expensive fix! I hope DJI come up with a firmware update to fix it soon.

 

[msinger]

I don't think a firmware update will help. Your phone is likely not reporting am accurate enough location.

 

[Timhp]

So why does it work with maps and other navigation apps

 

[Meta4]

So why does it work with maps and other navigation apps

One possible explanation is that GPS is not enabled.
Your phone can get less accurate location data from cell towers and wifi.

Why do you need to have the drone return to the controller?

 

[Timhp]

I have done that. thd phone is fine with location on maps etc
The reason is on a boat or other moving targets

 

[Meta4]

I have done that. thd phone is fine with location on maps etc
The reason is on a boat or other moving targets

If you are flying from a boat, as long as you aren't flying far away and out of sight, you can also reset the homepoint to the current location of the aircraft and that will be just as good.
You don't want to drone to attempt to land on the boat, just prevent RTH triggering because the drone thinks it's miles away from home and the battery is getting too low for that return trip.
When I'm flying from boats, I use either resetting home to the controller or the aircraft and they are just as good as each other.

Obviously, if you are flying miles away from the boat, that's not going to be much help but most boat flyers are flying fairly close to their own vessel - close enough that you can see it on the screen and fly back when needed.

 

[supernicko]

I only posted the picture to show what message I get. I have tried many times outside in a varitiy of locations and always get the same message

Ah no worries Tim apologies - i too want to fly from my boat so i need to test this myself (also iphone Xs)- and a bit worried about the whole rth thing - dont want to pull ashore to set a RTH though its probably a safe bet...

For those that know - if i were to fly from the boat and hover over the river bank say 3m above it without landing - and set that as the aircraft location RTH - then will that do? or do you actually have to touch down?

 

[Meta4]

For those that know - if i were to fly from the boat and hover over the river bank say 3m above it without landing - and set that as the aircraft location RTH - then will that do? or do you actually have to touch down?

You can reset the home point to wherever the drone is when it's flying.
The homepoint is saved as a Lat/Long and the altitude doesn't matter.
If the drone was to RTH to that reset homepoint, it would climb to RTH height, fly to a point above the HP and descend until it could descend no more (it's landed).

For any flying from a boat, make sure you are familiar with any operations you will be using and have practised on dry land.
On the water is not the place to be learning new tricks.

 

[ff22]

You can reset the home point to wherever the drone is when it's flying.
The homepoint is saved as a Lat/Long and the altitude doesn't matter.
If the drone was to RTH to that reset homepoint, it would climb to RTH height, fly to a point above the HP and descend until it could descend no more (it's landed).

For any flying from a boat, make sure you are familiar with any operations you will be using and have practised on dry land.
On the water is not the place to be learning new tricks.

I just searched through the Manual. How do you reset the HOME POINT while in flight? Like in the example above while flying along a river and seeing a nice safe potential landing site (that is not the original home point).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Meta4]

I just searched through the Manual. How do you reset the HOME POINT while in flight? Like in the example above while flying along a river and seeing a nice safe potential landing site (that is not the original home point).

Look at the pic in post #1
It shows what you see if you click on main Controller Settings in the app.
See he's circled two icons?
One has a paper plane icon and one has a person, both show the letter H for Home.
Hover over the place you choose (if you are close to water, make sure it is > 10 feet from the edge and not close to trees or other obstacles.
Then go to the main controller settings and click the appropriate icon ( the plane symbol because you want to reset home to where the drone is).
Go and play with it in a large, open area to get confidence.

 

[Timhp]

I have no issuers in setting the home to where the drone is eiter form the original home aseeting or form where the drone is at any given momnet. what does not work is asking it to return to controller as it says there GPS signal is weak. It is not just boats but cycles or trekking. wheer you want the drone to come to you and not go home to where it started

 

[Meta4]

I have no issuers in setting the home to where the drone is eiter form the original home aseeting or form where the drone is at any given momnet. what does not work is asking it to return to controller as it says there GPS signal is weak. It is not just boats but cycles or trekking. wheer you want the drone to come to you and not go home to where it started

If you are filming your boat/cycle/trek, you'll probably have the drone close enough that you can bring it home yourself
The main reason to reset the home point is to prevent the drone zipping off to the launch point because it calculates the battery is only just holding enough charge to get back.
A few seconds after resetting to the controller's location, the home point is out of date and you don't want to land on the boat/cycle/trek any way.

If you really, really need to bring it back from way out, one solution would be to get a good Android device because they don't have this problem.

 

[Timhp]

I am loving the drone but it has an option to return to controller but it does not work!! It has not been an issue as I have always been able to get the drone home .
I was just wanting to have a belt and braces function in that if I lost sight on the drone it would be a good way of bringing back into vision!

 

[Meta4]

I am loving the drone but it has an option to return to controller but it does not work!! It has not been an issue as I have always been able to get the drone home .
I was just wanting to have a belt and braces function in that if I lost sight on the drone it would be a good way of bringing back into vision!

If you really, really need to bring it back from way out, one solution would be to get a good Android device because they don't have this problem.