Tile tracker

[HoosierFlyer]

I stumbled across Tile trackers on Amazon, and it's been a while since I've viewed their products but it now seems they offer a Tile Pro that works "up to" 400ft in range.
Has anyone here tried sticking a tile to their drone in case it's been lost? Obviously it would only work if the drone is NOT lost in water, but I've seen many situations where someone loses a drone in a forest and can never locate it.
As long as you can get within reasonable distance of the drone's last location (let's say 200ft), maybe the tile could communicate back to your phone's bluetooth and help find the missing drone.

 

[k9kids]

Don’t they also rely on a network of users that can help find lost articles?

 

[HoosierFlyer]

Don’t they also rely on a network of users that can help find lost articles?

I believe only if you allow this function.

 

[boblui]

You need to make sure that the radio signal emitted by the tile wont interfer the radio link of the drone. Also, it can be challenging to find a place to stick the tile to. Putting it on top of the drone's head may block the GPS signal. There is not much space at the belly which is full of sensors. If you stick it to the top of the battery, you will need more than one tile.

 

[Ex Coelis]

...If you stick it to the top of the battery, you will need more than one tile.

Nope... use velcro and transfer a single Tile to multiple batteries.

 

[svenmarbles]

The drone and app already have a locator function that works a lot better than Bluetooth. I don’t think it’s worth putting a tile on a DJI drone.

 

[C.W.]

They have some issues like they won’t tell you the battery is low or dying

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

The main benefit, (I use a tile pro) is that if you lose it in long grass, or in the woods, its another audible beacon for you to home in on, after the drone's own battery dies. So as long as you know the general location its come down in, you can shorten your search time by activating its beeper. I am in rural areas mostly, so the value if the rest of the product lacks.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

They have some issues like they won’t tell you the battery is low or dying

My tile app will indicate if the battery is low. Seems to work well.

 

[Ex Coelis]

The drone and app already have a locator function that works a lot better than Bluetooth. I don’t think it’s worth putting a tile on a DJI drone.

Find My Drone will get you close, but in heavy foliage, the sound signal from a tracker will bring you right on to the a/c.

 

[C.W.]

My tile app will indicate if the battery is low. Seems to work well.

The problem is you have to go into the app to see. The tile itself should tell you when the battery is low. What if you don’t check it for months and suddenly lose your keys?

 

[3DV]

So I crashed my mini in the top of a tree. The beeping of the built-in locator went dead after only an hour, so I couldn't exactly tell which tree it was in.
I was hoping that the drone battery would last till nighttime, then I could see the flashing light.

Long story short, I ended up cutting down two trees and breaking my drone as the tree fell. fortunately this was on my property.

Does anyone know if a TILE would have helped in this situation? Is there anywhere on a Mavic Mini I couldn't mount it? Has anyone has success with reflective tape?

 

[DrMichelson]

I stumbled across Tile trackers on Amazon, and it's been a while since I've viewed their products but it now seems they offer a Tile Pro that works "up to" 400ft in range.
Has anyone here tried sticking a tile to their drone in case it's been lost? Obviously it would only work if the drone is NOT lost in water, but I've seen many situations where someone loses a drone in a forest and can never locate it.
As long as you can get within reasonable distance of the drone's last location (let's say 200ft), maybe the tile could communicate back to your phone's bluetooth and help find the missing drone.

I am going to use one Tile Pro on my Mavic Air. ...intend to put a piece of velcro on each battery (will be on the bottom of the Drone) and then velcro the Tile Pro to the battery I'm using (have 4). The Drone GPS will get you close to a lost Drone and then the Tile (good for 400 ft) will help locate it. As you walk around eventually the Tile will illuminate the app and the sound that can then be initiated (when within 400 ft) is very loud.

 

[Crouching Leopard]

They have some issues like they won’t tell you the battery is low or dying

When the tile has been running for about a year, a message comes up on the app saying its time to replace the battery, on the pro it beeps. Batteries can be changed even in the "sealed" tiles. Youtube how to do it. 10 Mins and save $$$. All my drones have tiles with no signal interference issues. Won't fly without them, especially in the Aussie bush. GPS doesnt help you finally find something in long grass or fallen tree undergrowth.

 

[Crouching Leopard]

So I crashed my mini in the top of a tree. The beeping of the built-in locator went dead after only an hour, so I couldn't exactly tell which tree it was in.
I was hoping that the drone battery would last till nighttime, then I could see the flashing light.

Long story short, I ended up cutting down two trees and breaking my drone as the tree fell. fortunately this was on my property.

Does anyone know if a TILE would have helped in this situation? Is there anywhere on a Mavic Mini I couldn't mount it? Has anyone has success with reflective tape?

tile pro and a couple of Cree strobes. Looks untidy but in the air, who can see it. Doesn't seem to affect performance and I don't do long distance or strong wind days with this drone anyway. I leave that up to my M2. Flys as normal. In Australia, we don't have a 250-gram limit.

The tape at the front has my email on it. Another on a leg has my mobile.

 

[DrMichelson]

Yes...I use the tile tracker. I use the Tile Tracker Pro because it has a 400 ft range and is louder. I have 4 batteries for my Mavic Air (had for 2 years - great great drone). I put a piece of velcro on each battery and then put the Tile Tracker (only need 1 for all 4 batteries) on the battery I am using. It becomes a Tile Tracker for the drone. If lost, the Drone GPS will get you close to the last location and if you're within 400ft you will hear your drone (if Tile Tracker is in "find" mode). Intertesting, for my Mavic Air it raises the front just slightly off the front legs when resting on something which is an almost level position for the drone. The black Tile Tracker matches the battery and has no effect on flight performance. It is so light is also does not affect battery performance. I have not noticed any effect on performance. However, it sure helps with reducing anxiety since you know, if lost, your drone will call help when lost!

 

[DrMichelson]

Yes...I use the tile tracker. I use the Tile Tracker Pro because it has a 400 ft range and is louder. I have 4 batteries for my Mavic Air (had for 2 years - great great drone). I put a piece of velcro on each battery and then put the Tile Tracker (only need 1 for all 4 batteries) on the battery I am using. It becomes a Tile Tracker for the drone. If lost, the Drone GPS will get you close to the last location and if you're within 400ft you will hear your drone (if Tile Tracker is in "find" mode). Intertesting, for my Mavic Air it raises the front just slightly off the front legs when resting on something which is an almost level position for the drone. The black Tile Tracker matches the battery and has no effect on flight performance. It is so light is also does not affect battery performance. I have not noticed any effect on performance. However, it sure helps with reducing anxiety since you know, if lost, your drone will call help when lost!

 

[Thomas B]

Kill 2birds with one stone. ARC XLs as lights have visibility well beyond VLOS and if you crash the strobe will emit a 98dB tone. Much les weight

 

[Crouching Leopard]

Don’t they also rely on a network of users that can help find lost articles?

It can operate without other users if you are close otherwise, if distant, it will alert you through other users. You will be surprised at how many users there are. In my suburb of Melbourne, Australia, there are up to 2000 users at any one time.