Why you probably shouldn't fly your drone on April 6th (GPS rollover explained)

[karlo_m]

Hello guys! I don't know if this has been posted on the forums before, so feel free to tell me to delete my post.

GPS rollover is happening on April 6th 2019 which means that some equipment might lose the GPS signal. It probably won't but it's better to be safe than sorry.
I've made a quick video explaining the GPS rollover and why you should be careful on April 6th 2019.

 

[Thomas B]

Good to know. Thanks for posting.
Hopefully DJI won’t remain silent.

 

[The Fat Controller]

oh noes

 

[747P4]

Hello guys! I don't know if this has been posted on the forums before, so feel free to tell me to delete my post.

GPS rollover is happening on April 6th 2019 which means that some equipment might lose the GPS signal. It probably won't but it's better to be safe than sorry.
I've made a quick video explaining the GPS rollover and why you should be careful on April 6th 2019.

You beat me to it, great information

 

[Torcan]

GPS Week Number Rollover Event - April 6th 2019

it says in that link originally posted that:

Who will be affected?
The list is long and varied; some industries come to mind immediately as they are known to use the accurate timing information provided by the GPS constellation. Financial markets, power generating companies, emergency services and industrial control systems may be affected, as well as fixed-line and cellular communications networks.
GPS tracking devices installed in a fleet management system to schedule and monitor deliveries could cause system errors if they start to provide location data that is potentially up to 20 years out of date.
Since this is the second time a GPS week rollover will occur, many manufacturers will have been aware of it in advance and newer receivers will continue through and beyond the rollover date without issue.
Issues could occur if:

• Receivers have been in operation for more than 10-15 years without firmware updates
• Receivers are part of a critical timing system, i.e. what would be the impact to the system if the GPS receiver starts to output incorrect UTC data?

I would hope that DJI has already taken care of this, as I suspect my cars GPS will not be affected, but then again, I am not planning to drive into a lake with it either.

 

[Thomas B]

I have sent a query to DJI support asking advice as well as potential; need for updating MPP, need for updating Crystalsky, and need for updating the Go and Go4 apps. Hopefully they will reply.

 

[sar104]

I have sent a query to DJI support asking advice as well as potential; need for updating MPP, need for updating Crystalsky, and need for updating the Go and Go4 apps. Hopefully they will reply.

It's the GPS chipset firmware that matters - not software such as the GO apps - those are simply receiving position data. It seems really unlikely that any DJI equipment uses chipsets old enough for this to be an issue.

 

[Thomas B]

It's the GPS chipset firmware that matters - not software such as the GO apps - those are simply receiving position data. It seems really unlikely that any DJI equipment uses chipsets old enough for this to be an issue.

Hope your assumption is correct. I’d rather fly than calibrate!

 

[sar104]

Hope your assumption is correct. I’d rather fly than calibrate!

Was there an assumption in my post?

 

[Point Zero]

Was there an assumption in my post?

Sorry but lol

 

[Thomas B]

Was there an assumption in my post?

No offense intended

 

[sar104]

No offense intended

None taken at all - I was simply wondering if I had overlooked something.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Good thing our drones also use GLONASS.

 

[Espen W]

Good thing our drones also use GLONASS.

True. Was thinking the same.
Will probably still refrain from flying on that day, though.

 

[spamgnome]

Hmmm. I may also refrain from performing any WAAS-based approaches in my plane!

 

[Thoraldus]

Talked with DJI support online and the CSR knew about the issue but had no information from engineering. He's pushing the query up the chain of command. I will not fly my birds on the 6th or the 7th until I get to read whether anyone's bird flew away. ;-)

 

[Thomas B]

Talked with DJI support online and the CSR knew about the issue but had no information from engineering. He's pushing the query up the chain of command. I will not fly my birds on the 6th or the 7th until I get to read whether anyone's bird flew away. ;-)

My thoughts exactly!

 

[bycla]

I think all the mavics have also the glonass geoposition system . Shouldn’t it be enough to prevent a flyaway?

 

[Thomas B]

Many feel it will.

 

[sar104]

I think all the mavics have also the glonass geoposition system . Shouldn’t it be enough to prevent a flyaway?

I don't understand all this concern about flyaways. The effect of the rollover (week code reset), even if the GPS chip isn't current enough to cope with it, would be to cause errors in the GPS date. It won't affect positional accuracy at all. And, in any case, all the DJI equipment is far too new to have affected GPS chips.