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

[Atlanta Andy]

Go to know.

 

[The Fat Controller]

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 to new to have affected GPS chips.

Do you remember all the fuss about how the whole universe was going to collapse due to the Millennium Bug back in 2000? This is likely to be a similar non-event.

 

[Thoraldus]

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 to new to have affected GPS chips.

From the United States Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command ...

"Depending upon the manufacturer of your GPS receiver, you may or may not have been effected by the GPS Week Number Rollover on 22 August 1999. Some receivers may display inaccurate date information, some may also calculate incorrect navigation solutions."

Also got this back from Kamil at DJI ...

"Regarding this issue, I have personally reached out to our engineers for further assistance and clarification. Please allow some time for them to provide us a feedback and kindly check your email from time to time for updates. "

 

[Thoraldus]

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

Guess that would depend on whether you have sufficient GLONASS satellites visible and how the system resolves conflicting data.

 

[Thoraldus]

Bottom line here folks is not to leave things to chance. When it comes to my $2000 AC I'd like a certain level of confidence it's going to do the right thing when I fly it.

In practicality tho, I would think you would just need to hover close to ground until you get a good GPS fix (check your map display) before flying. (Something we should all do anyways)

 

[sar104]

From the United States Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command ...

"Depending upon the manufacturer of your GPS receiver, you may or may not have been effected by the GPS Week Number Rollover on 22 August 1999. Some receivers may display inaccurate date information, some may also calculate incorrect navigation solutions."

Also got this back from Kamil at DJI ...

"Regarding this issue, I have personally reached out to our engineers for further assistance and clarification. Please allow some time for them to provide us a feedback and kindly check your email from time to time for updates. "

Let us know if you hear back from DJI.

 

[SteveP55]

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.

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Hi Guy's Thanks, I'm checking out the video now, I just heard this a few minutes ago and was in wondering..... LOL
SteveP55

 

[SteveP55]

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.

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Thanks WAXMAN for the video, We will be cautious on those days for sure !
SteveP55

 

[sar104]

From the United States Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command ...

"Depending upon the manufacturer of your GPS receiver, you may or may not have been effected by the GPS Week Number Rollover on 22 August 1999. Some receivers may display inaccurate date information, some may also calculate incorrect navigation solutions."

Also got this back from Kamil at DJI ...

"Regarding this issue, I have personally reached out to our engineers for further assistance and clarification. Please allow some time for them to provide us a feedback and kindly check your email from time to time for updates. "

It's interesting - the brief comment from NMOC that you quoted is the only reference I've seen to navigational issues, and I can't find it on their website. All the other announcements I've seen have been quite specific that positional data will be unaffected. Are you sure that you are not looking at an old page about the 1999 rollover?

 

[Sniperfritz]

The counter starts from date of manufacture. if the unit was manufactured in 2016 + 1024 weeks. then that device might start misbehaving in 2036.
People got all worked up over the millennium bug back in 1999. Nothing happened then.
But I will still not be flying on the day. Just to be on the safe side.

 

[SteveP55]

The counter starts from date of manufacture. if the unit was manufactured in 2016 + 1024 weeks. then that device might start misbehaving in 2036.
People got all worked up over the millennium bug back in 1999. Nothing happened then.
But I will still not be flying on the day. Just to be on the safe side.

Hi sniperfritz,
I just watched a YouTube Video on Phantom Pilots describing what's going on with the GPS Satellite roll over.
They said that if the GPS system you have is newer then the 1990s everything "SHOULD be " Fine. and yes this is a current watch.
Thanks for responding.... we all want to be safe.....
SteveP55

 

[Sniperfritz]

Spirent Blogs - The GPS Week Number Rollover problem
I found this article on the subject.

 

[Sniperfritz]

Hi sniperfritz,
I just watched a YouTube Video on Phantom Pilots describing what's going on with the GPS Satellite roll over.
They said that if the GPS system you have is newer then the 1990s everything "SHOULD be " Fine. and yes this is a current watch.
Thanks for responding.... we all want to be safe.....
SteveP55

Better to safe than sorry

 

[SteveP55]

Spirent Blogs - The GPS Week Number Rollover problem
I found this article on the subject.

Thanks Sniperfritz,
Just checked it out.... I'll keep my fingers crossed that all of our equipment is GOOD ! LOL
Thanks Again
SteveP55

 

[sar104]

The counter starts from date of manufacture. if the unit was manufactured in 2016 + 1024 weeks. then that device might start misbehaving in 2036.
People got all worked up over the millennium bug back in 1999. Nothing happened then.
But I will still not be flying on the day. Just to be on the safe side.

No - that's incorrect. The week number is encoded in the satellite GPS time message as a 10-bit number which resets to zero after 1024 weeks. The GPS epoch is completely independent of the age of the receiver.

 

[Sniperfritz]

No - that's incorrect. The week number is encoded in the satellite GPS time message as a 10-bit number which resets to zero after 1024 weeks. The GPS epoch is completely independent of the age of the receiver.

Thanks for clearing that up. I will definitely not be flying for that whole week. interesting time we live in.

 

[crazyju]

Some marine chart plotters are already being affected.

 

[kyle mavic]

I think,just to be safe i will not be flying on that day,and when i next take off i will keep close to the ground,for 1 battery,just to be sure...Although,im sure if there are any problems,DJI are aware,and will roll out the firmware for the fix if needed..

 

[Meta4]

This thread is a good example of why you shouldn't take uninformed and alarmist forum threads seriously.
It seems to have infected many flyers already.

 

[Meta4]

Some marine chart plotters are already being affected.

Already affected? ... by something that isn't going to happen until April ??