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

[silverdragon]

I would like to start a Fly your drone April 6th day committee. Just to see if there are issues with flying that day. I'm looking for volunteers......I for one can't fly that day for personal reasons.....but volunteers are welcome...

 

[Thomas B]

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.

Inform us please.

 

[Meta4]

Inform us please.

The information is already in this thread.
Just filter out all the alarmist nonsense from people who have no idea what they are talking about.
Read the quoted information in post #5
Read posts #7 and #20
If that's not enough, factor in the concept that your Mavic uses the US GPS system AND the separate and independent Russian Glonass system.

And don't continue the spread of ignorant myths when the facts are all there.

 

[kadras]

Back on January 25, this was published in the US Federal Register.
This notice informs the public that the Space and Missiles Center Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Directorate Engineering (SMC/GPE) Systems Integration Demonstration (SI Demo) team plans to execute a test in February 2019 to investigate legacy receiver week roll-over behavior and analyze any off-nominal behavior exhibited. Additonal details about the test and how interested civil vendors may participate is detailed below.
Full link: Federal Register :: 2017 Public Interface Control Working Group and Forum for the NAVSTAR GPS Public Documents

 

[RonchMavicAir]

Thank you very much for the info

 

[SteveP55]

Hi Guy's,
I find it so funny that anyone that shares a bit of POSSIBLE problem information is considered an ALARMIST... Unless your an ENGINEER Degreed Graduate I'd say go a head and fly away, I think rather informing others to be safe is called a GOOD Caring Pilot, actually it doesn't just cover this subject but any subject that may protect another! Isn't that why we actually have this site? INFORMATIVE !?
SteveP55

 

[Meta4]

I find it so funny that anyone that shares a bit of POSSIBLE problem information is considered an ALARMIST...

Maybe it because posts like this and another titled: Possible GPS Loss For GPS Acquired Devices After April 6th 2019 !! .... are completely unnecessary alarmist nonsense.
Just a couple of minutes reading would have informed you that it's only a problem for GPS devices that are 20 or more years old.
A tiny bit of thinking and you'd have worked out that your drone uses two independent satellite navigation systems.
The supposed danger just isn't possible at all.
But look at the number of readers here that have been scared into believing that there's a real problem and DJI should do something about it.

If only the internet could spread truth half as well as it spreads misinformation.
Search out facts, do a tiny bit of reading before posting alarmist nonsense.

 

[crazyju]

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

No sorry, by the chipset time frame.

 

[Meta4]

No sorry, by the chipset time frame.

??? You'll have to use a few more words to explain what you mean.
How can a GPS week rollover that doesn't happen for another two months already be affecting chartplotters ?

 

[crazyju]

I dont know how it is already affecting the chart plotters. I just know that all of a sudden thousands of these units quit receiving the time. The manufacture has put out a firmware fix stating that the gps rollover caused this and that the gps chipset was the cause.

 

[sar104]

I dont know how it is already affecting the chart plotters. I just know that all of a sudden thousands of these units quit receiving the time. The manufacture has put out a firmware fix stating that the gps rollover caused this and that the gps chipset was the cause.

Interesting explanation since the rollover hasn't occurred yet. Unless this is an old issue referring to the 1999 rollover.

 

[SteveP55]

Must Be A lot of SNOW FLAKES In HERE !!!!!!! LOL

 

[SteveP55]

Maybe it because posts like this and another titled: Possible GPS Loss For GPS Acquired Devices After April 6th 2019 !! .... are completely unnecessary alarmist nonsense.
Just a couple of minutes reading would have informed you that it's only a problem for GPS devices that are 20 or more years old.
A tiny bit of thinking and you'd have worked out that your drone uses two independent satellite navigation systems.
The supposed danger just isn't possible at all.
But look at the number of readers here that have been scared into believing that there's a real problem and DJI should do something about it.

If only the internet could spread truth half as well as it spreads misinformation.
Search out facts, do a tiny bit of reading before posting alarmist nonsense.

WAY TO MANY SNOW FLAKES IN HERE, Mr. Authority !
I could say the same thing about people posting their problems Before actually trying to figure them out their selves TO SHAY !

 

[dylanthecat]

Sounds like Y2K hysteria again.

 

[Scooterx64]

<<Sarcasm_Enable=1>>Being the risk taker I am I am going to fly somewhere in an aircraft navigating via GPS, rent a car and use GPS to go somewhere cool, fly my drone and take some great images. Afterwards I will raise a toast in silent memory of all the cowards who were afraid to trust technology<<Sarcasm_Enable=0>>

 

[Thoraldus]

Got a response from DJI this morning. Does not instill confidence.

"Regarding this inquiry, our engineers are requesting for the source where you got this information about a GPS rollover/reset and if you can also provide a screenshot would be better. In addition to this, can you also offer us the version of your DJI GO 4 App and firmware of your aircraft."

Sigh.

 

[Thoraldus]

I guess the question boils down to whether DJI uses LNAV or CNAV (10 bit or 13 bit) week numbers. Hopefully they are using CNAV which will hold us until 5/6 January 2137 ;-)

 

[sar104]

Got a response from DJI this morning. Does not instill confidence.

"Regarding this inquiry, our engineers are requesting for the source where you got this information about a GPS rollover/reset and if you can also provide a screenshot would be better. In addition to this, can you also offer us the version of your DJI GO 4 App and firmware of your aircraft."

Sigh.

It's not even slightly surprising that their first tier support level is unaware of this. It's a complete non-issue for anything other than legacy GPS equipment - it would probably need to be over 20 years old to have pre-dated the first rollover in 1999. Don't confuse the concerned ramblings on discussion forums such as this one with established problems.

 

[sar104]

I guess the question boils down to whether DJI uses LNAV or CNAV (10 bit or 13 bit) week numbers. Hopefully they are using CNAV which will hold us until 5/6 January 2137 ;-)

No - it doesn't even matter which they use as long as the firmware is programmed to increment the epoch rather than reset to the start of the present one.

 

[Thoraldus]

No - it doesn't even matter which they use as long as the firmware is programmed to increment the epoch rather than reset to the start of the present one.

I'd go with a 'probably not' vs a 'definitive no' given your qualifier.