You may be disappointed

[RogerDH]

Are Waypoint missions exposed with SDK support of Mavic Mini?

I have read in various forums that some developers or users are hoping that the Mobile SDK will expose Waypoint Mission functionality for the Mavic Mini through some of their favorite 3rd Party Apps because that functionality is not available in the DJI Fly app. However, this is not an SDK or...

forum.dji.com

BTW, the DJI developer who wrote that forum post says he's been reading on various forums about the hope that the SDK would support waypoints -- duh -- but he waited until it was released (3 months late) to tell us that it wouldn't because DJI hasn't put any code in the firmware to handle it.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

BTW, the DJI developer who wrote that forum post says he's been reading on various forums about the hope that the SDK would support waypoints -- duh -- but he waited until it was released (3 months late) to tell us that it wouldn't because DJI hasn't put any code in the firmware to handle it.

So? It’s a good chance they don’t support way points because there’s not enough memory to do so.
Stating that sooner would not have changed a thing.
You bought the least expensive drone so don’t be surprised it’s lacking.

 

[RogerDH]

So? It’s a good chance they don’t support way points because there’s not enough memory to do so.
Stating that sooner would not have changed a thing.
You bought the least expensive drone so don’t be surprised it’s lacking.

You're speculating that the Mini was engineered from the ground up to be forever brain-dead, and given the evidence, I don't disagree. (However, I will absolutely continue to disagree that it's a brilliant marketing strategy.) If I had known months ago that Litchi still wouldn't be able to do waypoints with this SDK I would certainly have sold the Mini and bought a drone that does. I'm glad now that I didn't, since Dronelink does the job, but still, this has just left a bad taste in my mouth for DJI.

 

[John Locke]

this has just left a bad taste in my mouth for DJI.

I can't count the times DJI has disappointed me over the last 5yrs. It's inherent to the company, and culture in China. However, compared to the technology they have created, each disappointment is a small nit in comparison to the drone technology they offer with unmatched capabilities and features, at a price that nobody else can compete with. They are in a league by themselves for cost effective reliable camera drones.

 

[ajkm]

Heading off at a tangent a bit, how does autonomous waypoint flight sit with drone regulations requiring full control of the drone, VLOS and all that? I'm not trying to be the "drone regs police" - just asking out of curiosity.

The confusion in most peoples’ understanding of the regs lies in the difference between “autonomous” and “automatic”/“automated”.

The difference depends on whether the PIC or the drone system itself makes in-flight decisions required as a result of changing atmospheric conditions or changes in the condition of the system itself (i.e. whether the system is “deterministic” or “goal-based”).

The deterministic system will always produce the same results, absent pilot error, given the same inputs (think precisely repeatable waypoint missions). The goal-based system may deliver different results for the same input (as it’s making it’s own decisions on the fly).

Under most regulations, the PIC must be able to take “immediate control” of the aircraft - which is possible with a deterministic automated system, but not possible with a goal-based autonomous system.

 

[Big Nate]

Dear sirs

I can confirm I successfully completed a combo mission destination and orbit with my MM using DroneLink !!!!!

(Had to disable the respect restrictions option)

I think this deserves a dedicated topic, let's take it there.

Nice work! Can it do the follow me Modes??

 

[scro]

Any drone using obstacle avoidance and/or automatic position holding is using a goal based system, the Mini included. The drone itself makes decisions, without pilot or controller input, in reaction to its environment. Saying that regs compliance depends on whether you are using deterministic or goal based control over-simplifies the situation as a mix of both are used for most flying, even though it may not immediately seem like it.ait.a

If you want to comply with regs then having waypoints loaded into the drone so that it flies autonomously (by that I mean it doesn't require a signal from a remote control station) does not bring any benefit over a system that has the waypoints stored in the controller/mobile device.

 

[judell]

I just got my first MM. can someone please point me to a link explaining SKD; Drone link and Litchi As I would like to learn and understand this stuff. Thanks

 

[ff22]

I just got my first MM. can someone please point me to a link explaining SKD; Drone link and Litchi As I would like to learn and understand this stuff. Thanks

It is SDK - Software Developer (development) Kit. It allows third parties to work with code libraries that DJI creates and allows apps to be developed for the various DJI drones.

Dronelink and Litchi are such third party developers. They write alternative software apps to control various aspects of drones. Apparently, there are limitations in the Mini which Litchi is not designed to work with or around whereas Dronelink has created a separate method for talking to and controlling the Mini.