nig_smith
Second Officer
United Kingdom
Offline
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There are many advantages in using an Amdroid device over an iOS device but there are no advantages of using an iOS device over an Android device. Here are what I personally think are the two major ones.
1. Cost. A suitable Android device can be bought for less than $100. I use a a generic no name tablet for my APM Mission Planner Ground Station. Also if I damage the Android tablet while out in the field it's not a great loss and chances are I could repair it with easily obtainable parts. Not the case with my $500 iPad Air.
2. Google Maps. The iOS version of the Groundstation uses Apple Maps. In this region the imagery is nearly fourteen years old and of such low resolution it's nigh on unusable. Where as on Android, and I'm referencing the APM Mission Planner again, the imagery is far more recent and of a higher resolution. This is why scientific and educational entities don't use Apple Maps.
What I would dearly love to see in any future release of the Groundstation App, whether it be on iOS, PC, or Android platform, is the implementation of no fly zones that are the same as thoughs that have been embedded into the Phantom V2 and Inspire where operation is limited in height dependant on the distance from the centre of the no fly zone and not, as in the case of the current Groundstation software, where operation is prevented within a five mile radius of the centre of the no fly zone. This aspect is a personal one for me as I'm both disabled and live and fly legally from a CAA authorised model flying club airfield which is in one of these no fly zones, 4.8miles from the centre of the no fly zone.
Here's hoping for some good news after the start of the Chinese New Year.
Regards
Nidge |
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