Hi all,
Phantom 3 Advanced

As my iPad Air 2 is WiFi only and has no inbuilt GPS receiver and the RC has not got one either, can I plug an External receiver into the mini USB port on the RC, so it gives accurate positionning to the Craft?
Will it work?


Thanks

You do realize that your craft has GPS and reports that to the RC, yes? So you do have accurate positioning, but still no maps.

Edit: I don't know if an external GPS unit works, but I know that you can create a hot-spot with your smart phone and tether your iPad to it via wifi.

Chris

Thanks Chris,

I know about the craft's GPS, but when Im using AUTOPILOT I can give Focus Trigger to the drone to follow Device (iPad) or Operator (the RC), but while none of them has accurate GPS positioning the drone can not aim properly. Last evening I was in a field with no internet and iPad's position was showing 500m away.
I will try with the tethering trough my iPhone tho. I think this is a good idea indeed. Or swap my iPad for one with cellular, so I have data for the maps too.
Will tethering use data from my phone and show maps as well?

Thanks

diyanrahnev Posted at 2016-7-5 05:14
Thanks Chris,

I know about the craft's GPS, but when Im using AUTOPILOT I can give Focus Trigger t ...

The only flying features that require a GPS in your tablet are follow-me and resetting the home point to the current location of the controller.
All other flying only uses the GPS in the Phantom.
If you really need maps, simply cache them sometime at  home and they'll be available to you when you go flying.

If you really want it, you can add GPS via bluetooth.  The iPad will see it as part of the system and it will work exactly the same as a cellular model.  Be aware that a special (expensive)  type of GPS unit is required to work with IOS.  It's only really useful for follow me or updating your home position if you move the R/C.

Have a read here:
http://forum.dji.com/thread-40404-1-1.html
http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... 63&page=1#pid305419
http://forum.dji.com/thread-43648-1-1.html
http://forum.dji.com/thread-45520-1-1.html
http://forum.dji.com/thread-44320-1-1.html
http://forum.dji.com/thread-48954-1-1.html


Also you can't plug in an external unit into the R/C, and the mini USB port is for factory use only.

Garmin GLO works great with iPad Air 2. It is Bluetooth .  I use it all the time.

Richard in Bois Posted at 2016-7-5 10:16
Garmin GLO works great with iPad Air 2. It is Bluetooth .  I use it all the time.

So you can use Follow Me in the DJI GO app with your WiFI only iPad connected to the Garmin via Bluetooth?

Thank you guys, I read the threads suggested. I will probably go for swapping my tablet for Cellular, as it will only cost me the price of an External GPS, so Id rather have it neatly in. Also as I plan a month of traveling it will be difficult to establish which map exactly I would need to download via WiFi. In this case i will have data on demand for the maps and GPS for accurate positioning when using the Autopilot's features.

Thank you all

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-7-5 12:54
So you can use Follow Me in the DJI GO app with your WiFI only iPad connected to the Garmin via Bl ...

I have the Garmin GLO too.  Yes you can use follow-me in the DJI Go app, using GPS over bluetooth with a wifi-only iPad.

Once it is paired, the iPad just updates the GPS coordinates through the operating system, it doesn't care if the data is coming from a built-in radio or an external one.  Any app that requires GPS co-ordinates just asks the operating system for the position, and the data is returned.

These external devices need to be WAAS-enabled to work on Apple IOS systems, which makes them the more expensive type (what isn't with Apple ).  The cost for a new one is probably just less than the difference between a wifi-only and a cellular iPad.   There are advantages to these systems -- they have GPS and GLONASS radios, whereas Apple inbuilt are GPS only.  They poll and update position from satellites more often than the built-in GPS (10 times per second).  They will work inside real aircraft, whereas inbuilt units typically won't.  This makes it useful for real air navigation while in flight.  The downside is it is another separate device to remember to carry, charge, pair etc.  I don't find it to be a problem, and I have multiple iPads, computers etc, and it is cheaper having one device rather than buying the technology over and over for each device (I apply the same logic to cellular data, I just have one pocketWIFI that I can share to all my devices over wifi and just pay for one account).

Back to your original question, you can put the external bluetooth device in your pocket and walk around with it, with or without the R/C.  The bluetooth connection range theoretically works to 100m (I've successfully tried it to 50m).  The device updates its position and bluetooth's the result to your iPad.  The iPad tells the Go app that it has moved to the new position.  So your controller will appear to move on the map even though it is stationary.  Using it like this is like having a follow-me dongle you can give to a skier or bike rider etc that you are following in a chase vehicle, out of camera shot.  It works really well.

This method should also work with cellular model devices that have GPS built in.  Just disable the inbuilt GPS (it's now effectively the same as a wifi only device), then connect to an external unit via bluetooth, and you can use it as a follow-me dongle.




Some test video here.  It starts with the aircraft in "follow-me" mode, and the GPS left on the equipment boxes while moving about with the R/C.  The R/C is then left on the ground while moving around with just the bluetooth GPS unit.

endotherm Posted at 2016-7-5 18:58
I have the Garmin GLO too.  Yes you can use follow-me in the DJI Go app, using GPS over bluetooth w ...

That is very cool, it used to not work like that.
In my old iPad and P3P (DJI Pilot App) I tried it with my Bad Elf (used for WingX Pro when I was flying) and it did not work. I also thought the GO app did the same.
That's definitely pretty cool.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-7-6 00:04
That is very cool, it used to not work like that.
In my old iPad and P3P (DJI Pilot App) I tried i ...

This flight was in early February and was with the "6" firmware I think -- the first one that warned and limited output of the batteries when overly stressed.  The Go app would have been the corresponding version.  The air at ground level was perfectly still, but at 15-20m it could barely fight against the southerly wind.  The tracking would otherwise have been smoother and there would have been less landing legs in the shot .  The Bad Elf is definitely one of the "approved" WAAS units and should work.

endotherm Posted at 2016-7-6 16:14
This flight was in early February and was with the "6" firmware I think -- the first one that warne ...

Nice, all my iPads are data so no need for an external GPS anymore.
Glad it works though.

Sure can Ken.  It is all I use and the GPS data is mor accurate than the GPS data supplied by the iPad or iPhone that have GPS in them.