ACW Posted at 2017-10-10 13:20
Without reading back I get the impression you're idea is for the drone to engage RTH and fly back closer to you when the compass/IMU/GPS is lost and then you turn off RTH manually when regained? Is that right? And to have this feature added to the Spark? Good luck if so.

No. The only case I addressed is the compass loss.
To make a long story short, my procedure offers a way for using the capabilities of GPS to converge to the right direction to fly back home without a compass, rather than have the system that's most prone to interference (compass) kill valid and useful data from GPS. The user Kloo Gee came along later and offered an even better procedure.
And you can turn it off, assuming you have controller connection, at any time. Same as any RTH. Kloo Gee offered a further improvement with his procedure - have a choice in the menu whether you want that procedure activated for those who don't feel safe with ATTI, or move straight to ATTI mode for the Charles Lindberghs of the world, like you gentlemen.

Not every capability of every system can be backed up by another. But direction finding can be backed up by GPS with the right procedure.

djiuser_Kf4iPA3 Posted at 2017-10-10 13:32
No. The only case I addressed is the compass loss.
To make a long story short, my procedure offers a way for using the capabilities of GPS to converge to the right direction to fly back home without a compass, rather than have the system that's most prone to interference (compass) kill valid and useful data from GPS. The user Kloo Gee came along later and offered an even better procedure.
And you can turn it off, assuming you have controller connection, at any time. Same as any RTH. Kloo Gee offered a further improvement with his procedure - have a choice in the menu whether you want that procedure activated for those who don't feel safe with ATTI, or move straight to ATTI mode for the Charles Lindberghs of the world, like you gentlemen.

Direction finding is currently backed up with 3D image navigation on on the P4P, as I said earlier - though failsafe triggers it - not sure if this is a future possibility for compass failure to trigger - I imagine that may be a next gen in the P5 but as I said, you won't see this in a 500 quid drone mate. Interesting discussion and always good to explore innovation which is what DJI stand for but best to be realistic too - a lot of the tech advancements being debated are already in place but you'll find them in 10 grand quads for industrial work like the M200 - not the 2017 Spark but who knows what is around the corner. ATTI mode however, should always be an option too to give full control to the pilot when needed - I'd rather the Spark have an ATTI switch than an autonomous compass triggered 3D image tracking RTH system LOL both would be even better...

Hecate Posted at 2017-10-10 13:27
There is always an opposite side to consider, i own in excess of 20 drones, all my cheap drones come with fpv wifi using a phone or tablet, some even come with tapfly and rth based on the RC position (none have GPS), all have an RC, so spark with an RC is a $700 drone. I love doing mods to the cheap drones (the 249 gram challenge and everybody needs a hobby so this is mine) so i have a modified 5XUW a $100 drone, $26 to extend its range to 1.3 kilometers, $46 for the lightest 1080p dash cam with internal battery (on sale), $33 for vibration dampeners and a mini servo for gimbal control. The image quality achieved rivals the spark and in low wind conditions having no GPS is not an issue, i would love to add GPS but the drone is at 237 grams.
Now i have never ever had compass errors or interference with these cheap drones, you just fly them, no issues whatsoever. So lets tally the modded 5XUW, it comes to $205, so now what am I to expect from a $700 spark; as a minimum for the extra $495, a worry free flight experience but its just not able to provide that. I have modded the spark at 247 grams of course and fly it mostly in ATTI  and my photos will still be awesome. Is it worth the extra $495, yes if it works like promised, had the compass error to a point were it could not fly the spark at all no matter the location, but since i had problems with DJI assistant 2  recognizing the spark (another problem DJI did not solve for over a year) those records are lost and is a lost opportunity for DJI as a 100% compass failure rate is the ideal to solve the issue.

I have no doubt that your home made $205 drone is more reliable than the Spark anymore than I appreciate why you still bought the Spark but do not expect 100% perfection from a $500, massed produced mini drone that is a brand new design with brand new functionality or you will be disappointed. I consider it work in progress just like the Mavic was in late 2016 and the Phantom in 2013 when they first launched. All new tech has teething problems and as long as you make allowances for that in your flight plans and try to be as safe as possible then you will minimise the risk of loss. I have never had a compass, IMU or GPS failure to date with the Spark - so perhaps yours was a lemon/DOA unit - it happens - though I have some lag issues on occasions and the gesture controls are somewhat unpredictable but to me thats part of the fun.

ACW Posted at 2017-10-10 13:55
Direction finding is currently backed up with 3D image navigation on on the P4P, as I said earlier - though failsafe triggers it - not sure if this is a future possibility for compass failure to trigger - I imagine that may be a next gen in the P5 but as I said, you won't see this in a 500 quid drone mate. Interesting discussion and always good to explore innovation which is what DJI stand for but best to be realistic too - a lot of the tech advancements being debated are already in place but you'll find them in 10 grand quads for industrial work like the M2 - not the 2017 Spark but who knows what is around the corner. ATTI mode however, should always be an option too to give full control to the pilot when needed - I'd rather the Spark have an ATTI switch than an autonomous compass triggered 3D image tracking RTH system LOL both would be even better...

i know just a little bit about 3D imaging techniques, and it would definitely achieve better results than my procedure - but highly likely it's much more complex and more computationally expensive than finding direction with collected GPS coordinates (GPS is a system I do know well, at least from the radio perspective). So I don't ask for that.
That goes exactly to your point. Direction finding from GPS is far from the complexity level of 3D image processing. The trade-off is a longer procedure involving an uglier flight. In the context you present, It is, in itself, a compromise; Does the job, in more time and with an uglier, more cumbersome process - but at a lower cost.

I personally have never had more than intermittent losses which were immediately recovered. But other poor sods have lost their drones, some without being able to recover them at all. They would have benefited from this kind of procedure.

And I don't deny you the choice of using ATTI instead, if you so wish.

djiuser_Kf4iPA3 Posted at 2017-10-10 14:05
i know just a little bit about 3D imaging techniques, and it would definitely achieve better results than my procedure - but highly likely it's much more complex and more computationally expensive than finding direction with collected GPS coordinates (GPS is a system I do know well, at least from the radio perspective). So I don't ask for that.
That goes exactly to your point. Direction finding from GPS is far from the complexity level of 3D image processing. The trade-off is a longer procedure involving an uglier flight. In the context you present, It is, in itself, a compromise; Does the job, in more time and with an uglier, more cumbersome process - but at a lower cost.

Yeah, I have read some fairly sad cases on here with the dreaded flyaway. Any new tech which helps to prevent that is a good thing and I'm sure DJI have it in hand as in their interest to do so just as much as I hope new flyers have the manual in hand. FW.600 has showed big improvements and I think .700 will clear up even more. Anyway, I bow out of this discussion and we will no doubt cross paths on here again.

ACW Posted at 2017-10-10 14:38
Yeah, I have read some fairly sad cases on here with the dreaded flyaway. Any new tech which helps to prevent that is a good thing and I'm sure DJI have it in hand as in their interest to do so just as much as I hope new flyers have the manual in hand. FW.600 has showed big improvements and I think .700 will clear up even more. Anyway, I bow out of this discussion and we will no doubt cross paths again on here.

A fair enough summary I think. I hope you're right about .700.
Good night. It was fun exchanging views with you.