P4P+ RC Firmware update - Pluses and Minuses
1512 2 2018-2-12
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wataero
lvl.3
Flight distance : 1719619 ft
United States
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P4P+ RC Firmware version 01.03.06.00 was released on 9 Feb.  The main component was updating the GO App to 4.1.22 which enabled the panoramic shooting modes, but it also added some other functions to RC software.  
  Pluses and Minuses:
  Upgrade went smoothly, I upgraded directly from the display screen via the WiFi connection.  It took a while and I had to resume the download several times but it was eventually successful.  
  As usual there was absolutely no documentation, explaining any of the new features, not even updated release notes, so you have to kind of experiment to see what’s new and how it works.  The DJI web site shows v1.4 of the manual updated last October.  Interestingly,  under the “Academy” tab of the home screen under “manuals” it shows a version 1.4 of the manual dated 8 Feb 2018 but it comes up with error message if you try to download.
  
There are several tutorials on youtube on the pano modes on the Mavic and they work pretty much the same, more on pano modes later.
  Other Features,
  1)      4.1.22 adds 3 updatable databases in the GO app “about” menu:
  Precise Fly Safe DB for the aircraft, Precise Fly Safe DB for the App, and Basic Fly Safe DB.  If you are connected to WiFi when you turnon the controller, if an update is available for the DBs, then you will get a popup window with the choice to update or ignore.  
  2)      4.1.22 also implements “remote identification”  which broadcasts an id code and other information you can set.  This is enabled by default and you can turn it off, at least for now.  For more info see, https://www.dji.com/newsroom/news/dji-introduces-voluntary-flight-identification-options-for-drone-pilots
  3)      They’ve added a feature to transfer photos and videos from RC cache to GO 4 app on Android or IOS tablet or phone.   In the pull down RC Android menu, it’s the icon on the right called “D-trans”.    Then you setup a local WiFi network.  Once local Wifi is on, you go to the tablet or phone and join that network.    Then open the GO 4 app on the tablet and go into the editor.  Click on the import icon in the upper left and you should see a list of locations, the one that says “DJI Display” is the P4P+ RC.  You can import photos and videos that are  in the P4P+’s cache.  Note that these are the lower resolution items that are cached on the RC during the flight, so if there was interference that caused tearing or pixilation it will be present.  Also, this doesn’t work for panoramas, you can’t see any stitched panoramas jpegs so you can’t use this method to download them, you have to use USB transfer to a PC.  In addition, there is no indication in the list of photos which ones are part of a panorama.  Finally, note that this procedure disconnects the RC any existing internet connection.     The good news is that once you have photos in the GO 4 app editor you can save them as videos or photos and use any apps you have on the tablet to edit them.

  Panoramas.   Shooting panoramas on the P4P+ is pretty much like the tutorials for the Mavic, you select which type from the photo shot menu.  Setup the first shot with the view you want  in the center of the panorama, and with the horizon in the middle.  You can use either manual or auto exposure but however you set the aperture, shutter and iso,  they remain the same for all the shots in the panorama.    You can stitch shots together in the album viewer.  It takes a while so you may want to wait until P4P is on the ground.  The stitched jpegs are not bad, if you are posting online for small screen they look alright.  Unfortunately, RC app software for sharing on line posts a link to the jpeg, not the file itself, so you can’t use Facebooks VR controls for spherical panoramas.  Stitching the full resolution photos on the aircraft for a spherical panoramas requires paying for software like photoshop, PTGui, or 3D Vista Stitcher4, I haven’t found anything that is free that does a good job.

2018-2-12
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KedDK
Second Officer
Flight distance : 1133038 ft
Denmark
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Thank you for the detailed report, any oops seen so far?

Regarding 2, the broadcast thing, does it stay off for you? - there was another report that it keep getting enabled by itself.

I have used Hugin on linux for many years to stitch pano's, if you are running Windows try the MS Image Composite Editor (ICE).

Also i was wondering if there would be any improvements in regards to the signal strength/ disconnection issues many has experienced but as you are in the US i guess you have had no problems, seem to be a CE problem.
2018-2-13
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Speleo-flyer
lvl.2
United Kingdom
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KedDK Posted at 2018-2-13 02:03
Thank you for the detailed report, any oops seen so far?

Regarding 2, the broadcast thing, does it stay off for you? - there was another report that it keep getting enabled by itself.

Hugin runs fine on Windows, too.  
2018-3-9
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