please explain flight path.  The DJI video says to draw the flght path and enable auto take off.  She then says hit the eraser to remove.  But what does it do?  Will the phantom follow this route?  Is this feature active?

Im sure its not active yet.

From more reading, I think it's not.   why the hell?  It sure would be nice to have some of these autonomous features enabled.   Seems it's only a guide for flying.   Having no autonomous flight or waypoints is a let down.   I know it's supposed to come with SDK development and maybe from DJI in a few months.   But why wait?  Just venting that's all.

ntfa@sbcglobal. Posted at 2015-5-7 01:15
From more reading, I think it's not.   why the hell?  It sure would be nice to have some of these au ...

When I asked tech support about the Map GUI "Flight Guide" tool (second button on left) they explained that the tool is for the user to input a graphic for later guidance and reference while flying: to stay in a planned operation area or fly air photo survey lines. I think this is a useful function while they get Ground Station working correctly. I do not think it is a good idea to rush out a buggy version of Ground Station because of user whining and fretting, do you?

I did take the advice of the helpful tech support person (Fedilia Zhang) and contacted the ground station developers at sdk.dji.com with my two suggestions for improving Ground Station:
1) Designate a directory on the Android/iOS device where the user can deposit a 3D KML that will then display on the Map GUI for manual flight reference and maybe even provide input to an autonomous flight plan.
2) Somehow provide for use of the P3/I1 platforms inside the 5nm radius around FAA tower controlled airports, if the pilot is a FAA licensed operator with a COE for the particular airspace.

Well, I think user whining and fretting got the ground station added to the phantom 3.    Otherwise, I think DJI WAS going to leave it up to the SDK for other developers.   But wasn't ground station working for the 2+?  who said it was buggy?   I haven't used it since the P3 is my first real drone.   Ground station isn't new, so I don't see it as asking for it for the P3 a rush.   What's really different between the P2 and P3 as far as use of ground station?

ntfa@sbcglobal. Posted at 2015-5-7 01:49
Well, I think user whining and fretting got the ground station added to the phantom 3.    Otherwise, ...

A different pilot app for it to run in is the biggest diff. I guess look for it to be implemented for P3 concurrently with I1.

Its a matter of getting the functionality of Ground Station into the Pilot app.  You know, "all-in-one" app, right?  What I did not like about the DJI app for P2 was no ability to save/name waypoint sets.  The Ground Station app did this, but I could not use it for my P2 - have since gotten a more modern IOS iPad 3 wifi/4G.  But....  the Ground Station app will not currently work with P3.  So, what I think is in the works is a future release of the Pilot app that will give Ground Station waypoint capability - at least the emails/chats back and forth with DJI recently lead me to believe this.