The whale reserach project I work with, has purchased and succesfully used 4x  P4Ps with iOS Apple tablets during Summer 2017.
The quality of the RAW photography and 4K video is outstanding.  
Our team is very positive on the durability,  ease of use and the compactness of this UAV.

We are considering to step up equipment-wise by purchasing DJI's CrystalSky Ultra 7.85 displays/monitors.

Any advise of those of you who have been using them, especially in combination with the P4P, is much appreciated.

On this forum issues related to  overheating and switching-off and program / soft ware bugs are mentionnned in a few posts.
How much of a real issue are these problems on a daily working base, and should we reconsider purchasing this - rather rare and relatively expensive- display?

Also, as CrystalSky is working by Android protocols, how is the quality of the display imagery when flying on > 1,6 km / 1 US mile?

Thank you in advance for advise or sharing exepriences!

Aloha Strannik,

     The CrystalSky 7.85 Ultra Brightness display has had some problems, but the 7.85 High Brightness display is very stable, very bright and has had no problems that I am aware of.  I own one myself.  My friend has three Ultras, two of which are having problems that will require a return.  One of the Ultras is his own monitor and the other two belong to the company he works for.  I am sure the returned Ultra Brightness CrystalSky monitors will work flawlessly when he gets them back.

     The P4Ps are amazing machines as you have noted.  Using the CrystalSky with the P4P is a real good combination.  But, you have only touched the surface of what these amazing combinations can do.  Even though the 7.85 inch display is mid sized, it is not always enough to get the details you want in the field.  

     The CrystalSky has a full size HDMI port that allows goggles to be used by the principal investigator while the pilot in charge puts the P4P where the PI wants it to be.  Because it is cabled, it can be 1080p, 20/20 vision, even better than looking at the 1080p display, and this is the live view.  It is like the PI is in the P4P.  Amazing!  

     The Pilot in Charge can also use the goggles when needed.  I have found that my HDMI splitter will allow the CrystalSky and two goggles to operate in the same system.  The demonstration system I used had a 15.6 inch HDMI display at 1080p and a 1080p goggles.  The extra monitor was no where near as bright as the CrystalSky though, but the PhD candidate I was doing the demonstration for was very impressed.

     A one mile range over water is not a problem.  1080p comes through crystal clear.  The bitrates can be very high.  I have parabolic reflectors that do improve the signal if that is needed.  They cost less than $20 US (I got mine for $10 US, including shipping).  One of the best investments you can make for Phantom systems.

     Yes the CrystalSky is Android based but problems are few and far between.  Third party apps can be added if necessary (up to 20 apps).  I have also discovered an adapter that allows you to use your iOS devices after the CrystalSky mount has been installed.  The CrystalSky mount is rock solid, not wobbly like the iOS and Android device mounts.  The Cendence adapter allows an iOS device to be mounted on the P4P remote controller when needed.  I have one myself and it works great.  Here is the link;

https://store.dji.com/product/cendence-mobile-device-holder

     The CrystalSky monitors are very good but they are heavy and that weight is managed well by the mount.  The Pilot in Charge will have to wear a neck lanyard to help support the weight.  With the adapter, the iOS devices are way more stable than previously used.  A swap out from CrystalSky to iOS device takes less than a minute.

     BTW, that is an interesting photo of the aftermath of a whale fart you posted with your thread, or so it would appear.

Aloha and Drone On!

Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !

Thank you for such a prompt and lengthy answer, packed with so much useful information!

It seems -  for now - that the Ultras are a bit of a gamble: two out of three may/may not work. You seem happy with the High Brightness - does it do the job for you, out on the water with light reflections everywhere?

If indeed so, perhaps for this year we might use the HB version until the bugs and flaws from the Ultra are filtered out.
We work in the middle of nowhere and have to be self-supporting for at least three months. You know what it is. On the other hand, I am really impressed by that excellent image produced by the Ultra, but can't take a gamble here.

Good to hear your feedback on the bracket mounts and the use of additional parabolic reflectors - I have been wondering about these. Android gets tricky on distances over 1,5 km whilst iOS stays rock solid up to 3 clicks: super imagery through Lightbridge. On the other hand,  I'd like to get the flight info out so we can check / safe the track of a whale or mother/calf pair, and that is so much easier in Android - so that would be a another good reason to use the amplifiers /reflectors. And with the possibility you mention on combining iOS and Android systems in one operation....interesting.

We work in teams of three: a photographer/ PI, a drone operator PIC/ PI and spotter/scribe and with a common skill-level. The pilot used a kind of  harness that hangs from his shoulders and has a small mount for the RC and monitor at belly-height. The construction is fully adjustable and worked very well. Others operate from small foldable tables that can be put up in a wink, covering their heads with a coat or blanket - like 19-century photographers.

It is also very interesting to learn from you that a pair of DJI Goggles can be connected to the CrystalSky monitor through its HDMI. Can this been done in midflight when it appears that the HB monitor can't cope with the light circumstances? Or do the goggles have to be connected from the start onward? And if the goggles are connected through the HDMI port, do you keep your image on the HB / Ultra monitor as well - kind of dual-vision?

I also see the advantage when using a HDMI splitter: it is very useful for training staff or having people assisting when looking at a particular scene / behavior.

Thank you again for so much food for thought!  Ah, the whale photo - this calf was indeed windy at the time, both bubbling from the blowholes and other places...

Strannik Wolkov Posted at 2018-4-23 04:24
Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !

Thank you for such a prompt and lengthy answer, packed with so much useful information!

I've just started working with the crystal sky high brightness unit with my p4p - regular rc unit with the CS mount adapter. Seems to work well, but imho, you'll still want a sun hood - I'm waiting on the dji CS collapsible hood to arrive. I haven't tested mine over 500m range, but everything seems solid. Getting Litchi to work on it is a different matter...

Strannik Wolkov Posted at 2018-4-23 04:24
Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !

Thank you for such a prompt and lengthy answer, packed with so much useful information!

Aloha Strannik,

     Happy to see you found the information useful.  One benefit of using iOS and Android is because the DJI Ground Station Pro, a mapping and engineering software, is currently available only on iOS devices.  It is a free download but some supplemental services are sold within the app.  The basic program is free.

https://www.dji.com/ground-stati ... =brandsite&from=nav

This can be helpful when doing transects.  In your case, instead of manned flight transects, lower altitude transects that are behavior oriented would become possible.  More later.

Aloha and Drone On!

mrbill Posted at 2018-4-23 05:22
I've just started working with the crystal sky high brightness unit with my p4p - regular rc unit with the CS mount adapter. Seems to work well, but imho, you'll still want a sun hood - I'm waiting on the dji CS collapsible hood to arrive. I haven't tested mine over 500m range, but everything seems solid. Getting Litchi to work on it is a different matter...

Aloha mrbill,

     Since you bought the sunshade from the DJI Store, can you let us know how well it works?  I am converting a DJI one for an iOS tablet that I bought a couple years ago that never fit my Android tablets.  I am a fan of using sunshades when I am not using goggles.  

     Under "normal" conditions, I do not need a sunshade with my HB CrystalSky.  But, since they are so easy to make, I figure the more shade, the better!  I even found my stash of 1 sq. in. Velcro.  Great for holding a sunshade together.

Aloha and Drone On!

Strannik Wolkov Posted at 2018-4-23 04:24
Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !

Thank you for such a prompt and lengthy answer, packed with so much useful information!

Aloha Strannik,

     As Mr. Bill noted, Litchi is a good supplemental program that works with the CrystalSky if you use the CrystalSky and Amazon to purchase it.  It also installs on iOS tablets.  I have my copy of Litchi on an nVidia Shield K1 (Android) so it is swappable to my other birds.  Here is the link to the Litchi Hub;

https://flylitchi.com/hub

     Litchi is nice for its flexibility and you can create missions on a computer.  It can supplement your Ground Station Pro as needed.  Litchi is only $25-$35 US, so it is very affordable for all the capability it has.  It easily flies autonomous missions.  It does require some concentration when reviewing each waypoint prior to a mission.  Over water can be very unforgiving if you miss an altitude mistake.

     I live in a jungle next to the cliffs (Pali) of the Ko'olau Mountains and my house is up on a ridge.  So, I do have negative altitudes sometimes and that can get messy.  I like to fly the jungle tunnels so I use the parabolics a lot.

     Think up some more questions and problems that need solving.  We are here to help!

Aloha and Drone On!

Usually with Crystalsky you won't need any additional shade as it is much more bright than usual displays. In extreme sunshine the shade is usefull of course.
You mentioned easy to use. Then you should think about P4P+ where you need just to turn on the RC and wait for about 20 sec. I love it. But for the phantom you can get only 5.5'' display.

Hey Andy!  Thanks for your suggestion. I think the 5.5 size is a bit too small for our purpose. We currently work with 10" tablets which give a more detailed overview.

mrbill good evening! Good to hear that the CrystalSky  High Brightnes may need an additional shade. This helps in understanding the possibilities of the equipment. I am about 9000 km away from Moscow where the good stuff is sold and no physical possibilities to check things out. So we rely on your info and experiences. Many thanks!

Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !  

Thanks again for all your ideas and input! Great software and huge potential!

DJI Ground Station Pro and Litchi both operate in a range of 500 meter, is that correct ? And when using the parabolic antennas, the programmed range can be extended with ..(?)..00 meters. We are trying to cover 180 km shoreline per day, working 2 teams. Automated pre-programmed flights would be very useful if we could cover the over-the-horizon-range: 3-5 km of shore.  It would be nice if the way points could be planned on larger distances. But then again, the power would be enough to fly perhaps 1 leg of a transect and then quickly return to the home point for a battery swap. This calls for another type of UAV.

Then there is the thought of getting IR/FLIR cameras mounted on the P4P - not sure of the effective range of these, apart from their gruelling expensive price...

We also have to cope with negative altitudes here, not as huge as at your place though. That is where the spotter comes in. A good spotter is worth his weight...  :-)
BTW : Flying through jungle tunnels sounds awesome.

Signing of for now - take care

Strannik Wolkov Posted at 2018-4-24 05:18
Здравствуйте Cetacean ;-) !  

Thanks again for all your ideas and input! Great software and huge potential!

Aloha Strannik,

     More later when you have time but for now you need to know that DJI does not have any way to put a FLIR camera on a Phantom.  Great idea I have thought a lot about but not with the DJI P4 Pro.  DJI does have industrial drones that use the FLIR cameras but the range and duration are disappointing.

https://www.dji.com/matrice-200-series/info#specs

     As for the distances you note and the IR/FLIR question, you might want to look into the fixed wing versions of drones that can fly grids.  DJI does make excellent FLIR cameras like the XT2 Dual Vision camera, visible and FLIR in one camera assembly;

https://www.dji.com/zenmuse-xt2?site=brandsite&from=nav

But mating it with another body will require research.  DJI also sells the XT FLIR camera;

https://www.dji.com/zenmuse-xt?site=brandsite&from=nav

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

I use a 5.5 Crystal Sky with my Inspire 2 an I am very pleased with it. I have had no issues with it at all. Updates are simple, outputs are  great. DJI also has a hood for the Crystal Sky which really makes a great screen even greater. Plus the hood attaches to the screen and folds down to act as a screen protector when not in use.

The dji hood arrived - clever, well made, does a good job. Expensive but I would say worth it, and you WILL need one for a high brightness unit. Good luck, Strannik!

Happy flying

Mrbill, good day!

Congratulations with your purchase!
Thank you for that useful feedback! Good to know first hand that a HB monitor needs a hood.

Rodger8, hi!
Are you using a HB or a Ultra Bright monitor?

Aloha Cetacean!
Still on the  go - thanks for telling about DJI FLIR cameras quality, I thought so myself.
We need grids of 10-15 km that can be flown at relatively low speed for not missing the blows. IR /FLIR is a great help for identifying blows.
Last year test were done from a shore based fixed FLIR  setup - very interesting results.

Would be nice iif we can fit DJI's equipment in here. But you are right that the solution may probably be a kind of special designed fw..

Get back to you soon -