If I fly up 100 m above home point, this does not add to the distance travelled. If I move horizontally 100 m it adds to my flight distance. This is half fair.
The vertical & horizonal distance should be calculated together as this is the total movement during flight.  So diagnal distance does not show up correctly?
If I fly up to 100m whilst traveling forward 100 m, the total distance is 200m plus return, but only 100 m is recognised one way.
It should not matter if I fly up & down in the same position, but it reflects on my points as no value. Spark still travelled the distance vertically. Is this fair or am I being unreasonable?
Distance is distance, regardless....   

Hello Sparkz71.
I'm not sure why the error you describe is a problem.  However, the distance travelled seems to be measured on a 2D map. This means that if you fly 100m away and 100m up the 141m travelled is only recorded as 100m, a 41% error. However, assuming your ceiling is 100m the error reduces to 5% at 300m out and 2% at 500m. So for most flight patterns, limited to the required 120m altitude, the error would be quite small. Depending on the requirements of the pilot, this small error could be overtaken by other factors such as wind drift, battery life, etc.
Certainly, if you fly high over short distances and total distance travelled is important, you are being short changed.  

Warriewoodlad Posted at 2-6 23:42
Hello Sparkz71.
I'm not sure why the error you describe is a problem.  However, the distance travelled seems to be measured on a 2D map. This means that if you fly 100m away and 100m up the 141m travelled is only recorded as 100m, a 41% error. However, assuming your ceiling is 100m the error reduces to 5% at 300m out and 2% at 500m. So for most flight patterns, limited to the required 120m altitude, the error would be quite small. Depending on the requirements of the pilot, this small error could be overtaken by other factors such as wind drift, battery life, etc.
Certainly, if you fly high over short distances and total distance travelled is important, you are being short changed.

It's not a problem to me. I understand now that you referred to 2D. In reality, unlike a motor vehicle travelling on the ground building up distance, Spark can travel in 3D. So the distance 'should' be based on the physical movement from point A to B, regardless of 'ground' distance.  If I have a ride-on lawn mower, tractor, speed boat etc the active time is calculated in hours the engine is running & distance is not relevant.   I'm just asking what is fair to evaluate distance considering a plane/'chopper/drone may fuel up to travel 200 miles, yet it may also travel 30000 ft up & down.  So there is  60000 ft not counted? Movement is distance, regardless of direction.     I'm sorry to be a pain, but it seems logical. If I fly to the moon directly above my head, how much distance have I covered. If nothing, I am still on the ground - or did I fly to the moon without anybody knowing?  Does that make sense?

You are correct, distance should be calculated regardless of direction.

Hello! Could you please shed the light which purpose do you count that distance for? If you want to know how far your Spark at the moment, just calculate this formula:
D=√(l²+a²);
where "l" is a horisontal length and "a" is an altitude.
It's simple.

Lysak2003 Posted at 2-9 11:28
Hello! Could you please shed the light which purpose do you count that distance for? If you want to know how far your Spark at the moment, just calculate this formula:
D=√(l²+a²);
where "l" is a horisontal length and "a" is an altitude.

Distance is distance, regardless.  Up, down, forward or back. If the moon is directly overhead (straight up), how far have you travelled to reach the moon? According to my DJI logs, the moon may be 10,000 km above my head but is zero distance away.   So I loose 10,000 km travel? Is that fair?
X & Y are 2D. You forgot what I am asking is the 3D measurement - X Y & Z thus we need 3 inputs to calculate distance. I'll have to find my old physics book to recall the formula for 3D calculation.      Never mind - I learnt it based on my trade once before, like a sine wave.

Thanks for trying to help, but seems you missed the third dimension. I'll work it out via my 'old school' books.

Sparkz71 Posted at 2-11 05:01
Distance is distance, regardless.  Up, down, forward or back. If the moon is directly overhead (straight up), how far have you travelled to reach the moon? According to my DJI logs, the moon may be 10,000 km above my head but is zero distance away.   So I loose 10,000 km travel? Is that fair?
X & Y are 2D. You forgot what I am asking is the 3D measurement - X Y & Z thus we need 3 inputs to calculate distance. I'll have to find my old physics book to recall the formula for 3D calculation.      Never mind - I learnt it based on my trade once before, like a sine wave.

Necessarily let me know what do you come in! I am interested in that.

Lysak2003 Posted at 2-11 05:57
Necessarily let me know what do you come in! I am interested in that.

Lysak2003 - Your formula is almost 100% correct. It is only true to calculate the distance from the home point, but not the total distance travelled.  It is simplified & does not include the calculation of total distance travelled (accumulated) via the (2) horizontal axis with respect to the vertical axis at the same time.

If I fly 100 m east, then 100 m north at the same vertical height, I have physically travelled 200 m. But the distance from the home point is only 141.42 m.   If I travel direct to that position (diagonal) your calculation would be true. If I then fly 100 m in the vertical direction up & then 100 m down, the total distance travelled would now be 400 m, yet I am only 173.2 m directly from the home point when 100 m vertically above.
So now the DJI Go app has lost 226.8 m of actual distance travelled, based from the home point with the simple formula  - not the physical movement overall.
Eg: Fly 100 m up & 100 m down within in the same horizontal axis & the DJI app will not calculate this is as 'total distance' travelled, even though 200 m was travelled overall.   Move on the horizontal axis 100 m & it is calculated as 100 m & does not allow for the 200 m rise & fall in 3D.
No wonder people loose their drones 'cos DJI can't do the mathematics in 3D. Distance v's height.
It's obviously a mistake from DJI -  mathematics are not correct from DJI within a third dimension.
Spark is 3D, not like a 2D car or boat - Spark can fly in the third dimension, yet DJI seem to ignore the vertical axis as distance?
I've said too much - sorry, but it's true

I found the correct formula by searching the internet for "3D distance calculator". Each change in direction requires a new calculation & add the sum for the total distance travelled overall.

Eg:                  https://www.calculatorsoup.com/c ... ance-two-points.php

Edit: I have made minor corrections to my post due to my typographical errors & removed repeated information the best I can. Sorry, but I have not taken away the primary details.

Sparkz71 Posted at 2-11 17:04
Lysak2003 - Your formula is almost 100% correct. It is only true to calculate the distance from the home point, but not the total distance travelled.  It is simplified & does not include the calculation of total distance travelled (accumulated) via the (2) horizontal axis with respect to the vertical axis at the same time.

If I fly 100 m east, then 100 m north at the same vertical height, I have physically travelled 200 m. But the distance from the home point is only 141.42 m.   If I travel direct to that position (diagonal) your calculation would be true. If I then fly 100 m in the vertical direction up & then 100 m down, the total distance travelled would now be 400 m, yet I am only 173.2 m directly from the home point when 100 m vertically above.

OK. And where is connection between lost drones people can't find and distance calculation? Find My Drone feature gives you coordinates accordingly to satellite's information. Actually, if your drone somehow falls from the sky (let the Great Lord do not allows to happen that), you won't need the full distance of the flight, you will ask only about horisontal distance between you and your drone.
That is why I first of all asked for which purpose do you need that three-dimentional distance of flight?

Lysak2003 Posted at 2-11 23:35
OK. And where is connection between lost drones people can't find and distance calculation? Find My Drone feature gives you coordinates accordingly to satellite's information. Actually, if your drone somehow falls from the sky (let the Great Lord do not allows to happen that), you won't need the full distance of the flight, you will ask only about horisontal distance between you and your drone.
That is why I first of all asked for which purpose do you need that three-dimentional distance of flight?

The DJI app awards points based on distance. Only horizontal distance is calculated, not vertical.

As I am the OP, I never spoke about lost drones nor find my drone. So what is the connection - NOTHING! It was NEVER mentioned nor suggested. Only in your mind?

Are you reading my thread or confused & replying to another thread? Fair go mate!  I think you need to re-read THIS thread & stop your confusing responses.  With the greatest respect, please take your foot out of your mouth & do not insult me with your confusion.
Anyhow, to answer your off topic question, if my drone was stuck in a tree 30 ft up, I'd like to know the height, not just the co-ordinates.

Why do I want to know about 3D distance - because it can be calculated & I'm not 'simple' enough to respond with irrelevant & incorrect assumptions without reading the context.

Why do you ask, assume & reply, Lysak2003, without reading the topic correctly?
Safe flight requires attention to all the details.  Learning requires true facts. Points to exchange for DJI dollars requires posts. Flight distance to rise in rank requires a true distance count.

I'm just saying the software can be smarter - but that seems to be beyond your scope of understanding & you digressed to unrelated questions never mentioned.  Please think before replying.

Happy & safe flying.  

Sparkz71 Posted at 2-15 04:19
The DJI app awards points based on distance. Only horizontal distance is calculated, not vertical.

As I am the OP, I never spoke about lost drones nor find my drone. So what is the connection - NOTHING! It was NEVER mentioned nor suggested. Only in your mind?

And Who wrote this?

Lysak2003 Posted at 2-15 05:02
And Who wrote this?[view_image]

You are correct & caught me out up to a point. Now I understand your comment. I was referring to flight times & distance with crashed drones, not so much lost as in missing, but lost as in crashed.  My fault for 'assuming' without providing the correct details as I initially intended.
I am sorry for not being clear & creating a misunderstanding between us.

With respect, thank you for pointing out my error.

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