Hi, we have just purchased a P4 RTK to augment our survey work and have a couple of questions.

• Wi-fi Connection - When we connect the controller (the one with the attached screen) to a wi-fi network to update firmware etc the connection to the drone disconnects. So for RTK flights using an existing VRsNow subscription we have, is using the dongle the only way to connect to the network? I was kinda thinking that we could wi-fi hotspot our phone and jump onto the network connection that way.
• Photo settings - I have read that the photograph capability of the P4 RTK has been locked to JPG, I can understand this for survey work to collect data for models and DEM's etc while using the drone with the Phantom RTK flight planning application. But we also like to take some nice wider shots of the site and can't see a way to do this and capture some RAW images that can be post-processed and beautified. We've tried the DJI Pilot app which is bundled on the controller and this looks to have the same restriction of JPG only, are we missing something?
• Flight Log - I can't find where the flight log txt file is after a photogrammetry flight is. Is it not produced? Where should I be looking as I've flown a few times and searched the SD card for a txt file and can't find it?
• Weak RTK can't take off - I there s workaround for this?  The last two survey jobs where we have got the drone out on, were on fully surveyed sites with a Trimble R10Rover and a VRS network with no issues of signal or drop out. However, when the drone has had the network sim card installed in the dongle and connected OK to the mobile network, the RTK signal has been low, but if launched on GPS, the RTK single looks to get better. Is there a way to launch on GPS, gain some height and then switch the mission to RTK?
  

Sorry for so many questions but we trying to get the most out of this drone, and help would be most appreciated.

Cheers
Ossey

1) You can share wifi with you cell phone instead of using a dongle. Easier and cheaper2) I think you can not take raw pictures, but im not for sure because i dont use it. Someone post about it in this days
3) Is in the phantom and you can export ir using DJI Assistant 2 For Phantom
4) Sometimes i loose conection with my DRTK2 but when there is 2km lenght between the phantom a drtk2 or there is building between. BUT: i do see sometimes that message, when the drone has not take off and is beside the DRTK2  Weak RTK can't take off. I usually reset the drone and works perfect.

WiFi-Connection: I've got the same issue, received my new P4RTK yesterday, and I could connect to my iPhone-hotspot while being connected to the drone. Today I updated the firmware of the RC and the drone, and since I did this, the RC disconnects the drone when connecting to a Wifi-Network …
Can anyone help?

fans0f670261 Posted at 6-13 03:58
WiFi-Connection: I've got the same issue, received my new P4RTK yesterday, and I could connect to my iPhone-hotspot while being connected to the drone. Today I updated the firmware of the RC and the drone, and since I did this, the RC disconnects the drone when connecting to a Wifi-Network …
Can anyone help?

Any news on this? Seems odd you can't fly with a wi-fi network on the £5k P4RTK !!!

I've checked with Heliguys (who supplied the drone) and you can't fly off wi-fi from a hotspot. So it will have to be the sim in the dongle for network connectivity.

Ossey Posted at 6-22 03:04
I've checked with Heliguys (who supplied the drone) and you can't fly off wi-fi from a hotspot. So it will have to be the sim in the dongle for network connectivity.

i use everyday a wifi hotspot from my samsung s7 to share connection to my phantom 4 rtk sdk controller. No problem at all

Ossey Posted at 6-22 03:04
I've checked with Heliguys (who supplied the drone) and you can't fly off wi-fi from a hotspot. So it will have to be the sim in the dongle for network connectivity.

Not So, I have flown with my iPhone as a hotspot, my outside network at my house, and with the dongle. Are you in the US? I believe there are differences in the drone sold in other countries.
The flight log is stored on the drone or controller (I can't remember) you have to connect to a computer to download it.

Review your VRS settings. Also, the GPS chip in the P4 is probably not the same quality as a name brand survey-grade receiver. For my P4  I use RTCM3_MSM7 for my mount point. You may be too far away from a VRS station as well. Most of the time I use my RoboDot as an NTRIP server for RTK flying with the added benefit that it logs data so I can PPK process if needed. https://www.robota.us/solutions/RoboDot

Also, you only get JPEG images with the RTK controller. I am not sure if you can get anything else with the SDK controller as I don't use anything else. If I want "photo shots" I use my Mavic pro 2.

Good to know your experiences, I'm in the UK and this was the reply I had back from the vendor.
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I've just pulled our rental drone up from the storage room and had a play about to see if I could get the WiFi signal to work while the drone and controller are connected but with no avail. I have spoken to my very helpful tech colleague, Ross, who has explained the reasoning why it doesn't work.

The connection between the controller and drone works on the same frequencies (2.4 and 5.8 GHz) as WiFi. Although different types of communication, they cannot operate two signals on the same frequency at the same time therefore when the drone is connected WiFi cannot also be connected, unfortunately.
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Thanks

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't lying to you. Here is the Wi-Fi connection to my house

Connected to the VRS via Wi-Fi

Drone in RTK mode with a fixed solution:

Ossey Posted at 6-22 09:48
Good to know your experiences, I'm in the UK and this was the reply I had back from the vendor.
*******
I've just pulled our rental drone up from the storage room and had a play about to see if I could get the WiFi signal to work while the drone and controller are connected but with no avail. I have spoken to my very helpful tech colleague, Ross, who has explained the reasoning why it doesn't work.

"The connection between the controller and drone works on the same frequencies (2.4 and 5.8 GHz) as WiFi. Although different types of communication, they cannot operate two signals on the same frequency at the same time therefore when the drone is connected WiFi cannot also be connected, unfortunately."

WiFi can operate on as many as 32 channels, depending what country you are in. So it is possible to have WiFi operating at the same time. The major problem is the short distance of WiFi, and this is why other people tend to use tethered hotspots off cellular services, as the system is then close by.

Geebax Posted at 6-22 14:50
"The connection between the controller and drone works on the same frequencies (2.4 and 5.8 GHz) as WiFi. Although different types of communication, they cannot operate two signals on the same frequency at the same time therefore when the drone is connected WiFi cannot also be connected, unfortunately."

WiFi can operate on as many as 32 channels, depending what country you are in. So it is possible to have WiFi operating at the same time. The major problem is the short distance of WiFi, and this is why other people tend to use tethered hotspots off cellular services, as the system is then close by.

I have used it with my iPhone as a hot spot many times. I wasn't able to get the dongle here in the US until about 3 months ago.

Thanks all for your input... it must just be me. Which is happening a lot lately with DJI products!

Hi, the full answer about the Wi-Fi connection issue is in the Phantom 4 RTK - User Manual (p.8)

Ossey Posted at 6-23 04:40
Thanks all for your input... it must just be me. Which is happening a lot lately with DJI products!

Hi Ossey,

the full answer to the Wi-Fi issue is in the ''Phantom 4 RTK User Manual'' (p.8):
''The Phantom 4 RTK remote controller can access the Internet using a 4G dongle with SIM card or Wi-Fi signal. For UK, EU, ACUK, or ACEU versions, a Network RTK server can only be accessed using a 4G dongle with SIM card. For NA, AU or AFUS versions, using a 4G dongle with SIM card is recommended, but a Wi-Fi signal can also be used. ''

I hope I was helpful,
Maurizio

mbuonanno Posted at 6-24 07:53
Hi Ossey,

the full answer to the Wi-Fi issue is in the '&aposhantom 4 RTK User Manual'' (p.8):

Brilliant thanks for the information. Who'd have thought that reading the manual would help!!!