Dirty Bird Posted at 8-15 15:00
Litchi is a niche product for a niche market.  Niche products are more expensive with a limited customer base.  It takes a lot more time & effort to program something like Litchi as opposed to programming a fart app.

While there are no developer costs in shipping, there is the time & expense of coding & testing, as well as programing & maintaining the Litchi website, Mission Hub, & the servers storing user accounts & missions.

Just to be clear so that I can stop following up on off-topics... things aren't exactly up to scale in software, otherwise MicroSoft wouldn't be called CrimoSoft in my book. And anyway, a very simple and straight math tells me that supposedly Litchi has been paid for around 6100 times on the Play Store (as you're not allowed to release rating until you download, and to download you have to PAY), that can generate a revenue for around 152.5K EUR, curtailed of the shop's fee of around 30% is around 106.7K EUR. A heck of lot of money in revenue for an app like that, this from the Google Play Store sales alone.

And anyway... I don't know about the US but under the EU consumer laws I am allowed to source myself a Mavic Mini from the Internet with a remote agreement (which is just another way of stating: I've made an online purchase), test it out... send it back to the seller and request my money back. In case wonder why: remote agreements can be subjects of misunderstanding and omissions about the quality of the product, thus they've been allowed this special consumer protection policy.

Now, back to us. I am not saying your demo video about the stadium and towers isn't great... or that it couldn't be possible otherwise, frankly I have no idea, but I do know one thing: I noticed your drone went around buildings. That I am afraid is not something you're getting with the Mavic Mini using Litchi. For what I know we stand here: NO waypoints for Litchi... and even if you get yourself in one of those early morning apps that promise waypoints, you'd surely come across the remote factor, you're still tethered to the RC for them to work, and it completely defeats the point of going around objects at a normal height if you have to maintain line of sight with the RC.

Conclusion: Litchi qualities don't fully apply to the Mavic Mini... and the beefiest part certainly don't (waypoints). At this point even 25 EUR should they've ever been a decent asking become prohibitive.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-15 20:55
Yes Gary, really...

If the mask doesn't prevent the virus from getting through to the wearer, it likewise doesn't prevent the virus from escaping out to infect others.  In fact recent studies indicate masks may actually INCREASE the spread by aerolosizing larger droplets.

Db, I know you mean well and on the other side are fiercely independent. But you probably should learn more about this before you advise others. I don't have the time or patience to point out the errors in your response. My doctor has educated me very seriously on this issue because of my charges and I know far more than I ever wanted to know about this threat. It's ugly as hell; I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies. I want it to be as easy as you folks seem to think it is. Stay safe, dude. And be responsible, if for no other reason, because it might just be the right thing to do.
If I was told I could help you live longer and safer by painfully walking barefoot over hot coals, I would say .......  cool;-)

hallmark007 Posted at 8-15 01:34
There are other benefits of using litchi. First and most important many drone users tend to upgrade their drones, so enabling litchi for virtually nothing to their new drone. You can also fly normal flying using litchi app, which has other features like voice response which is tremendously helpful for some users. It’s constantly being updated free and I imagine this will continue, It’s a pretty safe app and for $25 it’s a steal , it’s probably something you will use a lot more than a ND 4 filter which costs around the same price.

Yes you cannot utilize fully the app, but it has some stuff you can use , but once off payment no license fee at $25 everyone should have litchi.

My original post was in response to a comment that Litchi should be cheaper for Mini users as it doesn’t offer all of the available app features for that specific drone. I fully understand the benefits of the app and the very fact that you can use all of the features with other drones is why I can’t see why people should pay less for it just because they have a Mini.

only after receiving the MM direct from DJI I had to find out that DJI Fly was 64 bit only. The MM is nice but I cannot forgive DJI for not telling about this. I have a samsung galaxy note 3 laying around which was intended for the MM.
I have litchi and used it sometimes with my P4P and the Note3.
My question is: is the litchi beta (supporting MM) 64 bit architecture or 32bit?

Good question... if some other device interaction is possible with the Mini.
I am on S9+ but had my Note 4 not ended up broken I would still be with it and probably not enjoying a Mini.

Thanks for sharing

m80116 Posted at 8-8 09:22
Yes... they should close the workarounds to avoid unsolicited users buying the Mavic Mini app to control other drones or let MM owners use a full feature set the might want to hold up for the full scale version of their app, their business not mine.

The asking price is still ludicrously ridiculous for a piece of software capitalizing on an SDK... wondering how much time it would take to develop or how many lines of code it might be. I've seen genuine licenses of Windows sold for that price... we could argue all we want how much crap Windows is these days but it's still a hands down win for the Microsoft software. Using that scale o copy of Windows could probably cost in excess of 10.000 EUR or more...

You forget the economies of scale, the number of copies is infinitely less than Windows.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-17 00:17
You begrudge a small company enjoying a return on YEARS of labor & support of an innovative, niche, product?  Word up - beyond choosing to make a purchase, you don't get to arbitrarily decide the value of the innovation & labor of others!  

Not sure where you get your numbers, but Litchi has been downloaded 100K+ times on Google Play in the USA.  I sure hope the developers are enjoying a decent return.  They earned it.

Who decides I can't judge on the value of the offer, quality of work and value for money on the software I buy? You want to decide for me? Or you do want to SILENCE people from expressing free thinking? You're one too many here, I decide for myself.

And anyways... kept on the ratings as they may have been more representative. Unless you want to account for all those downloads and reveal that Lichi's dev has probably made over 1.7 millions from the Play Store alone. But I am not suprised at all... people have made thousand of EUR/USD replicating simple apps like notepad and calculator, they are certainly more entitled than them.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-17 02:49
Obviously you have a voice in deciding the value of a product.  As stated in my post, you express it when you choose whether or not to purchase the product.

I took offense to you implying the developers are somehow ripping people off by earning money from their innovation & labor.  How much they earn is irrelevant.  No one is forced to buy the software.  

For me 25 EUR for a software that does not even offer waypoints for the Mini is a steep asking price. Not only because the other function I'd use, Active Tracking, would not be implemented properly through SDK APIs but with proprietary code (MM not supporting AT), which for what I've seen is still a far cry from a proper active tracking (even DJI's own AT on the Spark was better).

I wonder if Litchi could make HDR Panoramas (at least, bracketing [AEB] of pano pictures).

And the usage on other DJI drones doesn't really appeal to me as I am a basic user and not interested in upgrading, meaning I'll only ever use the app with the Mini, therefore I'd find very reasonable a Mavic Mini dedicated version with reduced features and price.

But meh... they may get a good challenge mounted quite soon. I've seen apps touting HDR panos, waypoints, active tracking, tap to fly, orbits... (I hope he'll agree at least on this one) competition cannot be a bad thing and hopefully could reflect in prices as well, with competitors undercutting the established software or offering a better feature set.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-7 09:12
That is a self-imposed limitation you've chosen to accept.  With a persistent RC connection limit, you can't even spiral a building a couple hundred feet away.  It's like submitting to a mandatory mask mandate when it states right on the package the product offers no protection against a virus.

<offtopic>
The masks aren’t supposed to protect you, but others from you and aerosolized virus particles that you exhale when coughing or talking. They aren't 100% effective for that either, but they do reduce the chance of spreading the virus. People refusing to wear masks is selfish and ignorant.
</offtopic>

Masks do help reduce the spread of COVID-19. They offer a degree of protection to both the wearer and people around him/her. It's not 100% effective protection, but it helps, and that's what's needed.

People who refuse to wear masks because they aren't a perfect solution is one of the reasons why this is dragging on as long as it is.

Being concerned about 1000 people dying daily here in the US isn’t irrational fear, and the only thing keeping things in check are the measures taken to limit the spread of the virus.

I too worry about the effects that the pandemic has on the economy and the survivors, and want our society to return to “normal” as soon as possible. Many thousands of people will die in the coming years or even decades as a result of depression and economic hardship caused by what’s taking lives every day today. People losing jobs, savings, and homes can have devastating consequences years later. Kids not getting a complete education due to the shortcomings of remote learning will limit their career potentials as adults.

COVID-19 is undoubtedly being exploited politically and economically, but being responsible and temporarily wearing a mask while in public is a small price to pay to reduce the magnitude of the disaster the world is facing.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-17 14:27
Studies on the efficacy of masks are inconclusive.   Sweden never mandated masks or instituted lockdowns, yet their Covid-19 situation has passed.  You would do as well to wear garlic bulbs around your neck.

The pandemic drags on because it is no longer about science.  It is a tool being exploited for political advantage.   We have Fauci the Fraud, a guy who has been all over the map.  Dude hasn't treated a patient in 40+ years.  Don't wear masks, wear masks, wear eye protection, sex with strangers from Tinder is safe, church gatherings are bad, gathering for riots is OK.   Fauci blew the H1N1 response & the AIDS response decades earlier.   The guy is a career bureaucrat with a long track record of failure.

"  Sweden never mandated masks or instituted lockdowns, yet their Covid-19 situation has passed. "

I guess you have not been following the situation in Sweden. Of the Baltic states, it has had the worst infection rate for months now. When you compare the warm area states (countries), they have a higher rate, but Sweden passed even them up early on.
Here are the current graphs for neighboring Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Notice anything disturbing?  Pay attention to the scaling on the left side. Swedens looks worse of course, but to put it into perspective the scale is reduced to keep it on the graph (2.5 times Norway, 5 times Finland) (p.s. forgot to crop Finland's page)

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-17 19:52
Finland, Norway, Sweden.  Approximately 21 million people.  Over a six month period, 6359 Covid (or "Covid related" if they are scamming the numbers like in the USA) deaths.  All three currently have extremely low Covid death rates.

Why Sweden experienced a sudden short-term spike in positive cases i do not know?  Was there a backlog of tests released?  Were they doing the Florida scam where only positive cases were reported?  Thus far, the death rate continues trending steadily downwards.

Wow, so many errors in that post. Forget it. Enjoy your life, as long as it lasts.

GaryDoug Posted at 8-17 20:27
Wow, so many errors in that post. Forget it. Enjoy your life, as long as it lasts.

I admire that you still respond to this twat ;-)

Super Mega TWAT

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-17 14:27
Studies on the efficacy of masks are inconclusive.   Sweden never mandated masks or instituted lockdowns, yet their Covid-19 situation has passed.  You would do as well to wear garlic bulbs around your neck.

The pandemic drags on because it is no longer about science.  It is a tool being exploited for political advantage.   We have Fauci the Fraud, a guy who has been all over the map.  Dude hasn't treated a patient in 40+ years.  Don't wear masks, wear masks, wear eye protection, sex with strangers from Tinder is safe, church gatherings are bad, gathering for riots is OK.   Fauci blew the H1N1 response & the AIDS response decades earlier.   The guy is a career bureaucrat with a long track record of failure.

75% of all Swedish schools instituted lockdown all schools and colleges with the exception primary schools were online, anyone who could work from home did work from home if work could not be carried out safely it was closed down. All large gatherings were not allowed. Bars and restaurants were opened but heavily restricted. Having been to Sweden during lockdown, it was almost the same as all European countries and social distance and hygiene were strictly followed and still are today and this is primarily why they have so few cases and deaths everyday, the same as every European country and this is what following some very simple rules gets you. So while you might think Sweden had no restrictions you’d be completely wrong and restrictions have not eased off .

The difference with the Swedes is they understand and respect the rules in the event that they actually save lives, it’s something to do with caring for your fellow man.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-18 06:03
This is why I do my own research, but thanks for the misinformation.

As usual it’s you that spreads rubbish around here. I have visited Sweden twice during lockdown, my daughter lives in Sweden so I know all about it. I spend up to 3 months in Sweden every year. You’re just a waffler who likes to antagonize, last time you brought this subject up you told us the US would have no more than 20 to 40,000 dead, you got that one right NOT.
So go spread your ridiculous right wing nonsense elsewhere it doesn’t belong here, if it doesn’t add up for you it seems lying is never to far away.

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-18 07:55
Scores of articles critisizing Sweden's decision not to lockdown or mandate masks, but you're an expert on Sweden because your daughter lives there & you visited on holiday a couple times.  During the "lockdown" no doubt!

And this kids is why you don't believe everything you read on the internet...

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-18 07:55
Scores of articles critisizing Sweden's decision not to lockdown or mandate masks, but you're an expert on Sweden because your daughter lives there & you visited on holiday a couple times.  During the "lockdown" no doubt!

I’ve been spending almost 3 months a year for the last 8 years and yes I was there in June and March . No Scandinavian country mandated masks . You say they didn’t lockdown, yes that’s true all essential business were opened just like every country, Sweden didn’t close bars restaurants they limited them first then cut numbers further back, But they have a really strict hygiene and social distance protocol and contrary to what you and others said they did close most schools.

is this thread 32 or 64 bit? or just toxic bites?

The Time Has Come... For the Ultimate response of all.

To my one and only ignorant love, Flappy



So my team of university friends have been developing the track with the sdk release. Its really been a challenge because we decided to code it in kotlin for more future integration(hopefully). Long word short, its gonna happen in the long run not before many months(its waaay more complicated than I thought). We are also observing the litchi beta and its quite good for a beta ofc it has lots of glitches and is a little bit unstable while flying the drone but still it gets the job done. We will be developing this to only Oreo 8.0 + and MM only. And we are trying to create an algorithm that will map the world via camera and let the computation to happen on the phone, almost like the skydio.(But no parallel or rear tracking-or at least on your own risk-) Front tracking will dodge obstacles(still in debate if its necessary)*. I am going to put a far more detailed explanation in the "petition thread" in time. But I hope we can get it done soon. Litchi is your best option for the moment if you're asking for tracking and that is not (active tracking).
We plan on doing "frontal active tracking" (necessity needs to be acquired through customer feedback)*
Take care!

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-19 18:24
Well let me tell you something, pilgrim.
All I got to say to that is...

ROFLMFAO

Dirty Bird Posted at 8-18 04:07
Speaking of twats, I'm happy to see in May you extricated yourself from the lockdown to record yourself zipping down the highway & weaving around the cars on your motorcycle.  Had you popped out a few months earlier you might have bumped into Punxsutawney Phil.  

Are you aware that 4.24% of motorcycle accidents are fatal, & motorcycles are 16 times more likely to result in an accident involving serious injury or death compared to cars?

With a difference... motorcyclists can be split in two categories:

- Those whom have flown
- Those whom still have to fly

The END. If you're one you're gonna FLY at some point ;)

Sorry.... you couldn't resist driving another off-topic

Nice they added this!