DarthSLR Posted at 1-27 13:42
I am not trying to argue your points.

All I'm saying is, according to my observations, in RC Pro, the two-digits number next to the satellite icon starts as 0..2 and both icon and number are colored red.

That is EXACTLY what I see as well.

DJI Mindy Posted at 1-28 00:03
Thank you very much for being willing to provide the log for our analysis. If it's convenient, we hope you can describe the issue in detail such as how long does it take and how many satellites it acquire so that we can forward it to our engineer for further check.

Hi There, Find my logs for todays flight that took over 6 minutes to record homepoint via dropbox. The upload screen record will follow soon
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dwlvh5v0hp6gwtw/Archive.zip?dl=0

DJI Mindy Posted at 1-28 00:03
Thank you very much for being willing to provide the log for our analysis. If it's convenient, we hope you can describe the issue in detail such as how long does it take and how many satellites it acquire so that we can forward it to our engineer for further check.

Video proof. Can we get this resolved urgently. Its driving us crazy

I only started the timer when the drone had connected just to prove there was an issue.

Suren Posted at 1-28 19:24
I only started the timer when the drone had connected just to prove there was an issue.

Suren, thank you for posting this accurate account of your experience.  Several days ago my cold start, which was in the middle of an open field under clear skies, took 5 minutes and 17 seconds.  By the time my M3 got a full lock the beautiful sunset I was trying to capture was past its' prime.

BrianKushner Posted at 2021-12-12 09:32
I just started seeing this problem recently. At first I didn't have the issue.

So have I my acquisition was almost immediate when using .400 firmware.Now it can take up to 8-10 minutes

Same issue for me.  Mavic 3 takes 5+ Minutes to acquire satellites. Air2S takes <1 minute in the same location.

Mobilehomer Posted at 1-28 16:01
A-GPS requires cell connection. Not too many people going to pay for an extra line just to fly., It has something to do with GPS cache flushing upon shutdown.

A-GPS can be done via the tablet, phone or RC Pro. Basically just transfer it from device to the drone. Doesn't require an extra line.

Virgil Quick Posted at 1-28 20:06
Suren, thank you for posting this accurate account of your experience.  Several days ago my cold start, which was in the middle of an open field under clear skies, took 5 minutes and 17 seconds.  By the time my M3 got a full lock the beautiful sunset I was trying to capture was past its' prime.

Yeah, this GPS issue is getting painful now

Grimtheviking Posted at 1-28 04:56
No problem Mindy, any time I can help.
Lets hope your team can put this one right for us that have the issue.

Thanks. We also hope this issue can be solved as soon as possible.

NGC Posted at 1-28 05:31
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Hi there, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. Could you please provide us with the ticket number for further confirmation?

Suren Posted at 1-28 19:23
Video proof. Can we get this resolved urgently. Its driving us crazy
https://youtu.be/rQ2lXezoRfg

Hi Suren, thanks for the video and logs. We will forward them to our team for further analysis. We believe it will help a lot to locate the cause. Hope you understand that it may take some time. But we will do our best to solve this issue. Thanks for your understanding and patience in advance.

Suren Posted at 1-29 00:59
Yeah, this GPS issue is getting painful now

Suren, did you try factory reset? It should go back as far as November, in theory at least...

DJI Mindy Posted at 1-29 01:28
Hi Suren, thanks for the video and logs. We will forward them to our team for further analysis. We believe it will help a lot to locate the cause. Hope you understand that it may take some time. But we will do our best to solve this issue. Thanks for your understanding and patience in advance.

Thanks a lot. As long as we are kept in the loop, your customers will appreciate it. Just let us know what's going on.

DarthSLR Posted at 1-29 09:18
Suren, did you try factory reset? It should go back as far as November, in theory at least...

I did not see an option for that, can you point me in the direction

Suren Posted at 1-29 10:21
I did not see an option for that, can you point me in the direction

RC Pro.
Home (not DJI Fly)
Settings
System
Reset Options
Erase all data (factory reset)
CAVEAT: I have no idea what repercussions it may have. Proceed at your own risk.

DarthSLR Posted at 1-29 10:28
RC Pro.
Home (not DJI Fly)
Settings

I don't have the RC Pro

Suren Posted at 1-29 10:29
I don't have the RC Pro

Ah, that's it then

I found it was really slow to acquire the satellites the first time after the firmware update, but after multiple flights after that it seems to be pretty fast.

TheSmels Posted at 1-29 11:45
I found it was really slow to acquire the satellites the first time after the firmware update, but after multiple flights after that it seems to be pretty fast.

It's the cold start that we are talking about. Once the homepoin is  acquired, GNSS data seems to be cached for some uncertain period of time, so any consequesnt flight from the same location within (no one knows how long exactly) would not have the issue.

DarthSLR Posted at 1-29 11:53
It's the cold start that we are talking about. Once the homepoin is  acquired, GNSS data seems to be cached for some uncertain period of time, so any consequesnt flight from the same location within (no one knows how long exactly) would not have the issue.

I found that after the first flight if you leave the drone for a few hours it takes long to get sats again. Seems that it discharges the connection if left for a while.

Suren Posted at 1-29 12:24
I found that after the first flight if you leave the drone for a few hours it takes long to get sats again. Seems that it discharges the connection if left for a while.

Agreed...if you read my earlier post with my tests, starting up the next day had the long aquisition tine again.  My Phantom 3 Pro that sat in a box for 2 years didnt have this issue when I tried it and neither does my Mini 2 or my Mavic 2 Pro.  

Many thanks to Mindy for feeding this info back to R&D

After some research, I built a portable RTK streamer with antenna that provides a steam directly to my RTK module on Enterprise Advanced. Having to program the options on the GPS receiving card, there are several ranges that must be set to define the accuracy of the location based on time, received signal strength, etc. I have it set for 1 meter accuracy in a window of 30 seconds. It takes about 10-12 minutes (with a reasonable "open" sky) to get a lock the 1st time form a cold start. On a warm start it drops to 3-4 minutes.

I believe the settings on the Mavic 3 were adjusted/refined in the December update to require better accuracy which would involve going to a smaller accuracy limit. The antenna I use for RTK and the F9 board use all GPS satellite co9nstillations and is far better than the one in the Mavic 3. The antenna is about $240 US$ alone.

I would venture that the Mavic 3 GPS had its accuracy distance (window) reduced from approx. 6 meters to around 3 meters. Not scientific here but would account for the significant to GPS lock timing change we are all seeing on cold starts.

The better open view of the sky = more satellites in view = less time required to lock.

I suggest that DJI wanted better accuracy to support the new RTH and other features as well as increased fly-away protection. Now, we have to see if they will increase that accuracy distance closer to the pre-December update or somewhere in-between. That will require feedback and hard data which I'm sure is being collected. Then the decision will rest on overall risk.

When a Pilot takes off without waiting for a "lock" they are individually taking on the risk and DJI is protected. If a Pilot waits for GPS "lock" and it is in the data, the user should be covered for a fly-away or other issues.

My 2 cents

EFRPIC Posted at 1-29 13:16
After some research, I built a portable RTK streamer with antenna that provides a steam directly to my RTK module on Enterprise Advanced. Having to program the options on the GPS receiving card, there are several ranges that must be set to define the accuracy of the location based on time, received signal strength, etc. I have it set for 1 meter accuracy in a window of 30 seconds. It takes about 10-12 minutes (with a reasonable "open" sky) to get a lock the 1st time form a cold start. On a warm start it drops to 3-4 minutes.

I believe the settings on the Mavic 3 were adjusted/refined in the December update to require better accuracy which would involve going to a smaller accuracy limit. The antenna I use for RTK and the F9 board use all GPS satellite co9nstillations and is far better than the one in the Mavic 3. The antenna is about $240 US$ alone.

That is a very interesting and quite reasonable point of view. Improving the accuracy for the price of initial wait...
I wonder, would be there a problem to get a "draft" HP lock first (say with 6m or whatever accuracy) and then proceed with getting a more connection?
I mean, yes, it would be a slightly incorrect (extra 3 meters incorrect) HP, but I doubt its a such a big deal. For me RTH is primarily "get back from wherever it was to where I can can clearly see and manually control it". Precision landing is done optically anyway, since consumer GNSS systems do not allow that much accuracy.
Thoughts?

I don't know how much relies on accuracy with the Active Track and other features. Given that Active Track was released in the December update, I would assume the change made to improve those functions.

I doubt it is all about RTH.

I mentioned in a comment a week or so ago, that the Fly-Away insurance that is now offered is the risk level that they are trying to somewhat mitigate.

What you are suggesting would require more code and would not help the initial Active Track and Fly-Away issues.

Of course, I don't have their code so I can only guess.

Actually, several years ago the military (at least for GPS) reduced the masking, greatly increasing the accuracy. The Precision Landing sequence relies on the sensors due to the image that is recorded at the hover after take-off.

have you guys tried putting your m3 in the refrigerator overnight and then trying to get a gps lock right around noon the next day when the sky clears up and the sun is high?  /s /s /s

No, but I did put it on dry ice

So this is a classic case of I should have never read this thread.  Now, I am getting so anxious and watching the M3 acquire GPS and yes, it sure as heck does seem to take a long time.  It really could be a lot snappier.

TonyPHX Posted at 1-29 20:24
So this is a classic case of I should have never read this thread.  Now, I am getting so anxious and watching the M3 acquire GPS and yes, it sure as heck does seem to take a long time.  It really could be a lot snappier.

hehe, watched pot never boils, ya know... ;)

DarthSLR Posted at 1-29 20:48
hehe, watched pot never boils, ya know... ;)

Yep.  And now I am watching.  But I am the one boiling.  lol

TonyPHX Posted at 1-29 22:09
Yep.  And now I am watching.  But I am the one boiling.  lol

I know the feeling, mate.

EFRPIC Posted at 1-29 13:16
After some research, I built a portable RTK streamer with antenna that provides a steam directly to my RTK module on Enterprise Advanced. Having to program the options on the GPS receiving card, there are several ranges that must be set to define the accuracy of the location based on time, received signal strength, etc. I have it set for 1 meter accuracy in a window of 30 seconds. It takes about 10-12 minutes (with a reasonable "open" sky) to get a lock the 1st time form a cold start. On a warm start it drops to 3-4 minutes.

I believe the settings on the Mavic 3 were adjusted/refined in the December update to require better accuracy which would involve going to a smaller accuracy limit. The antenna I use for RTK and the F9 board use all GPS satellite co9nstillations and is far better than the one in the Mavic 3. The antenna is about $240 US$ alone.

I suggest that DJI wanted better accuracy to support the new RTH and other features as well as increased fly-away protection.
Some of the suggestions being put forward are just wrong and not consistent with the facts of GPS or observations of the problem.

There has never been an issue with DJI drone's GPS "accuracy" before, and there wasn't for the Mavic 3 before the December firmware update.
And ... the M3 currently doesn't wait for more sats to ensure higher precision, it is slow to get even a small number of sats.
Before the firmware update, you could have 20 sats in a short time.
Now people are waiting ~5 minutes and still only seeing 7-9 sats.
That's not an accuracy issue, it's a failure to acquire sats issue.

When a Pilot takes off without waiting for a "lock" they are individually taking on the risk and DJI is protected. If a Pilot waits for GPS "lock" and it is in the data, the user should be covered for a fly-away or other issues.
With any other DJI drone, if you were impatient and launched without waiting for GPS and for the homepoint to be recorded, there wasn't much risk as the home point would have been recorded as soon as the drone had good GPS location data.
And in most cases, that would have happened only a short distance from the launch point.
Launching early doesn't cause a "flyaway".
Not understanding how your drone works can contribute to an incident that an inexperienced flyer might describe as a "flyaway".
Flyers are much more likely to launch prematurely when it takes 5 minutes or more to record a home point.

The current problem is a fault, not a feature.
Every one of millions of other GPS receivers out there gets GPS relatively quickly (and the M3 did previously).

My Air 2S locks in like 30 seconds with 15 sats.. and this is during a Blizzard.

Maybe DJI should make all their newer versions from how the GPS off the DJI Air 2S works and keep it that way forever.

The current problem is a fault, not a feature.

Every one of millions of other GPS receivers out there gets GPS relatively quickly (and the M3 did previously).

That gives hope for "better times"...

I assume then that you haven't flown an Enterprise aircraft with RTK?  The M2E, M2EA and the Matrice series all take longer to gather the GPS information. Hence my thoughts on the matter.

We are all entitled to our own opinions. However, I don't think it's necessary to say that a person doesn't know their equipment, understand GPS, etc. unless you know it to be the case.

Apparently, your knowledge and flight experience with all UAS aircraft and systems makes you an expert. I appreciate your willingness to correct my errors and those of so many others.

It's so great that this forum is open and embraces everyone and allows for discussion.

Thank you, Thank you

NGC Posted at 1-27 12:30
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Hey guys. Like most of you I was having issues with gps acquisition. After the newest firmware update I deleted the fly app and reinstalled . After that the mavic 3 has locked home point in 45 seconds ever since. May be a coincidence , but I would feel bad not sharing. I would also recommend using dji assistant to do the latest firmware update. I am curious if this ends up helping anyone. So any feedback would be appreciated .

At first I thought it was just me.

MavicFit91 Posted at 1-30 16:26
Hey guys. Like most of you I was having issues with gps acquisition. After the newest firmware update I deleted the fly app and reinstalled . After that the mavic 3 has locked home point in 45 seconds ever since. May be a coincidence , but I would feel bad not sharing. I would also recommend using dji assistant to do the latest firmware update. I am curious if this ends up helping anyone. So any feedback would be appreciated .

Interesting, thank you for sharing!
With RC Pro it's not that simple to reinstall the entire app (freaking Android OS), you kinda have to rely on the internal self-updating capabilities.
Glad it's working for you!
Some of us are not that lucky...
Today it took several minutes...

This problem pertain to Air 2S as well.

spetersen Posted at 1-30 20:16
This problem pertain to Air 2S as well.

Really? Interesting... They seem to have totally different hardware... How quaint!