Its probably a 'security feature' to ensure you really own said drone so there are no free riders downloading a free game. Then again you need to have a controller on hand... so....

But seriously, why can't the simulator work without turning the drone on? What a waste of batteries.

If it weren't for the fact you have to leave the drone on, I can be practicing on it via virtual reality willy nilly to improve my skills and reduce the odds I mess up. But since it requires leaving the drone on, hence requiring more charging and discharging of a battery with limited life, I am hessitant in using the simulator.

Can't they make an app upgrade so it only requires you to have the remote on instead of the drone as well?

The reason is that the simulator needs to mimic the action of the drone, and if the drone has a version of firmware that changes its operation in some manner, then by connecting with the drone, the simulator can obtain the details of that function.

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-25 05:49
The reason is that the simulator needs to mimic the action of the drone, and if the drone has a vers ...

Doesn't the DJI go app recognize what version firmware the aircraft  has installed? Is that information stored in the app until you update to the next firmware?

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-25 05:49
The reason is that the simulator needs to mimic the action of the drone, and if the drone has a vers ...

I'm not sure that makes sense.

Its just a physics simulator mimicking response to joystick commands and maybe some smart functions. There is no reason that the drone necessarily needs to be on. They are not obtaining any kind of sensor feedback from the drone that they need to feed into the simulator.

In theory the simulator is fully capable of being a standalone product. In fact, there are RC simulator games you can buy complete with the RC remote that simulates the flying experience in a virtual environment.

The app is also fully aware what version firmware the joystick or drone is in. And its all software anyway. So the theory that the hardware needs to be on, for conditions that are already known a priori, doesn't make sense.

So, just like how DJI removed the 'draw on map first' waypoints capability (in this case perhaps for liability purposes?), I am not totally understanding the motivation for forcing the drone to be turned on in order to use the simulator.

BTW, I just drained half a battery on my drone dicking around with the simulator and the drone literally just sat there flashing lights.

In fact, I will even argue that DJI should release a free game on iOS and android exactly to simulate flying in that sandbox. Its like marketing. People play enough of the game on their phones and suddenly they want to buy the real thing. Seriously don't understand why existing customers need to keep the drone on though to use the simulator.

mjlstudios@yaho Posted at 2016-3-25 05:59
Doesn't the DJI go app recognize what version firmware the aircraft  has installed? Is that inform ...

Exactly.

And its all software anyway. Everything is known and can be simulated in the virtual environment when dealing with software issues.

There is no sensor feedback data that they need to acquire from the drone, nor are any processing power for the simulator being offloaded onto the drone. All of the computer processing of the simulator is done via the phone's processors. So there is really no reason to force people to keep the drone on, except for perhaps the reason of enforcing that you are truly a drone owner in order to use the simulator.

I agree.  No reason for this other than a marketing ploy to sell more batteries.

I think it uses the internal electronics of the drone while using the simulator function.

quaddron3 Posted at 2016-3-25 21:21
I'm not sure that makes sense.

Its just a physics simulator mimicking response to joystick command ...

Every setting you change in the operation of the aircraft is saved to the drone itself, not in the Go App, so if it needs to know what battery threshold, what RTH altitude, what values you have assigned to the sticks, then it can only get that from one place, the aircraft. You can argue it any way you like, that's the way DJI have decided to do it, and it is their decision to make.

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2016-3-25 08:49
I think it uses the internal electronics of the drone while using the simulator function.

The gimball moves. That's about it.

Its a moot point though. They can make a simulator without needing the drone on.

The only reason for forcing the drone to be on during simulator, other than the product security feature of ensuring you are a real owner of a physical drone, are: (1) computational power is offloaded onto the drone itself or (2) they need to retrieve sensor information to feed back into the simulator.

Neither case is true as the drone is not helping to process the 3D environment rendered by the simulator. The phone's CPU and graphics modules are doing that. Further, the drone is sitting still doing nothing and it is not there collecting real world data for the simulator.

Its not done for any other reason I think but as their way of making sure you're an actual DJI customer in order to use the simulator. This is actually fair game. But why not just have only the remote on? Why force the drone to be on too? OK so a guy can't just get a free 'game' if they found or stole a controller somewhere?

quaddron3 Posted at 2016-3-26 11:58
The gimball moves. That's about it.

Its a moot point though. They can make a simulator without nee ...

'Its not done for any other reason I think but as their way of making sure you're an actual DJI customer in order to use the simulator. '

You persist in believing that there is an ulterior motive to it. Why not just accept the fact that only the aircraft has knowledge of what its settings are?

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-25 21:19
'Its not done for any other reason I think but as their way of making sure you're an actual DJI cus ...

There are a few things DJI does that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and they are completely executive decisions and not at all technical in origin.

(1) Can't change the drone name after initial registration.
(2) Must fly to location to 'record' position when using waypoints on DJI go.
(3) Must turn drone on to use simulator.

Nobody is labeling this is an 'ulterior motive'. But they are clearly executive decisions unrelated to what is technically possible from an engineering perspective.

Your whole idea that the drone must be on because settings are saved in it holds no water anyway. Most of the settings are camera and IMU/sensor calibration/battery settings, and those settings has no input/output relation whatsoever with the simulator's capabilities.  None of those settings are reflected in the behavior of the simulator. The simulator can at most simulate the "return to home height" settings, and even then its iffy on a simulator with no way to gauge distances in the virtual environment.

What about the fact that whatever settings you change, you can offload later to the drone. Or how about the drone shouldn't be able to change settings in simulator mode? There is simply no reason why the drone must be on to use a simulator. In fact, you can go out right now and purchase Real Flight Drone simulator for $200 complete with the controller and get going.

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-26 01:19
'Its not done for any other reason I think but as their way of making sure you're an actual DJI cus ...

Geebax hell where do you get the patience from one look at some of these post and its move on i just cant be asked

quaddron3 Posted at 2016-3-26 12:33
There are a few things DJI does that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and they are completely exe ...

'In fact, you can go out right now and purchase Real Flight Drone simulator for $200 complete with the controller and get going.'

Good, go out and do it, I don't give a shit. You asked why the drone has to be connected, I gave you the reason, and I have no interest in arguing the point. I does not bother me in the slightest how it works.

Cool. So you have no interest in arguing and you don't give a shit,  yet you keep coming back and defending the position you initiated. Makes sense.

And your reason is wrong and makes no sense at all. You're just being a defensive fanboy right now. Cliche, but you're acting "like a drone".

The main reason why the drone needs to be on to use the simulator is because it is a product security feature. To make sure you're an actual owner. Its not to 'load settings'. Pretty much most of the settings you can make do not reflect in the simulator, nor are they required for the simulation, which is all software.

Product security is fine. Its just that they can still do that simply by ensuring the remote is on. There is no point forcing the drone to be on as well and wasting charge and increasing charge cycles on the lipo battery with a finite life.

quaddron3 Posted at 2016-3-27 13:34
Cool. So you have no interest in arguing and you don't give a shit,  yet you keep coming back and de ...

Oh dear, yet another ignorant twit who resorts to using the fanboy tag. That's the answer to everyone who does not agree with your position isn't it?
As for being a security feature to stop people using the simulator without having a Phantom, why would DJI bother? Anyone can download the app, it costs nothing, if anything it might encourage people to go out and buy a drone. Try using your head, you might enjoy the experience.

You aksed why the aircraft had to be connected, I replied giving you the answer that was given on a similar thread about 6 months ago, and then you want to argue it with me. As I said, I don't care, you got your answer, end of story.

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-26 23:47
Oh dear, yet another ignorant twit who resorts to using the fanboy tag. That's the answer to everyo ...

Calling you a fanboy isn't ignorant. Learn what "ignorance" means. Come to think of it.... oh the irony.

LOL. How about YOU use YOUR HEAD? The app can be had for free. But the simulation will not work for joe nobody who downloads the 'free' app. Hence the point of the thread? Wow?

You seem to talk a lot. You seem to want to make a point. But you appear to be failing.

Do you want to run to the defense of why you can't change the drone's name after initial registration? Maybe you want to pull that "settings in the drone" excuse again? How about why you need to 'fly to location first' for waypoints? You will tell us its impossible to engineer this capability in spite of the fact DJI apps had pre-planning before and Litchi and others can do this still? Right. Whatever "the man" says, goes. Well I guess you'd make a good marine at least.

As the Dilbert philosophy goes: "Never argue with idiots, they will simply drag you down to your level, then beat you with experience."

Quoting dilbert. Gets on high horse to act smart. Cool.

You're right. You are beating me with experience. But I don't shy away so I'm not going to ignore you. I will simply point out where you are wrong, and you are wrong here.

quaddron3 Posted at 2016-3-27 15:26
Quoting dilbert. Gets on high horse to act smart. Cool.

You're right. You are beating me with exper ...

Who cares about whether I am right or not? It is not my opinion, I quoted the reason as it was given in answer to the same question about 6 months ago, and it was not my answer.

Can you please tell me how to use that "Simulator"? Thank you

M Pilot Posted at 2017-3-24 03:13
Can you please tell me how to use that "Simulator"? Thank you

In the go-app click on the three lines in the upper right corner and choose tutorial. Then you can choose simulater in the following menue.

Rabe Posted at 2017-3-24 04:05
In the go-app click on the three lines in the upper right corner and choose tutorial. Then you can choose simulater in the following menue.

Thanks a lot, that is helpful.
I'm trying to program DJI M100 using onboard SDK, is there a simulator that can simulate the drone performance before it goes to real operation?
Thank you.

M Pilot Posted at 2017-3-25 01:06
Thanks a lot, that is helpful.
I'm trying to program DJI M100 using onboard SDK, is there a simulator that can simulate the drone performance before it goes to real operation?
Thank you.

I think this simulator should run your software.  I think it only simulates the motors, propellers, air, wind etc. so that the aircraft does not take off, the rest of the firmware and aircraft components should work as normal and it receives input from the RC as normal.  

I've not used the SDK so may be wrong?

Nigel_ Posted at 2017-3-25 01:19
I think this simulator should run your software.  I think it only simulates the motors, propellers, air, wind etc. so that the aircraft does not take off, the rest of the firmware and aircraft components should work as normal and it receives input from the RC as normal.  

I've not used the SDK so may be wrong?

Thank you.
Have you ever equipped M100 with any sort of sensors or extra electronics, or do you have any idea how this can be performed?
Thank you,
Mina

I can't move the joystick locations in simulator mode. They overlap. How can I move them to centered left/right positions?????

After stitching the video and downloading to a local file editor .up load to skypixel in the DJI app after uploading share the 360 video with your friends remember to upload the picture with the 360 emblem watermarked on it otherwise you will only upload a still picture..when your friend view the 360 all they have to do is move there phone as the same as Google earth