I have a DJI 3 Advanced and have yet to work up the courage to fly it!  Among my confusions are the “RTH” settings.  With the mode set to “P”, there are two options offered.  One is an arrow-like symbol with the “H” in a balloon called “Aircraft Position” and the other is a human character with the “H” balloon called “Current Position”.  Aren’t those the same thing? The first seems clear, but what does “Current” mean?  Is it the position of the controller?  Sorry for my naiveté.

   

Yes, the Current Position is the position of your controller (or you, since it's in your hands).  Your mobile device needs GPS for it to know your current position though.  And I'm pretty sure this is not a moving target, so if you move away from your current position the home point does not follow you.  You would have to set it again if you want it to be at your new current position after moving.

I read up a few days before flying too.  Read the manual (download it, it doesn't come in the box), write your questions down, read the manual again and find the answers on forums or the manual.  Play with the app while your aircraft is on in your living room with the props off, just to learn the app.  Play with the simulator to understand the flight modes and app, and how to fly if you never have before.  Calibrate your IMU indoors on a measured flat surface, with no movement jostling it around.  

Then pick a large open field with nothing and no one around and get ready to fly.  Calibrate your compass away from any metal on you or in ground and away from your controller (have someone press the button for you if you want).  Then place it on the ground, and check your app settings are all good.  You have the correct RTH settings, beginner mode on to limit your distance and altitude, etc.  Then wait for a Safe to Fly GPS signal on your app, wait for a good amount of satellites to connect and take off.  Get used to the controls, camera, etc.  Land at 50% battery to take it easy on your battery the first 10 times out.  Rinse, repeat.

And if you've never flown before, you can always by a micro quad to practice on.  I recommend the Syma X11 as it's cheap and durable, but a JJ1000 has better range for outdoors and is more fun.  Fly it around in your living room and you'll know how to fly without GPS/barometer keeping your bird in place.  Also, learn how to regain orientation when your quad is far away and you don't know which it's facing.  On the P3, you can look at the map and orientation and hit RTH, but it's a good skill to have either way.  With GPS, barometer, camera, map, rth, etc. the P3 is actually easier to fly than any quad I have, but it being the most expensive and having the ability to go high and far it also the most nerve wrecking at first.

I thought I'd tried this before, but after reading above, I'll have to do it again to confirm.  Isn't "current" the drones current position?  I'm pretty sure I've used that once to reset the RTH to a "remote" location. Also, your home point should never be where you are.  You aren't going to be standing on home point.  It is where you start from when it says "your home point has been", etc

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2016-6-26 16:23
I thought I'd tried this before, but after reading above, I'll have to do it again to confirm.  Isn' ...

Not sure way your home point won't be where your standing, unless you walking around for some reason. It's set at the take off point if not changed later, usually most people are standing or sitting nearby that point.

Just make sure your home point is set correctly at the takeoff point before you go flying away, so the RTH gets it back to you if needed. Then normally you would not reset it again while in flight to the drones current position, or that would be the RTH spot. But you might reset it to your current position (RC location) because you've moved on, walking or something.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2016-6-27 04:23
I thought I'd tried this before, but after reading above, I'll have to do it again to confirm.  Isn' ...

Sorry if I confused you, I don't know what the terms specifically say in the app, I was just going by the OP's description that the human character icon was called "Current Position."  I know there are two choices, the aircraft's current position and your (mobile device gps) current position.  The one that is a human character is the one that sets the home point to you/your mobile device.

wmcvey Posted at 2016-6-26 15:37
Not sure way your home point won't be where your standing, unless you walking around for some reas ...

Because you are standing on it.  You don't take off from where you are standing.  You take off from some point nearby, unless you are hand launching.

wmcvey Posted at 2016-6-26 15:44
Just make sure your home point is set correctly at the takeoff point before you go flying away, so t ...

Some are trying to defeat the maximum height limitation when flying in mountains by launching, landing higher, landing and restarting again, climbing up, landing, restarting, etc.  This would reset home point to the higher elevation each time, allowing them to "step" up the side of the hill.

It's raining here so I can't check the changes in the latest version of the app.
It sounds like it is offering you a choice of RTH to the  original  home point ... 'or the current location of the controller.
Original home point is self explanatory.
Current location of the controller is only of use in situations where you have moved well away from the launch point .... like you were flying from a moving boat or you had walked quite a distance while flying.
You can only use this option if your display device has its own GPS and a good view of the sky.

Using return to the original  home point  will probably be what you would use at least 95% of the time.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2016-6-26 17:58
Because you are standing on it.  You don't take off from where you are standing.  You take off fro ...

Don't think your understanding my point. GPS can have up to a 20' margin of error (at least with the P3S, no Glonass), so anywhere within about 20' would be considered the "Home Point".  So generally speaking your at the home point if your within a 20' circumference of the takeoff spot. It's not going to land right on top of you if you set your current position as home point, just luck if it did.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2016-6-26 18:02
Some are trying to defeat the maximum height limitation when flying in mountains by launching, lan ...

Didn't know that. As the max setting is 500m (well above the FCC limit) on the Go app, not sure many people would want to go over that (500m). But I once read a post on a glitch in the software that makes it real easy to go past the 500m. I think it was something about changing to a different mode on the app/remote and then changing it right back to P mode, and the limit was gone. But that's not for me, I'm good with 120m.

Hi.

I never had an issue yet, with GPS not being "on the spot" (the error). So if you let your aircraft set home on it's own, it will set it using the GPS of the aircraft BEFORE takeoff, the DJI app will tell you - then you get the "H" and when you press RTH on the remote or on the app, that is where the drone will go UNLESS he is within 20 METER radius, then he just autolands. Also - keep in min if he is BEYOND 20m radius, he will first climb to RTH altitude - not good if u r under a tree or power lines, if your RTH is too low to pass over something between you and the aircraft. Also REMEMBER - pressing RTH on the remote again will cancel the RTH function, so if for any reason you suspect issues, cancel it, bring it home manually. Most of the controls also work in RTH mode, so u can adjust the landing spot, the path taken to the Home spot... practice in an empty field where you do not have to worry, and can easily get further than 20 meters away. I have never has it land more than 3 ft away from takeoff point, but then again, I always make sure gps is green and the home pos. is autorecorded properly.
I did play once with setting the home from my GPS tablet (using the person icon, note this is not the position of the "radio" as radio does not have GPS, but the position of the tablet/phone, assuming it has good and accurate position set), worked perfect, but I made damned sure, on the map, that it is where I think it should be, and was VERY ready to cancel RTH at any signs of trouble.
If you update the home point while flying, if you use the aircraft - it will set a new home at the current position of the aircraft, wherever it is (no altitude in the mix, just gps map coordinates). A user without special requirement to do this, usually would never need to do this. Majority of us, leave the H where the take off point was.
I certainly do not fault you for reading the manual and being careful, not enough people do this, but also, is this your first quad, or you are pretty familiar with the controls? Having muscle memory of the controls is quite important - cuts your reaction in case of issue, but bypassing the conscious part of the brain - that is actually a good thing ;)
Oh, one more thing for GPS, I never have accuracy issues, in the US, not sure where you are... it is possible that esp. when not using the US side of GPS sattelites the rules on the GPS may be different, not sure.

Anyhow, do not be overly afraid, fly in P mode, no high winds, no crazy speed, big open field, and give it a cautious try.

Certainly go through the various tutorials, like say this set:
http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... &fromuid=277621

Also, use the simulator.. cannot go wrong with using the sim, EVER!

Good luck and keep us posted of progress!

One thing that confused me for awhile was the move of the home point reset to inside the menus, where it used to be on the main screen.  I agree, most people will not find a need to change the home point, and I think I had only done it once.  After doing the newest updates a day or two back, I decided to give it a try again to make sure it worked, and it did.  Using it again tonight saw the same results.

In the menu u got the reset of the homepoint, do not use it, in general. On the main screen u just got autoland (land where the drone is), or HOME , initiate RTH.
So sounds like u played with it - you actually flew? Hope it flew well and you are happy about it!

HotQuad Posted at 2016-6-27 03:19
Yes, the Current Position is the position of your controller (or you, since it's in your hands).  Yo ...

Thank you for your helpful response.  I copied your instructions and ordered with bullets.  All good advice.  I flew several “toy” drones, starting with the AR-Drone by Parrott, which worked okay when it worked, but with it’s extremely limited range, kept losing its mind and either diving into the ground or running sideways into whatever.  Then were several of the $80 COSTCO “Propel”, which were very light-weight toys that liked to run in all sorts of directions.  The slightest breeze would carry it into whatever happened to be next to it… like a tree, for instance.   I was good flying them low and walking RIGHT behind them.  Really – just dumb toys.
Now we have this and it intimidates me.  The stability is amazing.  A friend brought one here and showed me.  He took it up to 400 feet and toured our neighborhood and it came back and I was amazed.  So, soon I will try mine, testing the RTH feature first and in “beginner” mode.

Phantomski Posted at 2016-6-27 08:46
Hi.

I never had an issue yet, with GPS not being "on the spot" (the error). So if you let your airc ...

Thank you for the good advise.  I have played with "toy" drones, so have some muscle memory for the controls.  I have a soccer field i will try it in.  Looking forward to it.  

bob37 Posted at 2016-6-27 22:53
Thank you for the good advise.  I have played with "toy" drones, so have some muscle memory for th ...

The DJI line of aircraft are pretty advanced with incredible technology built into them.
Learning all the features and also the limitations will really help you out.
Along with the community here on the forum that give assistance