Acquiring Maps for Ground Station

[rmwilson]

I searched this topic and read the manual, but am still somewhat confused. How are you Ground Station users (especially Android users) acquiring maps? Since you can't have WiFi and 4G connections going simultaneously, I'm assuming you have to cut off the WiFi to the Phantom and then open Ground Station? At that point, the app will automatically download Google Maps for your area? How does it know your location, since you have already cut off contact with the Phantom's GPS via WiFi? Does the app use your phone's built-in GPS to get coordinates? Assuming you are successful in downloading the maps, how do you cache them?

Sorry for all the questions, but it's not clicking in for me.

Ron

 

[cahutch]

You can actually have WiFi and 4G at the same time, but more on that later.
The generally accepted way to do it is to load the app before you connect to the repeaters wifi, ignore the warnings that it's not connected.
Go to the camera, then swipe into the ground station, tap the "current location" icon and let it zoom into your current location based on the phone's GPS. It will load and cache the map of the area which should stay loaded after you connect to the WiFi.

To stay connected to the internet, look at the WiFi connection details and note the IP address and Subnet mask that are assigned to your phone when connected,
Then change to static address, enter the IP address and netmask but leave the gateway/router and DNS entries blank. If there's no gateway assigned, the phone should route out any other connection it has with a gateway.

 

[Cocoa Beach Kiter]

I have an iPad mini, and I do it this way. First I open the app while connected to my house Internet. Swipe to the ground station page and allow the map to load. You can scroll to the area you're planning on going to if you're not flying near your house or where the map loads to. At that point the map is in cache. I then turn on my phantom, Wi-Fi extender and controller. Navigate to the settings on my iPad and select the Phantom Wi-Fi. Your app will then show your connected, and your phantom will be located on your map which is in cache.

Hope this helps...

 

[wilsonpf]

You can also cache a map in google maps. Just launch google maps when you have wifi or 4g find the area that your are going to fly in then type 'ok maps' in the search field (without the 's). This will copy this map to your google map cache. The dji app uses google maps then will load this cached map when you fly.

 

[rmwilson]

OK, thanks for the very helpful tips! I think I will go with caching the map from Google Maps, while at home, before the actual flight. I plan on using Ground Station pretty much exclusively for photography sessions, so I will normally know where I'll be flying, before getting there. That will save time in the field and eliminate the worries about flying somewhere with a lousy 4G/3G data connection. I live in the boonies and there are a few of those spots still out there.


Ron

 

[Cocoa Beach Kiter]

You can also cache a map in google maps. Just launch google maps when you have wifi or 4g find the area that your are going to fly in then type 'ok maps' in the search field (without the 's). This will copy this map to your google map cache. The dji app uses google maps then will load this cached map when you fly.

Thanks.. Just tried this and works great. However it only works from the google Maps App. If you use the "ok maps" in google maps from google search web page, it takes you to OK Oklahoma ....

 

[Mob 06]

How About downloading coordinates on the map. Hiking I found a downed A10 warthog. I marked the coordinates. Can I out the coordinated into a map so I can fly over the site and photograph it. This particular plane went down sept 5 2001. Pilot ejected safely.

 

[RoyVa]

If you are within reach of the area and can fly there and back you can drop a way point on that area set the camera angle and go for it. I select all my waypoint flying as to where I want my craft to go. I use banked turns for smoother video.

 

[Mori55]

You can also cache a map in google maps. Just launch google maps when you have wifi or 4g find the area that your are going to fly in then type 'ok maps' in the search field (without the 's). This will copy this map to your google map cache. The dji app uses google maps then will load this cached map when you fly.

Does it load it automatically ? Or do I have a folder or something in google maps that it's saved to ?
Also in ground station how do I exactly set it for waypoint flying ? If my first way point is say 40 feet high will go fly to that height or gradually go up ? Do I set a waypoint to come home or just return to home ?

 

[RoyVa]

When you view the map it loads into memory then and is cached. So when you open the app it will load it in even if you moved to a different location.
when you set the way point and hit go the craft slowly climbs from the ground to the 1st waypoint on an angle. To over ride this you can do one of two things. Set your 1st way point a few feet from your home position and set its altitude to the height you want to fly and high enough that it clears all obstacles. The second is to set your way points and before you hit go, manually climb to the altitude you want then hit go to start waypoint flying.
Remember from home to the first waypoint is a slow climb on an angle in a direct line.
After the last waypoint it will calculate the return to home just as it did from home to the 1st waypoint. Enjoy!!!

 

[Mori55]

Thanks