Can you operate P3 without data/cell service or is it meant to run with data connectivity

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Yes that is what I am telling you or saying in regards to the Ipad Air 2 with wifi and cellular capabilities (I have not researched if you get a gps chip with Ipad mini with wifi and cellular capabilities, however I do believe I remember reading that).
Some information you are being given by some is just not correct. I am a new flyer however know from research prior to buying the bird and by flying experience since... you do not need any data plan to use maps if you buy the right tablet and use the provided satellite GPS.
I fly far out away from wifi ... in the National Forest yesterday some 35 miles from home, I have not use introduced a cache of maps, I have no data plan what-so-ever and the sim card is not even in the my Ipad:
I do not fly with blank screen or "black and white" map. I have choice of maps (through the ap and gps) of Standard (road/street maps, Satellite (topo) or Hybrid (topo with roads/streets). I fly using Satellite mode and have not used the others, I can record and use my flight path on the map. The maps I used are satellite imagery that are available by using satellites and the DJI Ap and without any data plan (none).
Flown about 30 flights in the last 10 days from many different locations and always using maps and having no "data plan" what-so-ever. People that say that you need the data plan are uninformed... if you have gps capabilities (chip) without wifi and the DJI Ap then it is not needed. Even the Cellular Companies told me I needed a data plan (cheapest being 2 gigs at $40/mo. on a two year contract + $min.$960 commitment). I told them I thought they were wrong, I researched more and paid $120 extra to get a tablet with wifi and cellular capabilities instead of just wifi and ... I proved them wrong and saved a bunch of $ .
It is a Fact ~ We do not need any data plan to fly our Phantom3s using maps + satelittes + DJI Pilot Ap (and no wifi) if we have the gps chip in our tablets.

You don't need a data plan but you need wifi and gps for Full functionality. A data plan is different from WiFi ... You are getting your technology confused

 

[ScottyT]

It is a Fact ~ We do not need any data plan to fly our Phantom3s using maps + satelittes + DJI Pilot Ap (and no wifi) if we have the gps chip in our tablets.

Care to provide a screenshot of your working maps with no internet connection? Likewise can you load google maps out in the field? Can you get to google.com in Safari?

Your tablet is either magical or you have cached maps. The map data/graphics is not built in and needs to be downloaded from the internet.

 

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Care to provide a screenshot of your working maps with no internet connection? Likewise can you load google maps out in the field? Can you get to google.com in Safari?

Your tablet is either magical or you have cached maps. The map data/graphics is not built in and needs to be downloaded from the internet.

Ah finally backup .... I've been pinned down here for two hours. Where's the heavy armour?

 

[SitkaGrover]

When you buy a handheld GPS or have a GPS in your car, it doesn't receive any data other then current position from GPS satellites via MICROWAVE signals. You must load maps into those devices via a card or from a computer to have up to date MAP data. The Microwave signals used in GPS satellites is not strong enough to carry the amount of information needed to supply you the map as well.

As is the same in whatever device you use while flying, the GPS module in your device only receives a current point. It is not pushing map data to your phone, it cannot do that. If you have an active cellular connection, which you pay for as a "Data plan", you have map data being loaded to your device as you go. If you have a device without a cellular connection, you must load maps, either by download or by caching them over a Wifi connection before the device has that information.

It's not that difficult of a process to understand.

 

[Meta4]

Does the iPad or even cell phone have to be connected to wifi or cell service to operate the P3 and in order to use certain functions

So to summarise and cut out all the confusion and misinformation.

1. You don't have to have wifi or data to fly your P3. It works just fine out in the wilderness.
2. Maps can be a nice extra but you don't have to have maps to fly either. The P3 flies perfectly with a blank map.
3. If you have data you can download maps in the field but if you have a tablet with no data, you can still download (cache) maps at home or anywhere else over wifi.
4. You don't need a gps enabled tablet to fly, but if you do have one, you can now use the dynamic home point feature because the app will know the location of the controller as well as the location of the Phantom.​

 

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

So to summarise and cut out all the confusion and misinformation.

1. You don't have to have wifi or data to fly your P3. It works just fine out in the wilderness.
2. Maps can be a nice extra but you don't have to have maps to fly either. The P3 flies perfectly with a blank map.
3. If you have data you can download maps in the field but if you have a tablet with no data, you can still download (cache) maps at home or anywhere else over wifi.
4. You don't need a gps enabled tablet to fly, but if you do have one, you can now use the dynamic home point feature because the app will know the location of the controller as well as the location of the Phantom.​

You don't need petrol to drive a car .... as long as it's rolling down hill ...

 

[WoodlakeDrone]

Why not simply use "mobile hotspot" from your phone to provide full data plan capability to your tablet?

 

[cdronefly]

Even I'm confused!

Easy answer: Fly it with a smartphone or tablet/ iPad with cellular and/or gps!

I don't think this is true!

The P3 has the GPS in it and knows where it is regardless of the smart device. It may not have the maps cached, but it does know where to RTH and the GPS coordinates.

I think a more accurate answer is....

1. The P3 can be flown without any GPS or Cellular or Wifi connection of the smart device (in the field - the smart device does need a connection back at your home or office to log into DJI, etc.).

2. If you don't cache the maps while in wifi the map screen may be blank - no worries, the P3 still knows where it is/was.

3. Any features (future or present) which require a GPS lock or chip of the smart device are optional.

Does that sound right?

 

[cdronefly]

Why not simply use "mobile hotspot" from your phone to provide full data plan capability to your tablet?

This can be done but every background task will potentially heat up the tablet and cause FPV lag.

 

[cdronefly]

Let's make clear.
P3 has GPSr, can know latitude/longitude by herself. The P3 R/C doesn't have. But without tablet, P3 can fly. Even RTH does work. If we have tablet, we can see many flight data, more control of camera.
If tablet has GPSr, we can know where the operator is (but no map; to know relative location between pilot and bird, it's works), and can re-set home point at tablet coords.
If tablet has data connection, we can see the maps. Even no data connection, if tablet contains map cache then map is displayed. Also (tablet's) GPSr utilize data connection to download A-GPS data (quick startup, better precision).
The "flight mode" shuts down wifi/cellular data connection, and tablet's GPSr (not for P3 flight mode, right? ).

Pls point out my mistake, thanks.

The above is correct, IMHO.
Nothing needed to just fly....the P3 is a smart device with GPS inside.

 

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

I don't think this is true!

The P3 has the GPS in it and knows where it is regardless of the smart device. It may not have the maps cached, but it does know where to RTH and the GPS coordinates.

I think a more accurate answer is....

1. The P3 can be flown without any GPS or Cellular or Wifi connection of the smart device (in the field - the smart device does need a connection back at your home or office to log into DJI, etc.).

2. If you don't cache the maps while in wifi the map screen may be blank - no worries, the P3 still knows where it is/was.

3. Any features (future or present) which require a GPS lock or chip of the smart device are optional.

Does that sound right?

I'm done with it ...

 

[Fplvert]

This can be done but every background task will potentially heat up the tablet and cause FPV lag.

True that!

After startup, while the bird is warming up, I turn off wifi, Bluetooth, and mobile data. Maps are already loaded, so maximum processer power just on the app seems to prevent disconnects. Lag and overheating is also minimized.

 

[adjmirealty]

True that!

After startup, while the bird is warming up, I turn off wifi, Bluetooth, and mobile data. Maps are already loaded, so maximum processer power just on the app seems to prevent disconnects. Lag and overheating is also minimized.

When you say lag what do you mean by that... Is it because the cell phone connection interferes or because it makes the phone work better

 

[Fplvert]

When you say lag what do you mean by that... Is it because the cell phone connection interferes or because it makes the phone work better

You can also just put the phone/tablet in airplane mode.

The lag is the time delay between the camera and the FPV display.

 

[BenDronePilot]

Does the iPad or even cell phone have to be connected to wifi or cell service to operate the P3 and in order to use certain functions (will it cut out certain functions if so what?) or it can run without connectivity to data - reason being that maybe the service interferes with the P3 remote reception + would there be any difference in reception between and iPad, iPad Mini, and the iPhone... If it effects the reception which does it the least... Is the P3 meant to be operated with cell service or it don't matter?? Also one of the reasons I'm asking is because I wna know if I could buy and iPad w/out the cell service (much simpler)

You don't need any external wifi or cellular internet data services to use or fly the Phantom 3 and make full use of the pilot app.

You do however need a tablet or phone with a built in GPS if you want to make use of dynamic home point which changes your home point from take off point to wherever you happen to be standing.

GPS does NOT download the maps to the Pilot app unlike some would lead you to believe. Others however have it right as you need to Cache the maps if you don't want to see a blank white screen in the map area.

How is data cached? One of two ways, opening the pilot app on your device while it has an Internet connection and navigating to the area where you will be flying. Wait for the maps to all load in at different zoom levels. Second way is to open google maps while you have a data connection and move to the area you will be flying. That's all their is to map caching. As opposed to the belief that having a GPS chip in your device magically downloads data to the app, it does not.

Last thing you should do is turn the wifi off on your phone or tablet before you fly. It is not needed since your device is hard wired into the Phantoms radio control and it will improve the reception and range to your phantom

 

[cdronefly]

How is data cached? One of two ways, opening the pilot app on your device while it has an Internet connection and navigating to the area where you will be flying. Wait for the maps to all load in at different zoom levels. Second way is to open google maps while you have a data connection and move to the area you will be flying. That's all their is to map caching. As opposed to the belief that having a GPS chip in your device magically downloads data to the app, it

On Android this no longer works for me. In fact, not only have I moved to the area I am flying, but also saved the maps (per goog instructions) so they work offline. Still, I get a blank screen in the pilot app.

I believe that now you can only cache them in the pilot app - but someone else can confirm this.

 

[danjordrone]

I use my iphone 6 plus which i assume has gps and i have data aswell which gives me maps in the field but i cant get this dynamic home point for controller location to work
Any help appreciated

 

[Mako79]

Let's make clear.
P3 has GPSr, can know latitude/longitude by herself. The P3 R/C doesn't have. But without tablet, P3 can fly. Even RTH does work. If we have tablet, we can see many flight data, more control of camera.
If tablet has GPSr, we can know where the operator is (but no map; to know relative location between pilot and bird, it's works), and can re-set home point at tablet coords.
If tablet has data connection, we can see the maps. Even no data connection, if tablet contains map cache then map is displayed. Also (tablet's) GPSr utilize data connection to download A-GPS data (quick startup, better precision).
The "flight mode" shuts down wifi/cellular data connection, and tablet's GPSr (not for P3 flight mode, right? ).

Pls point out my mistake, thanks.

Just to rehash..
The P3 can fly without a screen/FPV. All the buttons on the controller will work, including the RTH.
If your smart/phone/device has GPS, then dynamic home point will work.
If you have 3G/4G cellular enabled device, the Pilot app can cache the map. Having 3G/4G uses A-GPS (using cell towers/data) to speed up GPS acquisition.
If you do not have cellular enabled device, you can precache the map via wifi before heading out to site.

So no, you don't need cellular data to fly, but it helps. Lets say you lose your phantom, the maps would/should show you where last point of connection was.

 

[taroh]

Just to rehash..
The P3 can fly without a screen/FPV. All the buttons on the controller will work, including the RTH.
If your smart/phone/device has GPS, then dynamic home point will work.
If you have 3G/4G cellular enabled device, the Pilot app can cache the map. Having 3G/4G uses A-GPS (using cell towers/data) to speed up GPS acquisition.
If you do not have cellular enabled device, you can precache the map via wifi before heading out to site.

Just small corrections: with A-GPS, receiver downloads only almanac/constellation data of GPS sats to catchup location faster. Certainly Android has a function to know approx. location using location of the cellular base, however.
GPS stands for "... system," receiver is called "GPS receiver (GPSr)."

BTW I always fly with network (if possible). Even offline and tablet don't have maps image, request for map image will occur - much lighter than downloading and drawing it anyway - and I hate "negative cache;" some Android apps once fails to dowloand map cache image, then seems to have an information that shows "there's no map data in this area (block) + scale," and hardly download the maps after connection available again. I don't know if DJI app has negative cache, but my habit is "if possible do online."

 

[BenDronePilot]

Why not simply use "mobile hotspot" from your phone to provide full data plan capability to your tablet?

I wouldn't recommend while you are flying. Said "hot spot" will be another source of 2.4ghz wifi to potentially interfere with your P3 so any map caching should done before you take off.