Follow Mode and Weak GPS signal

Sabalon · Jan 2, 2016

Couldn't find an obvious thread via the search...

Whenever I try to engage the Follow Me mode, I get the screen where it asks me to confirm the height, distance, etc of the quad in relation to me. When I hit apply, I am told "Warning. Weak GPS Signal"

This is on an iPhone 5 on the latest iOS and DJI versions. Never have any trouble with any other apps that use GPS, and if I switch to say Google Maps it pinpoints me right away.

I do have an issue with the compass on the phone...it refuses to budge and won't re-calibrate. This happened around iOS 8. Could that be the issue? I am assuming if I tell the quad to stay 10 feet behind me, it needs to know what behind is if I turn.

GaDrone · Jan 2, 2016

Sabalon said:
Couldn't find an obvious thread via the search...

Whenever I try to engage the Follow Me mode, I get the screen where it asks me to confirm the height, distance, etc of the quad in relation to me. When I hit apply, I am told "Warning. Weak GPS Signal"

This is on an iPhone 5 on the latest iOS and DJI versions. Never have any trouble with any other apps that use GPS, and if I switch to say Google Maps it pinpoints me right away.

I do have an issue with the compass on the phone...it refuses to budge and won't re-calibrate. This happened around iOS 8. Could that be the issue? I am assuming if I tell the quad to stay 10 feet behind me, it needs to know what behind is if I turn.

I could be wrong, but I thought it only supported the iPhone 5S and above.

Sabalon · Jan 2, 2016

Just dug through the site and it says iOS 8.0 or later, but recommended is iphone 5s or above. Hmmm...wonder if the wife wants her 4s upgraded to a 5

That just means I have to figure out AT&T's nightmare "plans"

Thanks for the info!

GaDrone · Jan 2, 2016

Sabalon said:
Just dug through the site and it says iOS 8.0 or later, but recommended is iphone 5s or above. Hmmm...wonder if the wife wants her 4s upgraded to a 5 That just means I have to figure out AT&T's nightmare "plans"

Thanks for the info!

I'm sure she would love the upgrade. That 6S Plus screen size should look nice using the GO APP. I have a 5S and I'm ready for a bigger screen just for that app.

Sabalon · Jan 2, 2016

That's what I told my dad - trying to tell creek from driveway wasn't working well

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mandalay · Jan 2, 2016

GaDrone said:
I'm sure she would love the upgrade. That 6S Plus screen size should look nice using the GO APP. I have a 5S and I'm ready for a bigger screen just for that app.

After using the Nexus 7 & iPad Air, 6S Plus screen is still too small for me [emoji13]

GaDrone · Jan 2, 2016

mandalay said:
After using the Nexus 7 & iPad Air, 6S Plus screen is still too small for me [emoji13]

Well I agree. It's the best I can do. We have an iPad, but try and tell my girlfriend I need it for my drone....Instagram is more important.

mandalay · Jan 2, 2016

GaDrone said:
Well I agree. It's the best I can do. We have an iPad, but try and tell my girlfriend I need it for my drone....Instagram is more important.

Lol...

Sabalon · Jan 17, 2016

I may have found the answer to this. I upgraded to a 6s iPhone and still had issues. Bryan I thought about it and went into the privacy settings of the phone and under location services saw that Dji was not authorized to get my location. I turned that on and it no longer told me I had a weak GPS signal. It still didn't follow me but one step closer.

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Kenny Luk · May 4, 2016

Hi All,

Digging up an old thread.

I have the same experience on 3 separate iPhones: iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S+, running iOS 8.1, iOS 8.4 and iOS 9.3.1 respectively. All running the latest DJI GO software v.2.8.0 (2547).

It looks like the FollowMe function will not work if there is no cellular data connection. We replicated this by turning "Data Off" in Settings in the above iPhones, restarted the DJI Go app and tried to start FollowMe. All gave "Warning. Weak GPS Signal" errors.

Turning Data back on will allow FollowMe to work.

GPS does not require Mobile Data to function, otherwise the whole app market for offline hiking map and tracking software will disappear. I will email DJI Support and see what they say, but can others give this a try and verify the problem?

kl

peterepeat69 · May 4, 2016

IPhone 5s and above, recommended by forum help and dji, iPhone 5 doesn't cut the mustard

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peterepeat69 · May 4, 2016

Kenny Luk said:
Hi All,

Digging up an old thread.

I have the same experience on 3 separate iPhones: iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S+, running iOS 8.1, iOS 8.4 and iOS 9.3.1 respectively. All running the latest DJI GO software v.2.8.0 (2547).

It looks like the FollowMe function will not work if there is no cellular data connection. We replicated this by turning "Data Off" in Settings in the above iPhones, restarted the DJI Go app and tried to start FollowMe. All gave "Warning. Weak GPS Signal" errors.

Turning Data back on will allow FollowMe to work.

GPS does not require Mobile Data to function, otherwise the whole app market for offline hiking map and tracking software will disappear. I will email DJI Support and see what they say, but can others give this a try and verify the problem?

kl

You shouldn't need data the phantom doesn't fly on network triangulation

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Kenny Luk · May 4, 2016

@peterepeat69

Thanks for replying. As stated in the original message, testing was done on three separate iPhones 5S, 6 and 6S+.

Mobile Data On--> Follow Me will work.

Mobile Data Off-->Follow Me will not work.

kl

peterepeat69 · May 4, 2016

Kenny Luk said:
@peterepeat69

Thanks for replying. As stated in the original message, testing was done on three separate iPhones 5S, 6 and 6S+.

Mobile Data On--> Follow Me will work.

Mobile Data Off-->Follow Me will not work.

kl

Doesn't make sense, what does dji say about this? The phantom is designed to fly without a SIM card.

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Kenny Luk · May 4, 2016

I didn't think it made any sense either. I just emailed DJI support and posted on the official forum as well.

If anyone has a P3P and don't mind testing, I'll be happy to be contacted by PM.

kl

peterepeat69 · May 4, 2016

Kenny Luk said:
I didn't think it made any sense either. I just emailed DJI support and posted on the official forum as well.

If anyone has a P3P and don't mind testing, I'll be happy to be contacted by PM.

kl

Well if this is a revelation well done, I look forward to seeing djis response, and I'm sure they will test their own units correctly.

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Kenny Luk · May 5, 2016

DJI's official response for now:

===

Thank you for contacting DJI Support.
With regards to your concern, we don't need a mobile data connection when you use the Follow Me function or the other functions of your Phantom. But if you turn on the Mobile Data of your mobile device, it will help the GPS Signal more accurate. If the App gives you a warning message "Weak GPS Signal", it means that there are a lot of interference that blocked the GPS Signal. You need to be in a wide space for you to be able to have a strong GPS Signal.

===

I don't buy this. The area that I am flying is a 60000 sq m open space. The iPhones have been warmed up and "GPS Status" app shows ~10M accuracy. It also doesn't explain the fact that FollowMe will immediate show "Weak GPS" as soon as Mobile Data is turned off. I will keep pushing DJI into acknowledging the problem.

kl