I bought the wrong iPad

[Steve Moore]

Tethering doesnt give GPS data. I screwed up and didnt notice the lack of GPS in the non-cellular Mini 2! So back to the store it goes. Unfortunately I spent a fortune on Mini 2 case and Zagg glass.

 

[charlie999]

I just tether it to my iPhone using the personal hotspot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do you tether wifi or Bluetooth? Do you get any interference issues?

 

[charlie999]

Cellular comes with GPS. GPS enables you to set your controller as the home point if your moving around while flying (walking, boating etc.).

Cellular is nice because it enables you to get mapping in the Pilot App without having to cache it first from a wifi network. Someone mentioned tethering their iPAd to their iPhone while flying. Not really a good idea as that's communicating over a 2.4ghz network the same spectrum that your controller uses for the RC control and video feed from your Phantom.

Now there are Android phones out there that let you tether using the 5ghz spectrum from the phone. This wouldn't have the same risk as using 2.4ghz. People may say the 2.4ghz tether works fine but I personally won't risk it.

Is that tethering via wifi? What if you tether with Bluetooth?

 

[Flyboy]

Ok thank you for the clarification.

I have the iPad Air 2 wifi.....dont mind cache maps and will most likely not move during flight.

So I think what I have might be find. Thank you for your help.

+1

 

[charlie999]

I've just done a quick Google search and it appears that wifi & Bluetooth both use the 2.4 range. So if tethering via wifi could cause problems then Bluetooth would also cause the same problems.

I suppose best practice would be to turn off or don't use both and get a sim for iPad.

 

[Bill Schroeppel]

I also have the Ipad Air and would like to know how set the return to remote feature on.

 

[Andy Collins]

Ok, please forgive my stupidity, I have been flying quads for a few months and just ordered a P3. I am use to a totally different setup for video (do FPV flying).

What do I need to watch video, I have assumed my Lilliiput monitor won't work, nor will googles,,,so can i use my iphone, or if I want to use a tablet, does it need to have cellular service?

Again, please forgive my lack of knowledge, hopefully its a temporary thing

andy

 

[happydays]

Andy

You need some form of smart phone or tablet. Needs to be fairly new due to the processor speed requirements. For example, I have an iPad 2 but the app won't even download on to it. My iPhone 6 works as well as does my wife's iPad Air.

There is a full list of the monitor / phone specs at the bottom of this page http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/spec

 

[Andy Collins]

Thank you for your quick reply!
Does a device need to have cellular service to work (a tablet)? It listed the ipad 3 mini and the ipad 3 mini +wife-cellular. I was thinking it had to have cellular service,,if not GReat

I have an iphone 6 I can use until I get use to it, but want a larger monitor to have a better view on what I'm filiming

 

[Steve Moore]

Apple, along with their alignment with ATT, decided to screw everyone into buying cellular capable iPads to boost sales for both companies by taking away GPS on the non-cellular models. One more reason to NOT buy Apple!

Cell service is NOT needed, but it is beneficial if you move around a lot while flying to update the map data. You can pre-cache all the needed map data if you plan to stay in one primary location though. Or you can get data by tethering the tablet to your phone.

ALL android tablets of any considerable quality have GPS.
Only cellular capable Apple products have GPS

You DO want to make sure to have GPS

 

[boludo]

How do you tether wifi or Bluetooth? Do you get any interference issues?

From my iPhone: Settings - Personal Hotspot (ON). It will give you a code that you will enter in your iPad. From iPad go to Settings - Wi-Fi and click the iPhone hotspot then enter the code and you should be connected.

As mentioned in this thread, it's not recommended because of possible interference. I have about 7 flights doing it this way with no problems but my new iPad air 2 with cellular just arrived today. My work can use the wi-fi version so i'm giving it to them and just ordered a cellular one. Best not to take the risk but then again I had zero issues the times that I have done it.

 

[happydays]

Apple, along with their alignment with ATT, decided to screw everyone into buying cellular capable iPads to boost sales for both companies by taking away GPS on the non-cellular models. One more reason to NOT buy Apple!

Cell service is NOT needed, but it is beneficial if you move around a lot while flying to update the map data. You can pre-cache all the needed map data if you plan to stay in one primary location though. Or you can get data by tethering the tablet to your phone.

ALL android tablets of any considerable quality have GPS.
Only cellular capable Apple products have GPS

You DO want to make sure to have GPS

There never was a GPS module on any wifi only iPad. I've had them since the first model.

 

[Steve Moore]

There is little to no way tethering could cause issues. The only way it could is if your devices were on the same channel, which is impossible since the phantom is constantly changing channels to prevent this. And still... tethering does not give a GPS location, so it really servers little purpose.

 

[Otis]

Is it safe to fly with just the wifi model? It seems to pick up the satellites. I usually get between 14 and 17 connecting.

 

[Steve Moore]

There never was a GPS module on any wifi only iPad. I've had them since the first model.

Yes... You are correct. And the ipads didn't come to exist until well after the alignment with ATT. Its a marketing program... not a very good one, but it make them a butt load more money. Just one more example of Apple being similar to a dictatorship. Yet people still follow. Still buy two year old tech from them, and still defend them to the death.

 

[Daninho]

Did a bunch of research and decided on the iPad Air 2, Wifi. It's working well, but today I tried out the feature where you set the home point to the remote's location. Pilot popped up a message saying "The mobile device's GPS signal is weak and its location cannot be acquired". Turns out the Wi-Fi version of the iPad Air 2 does not have GPS. Luckily I'm still in 30 day return window so it's going back and I'm getting the cellular version with the GPS.

I bought the non cellular version because i dont need GPS and GSM data with the P3. The home point is set at the start and i dont need to change it. You can still set the home point manually with the copter but never used this feature. The GPs inside remote controller is only useful when you have a follow me function but this is non legal and more of a gimmick. The good thing with the non cellular version is you can never forget to switch off GSM before flight. I also bought the 16GB version because it has the faster internal memory, apple used better memory in the 16GB versions and slow memory in the other versions. I guess its pretty good to have fast memory with the DJi pilot app because it writes constantly to the memory during flight.

 

[Daninho]

Is it safe to fly with just the wifi model? It seems to pick up the satellites. I usually get between 14 and 17 connecting.

?? It has nothing to do with it, the P3 picks the sats, not the tablet

 

[Steve Moore]

It has everything

?? It has nothing to do with it, the P3 picks the sats, not the tablet

It has everything to do with it if you are using features that require the transmitter to have GPS

 

[Daninho]

It has everything

It has everything to do with it if you are using features that require the transmitter to have GPS

you should read what i wrote. It has nothing to do with the amount of sats received in the app. The app dont use the tablet GPS receiver but the P3 GPS. You will get the same 14-17 sats in this case.
The only useful thing for cellular ipad is when you want a follow me function or when the Phantom3 should return to the tablet instead of your starting point. Both things are not really interesting for most ppl

 

[Otis]

you should read what i wrote. It has nothing to do with the amount of sats received in the app. The app dont use the tablet GPS receiver but the P3 GPS. You will get the same 14-17 sats in this case.
The only useful thing for cellular ipad is when you want a follow me function.

Ok great, so wifi is okay if you're standing in one place and not planning to take a walk with the RC.