Satellite acquisition question

[Dale Young]

If you launch a phantom under a covered area, does it go ahead and acquire satellites like normal?

 

[MrMediaGuy]

Depends on GPS signal where you are and what the "covered area" is covered with. Under a heavy metal roof, probably not. But many of us routinely get 6+ satellites indoors. You'll know from the combination of red and green blinks before takeoff how many sats you have acquired. However, I would not actually *fly* in GPS mode routinely indoors or in a covered area. Too risky for something to happen if you lost multiple satellites or got a wonky reading. Better to stay in ATTI.

 

[Dale Young]

Thanks for the reply.

 

[PTCX]

When the GPS signal is lost for 3 seconds the Phantom will switch to ATTI mode automatically.
When flying indoors it would be best to start in ATTI mode.If you start in GPS mode and lose satellite signal,well a lot can happen in 3 seconds.

 

[Skylane765]

If you launch a phantom under a covered area, does it go ahead and acquire satellites like normal?

I get a lock of about 1 red blink and it works fine inside my house. I do use ATI mode and not GPS.

 

[FrankB]

I suspect the Phantom GPS doesn't have a very good antenna, such as the SiRF III, that Garmins and other GPS's have. This is pretty evident when there is a tree canopy overhead or you're operating in mountainous terrain.

As important as the GPS is to the operation of the Phantom, I hope that the next generation will have not only have a better antenna, but also the capability to utilize both the Russian GLONASS GPS system and the European Galileo system when it is operational in a year or two.

 

[The Editor]

I suspect the Phantom GPS doesn't have a very good antenna, such as the SiRF III, that Garmins and other GPS's have. This is pretty evident when there is a tree canopy overhead or you're operating in mountainous terrain.

As important as the GPS is to the operation of the Phantom, I hope that the next generation will have not only have a better antenna, but also the capability to utilize both the Russian GLONASS GPS system and the European Galileo system when it is operational in a year or two.

Dream on if you think Galileo will be operational in a year or two! It's been plagued by the usual pontification of Euro idiots and a plethora of funding cuts. You'll be lucky if there is 60% capacity by 2015 with delays at every turn.
The original estimate has more than quadrupled (well there's a surprise) and it's all so the Euro prats can charge the user a license fee for positional information. Of course the political line will always be "Oh, well, we don't want to be beholden to the United States who could just turn it off one day"
Next will be the arguments with car manufacturers and governments on the import of vehicles into the Euro union with built in navigation modules.
Think I'll stick to GPS thank you.

It's like HS2 - It may never happen (although it's probably gone too far now so they have to save face and finish the thing at the expense of the poor old tax payer... AGAIN :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: