TapFly and Waypoints Observation

AWD

Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
397
Reaction score
174
Age
76
Location
Punta Gorda, Florida
All,

With an unusual amount of time on my hands, a nice area to test and 5 batteries at a time, I've been able to finally "test" two of the flight scenarios available to the P4 (and most probably the P3).

TapFly works well. Most people think you tap the screen and the copter heads to that spot. Well, that's pretty close to how it works. What happens is the bird heads in that direction towards the spot you picked but it also continues right on past it at a constant altitude. It will continue on that course until you stop it or it enters RTH mode due to loss of contact or low battery status.

I've decided to use TapFly as a kind of "auto-throttle" for when I need to move 3000 feet in one direction or so and don't want to hold the throttle with my thumb. Speed control is via an icon on the screen.

TapFly will also avoid obstacles in the way assuming you have enough light. As I did several tests at dusk and at night, it will fly pretty far into the dark before giving the warning about "not enough light" for avoidance.

With TapFly you can literally fly around using either the "finger on the screen" method or use the left stick to turn left and right. It will pick up the new course that you set and continue on in the new direction. The bird makes a very smooth and almost "banked" turn when in TapFly mode. You can test this while flying around at 5 mph down low (in close) and watching how your "finger pointing" and left stick movement affects the flight.

Waypoints

Well, from what I've read, the Waypoints on the DJIGo app are not quite as nice as the Litchi app, but someone else can do the comparison when they get a chance.

For Waypoints with DJGo/4 you have to fly the course first at which time it will be saved and you can re-fly it later. Here's how it works once you're up and running.

If the copter loses contact with the R/C, it will continue on the "waypoint mission" until completion. Pretty straight forward. This was tested by running the P4 out pretty far on a waypoint mission and then "hiding" behind an automobile to make the R/C lose contact with the bird. It continued on with no problems.

Two caveats. #1. If the battery level drops to the "RTH" level, with or without contact with the R/C, it WILL return home. We've all seen that message come up on the screen about "Low Battery, returning to home in 8 seconds". That one will bring it back in time to either regain contact (if you had previously lost it) or will simply RTH and land if you leave it alone. With the low battery warning, it will abandon the waypoint mission and head home.

Here's hoping this helps somebody out with some of the questions they may have on those two flight modes.

AD

i-XkdMqPh-XL.png
 
All,

With an unusual amount of time on my hands, a nice area to test and 5 batteries at a time, I've been able to finally "test" two of the flight scenarios available to the P4 (and most probably the P3).

TapFly works well. Most people think you tap the screen and the copter heads to that spot. Well, that's pretty close to how it works. What happens is the bird heads in that direction towards the spot you picked but it also continues right on past it at a constant altitude. It will continue on that course until you stop it or it enters RTH mode due to loss of contact or low battery status.

I've decided to use TapFly as a kind of "auto-throttle" for when I need to move 3000 feet in one direction or so and don't want to hold the throttle with my thumb. Speed control is via an icon on the screen.

TapFly will also avoid obstacles in the way assuming you have enough light. As I did several tests at dusk and at night, it will fly pretty far into the dark before giving the warning about "not enough light" for avoidance.

With TapFly you can literally fly around using either the "finger on the screen" method or use the left stick to turn left and right. It will pick up the new course that you set and continue on in the new direction. The bird makes a very smooth and almost "banked" turn when in TapFly mode. You can test this while flying around at 5 mph down low (in close) and watching how your "finger pointing" and left stick movement affects the flight.

Waypoints

Well, from what I've read, the Waypoints on the DJIGo app are not quite as nice as the Litchi app, but someone else can do the comparison when they get a chance.

For Waypoints with DJGo/4 you have to fly the course first at which time it will be saved and you can re-fly it later. Here's how it works once you're up and running.

If the copter loses contact with the R/C, it will continue on the "waypoint mission" until completion. Pretty straight forward. This was tested by running the P4 out pretty far on a waypoint mission and then "hiding" behind an automobile to make the R/C lose contact with the bird. It continued on with no problems.

Two caveats. #1. If the battery level drops to the "RTH" level, with or without contact with the R/C, it WILL return home. We've all seen that message come up on the screen about "Low Battery, returning to home in 8 seconds". That one will bring it back in time to either regain contact (if you had previously lost it) or will simply RTH and land if you leave it alone. With the low battery warning, it will abandon the waypoint mission and head home.

Here's hoping this helps somebody out with some of the questions they may have on those two flight modes.

AD

i-XkdMqPh-XL.png

Thank you for the review of these two flight modes! I haven't yet tried either of them on my P4 but was very curious about how they actually function.

Question: Do you have to be in close proximity to your previously loaded waypoint mission in order for the P4 to seek out and accomplish it? For example, what if your like half mile from the mission and you launch it? Will the UAS fly the half mile to the coordinates of the mission, accomplish it and fly back? Or will it just not attempt a mission unless the starting waypoint is in X proximity from the UAS when it's launched?

Thanks again!
 
Thank you AWD. Tap fly sounds nice. As it's going straight with tap I can use the left stick and turn bird to view different directions as it still goes straight from my tap direction ?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
Thank you AWD. Tap fly sounds nice. As it's going straight with tap I can use the left stick and turn bird to view different directions as it still goes straight from my tap direction ?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

When you turn the copter with the left stick while it is in TapFly, it will turn to the new heading you have selected and continue on in that direction.

What you were describing is "Course Lock".

AD
 
  • Like
Reactions: JohnnyB
Thank you for the review of these two flight modes! I haven't yet tried either of them on my P4 but was very curious about how they actually function.

Question: Do you have to be in close proximity to your previously loaded waypoint mission in order for the P4 to seek out and accomplish it? For example, what if your like half mile from the mission and you launch it? Will the UAS fly the half mile to the coordinates of the mission, accomplish it and fly back? Or will it just not attempt a mission unless the starting waypoint is in X proximity from the UAS when it's launched?

Thanks again!

Most people will start and stop their waypoint missions reasonably close to themselves.

If you elect to build a mission and then move to another starting point away from 'P1" then this is what happens.

You have moved 100 yards from where you originally made your mission starting point.
You now start the copter, "apply" the mission and it starts.

First thing is the copter validates the mission, CLIMBS to the altitude of the P1 starting point and then heads directly to that point.
When it gets to P1, it will orient itself to the new heading from P1 to P2 and start flying the mission.

You can vary the altitude of the waypoint spots during the set up and the copter will adjust itself in between waypoints to arrive at each waypoint at the correct altitude.

Also, if you have the time, adjust the final 50 feet or so of the mission to a slower speed in order to avoid that "abrupt" stop that the Phantoms make when going from cruise to stop at the end of the mission.

Make sure your RTH point is where you want it to be, just in case it is needed.

AD
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,055
Messages
1,467,298
Members
104,920
Latest member
stovebayen