Update to iOS Pilot app

[GadgetGuy]

Intermittent signal drops are likely caused by local interference from other RF sources you fly over. As well as possibly directional RF / WiFi signals. Usually pushing forward for a few seconds resolves that issue as you pass through it. Another cause is if you're flying too low and you don't have clean line of sight between your Phantom and your RC Transmitter. That momentary obstruction can cause a weak signal or outage as well. Don't forget to have your antennas on your controller oriented correctly too, which means both antennas facing up to the sky with the side of the antennas facing your Phantom 3.

Good advice! However, it is a bit unsettling to be told initially that your primary helipad has a poor signal even before launch, when you know from months of flying that it is problem free, and it flies perfectly from there, even at distances of 2700 feet or more. During flight, dropping below LOS generating signal issues makes sense, as does climbing to regain signal and LOS.

 

[snerd]

...... Took off from one of my usual spots in a suburban area and had to stare at a "no signal" screen for a good 20 seconds before the live feed popped up.

Wasn't like this on the older app version, which connected almost instantaneously.......

Took my grandson with me last night to fly, and I said the exact same thing to him! It now takes a good 20-30 seconds for the live feed to show up.

 

[leekiya]

Seems dji are doing another firmware next week to fix current problems.

 

[robinb]

Seems dji are doing another firmware next week to fix current problems.

what do you know ?

 

[meloyelo]

I got the same messages you did, and then they went away, but the be careful of long distance flights and poor signal kept reappearing intermittently, replaced by a "good" signal. Flew anyway and took it out 1,600 feet and back with no issues. Could it be referring to solar flares?
One should always be careful of long distance flying anyway, but what is "long distance" when the official transmitter LOS range is up to 1.2 miles?

I had this same thing going on yesterday afternoon. I just updated the app on Friday. I had two test flights that afternoon that I kept it close in and everything seemed OK. Yesterday, I got the "poor signal" message. I went ahead and flew, but the only difference with me is that I couldn't get out but around 600 feet before it would start to act up. Before the updates I could easily get out 2000 + feet. I also updated the craft and controller from 1.1.9 to 1.2.8 on Friday. All that went fine, but now I've got the limited distance issue.

 

[leekiya]

what do you know ?

Not a lot really just that someone on here contacted dji about gimbal overload warnings and they were told they were aware of the problem and a new firmware was on its way next week.

 

[robinb]

Not a lot really just that someone on here contacted dji about gimbal overload warnings and they were told they were aware of the problem and a new firmware was on its way next week.

To know a little is better than to know nothing

 

[GadgetGuy]

Sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous.
Ignorance can also be bliss, for a while....

 

[sdharris]

Has anyone noticed the new IOS app eats through the phone or tablets battery? My iPad Mini 2 just went through 6% battery sitting on my table transferring video over light bridge and yesterday it used about 10% on a short 8-10 minute flight.

 

[robinb]

Sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous.
Ignorance can also be bliss, for a while....

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Exactly! Lots of statements made by DJI on the phone need to be taken with a grain of salt. Some are just plain wrong, due misinformation, and others are just hopeful speculation on their part, which makes their jobs easier to bear. Imagine answering the phone all day to DJI owners who have been on hold for an hour or more waiting for help, and having to honestly tell each of them, "I don't know."

 

[robinb]

After an hour on hold they will believe fertiliser is ****.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Has anyone noticed the new IOS app eats through the phone or tablets battery? My iPad Mini 2 just went through 6% battery sitting on my table transferring video over light bridge and yesterday it used about 10% on a short 8-10 minute flight.

I have the iPad Mini Retina as well. Turning the screen brightness up to 100% to see better in daylight burns up battery faster than anything else. Using a sunshade hood can allow a lower setting while retaining visibility. Transferring video also likely requires keeping the screen active. Turn the screen brightness down to minimum during transfers while sitting on your table, and to a low level indoors during active use, and it will minimize battery consumption. Mini Retina has a faily large battery. Imagine the poor iPhone 6 users whose battery life is half that of the iPhone 6+, and our Mini Retina. You can also buy a portable 20 AH USB battery pack to recharge the iPad Mini in the field away from all power, which, will add 20 hours of iPad Mini Retina use. Bought mine at CostCo. They are about $35 and the size of a pack of cigarettes. Unfortunately, you can't use it to power the iPad while it is also connected to the transmitter, as they both require exclusive use of the lightning connector.

 

[GadgetGuy]

After an hour on hold they will believe fertiliser is ****.

Isn't it? It's all in the packaging and presentation!

 

[sdharris]

I have the iPad Mini Retina as well. Turning the screen brightness up to 100% to see better in daylight burns up battery faster than anything else. Using a sunshade hood can allow a lower setting while retaining visibility. Transferring video also likely requires keeping the screen active. Turn the screen brightness down to minimum during transfers while sitting on your table, and to a low level indoors during active use, and it will minimize battery consumption. Mini Retina has a faily large battery. Imagine the poor iPhone 6 users whose battery life is half that of the iPhone 6+, and our Mini Retina. You can also buy a portable 20 AH USB battery pack to recharge the iPad Mini in the field away from all power, which, will add 20 hours of iPad Mini Retina use. Bought mine at CostCo. They are about $35 and the size of a pack of cigarettes. Unfortunately, you can't use it to power the iPad while it is also connected to the transmitter, as they both require exclusive use of the lightning connector.

No, this only started with the latest app. Have flown many times with very little battery drop if any with the previous version.

 

[GadgetGuy]

sdharris, well, then we'll both be needing the above tips to conserve battery power on our older devices with a slower processor than the Mini 3 and Air 2. Several have reported the Pilot app as now being snappier and more responsive. Perhaps DJI has optimized the iOS Pilot for the newer processors, which pushes our older processors harder. I did notice that the Mini 2 seemed hotter than before, last night, after replaying the recorded video through the Pilot app from the mini SD card still in the P3P. That heat means it's hitting the battery harder, as you observed.

 

[vincey2kr1]

Seems like my video signal isn't as good as before, having disconnects at 3k feet were I was able to go 10k feet before. Was going to try the custom channel but now it's gone?

 

[GadgetGuy]

Seems like my video signal isn't as good as before, having disconnects at 3k feet were I was able to go 10k feet before. Was going to try the custom channel but now it's gone?

My custom channel setting is still active after the iOS Pilot update. Currently set to Channel 20. Screenshot is from my iPad Mini 2. There may be a difference between iPhone 6+ and iPad versions.

 

[caffeinated]

Gotta say the gimbal overload warning is annoying.
I guessed that it was the iOS upgrade mid flight and it was performing the same way as it ever had so kept flying cautiously but it does distract you a lot and I fear might mean a pilot would miss a more critical error in the tirade of beeps and yellow flashes I experienced

 

[GadgetGuy]

No, this only started with the latest app. Have flown many times with very little battery drop if any with the previous version.

Just took an 11 minute, 2 mile roundtrip flight, and also reviewed the full 4K video from the Pilot app Play icon. Still have 88% battery remaining. Seems good enough for 2 hours of flying time on a full Mini 2 charge, and certainly enough for the combined flight duration of the 4 batteries I now have!