Mission incomplete Phantom 4

[Jorge_Castillo]

Best regard:

I have a Phantom 4, this 14th I made my first flight. The drone was directed to the starting point and took 15 seconds to start the whole mission but was good and the mission ended whitout problems.

Today July 15th I flight in another area but the drone went to the first point of the mission and didn`t move neither start the mission, so i had to return it home. Later I started another mission the drone went to the first point and in about two minutes a a warning message appeared saying that the application has stopped working, so I return it manually and could not do anything.

I appreciate your help

att,

Jorge Ezequiel  Castillo

[Julie_Pichon]

Hi Jorge,

Besides using our latest app version (Android 3.1.0 and iOS 1.3.2), we usually recommend to make sure that:

• The manufacturer’s app (DJI GO) is not running in the background especially after connecting the device to the drone.
  (Android) Also check that this app is not selected as the default app when connecting. If needed, force the app to stop, using the application manager of the device.
• The appropriate drone is selected: Settings of the app: Home screen > Settings > Drone type > …
• The latest firmware is installed on the drone. This can be checked with the manufacturer’s app.
• The latest OS version is installed on the mobile device (ideally).

The following problems that can happen are not related to the altitude of the flight or the size of the grid:

• The drone reaches the flight altitude but hovers in the air.
• The mission is not uploaded to the drone, fail in the takeoff checklist.
• The drone does not start the mission, no takeoff. So far we can see one main reason.

Sometimes there are some delays when sending the mission details to the drone through DJI SDK (what allows the communication between the two). A time-out could prevent the mission from being completely uploaded. We would suggest to try the following:

1.a. Click the Abort button to interrupt the mission or take over manual control to land the drone.
1.b. (alternatively) Cancel the mission meaning click Cancel in the takeoff checklist pop-up if the mission upload failed.
2. Restart the mission but slightly adjust the grid before, e.g. the size, in order to force the app to upload the mission details again.
3. (optional) If this does not work, restart the mission scratch, meaning close and force the app to stop, disconnect the mobile device, switch off the remote controller and the drone.

We hope this will help to achieve more successful missions with our app.

Regards,

[keith_provost]

nope i tried all of those things yesterday, and still could not load the mission.  I am curious what the time out would be?  I have an 1100 acre mission, divided into 5 grids.  First 2 went ok, i did have to make multiple attempts to upload.  My 3rd grid was just completely unsuccessful.  I waited 10 minutes just because…  and still no upload.  I shut down everything, reconnected everything, loaded app, cut size of grid in half, still unable to upload.

I uninstalled app and will re install today, make a test mission before i trek 3 miles into the woods :-)  hoping it works.

 

If i may add some usability recommendations…

1.  The ability to “snap” grids together?  Or ability to set up grids in a map.

2. The app does not always choose the best starting point in a resume (multiple battery) mission.  And battery management is so important in a large mapping mission.  I had 4000’ flight paths, auto return to home a 4000’.  Swap out battery, fly 4000’ to last waypoint, instead of capturing 4000’ of data on way there.  

3.If you duplicate a map, it would be better if it actually duplicated exactly, then you can just adjust location to your next grid or next map?  Like a saved Map even.  

4. I dont fly with my Ipad, it seems to really limit video transmission.  Being able to create maps on that device, then transfer to my Iphone for flight would be a huge advancement, for these old eyes.

5 I did switch over from DD control to capture, mostly for the resume ability.  Yours goes back to the last photo, drone deploy goes back to the last waypoint, so you end up always recapturing data… that battery management thing again. 

6. Manual camera control.  Coming from a 20yr professional photographer, i like to have more control.  Example.  I just took 1100 pictures in the last 2 days, just went thru my metadata.  I noticed Capture only adjusts shutter speed, leaving ISO at 100.  Most times, increasing it to 400 to 600 has little negative effect on noise, but increasing shutter speed to the 500 range is huge for horizontal panning captures.  1/1000 is even better.  Curious why ISO is locked in at 100? 

I look forward to being able to run Pix4D.  Current business climate, and my business, in northern NY wont support it…yet ;-) 

There was a recent forest fire in northern NY, in an Jack Pine Forest, very rare.  I am doing an 1100 acre ortho flight plan over it.  It will be researched extensively 

Thank you for your software. 

Keith

[Gael]

Hi Keith,

Are you using Android or iOS version of Pix4Dcapture? Are you using a Phantom 4?

Thank you for your recommendations, it is always helpful to have feedback from users. If I may comment about them:

1. I don’t really see what you mean here. Can you explain a bit more?
2. You can have a look at how is operate a multi-battery mission at the moment. It is a bit more efficient on iOS.
3. The duplicate function was restricted to a certain area, now you can duplicate without any issue for a max area of 10*10km
4. You should already be able to plan and fly missions from an Ipad. Then transferring them will ask you to transfer the Pix4D folder content from one device to another.
5. I don’t really understand what it will change to go to the last point where the picture has been triggered or the last waypoint. Can you explain me a bit more? 
6. The choice has been made to apply automatic settings for the camera. You will have no control over the settings except for white balance. It has implied frustration and feedback especially from photographers. I will share your interest in having more control with the developer’s team.

Thank you to rely on our software and I hope it will help you to achieve your researches.

Best,