Pix4Dcapture with DJI Matrice 200 and custom 3rd-party non-DJI camera

PIX4Dcapture PIX4Dcapture Questions/Troubleshooting
1

Hi,

I would like to do mapping with a camera that automatically triggers every few seconds (the camera has a built-in GPS). I’m using Android for flight planning with pix4Dcapture. Basically, my plan is to just mount the 3rd-party-camera and let it trigger automatically in a specific interval while the drone follows the flight plan.

However, Pix4Dcapture claims that it can’t connect to the drone (DJI Matrice 200) and therefore refuses to fly. Note that I force quit the DJI Go 4 app, and that the connection between pix4Dcapture and the drone works when I try it with a Mavic Pro. It doesn’t with the Matrice 200, which means that my phone is set up correctly but it may be a problem of the app. Could it be that Pix4Dcapture only flies if there is a DJI-supported camera on the drone?

What can I do to fly the flight plan without a DJI-supported camera?

Thanks

2

Jonathan,

I have the same problem with our 210RTK.  Won’t connect with the drone (using DJI X5S camera). However, it works just fine with the Phantom 4 Pro. I am suspecting a firmware update on the 210 might have something to do with it. Is your Matrice up to date with the firmware? Kind of curious if others have the same issue with the latest update.

3

It actually started working after I rebooted the tablet I was using. You have to completely shut down the DJI app…

However, one problem I have now is that for my custom camera, the M200 flies the mission but I can’t adjust the distance between parallel flight paths (except through the altitude). So my images don’t overlap due to the viewing angle of my camera. I wish I could just tell it to distance them by a custom number of meters…

4

@Jonathan, on iOS it is possible to plan and fly missions with the correct overlap even if the camera is not included in the database of Pix4Dcapture by defining the custom camera in the general settings. More here: (iOS) How to add a custom camera

However, this feature is not implemented in the Android version of the app. Rest assured that I have forwarded your need to implement it on Android to the project manager but I can not guarantee if/when it will be implemented. 

@Dave, are you still facing issues connecting with the M210RTK? Could you doublecheck that the DJI GO app is not running in the background? Do you experience the same issue while using M210RTK with DJI GO app?

 

5

@Blaz: Thanks, I really hope the feature can be implemented in Android soon. It doesn’t seem all that complicated…

In terms of interference between Dji GO 4 and Pix4Dcapture, the easiest way to do it is to go to Android settings -> Apps and there to force quit the DJI app. Then, open Pix4D DJI Ctrl and wait until it connects with the drone, and from there open Pix4Dcapture.

6

Still waiting on being able to add custom camera settings to the Android version of Pix4D. Is there any update on this? Was anyone else able to find a workaround or another flight app that works better for custom cameras?

7

Is there any news regarding this topic? Is it possible set a custom camera in Android?

8

Hi @juacarri1,

We don’t have any plan to add the custom camera option in the android version of Pix4Dcapture in 2020. If thing changes we will notify through this post.

Best,