Connectivity clarification

[CaryG]

Hi all--

I fly an M2P for architectural and RE photography, and I've been using an iPad Air 2 as a viewing screen, linked to my Android smartphone as a mobile hotspot. This works fine, but it's not clear to me whether I actually need the hotspot. Do you have full function -- satellite connectivity / GPS, etc -- simply using the iPad with the DJI controller? (The iPad has Wifi but no phone functions.)

Anyway, I'm not sure what information enters the system via which components, and I'd like to have a clearer idea about all this. I'm sure some of you have this stuff down, so I'd appreciate any clarity you could provide. Thanks.

 

[Tony McDrone]

You do not need the hotspot in order for your iPad to work with the drone. Satellite connectivity and gps functions are located inside of the drone, and only viewed on your ipad. Assuming your iPad is WiFi only, you might need the hotspot for access to Google maps. To prevent the need for a hotspot all together, you can download maps of the areas that you plan to fly in onto your iPad while still at home.

Hope this helps and isn’t too difficult to follow.

 

[CaryG]

That's great, thanks, Tony.

Just to clarify one point, though -- the maps that appear on my screen while flying, using DJI Go, are actually Google maps, and accessed through their software? So that if I didn't use a hotspot, I wouldn't be able to switch to Map view, or set up a Waypoints flight, for example? (Assuming I didn't download the maps beforehand...)

 

[Tony McDrone]

I am fearful of giving you incorrect information, so let me give it to you as I understand it.

When you are connected to WiFi you have full accessibility to Google maps. Once you no longer have access to WiFi, you’ll need a cellular connection or a hotspot to access those same maps. I cannot explain the connection in technical terms. You can prevent the need for either by downloading maps of flying areas in advance.

Without a connection, you would still be able to switch over to map view, but it would not track the location or direction of your drone. I think map view is pointless if your are not able to determine those two factors. I can’t think of anything more important that, that the info is accurate and available...instantly.

I hope this offers a bit more clarification, but if not, then I’d would recommend watching some videos on Youtube.

 

[CaryG]

Hi again--

Yes, that clarifies the situation, thanks. I'll definitely keep using my mobile hotspot! It's also good to know which of the components in the system are responsible for which information -- I've never been quite clear about that.

 

[BigAl07]

If you're flying in an area where you have NOT already accessed/caches the maps and no cellular/Wifi connection, you'll still have directional indicators etc but the map will be the "generic" overlay (what it looks like before the map tiles load) creamy looking map with no detail etc.

 

[CaryG]

OK, thanks. All this info is very helpful.

 

[R.Perry]

The exception to that is if you are flying in an area you need authorization and you need to get mother DJI to unlock your geo fence then you need the connection. Or you can do a custom unlock prior to going to your site via home computer, tablet, or whatever you use.

 

[CaryG]

Hi R. Perry--
Thanks for pointing that out -- it reminded me of something weird that happened on a recent job. I had a shoot scheduled in a neighborhood that was on the outskirts of controlled airspace near a small local airport. I used Airmap to get permission, but when I got to the shoot the next day, DJI had me locked down and wouldn't let me take off. I went through the procedures on my phone and got it unlocked, but the obvious question is why it was necessary. Do the LAANC system and DJI databases not talk to each other? Do you (or anyone reading this) know what that was about -- and more to the point, how to avoid it in the future?

 

[R.Perry]

The best way to avoid this is doing a custom unlock prior to going to your site. The other option is to hack the geo fence get ride of the Chinese telling you where and when you can fly. The is nothing illegal about hacking geo fence. I have on both of my drones. The only thing is, always fly legally, get your clearance and if you can't get a clearance, DONT FLY.
I recently needed access to a no fly zone, it took a trip out to the airport and a chat with flight services to get a two hour clearance at or below 150 feet. I can't imagine what I would have went through if I had to also deal with mother DJI.
This airport was also a Air National Guard airport, very touchy people.

 

[CaryG]

...So a custom unlock is different than getting permission via Airmap / LAANC? How do you do it?

 

[R.Perry]

...So a custom unlock is different than getting permission via Airmap / LAANC? How do you do it?

Yes, you unlock before you go to where your going to fly. You need your transmitter and drone on. The custom unlock will upload the unlocking to your drone. When you arrive at the site the only thing you will need to do is switch on the authorization. To me that is a better way of doing it because you don't need to worry about getting authorization on site.

 

[CaryG]

Great, thanks.

 

[GStuart]

CaryG-
I have had good luck with the DJI FlySafe site getting permission to fly an area only DJI thought was restricted. I think the response time was 2-4 hr but I did it from the office computer then downloaded it to the controller and drone. I just turn the permission on and off when I need to go to that site (a broadcast tower that I inspect occasionally) and you can request up to 1 year of authorization. I don't know if it works for all models but on the Matrice 210V2 if the authorization is active you can't fly anywhere else so you just have to toggle it on or off in the Pilot app.

 

[CaryG]

Thanks -- that's good info. I haven't been using FlySafe, but just checked it out online. Does seem like a good idea to do it ahead of time, as it appears to be a somewhat convoluted process...
I suppose the ideal would be if DJI would link its databases to LAANC, so that if a pilot gets LAANC authorization, it would automatically unlock the aircraft. Does anybody (e.g., moderator) know why they don't do this? Seems it would make things a lot easier on pilots...

 

[BigAl07]

...So a custom unlock is different than getting permission via Airmap / LAANC? How do you do it?

DJI is NOT affiliated with anything to do with LAANC (currently that could change in the future). So often times you have to jump through TWO different sets of hoops to fly in an area:

DJI FlySafe and FAA Laanc/DroneZone

One is NOT affiliated with the other.

 

[CaryG]

I see. And I definitely hope it DOES change in the future...
Thanks, BigAl107. Seems a reasonable compromise would be if DJI just let you input your authorization info from LAANC to unlock.

 

[Fred Garvin]

One is NOT affiliated with the other.

And getting permission in one does NOT grant permission in the other. Just because you unlocked that DJI Blue Zone, it doesn’t mean the FAA has authorized the flight. Many have made this mistake. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I’m good, I did a Self-Unlock on the zone”....

 

[GStuart]

In this political climate the idea of a US Federal agency opening its database to a Chinese company seems pretty unlikely. One of the problems with playing pissing contest with other countries is creating a reluctance to cooperate.

 

[CaryG]

So based on what I've just read at FlySafe, here's what I'm wondering now. I sometimes photograph real estate within controlled airspace at two nearby airports -- Oakland and Concord, CA. So far, after doing this for about a year, only once has my drone been locked down (near Concord). Every other time, Airmap (LAANC) was all I needed.
So is it indeed possible (based on the videos I just watched) to go ahead, now, and get 1-year FlySafe authorizations for the neighborhoods around those airports, that I can just turn on and off as needed when I have jobs there? That way, I could just get LAANC when I need it and have a quick on/off if my drone gets locked down.
Seems like that's what GStuart was saying (GStuart, is that correct -- would you care to chime in?) Anybody else have experience with this approach?
Thanks.