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DJI PrPro RTK has stopped caching maps for offline use

Jvhooser

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It appears that the P4Pro RTK can no longer cache maps for use in areas with no cell coverage. Per my conversations with DJI support, they are aware of this but give no expectation of a fix, and suggest planning the flight in advance and flying with no map coverage on site.


Here is my conversation with DJI support:

Your request(#4853061)has been updated, please reply the email below.

nickk.wang (DJI Support)
Feb 21, 2023, 17:20 GMT+8
Dear Jack,

Thanks for getting back to us.

We do apologize for the inconvenience that caused to you. It is just the Phantom 4 RTK that has this map issue. We would recommend you to either plan the mission in advance, then fly in areas that have no cell service or you can use the SDK remote controller with Pilot app: DJI Pilot - Download Center - DJI

Then you can use the offline map in the Pilot app to fly in areas that have no cell service. For the purchase and price inquiry of the Phantom 4 RTK SDK remote controller, or if you want to test the SDK remote controller, we would recommend you to contact our enterprise dealer, and here is the link for you to look up the contact information of dealers around you: Enterprise Dealer - Where to Buy - DJI

Any further questions, please feel free to contact us. We're always here to help.

Thanks for choosing DJI. Have a nice day and stay safe!

Best Regards
Nick
DJI Technical Support
Website: Support - DJI
Online service: Click Here
Service time: 08:30-23:00 (GMT+8)


jackvh
Feb 19, 2023, 12:32 GMT+8
I am absolutely not satisfied with the answers I have received. Apparently DJI has made it impossible to fly in areas that have no cell service. Quite often I design and fly autonomous missions in the field where there is no cell service and DJI making it impossible to cache maps for offline use is unacceptable. I would have not recommended my company purchase the P4Pro RTK if this was the case originally, but it is even more upsetting that after DJI has the money they remove the ability to cache maps making the drone useless for some necessary tasks.

Has DJI removed the ability to cache maps for offline use for all models of their drones, or just the P4Pro RTK?

Will DJI offer the SDK controller so customers can utilize third party apps that will allow map caching for use in areas with no cell coverage?

Please offer some assistance with this matter.

Jack
Jack Van Hooser
Dement Construction
731-424-6306 - Office
731-424-5308 - Fax


nickk.wang (DJI Support)
Feb 19, 2023, 12:14 GMT+8
Dear Jack,

Greetings from DJI. We hope this message finds you well.

Sorry to interrupt you again. I’m keeping close attention to your case. This is writing to confirm that we have not yet received any feedback from you for a while. Just wonder if everything is going fine with you so far.

Should you have any further questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact us back.

You will receive an email survey five days later if not responded to. If you happen to be away and won’t be able to answer this email timely, or your request hasn't been resolved, please disregard the survey and reply to us directly. Then the email will reopen automatically.

Thanks for choosing DJI. Have a nice day and stay safe!

Best Regards
Nick
DJI Technical Support
Website: Support - DJI
Online service: Click Here
Service time: 08:30-23:00 (GMT+8)


nickk.wang (DJI Support)
Feb 16, 2023, 16:48 GMT+8
Dear Jack,

Thanks for getting back to us.

I am sorry for the late reply as I was out of office in the past two days, and we do apologize for the inconvenience that caused to you as we have changed the map service provider in DJI App. If there is no network service at your workplace, we would recommend you to create a flight mission. You can plan the mission first, then take the drone there to execute the mission directly.

Any further questions, please feel free to contact us. We're always here to help.

Thanks for choosing DJI. Have a nice day and stay safe!

Best Regards
Nick
DJI Technical Support
Website: Support - DJI
Online service: Click Here
Service time: 08:30-23:00 (GMT+8)


jackvh
Feb 15, 2023, 11:12 GMT+8
I still have not received an answer on how I should fly sites that have zero cell service since the maps will not cache on the P4Pro RTK.

Please advise, getting behind on monthly site quantity measurements.

Jack Van Hooser
Dement Construction
731-424-6306 - Office
731-424-5308 - Fax


jackvh
Feb 13, 2023, 19:50 GMT+8
Thanks for the response, you said to keep the firmware up to date, and the remote connected to the internet.

However you did not address the issue I am facing when I need to fly a job site in an area where cell service is not available. In these areas I cannot keep the internet connection when using the remote.

We are a road and bridge construction company and work frequently in very rural areas with no internet service available, but fly projects on a regular schedule for progress and quantities.

Most of my processing is PPK so disabling the RTK is not the issue, just not having map access in areas with no cell service.

Are you saying that I can no longer use the P4Pro RTK drone in areas where there is no internet?

We purchased this drone a year ago and it has been a great asset and I hate to see the investment go to waste because you changed to a map service provider that does not allow the drone to perform as originally advertised.

Please advise how we continue to fly in areas with no cell service.

Thanks


Jack Van Hooser
Dement Construction
731-424-6306 - Office
731-424-5308 - Fax


nickk.wang (DJI Support)
Feb 13, 2023, 12:45 GMT+8
Dear Jack,

This is Nick from DJI Technical Support.

We are grateful to assist you with your concern and really want to help further. I just received the message from another technical team and understand that you have a question about not getting the map to pull up.

For this issue, please kindly note that due to some reasons, we have to change the map service provider in DJI App. And because of the copyright restriction from the new map service provider, the map could be loaded online only.

For the problem you are facing, please follow the instruction below to fix the problem you are facing.
1. Please make sure the firmware of the drone and remote is up to date.
2. Please keep Internet connection when you are using the remote.
3. Please make sure the drone is on an open place so it can pick up enough satellites. So it can locate its location.
4. If the drone has a RTK function and the RTK is connected, please disconnect it first. After the map is loaded, reconnect it. While using RTK service, the app will not load the map.

After doing this, the app will request map from the server and it will show at the background. Our engineers know this is a big inconvenience and they are still looking for another solution. Please consider it as a temporarily solution.

DJI engineers have determined the cause of this issue. Due to the copyright restrictions, the remote sensing map cannot be cached to a local storage. We recommend that you connect the remote controller to the network to load the remote sensing base map during the flight route planning or flight. Also, you can choose an electronic map as the base map for flight route planning and flight operation. Thank you for your understanding.

Any further questions, please feel free to contact us. We're always here to help.

Thanks for choosing DJI. Have a nice day and stay safe!

Best Regards
Nick
DJI Technical Support
Website: Support - DJI
Online service: Click Here
Service time: 08:30-23:00 (GMT+8)
This email is a service from DJI Support.

[M4DXE3-R9W39]
 
Going around in a circle and ended up where you started. I was offered a 2nd hand RTK the other day by a local surveyor. Was considering the offer until I read this. Most of my work is remote. Thanks for the heads up.
Regards
 
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I got additional info today that DJI removed Mapbox as a map source on this drone, which only leaves Amap, and Amap does not allow caching for offline use.
Other DJI products still use Mapbox, wonder why they removed it from an enterprise level drone with no good work around.
 
I got additional info today that DJI removed Mapbox as a map source on this drone, which only leaves Amap, and Amap does not allow caching for offline use.
Other DJI products still use Mapbox, wonder why they removed it from an enterprise level drone with no good work around.
Makes the new M3E look more attractive than the P4RTK that you may already own.
 
It appears that the P4Pro RTK can no longer cache maps for use in areas with no cell coverage.
It looks like they made the map change in the latest firmware. They also don't allow a roll-back. So if you updated to that version, that is likely when you lost map caching.


a.jpeg
 
A rookie here. Can someone with business experience guess as to why a company would do this, i.e., REMOVE a feature that used to be available? For example, since the feature WAS available at one time, it wouldn't take valuble tech time to just leave it alone, right? Yes, if the feature was left "in-place" there might be some cost to answer future questions, but that's about all I can think of. What am I missing?
 

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