1st litchi mission

[Hayabusa1]

I planned to fly the bird after I got off work tonight. I'm a project manager and was working at a local science museum that we just opened. We are just about done with our scope and opportunities are slipping away so I brought the bird with me. Got out about 11pm and decided to go for it. Went out back to the park and set a Litchi waypoint mission knowing it would disconnect and then praying it would complet mission and return. I was sending her from one museum to another museum across water. It was 6200' round trip. I launched her and flew half a battery to just to make sure everything was good. Flew her around and took pics of top of museum, grounds, park etc... ( image at night sucks or at least on my tablet. I will have to download from SD card to see if better.)
Brought her down, swapped batteries and sent her up. Flipped s1 down, hit play and sent her on her way. As she rose up to its 1st waypoint height, and then turned towards its target, I thought about flicking that darn s1 switch back up.
But I didn't and I watched as she flew into the darkness of the large body of water and her red lights get smaller and smaller. To my surprise she went just over 2000' before it disconnected and video started cutting out. I was right on top of target but frozen video etc... it kept reconnecting and disconnecting till video started showing it starting its return home. And with every apearing bar of the controllers signal strength rising, my confidence in its return grew as well. That bit of anxiety or nervousness was lowering as the sound of the bird grew louder. There she was, hovering above me, patiently waiting for its next command.
I love this thing. It is so much fun and still so much to learn and still so many higher platforms for me to move up to. This was with the ARGTEC and p3s. I just ordered the elite so hoping for a little more. Love having the confidence in knowing it will return if disconnected etc... but would rather it stay connected.
Planning one out to a little island where all the boaters go to party. I want to stay connected so I can control and film. Not just go and come back.

Thanks for listening.
Mike

 

[Numone]

Nice story, an I know that feeling of trepidation well!
But I don't get why you'd loose signal at 2k' on a 6.2K' mission? Putting aside you shouldn't fly in a built-up area, id've thought you'd get signal to 4k' easily in that type of scenario and the biggest stretch was going across water?

 

[macoman]

That's why I don't want to buy the litchi app. It's very exciting that the bird can complete these missions but for me is a risky business. Specially when I paid a lot of money for my phantom. It is like giving your car to someone and pray to God that he will return it.

 

[tevek]

I have a boosted P4 after moving up through the ranks (ran out of money so I'll be here for a while), nearly all my missions involve loss of video and not control signal and I have to wait patiently as it grinds its way back home. Has never failed me, but the move to a lightbridge setup is maybe the key?

 

[Neon Euc]

I lose video feed after about 1500 meters but I am in a built up area. Done a 12 min mission once and that scared the hell out of me. I checked my tracker and it said the last place it was tracked was on the roof of a primary school. I can't tell you how scared I was. I thought it crashed and fell onto a child. I refreshed the tracking page and luckily it showed she was on her way back. But its things like these which gives me the buzz of the missions [emoji4]

 

[stones]

That's why I don't want to buy the litchi app. It's very exciting that the bird can complete these missions but for me is a risky business. Specially when I paid a lot of money for my phantom. It is like giving your car to someone and pray to God that he will return it.

Your comment sounds as if your lack of confidence in Litchi stems from a bad experience the OP had in their post. I didn't see anything stating that Litchi didn't do it's job. For me, Litchi has always performed. The whole mission (autonomous) thing is what gives the rush people speak of. Yes, you have to "stick you neck out" as they say but, once you try it, you'll be hooked, trust me.

 

[macoman]

Your comment sounds as if your lack of confidence in Litchi stems from a bad experience the OP had in their post. I didn't see anything stating that Litchi didn't do it's job. For me, Litchi has always performed. The whole mission (autonomous) thing is what gives the rush people speak of. Yes, you have to "stick you neck out" as they say but, once you try it, you'll be hooked, trust me.

I know that it can be hooked to the thing but I have to admit I am kind a chicken and probably worry that I can lose my bird. It was not cheap at all. If this drone was $50 dollars I could care less if I lose it.

 

[Neon Euc]

I know that it can be hooked to the thing but I have to admit I am kind a chicken and probably worry that I can lose my bird. It was not cheap at all. If this drone was $50 dollars I could care less if I lose it.

Totally see your point. The first couple of times as it launched I chickened out and canceled the mission at the last min. But I took the plunge and let it do its thing. Once signal was lost I knew I had no choice. But since then it was the best choice I ever done. Have so many great flights that I wouldn't be able to do manually.

Also I hear many stories on here about fly aways, drones falling from the sky, etc... And they were mostly using the DJI GO app. So for me it can happen at any time. And if that's the case then I might as well go out all guns blazing and do as many crazy litchi missions as possible. Never looked back

 

[Hayabusa1]

Nice story, an I know that feeling of trepidation well!
But I don't get why you'd loose signal at 2k' on a 6.2K' mission? Putting aside you shouldn't fly in a built-up area, id've thought you'd get signal to 4k' easily in that type of scenario and the biggest stretch was going across water?

 

[Hayabusa1]

I thought 2000' for a standard would be good. Hopefully the next antenna does better.
I was flying in a park at midnight and never once crossed over a building nor ever even saw a person. The mission was about 95% over water.

 

[Numone]

I thought 2000' for a standard would be good. Hopefully the next antenna does better.
I was flying in a park at midnight and never once crossed over a building nor ever even saw a person. The mission was about 95% over water.

I thought 2000' for a standard would be good. Hopefully the next antenna does better.
I was flying in a park at midnight and never once crossed over a building nor ever even saw a person. The mission was about 95% over water.

So sorry Mike, but I didn't realise you had a Standard, so well done I guess!

 

[aviator67]

Lightbridge on the P3P works well for me compared to the typical 5.8Ghz FPV quality. I've flown manually to the extent of the P3P's range with FPV becoming intermittent out to a maximum of 11,924 ft (2.26 miles), where loss of signal forced a RTH. Litchi has always worked flawlessly for me. As long as I remember to set the camera gimbal to "Focus POI" rather than "Disabled". I always double check all altitudes and refine the mission with each successive flight.

 

[macoman]

Lightbridge on the P3P works well for me compared to the typical 5.8Ghz FPV quality. I've flown manually to the extent of the P3P's range with FPV becoming intermittent out to a maximum of 11,924 ft (2.26 miles), where loss of signal forced a RTH. Litchi has always worked flawlessly for me. As long as I remember to set the camera gimbal to "Focus POI" rather than "Disabled". I always double check all altitudes and refine the mission with each successive flight.

I am very impressed on the capabilities of litchi.

 

[stones]

I am very impressed on the capabilities of litchi.

Honestly, I think you'd really like it. And no, I'm not affiliated with the company.

 

[tevek]

I am very impressed on the capabilities of litchi.

Well that took about 9 posts to swing you around. Try it out and thou shalt be rewarded,

 

[DocDiggler]

That's why I don't want to buy the litchi app. It's very exciting that the bird can complete these missions but for me is a risky business. Specially when I paid a lot of money for my phantom. It is like giving your car to someone and pray to God that he will return it.

The litchi app is still worth every cent not only because of the waypoint missions it has a lot more to offer than the go app besides there is always a risk you will lose your beloved phantom
Which is mostly pilot errors or hardware failure
I never had a mission failed and I really get a kick out when my connection cuts out gets the adrenaline level up[emoji6]

 

[Hayabusa1]

The litchi app is still worth every cent not only because of the waypoint missions it has a lot more to offer than the go app besides there is always a risk you will lose your beloved phantom
Which is mostly pilot errors or hardware failure
I never had a mission failed and I really get a kick out when my connection cuts out gets the adrenaline level up[emoji6]

Gotta love the FPV with vr goggles.