Adding GPS to non-GPS iPad

[Mako79]

Ok, if I'm using the GPS puck mounted to my RC sailboat and all it's being used for is the GPS follow me function, you think it will have more than a 10 m range. 100 to 200 feet is as far away as I will be sailing in most cases.

I don't own the BT device to test. You will find out soon. You can always check the BT's class. Class 1 will get you 100m LOS.
Range may vary depending on class of radio used in an implementation

• Class 3 radios – have a range of up to 1 meter or 3 feet
• Class 2 radios – most commonly found in mobile devices – have a range of 10 meters or 33 feet
• Class 1 radios – used primarily in industrial use cases – have a range of 100 meters or 300 feet

 

[FredSheldon]

Ok, just received my Dual GPS and got it paired up with both my Air 2 and Mini 2. Will be giving it a try later this week. I'll be interested to see how far the unit can be away from the RC and still work. the manual says 33 feet.

 

[Ted]

Question...where / how do you mount this while flying?

 

[Oso]

Question...where / how do you mount this while flying?

When I use mine I just put it in my pocket. Fred said he wants to put his on an RC sailboat.

 

[FredSheldon]

It comes with a flat sticky pad about 4 inches square with which you can mount your gps on your dash. It also comes with a wrist strap so you can wear it on your arm. I'm just going to Velcro it to the back of my controller. Don't think my RC Sailboat idea is going to work, the range is published to be 30 feet between the GPS and your tablet. The whole unit is only about 2 " square.

 

[Oso]

It comes with a flat sticky pad about 4 inches square with which you can mount your gps on your dash. It also comes with a wrist strap so you can wear it on your arm. I'm just going to Velcro it to the back of my controller. Don't think my RC Sailboat idea is going to work, the range is published to be 30 feet between the GPS and your tablet. The whole unit is only about 2 " square.

I'm bummed to hear that the sailboat thing wont work. I was looking forward to seeing the video.

 

[FPV]

I just use my phone for the follow me feature and my iPad for everything else

 

[Oso]

I just use my phone for the follow me feature and my iPad for everything else

I suspect that others with wifi only tablets do the same. I'm thinking that the thrill of the new features will wear off eventually for most people. They will use their tablets for everyday flying, but use their phone in the rare times they will want to use the GPS at RC required functions. Probably only when showing it to friends.

 

[FredSheldon]

I suspect that others with wifi only tablets do the same. I'm thinking that the thrill of the new features will wear off eventually for most people. They will use their tablets for everyday flying, but use their phone in the rare times they will want to use the GPS at RC required functions. Probably only when showing it to friends.

I would guess you could use the phone for GPS and Goggles out of the HDMI port for viewing FPV.

 

[Oso]

I would guess you could use the phone for GPS and Goggles out of the HDMI port for viewing FPV.

No guess - it would certainly work fine.

 

[BenDronePilot]

Well so much for that idea My GPS device should show up tomorrow and I can begin testing the Bluetooth range. Now if I can only find a Bluetooth booster

Why would you think you need a Bluetooth booster? Your aircraft is not communicating via Bluetooth it's connected to your RC. The follow me receives info from the GPS information your tablet is receiving. The Bluetooth gps device you will be holding on your person it is not attached to the Phantom it is linked I to your tablet and held on you where it has a view of the sky. So don't worry about thow far a link Bluetooth is capable of as it is irrelevant in this application.

 

[Oso]

Why would you think you need a Bluetooth booster? Your aircraft is not communicating via Bluetooth it's connected to your RC. The follow me receives info from the GPS information your tablet is receiving. The Bluetooth gps device you will be holding on your person it is not attached to the Phantom it is linked I to your tablet and held on you where it has a view of the sky. So don't worry about thow far a link Bluetooth is capable of as it is irrelevant in this application.

He wanted to put the ext GPS on his RC sailboat.

 

[BenDronePilot]

He wanted to put the ext GPS on his RC sailboat.

Ok so it will follow his RC boat and not himself. That explains it.

 

[jephoto]

What EXACTLY is the name of the Dual App that needs to be running on an iPad for it to work?
I have the "Dual Bluetooth Status Tool" running, and it shows that I connected to satellites and my position, but my maps on my iPad 3 Mini are not updating.

Is there another App? I did a search in that App some and only the Bluetooth Status Tool comes up.

 

[jephoto]

OK - think the app I have is the correct one. But my maps still are not updating. Either the Apple Maps app nor the DJI Go.
I spoke to tech support at Dual. Guy said - "Well, your iPad is working, your Dual 150A apparently is working - as seen on the Status app. Satellites connected and GPS location showing, so the problem seems to be in the software you're trying to connect with."

I.E. -DJI Go or Apple maps.
I did a restart of the iPad. Still no joy.
I'm on IOS 8.4.1 so it should be compatible.

anyone have thoughts on how to troubleshoot this?

 

[jephoto]

UPDATE to my issue- I don't have one.

The Dual GPS is working fine. I didn't realize that I still have to CACHE my maps before going out. I thought the Bluetooth GPS would update my maps.
Wrong. Still have to do that. And that's fine now that I understand it.
The Dual GPS works just as it should. I used Follow me today and did a Reset of my Homepoint to my new current location and all works as it should. Very cool.

 

[Alexei Karam]

I just got my Garmin Glo a couple of days ago and had the chance to test it yesterday and was very disappointed. I am using an iPad mini 3 wifi only model updated to iOS 9.0.2 with a P3P with the latest 1.4 firmware.
When I was testing the whole setup with the Garmin Glo at home (without flying) I noticed that the DJI Pilot App would get sluggish and freeze every now and then and the video feed would break up into cubes and sometimes go away and the screen would go blank and the status bar would give a "disconnected" message. I thought that this was because of my proximity to the wifi router at home and next I headed to the field to test follow me mode and setting the home point to my location. Follow me mode worked perfectly and I was able to set the home point to my current location but the app was freezing and the video feed was getting broken again same as it was doing at home. I turned off bluetooth on the iPad and the problem was gone, everything worked perfectly again!
I gave it a lot of thought and I believe it is not that the bluetooth transmission that is affecting the lightbridge link between the transmitter and aircraft since its power is negligible. Apparently the iPad is using a lot of resources in order to process the external GPS data string causing the Pilot App to hang!
Has anybody had a similar experience with the Garmin Glo?
Any solutions/suggestions?

 

[Oso]

I just got my Garmin Glo a couple of days ago and had the chance to test it yesterday and was very disappointed. I am using an iPad mini 3 wifi only model updated to iOS 9.0.2 with a P3P with the latest 1.4 firmware.
When I was testing the whole setup with the Garmin Glo at home (without flying) I noticed that the DJI Pilot App would get sluggish and freeze every now and then and the video feed would break up into cubes and sometimes go away and the screen would go blank and the status bar would give a "disconnected" message. I thought that this was because of my proximity to the wifi router at home and next I headed to the field to test follow me mode and setting the home point to my location. Follow me mode worked perfectly and I was able to set the home point to my current location but the app was freezing and the video feed was getting broken again same as it was doing at home. I turned off bluetooth on the iPad and the problem was gone, everything worked perfectly again!
I gave it a lot of thought and I believe it is not that the bluetooth transmission that is affecting the lightbridge link between the transmitter and aircraft since its power is negligible. Apparently the iPad is using a lot of resources in order to process the external GPS data string causing the Pilot App to hang!
Has anybody had a similar experience with the Garmin Glo?
Any solutions/suggestions?

Your symptoms sound very similar to what many are reporting since they have switched to iOS9.x. Many people have reported great success with the GLO, but the reviews were from before iOS 9.x was released. Did you fly trouble free with 9.x prior to using the GLO?

 

[jephoto]

Your symptoms sound very similar to what many are reporting since they have switched to iOS9.x. Many people have reported great success with the GLO, but the reviews were from before iOS 9.x was released. Did you fly trouble free with 9.x prior to using the GLO?

I still have my iPad Mini 3 on iOS 8.4.1 and have flown 3 times since getting the Dual xGPS150a- no issues whatsoever.
My friend who updated his same iPad to iOS 9 is having same issues as you.
It's iOS 9 and DJI Go that's likely your problem.

 

[30four]

You guys! I'm so torn between returning my refurbished iPad Air 2 WiFi Only and buying a refurbished Air 2 w/ Cellular OR just going ahead and buying the Dual GPS. I've worked the difference in cost to be about $20, with the Air 2 w/ Cellular being $20 more than if I bundled the Air 2 WiFi with a Dual GPS.

I just hate the fact of having something else on me that needs to be fully charged. There's also not much room left in my hardshell backpack to put extra devices.

HELP! I only have one more day to return my iPad Air.