Connecting Pix4D to controller and aircraft

[kns1313]

I have downloaded Pix4DCapture to my Nexus 7 Android device, latest firmware. I have a new account set up with Pix4D. I am having a very hard time trying to connect to the aircraft. Here is the sequence I used without Pix4D installed:
1. Turn on controller.
2. Turn on device and connect using DJI GO or Litchi (depending on what I'm going to do)
3. Turn on aircraft.
4. Have a pleasant time flying.

With Pix4DCapture, none of this seems to work. After step 3, I start Pix4D, it says DJI GO is running in the background, I kill it, and then try to connect to the aircraft. (Usually Litchi is also stopped at this point, my results have been too inconsistent to report.) The RC connects no problem, I can take off and control the bird, but I may as well turn the Nexus off as it shows Disconnected and won't connect. No telemetry, no status, no nada.

I do not see any tutorial anywhere on the exact steps to get me through this dilemma. Anyone have a detailed set of instructions they care to share that allows me to connect first time, every time? Is there a tutorial out there? I sure don't see anything about this issue in anything Pix4D has put out, and what others have out there assumes the aircraft is already connected.

I've flown one mission where I collected photogrammetry data but have no idea how I got there as that was a one hour exercise in frustration. So I know it can be done, now I need help in doing it smoothly. Any help would sure be appreciated.

 

[AlexSP]

I'd dump Pix4D Capture and use Drone Deploy or Map Pilot instead. Sorry for saying that but I myself haven't had much luck with it either, that's why I moved and quit using Capture for mapping. Unless of course you MUST use it for some reason, then I won't be able to help, sorry again. DD and (especially) MP are simple and intuitive yet loaded with features and quite advanced, and have never failed or acted funny with me. Not once. Pretty reliable and straightforward both of them in my experience.

Pix4D cloud rendering is very good though.

 

[willhouse]

Have you got the ctrl+dji app running in the background? With the android version of pix4d capture, you need both apps to be running in order to fly a mission. Failing that, force quit all apps, then open ctrl+dji, and use that to launch pix4d capture


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[kns1313]

AlexSP, don't need to use Capture, it's just the first one I've looked at. DJI Ultimate Flight is also a possibility but I've heard it crashes, plus I had terrible video feed to my tablet using DJI GO and I don't expect UF to be any better. It would be nice though to have all software through the same vendor to eliminate these issues. Video feed using Litchi and Capture is flawless.

Willhouse, yes, Ctrl+DJI is running in the background when I use Capture. However, I don't see how I can see the bootup screen like in DJI GO or Litchi to check aircraft health prior to takeoff. Any solution to this? Also, if I want to use Litchi to fly around AFTER using Capture, I have to uninstall Ctrl+DJI (not force shutdown, this doesn't work) in order for Litchi to boot up. Any solution to this?

Willhouse, when starting to fly, what is your sequence? Turn on RC, then tablet, then aircraft, and launch Capture? Different order? How do you check aircraft health prior to takeoff (as Capture doesn't provide this info)?

There are a lot of options out there for capturing photogrammetric data, just wish I knew which one would work with MY equipment (P3P, Nexus 7 2013, nothing nonstandard or fancy, but it seems there are a lot of variations in equipment for some reason)..

 

[willhouse]

Sorry about the late reply!
It's a strange issue you are having. I also use a nexus 7 2nd gen, but with a p3 s and p4.
My process is:
1. Turn on drone, let imu warm up etc.
2. Set up and turn on remote.
3. Force quit all apps.
4. Launch DJI Go to check imu / compass calibration.
5. Format sd card.
6. Force quit DJI Go.
7. Launch ctrl+DJI, wait for telemetry to show (lats longs etc).
8. Open pix4d capture via the ctrl+DJI app.
9. Fly mission.

Sounds pretty similar to what you are doing.

I have been using drone deploy as well for aerial survey planning. It's pretty good too, and can do a lot more with regards to planning than you can with pix4d capture.

There only reason I prefer px4d capture is that it is created specifically for the phantom to work with pix4d mapper, so you get all the correct overlaps without having to double check anything.





Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[kns1313]

Exceedingly helpful, thanks. I wasn't doing all the forced shutdowns so that was probably my problem. I'll test it out later today. Now, I just have to figure out how to use the software . . . Ever onward.