Follow Me mode, beware on the altitude...

Ok, here is the answer to your question:

The videos that I posted here were taken in the following conditions:

A. First I flew the Phantom up to 120 meters out of the car

B. I activated the Follow Me mode

C. I boarded the auto, held the controller in my hand, no sunroof, windows closed, radio on, and making cellular phone calls.

D. All the flight was perfect, besides 4-5 times that the app alerted me of 'weak controller signal', so I slowed down and in seconds the Phantom catched the signal again.

E. I drove about 6 km at an average speed of 40-50 km/h, but the maximum speed of the drone in this mode is 9.9 m/s (35 km/h) so maybe this was the problem of getting the error of weak controller signal.

F. A word of caution: every 4-5 seconds the app updated the 'home point' so in case you lost the signal, or the battery is getting critically low, the Phantom will land in the last home point set, so you will need to run your route backwards to get to the landing point. Sometimes it can be impossible to get there, because red lights, traffic, etc... So PLAN YOU ROUTE AHEAD CONSIDERING A FAST RETURN TO THE LAST HOME POINT.
 
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Litchi is supposed to adjust altitude, but I'm in a flat area and have not had a chance to see how well it works in practice.

Additionally, if you have the quad further behind you, it will follow you more smoothly instead of all the jerky yaw adjustments.

Lastly, I was absolutely stumped trying to figure out the region... Regular trees but also palm trees. Big houses, but also very small crowded lots. Swimming pools, but very few (so maybe not that hot.) Windy mountain/hill road. Little traffic given the density. My guesses were not even close.
 
The biggest drawback is that you have to have your controller and phone/tablet with you. That sucks for biking, swimming, running, dirt biking and stuff like that... I wish they would come out with something that is way smaller and waterproof...
 
not related- but what software do you use Saleh to get your 4K videos to fit on Utube ?Thankyou !

Well, as I stated, the 4K videos were uploaded directly from my SD card without editing.

The problem with 4K is that an old computer running, for example, Windows Vista are not able to display the 4K videos.

I am not even be able to see them in my newest Samsung tablet, neither my HTC M8 phone...


I was able to see them on my Mac Air... But when I use iMovie to edit my videos I am not able to save in 4K.

I have tried to edit them in youtube editor, but when I save them it was recorded at 480p resolution.

So I think that we need to wait some time to let 4K to be the standard.
 
The biggest drawback is that you have to have your controller and phone/tablet with you. That sucks for biking, swimming, running, dirt biking and stuff like that... I wish they would come out with something that is way smaller and waterproof...

You are right. But I think that in that case carrying a the controller on a backpack will suffice.

Another option is to use Litchi app, that gives you the option to follow a phone independently from the phone/controller app.

Anyway, everything has a drawback, and this little one compared to this technology breakthrough is negligible and minimal.
 
From Litchi KB:

Help - Litchi

Altitude Reference (Power-on Elevation/Mobile Device Elevation - Power-on Elevation by default): When set to Power-on Elevation, the aircraft will fly at the altitude set relative to the elevation where the aircraft was powered on. When set to Mobile device elevation, the aircraft will fly at the altitude set relative to the mobile device elevation which means it will continuously adjust its altitude as the subject moves up or down in altitude (for example if the subject moves up a hill).

Mobile Device Elevation is only available if your mobile device has a pressure sensor.

Important When using Mobile Device Elevation, Litchi expects you to start the Follow session with a power-on elevation similar to the mobile device's current elevation. If the aircraft is already in the air, ensure that it was powered on at an elevation similar to the mobile device's current elevation.

I think it is clear... and redy to test Litchi in Follow Me mode...
 
The P3 does not follow relative altitude in any mode-- The altitude is calculated from the home take off point.
Which is why AGL is never displayed if you fly over any terrain below your launch point, which is the best way to maintain LOS. All the FAA Guidelines are based upon 400 feet AGL and not 400 feet above your take off point, and yet the latter is the only number displayed in DJI GO.
 
With Litchi, you can follow at a relative altitude to the mobile device (assuming your tablet has a pressure sensor). It works great with my Nexus 9. DJI Go doesn't do that and is also limited to 22mph.
 
Hi Saleh:

Where did you have the transmitter: Inside the car? Or was someone else keeping the transmitter outside the car through the window?

My question is because the metal of the car can cause lost of signal?

Thanks
 
The transmitter was inside the car, closed windows, air conditiioner on, radio with bluetooth on and making phone calls.

You can see the logs here: HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters
How did you have the transmitter antennas oriented relative to the hovering P3P? Did you have the transmitter on the dashboard or sitting on the passenger seat, where the signal had to pass through the metal car roof, which would be a metal barrier? Amazing that it worked so well!
 
Just as usual. No special position.
So were you driving with the transmitter in your lap, or were you the passenger?
Were the antenna parallel to the ground (straight out) which is optimal for flying overhead)?
Is the frequent home point updating to the aircraft location or to your transmitter location, since you were using a tablet with cell service, having the ability to set the home point to the transmitter location? So, effectively, this is truly Dynamic Home Point, and not just manual home point resetting?
 
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With Follow Me the Home Point is updated according to the controller/cell/tablet position...

And regarding the antenna, just use it in the regular way. I didn't point the antenna in a specific orientation...

The cell/controller was in the passenger seat...

At that distance of about 50 meters behind and 120 meters height, this little details do not make huge difference...
 
With Follow Me the Home Point is updated according to the controller/cell/tablet position...

And regarding the antenna, just use it in the regular way. I didn't point the antenna in a specific orientation...

The cell/controller was in the passenger seat...

At that distance of about 50 meters behind and 120 meters height, this little details do not make huge difference...
Thank you for the clarifications!
I'm going to give it a try myself. You have been a great help!
So we do, indeed, have a true dynamic home point on the P3P in Follow Me mode! That means dynamic home point is possible during regular flight, if DJI simply enables it in the software, along with the two manual home point resettings currently available of Aircraft or Transmitter location.
 

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