Is Autonomous Flying compatible with a GoPro?

[danfried2]

First, I want to thank anyone who can help me, and let me start with an apology - I'm new to the group and haven't posted before, so if this is a duplicate, I apologize. But, I searched under "autonomous" and found nothing. DJI offers the Ground Station capability that provides the ability to set waypoints that the copter will fly to automatically. I'm going to be using the Phantom for photography - both still and video - and prefer a kit with the Zenmuse Hd-3D gimbal and GoPro Hero3+. However, since I won't have the luxury of one person flying the drone, while another operates the camera, the ability for the Phantom to fly a set course while I operate the camera will be of great help. It'll never be out of sight and the distances will not be very far. Do I lose this capability if I go with the Zenmuse/GoPro option? If so, I'll get the Vision+, but would prefer the GoPro for slightly better video quality, plus I can use the camera for other things. Again, thanks very much for your help.

Dan

 

[OI Photography]

When flying groundstation missions with the Phantom and an H3-3D you will retain control of the camera tilt, which is really all the camera control you would have even without the GS.

 

[danfried2]

Thank you, but I don't think that's what I meant. My understanding is that if I get a kit with a GoPro and Zenmuse that it will not use the iPhone - maybe that's an incorrect assumption. If the iPhone isn't used, then how will the autonomous flying function work, since that's programmed via the iPhone?

I do realize that there's greater camera control with the Vision+ than a GoPro and I'm willing to live with that if the GoPro gives me better video quality.

 

[EMCSQUAR]

Thank you, but I don't think that's what I meant. My understanding is that if I get a kit with a GoPro and Zenmuse that it will not use the iPhone - maybe that's an incorrect assumption. If the iPhone isn't used, then how will the autonomous flying function work, since that's programmed via the iPhone?

I do realize that there's greater camera control with the Vision+ than a GoPro and I'm willing to live with that if the GoPro gives me better video quality.

The ground station loads flight to Phantom via Ipad or PC - not Iphone. Basically you plan a route on G/S map, set your height, speed and the type of turns you want it to make at each way point - press GO and away it goes. The only camera control you have is tilt as Ol P stated previously.

 

[OI Photography]

Yeah my apologies danfried, I misunderstood where you were coming from there. The waypoint functionality that's recently been added to P2V/P2V+ firmware (and controlled through the iPhone) is not the same thing as DJI's Groundstation kit, which is what you have to add to other models of Phantoms (like the regular P2+H3-3D) to get waypoints.

Autonomous flying is not a native feature unless you have the P2V/P2V+, and those are the only models you can use an iPhone to program it with...the add-on Groundstation is compatible with PC and iPad/iPad mini only.

 

[danfried2]

Thank you very much for clearing that up. If I understand the situation, I can either get a P2V+ and have waypoint functionality using my iPhone, which is also used for FPV. Or, if I get the Zenmuse/GoPro with a P2, I can have waypoint functionality (GS) using an iPad. Since I have an iPad that may be a way to have both waypoint functionality and the slightly better video of the GoPro. Being able to just tilt the camera doesn't seem like a real limitation because it seems that when it's panned left/right I'll end up with the landing struts in the frame, so the best thing is to keep the camera centered and pan the P2 left/right when needed. Thanks again

 

[OI Photography]

Thank you very much for clearing that up. If I understand the situation, I can either get a P2V+ and have waypoint functionality using my iPhone, which is also used for FPV. Or, if I get the Zenmuse/GoPro with a P2, I can have waypoint functionality (GS) using an iPad. Since I have an iPad that may be a way to have both waypoint functionality and the slightly better video of the GoPro. Being able to just tilt the camera doesn't seem like a real limitation because it seems that when it's panned left/right I'll end up with the landing struts in the frame, so the best thing is to keep the camera centered and pan the P2 left/right when needed. Thanks again

I think you've got it 99% right there, the only thing to be clear on now is that with the regular GS (non-P2V+), you will have waypoints functionality on the iPad, but there will be no FPV through it...only the P2V/P2V+ can put the waypoints AND FPV on the same device (iPhone or Android).

 

[danfried2]

Actually that doesn't seem like a big problem. I don't want too much information on the FPV screen - I want to see what the camera's seeing. If the waypoints and P2 location are on the iPad, then I'll just use the iPhone for FPV and to control the camera tilt. That seems like a better solution. If I have FPV, map with waypoints and camera controls all on the same screen, I'm going to confuse something.

 

[OI Photography]

Actually that doesn't seem like a big problem. I don't want too much information on the FPV screen - I want to see what the camera's seeing. If the waypoints and P2 location are on the iPad, then I'll just use the iPhone for FPV and to control the camera tilt. That seems like a better solution. If I have FPV, map with waypoints and camera controls all on the same screen, I'm going to confuse something.

Well FPV and waypoints wouldn't be on the screen at the same time, just on the same device...but I agree with you and I prefer keeping FPV and GS separate.

 

[andersonpaac]

The GS (iPad) and PC are several times more powerful than the waypoints through the DJI app