Litchi autonomous flight: lost my bird
- Thread starter diveguy
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I like flying FPV also but the autonomous flight helps for mapping out property in real estate and other applications.
Looks like the iOS version is better, with more features than the Android version. The tendency to disconnect is a bit troubling.
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I have both. Have not had a problem with either. As far as which has more features I would say Android. Disconnects not once on either tablet. Although even with a disconnect the mission will complete unless you set it up wrong.
Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
Opinions and actual experiences do vary... The Android version of the Litchi app cannot record the phone/tablet screen as the iOS version apparently can... a very significant and potentially useful tool omitted in my view.
No. I've read of the issues with both apps running. The DJI app is there but not running... and the compass was calibrated... I always calibrate the compass before using my P3P at any given location.
I appreciate those who are ardent defenders of this app, I had very high hopes...and as a former Navy strike pilot, I know a wee bit about mission planning... the differences between MSL and AGL... no wind planning and CFIT, controlled flight into terrain...my experience with the Litchi app (Android) so far has been less than optimum. The tendency to disconnect remains a concern. Sure wish there was a way to pinpoint the last moments of the flight... so far searches in the thick 35 acres of woods have not been successful.
Well, as a Navy strike pilot you would be aware of and value an appropriate pinger device that you attached to your drone in the even of a CFIT event. So which tracking device did you use?
For me, Litchi has not been responsible for a disconnect. Range and LOS (loss of signal) have been the cause in every case for me. In every case I have re-acquired the bird's signal one back in range. Also, every issue I have had has been some setting I missed, changed or ignored. Operator error. However in those cases I had provided sufficient margin of error to deal with it and have not had a crash with Litchi being the cause or even a bearing factor. The program has done exactly what I have instructed it to do every time without fail. Whether those instructions were right or not is beside the point. Its a computer. If you program it incorrectly, you will get incorrect results.
I can't speak for the iOS version, only the Android version because that is what I actually use. It is the ONLY thing I use to fly with. I have done a few flights with Vertical studio but it really wasn't my cup of tea. The entirety of the remainder of my flights have been under Litchi all of which have been without incident attributable to Litchi. The only crash (almost crash) to date has been a human problem (granddaughter kicked the controller out of my hands). It would have happened no matter what app was running.
For me, Litchi has not been responsible for a disconnect. Range and LOS (loss of signal) have been the cause in every case for me. In every case I have re-acquired the bird's signal one back in range. Also, every issue I have had has been some setting I missed, changed or ignored. Operator error. However in those cases I had provided sufficient margin of error to deal with it and have not had a crash with Litchi being the cause or even a bearing factor. The program has done exactly what I have instructed it to do every time without fail. Whether those instructions were right or not is beside the point. Its a computer. If you program it incorrectly, you will get incorrect results.
I can't speak for the iOS version, only the Android version because that is what I actually use. It is the ONLY thing I use to fly with. I have done a few flights with Vertical studio but it really wasn't my cup of tea. The entirety of the remainder of my flights have been under Litchi all of which have been without incident attributable to Litchi. The only crash (almost crash) to date has been a human problem (granddaughter kicked the controller out of my hands). It would have happened no matter what app was running.
When you say RTH function, are you talking about pressing the RTH button on the R/C? Because that function has absolutely nothing to do with the Litchi (or any other App, for that matter), and sends a return to home signal to the A/C. So if you pushed and held the RTH button, it should have initiated a return to home routine with the A/C.
I had a similar occurrence with Litch (iOS) a couple of weeks ago. Lost connection due to an obstruction, could not get it to reconnect. Now I am thinking that I probably should have restarted the App, but I didn't. All the while I am searching for the A/C, I am watching the indicated battery amount drop, then getting warnings about low battery. At the end of the day, the A/C had returned to its home point and auto landed due to low battery. Based solely on your mission display I don't know where your set Home Point was. Also, don't know what your Finish Action setting was set at (located in Mission Settings). If you can check the mission for that setting, and also try to display on the map where your home point was, it may be possible to better approximate where it went down.
I lost my Phantom 3 yesterday due to this issue. I had no idea that I had accidentally entered a waypoint. It flew towards it and I lost contact before I realized what was happening. I'm assuming there wasn't enough battery to make it back home and it landed somewhere in the dense forest near my home. I spent eight hours walking through the bush today but I'm reasonably sure I'll never see it again. I only had six flights!
Litchi needs to add a lock function. Also, it seems to me that the app should warn you that there will not be enough battery power to return home following the completion of the mission.
A costly mistake for which I take responsibility but Litchi could and should address this issue.
Check your mission carefully, noting altitude between waypoints and terrain. Also consider how far you would have expected the AC to travel having regard to commanded speed and battery life. It shoild be along that waypoint segment somewhere. The AC probably auto landed at critical battery so good chance it will be in good shape when you find it.
I don't know exactly where the accidental waypoint was as I didn't save the mission (wish I had but didn't realize what was happening). All I know, is that it is was far away and that the last known position (from logs) was nearly 1,000' from my home / take-off point. I mapped a line from the last known position back to my house on a GPS tracking app and tried to walk the route. However, it is very thick forest with trees that average 40 to 70 feet in height. As I walked the route there were many places where I couldn't see much more than 20' at which point I realized finding my bird would be like winning the lottery.
I would draw a line following the current heading from your last known posituon. However if you were only 1000ft out thats a lot of ground to cover.
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If you log into Litchi's mission hub your mission may be there and it should help you for a recovery.
Good luck,
SB
I just got back from Cancun where I flew about 20 missions using the Litchi app with my P3P. I never had a problem with any of them except one where I inadvertently touched the screen after I had setup a mission and it registered another way-point that I didn't recognize until I had started the mission. I just waited until my bird came back to the planned final way-point, took control and landed it. I did lose RC contact one time when I flew it too far down the coastline because I was behind some buildings and palm trees. It finished the mission and tried to land itself. I took control and landed it. I can't say enough good things about the app.
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But easily solved, there are plenty of apps in the play store that will record your screen. Some will record of the camera(s) simultaneously too, so you can record your own facial expression when things go south
.In my case the inadvertent touch became the last waypoint in the mission. The point was a long distance away. I lost contact before it reached it. I presume the battery became critically low either on the way there or on the way back home at which point it attempted to land. Adding a lock function is a simple change that would help to prevent this kind of thing. Of course now that I know, I'll never make that mistake again!
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