For those of you running Litchi now. Do you consider it stable? In other words, it is worth flashing your Phantom 3 over to a third party firmware? The Orbit features sounds like what I need! I need to be able to orbit the same spot over several weeks for a time lapse photography or video. I need to be able to save my coordinates and simply launch my copter in the air and have it go to those points and start recording video. It does not look like the new firmware from DJI will allow these features. So I might just give Litchi a try.
Litchi - Stable?
- Thread starter mmccurdy
- Start date
In about one and a half hour DJI releases their new firmware where you have POI, follow me etc.
SO maybe wait for that? If you dont like it you can try Litchi. I havent tried it myself, but seems to be okay when you read about it in here and other places. People aren`t complaining.
SO maybe wait for that? If you dont like it you can try Litchi. I havent tried it myself, but seems to be okay when you read about it in here and other places. People aren`t complaining.
What exactly do you need that the new firmware doesn't allow? From what I understand it should be able to do exactly that.
I was reading another thread that mentioned that it would not "save" the waypoints of a Orbit or POI. Maybe I read it wrong, but that would be what I will need, plus I need to the camera and gimbal controlled to capture the video I will need.
I haven't heard whether or not it will be able to save waypoint paths. I assumed it would but maybe not. As far as saving gimbal control I'd venture to guess that will not be included. Does Litchi save gimbal movements?
Looks like Litchi has an "auto" mode on the gimbal that will keep the camera facing its POI target. They also have a "start" point for the P3 to fly to, go up to the saved height, and then start orbiting. Hoping DJI does this as well. I will need those functions.
I've been using and testing litchi for several weeks. I have found it to be just as stable as dji go in terms of connection and video stability, though with 2 caveats:
1st - there is no litchi firmware - only DJI firmwares (there are 2 current versions that are generally available). One is the public release (1.3.x) that you probably have, the other is their beta developer version with sdk (currently 1.4.005, I think). It seems DJI isn't much better at communicating with devs than they are with us, so with each .00x release they've fixed some bugs and created others, expanded some capabilities and stunted others. As a result, 3rd party software has only been as stable as the underlying DJI firmware (that has generally been good, just in a state of flux).
2nd - the litchi developer has been incredibly responsive, both to fix needs and feature requests. He has often created workarounds for DJI firmware bugs, only to have them fixed a few days later in a firmware upgrade. I have seen at least one day where the app was updated 3 times - and the majority of changes were requests from alpha testers. I can't tell you how much this app has evolved in the last 3-4 weeks and I'm amazed at how advanced it is functionally. But, rapid evolution, by definition, is a contradiction of stability.
As you probably tell, I'm a fan of the app and its developer and highly recommend it. However, at this moment I would recommend you wait.
We are hopeful, and expect, that the firmware DJI releases tomorrow will be the public release of the firmware with sdk we've been using in beta version. This makes sense as it would reunite the two firmware versions and leave just one for DJI to support. It also makes sense because the sdk is necessary, I'm told, for the new features coming in the release of the new DJI GO app (follow me, orbit, waypoints).
Assuming this occurs, you would not need to use DJI's beta firmware but could use their public firmware and run the litchi app. The litchi app is also expected to move from beta to public release sometime after DJI's firmware comes out of beta. How long that takes depends on what DJI changed and fixed (or broke) between beta and public firmwarw releases - and it doesn't seem they are giving their developers any advanced access.
There are also a couple litchi improvements underway (hopefully) for public release, including documentation and inclusion of camera settings within the app. Though the latter are availale in the p2 version of litchi, they haven't been coded yet for the p3 - so when I want to change camera or video settings (like iso, shutter speed, quality, etc.) I have to make those changes in DJI Go before opening in litchi.
So, unless you need the advanced features asap and know they won't be in the new DJI GO, I'd give it a few days to see if DJI's firmware with SDK is a public release. And, yes, litchi can preplan and save and repeat orbit (as well as waypoint) missions, including poi, distance/radius, gimbal control, speed, orbit direction, altitude, etc.
Hope this helps.
1st - there is no litchi firmware - only DJI firmwares (there are 2 current versions that are generally available). One is the public release (1.3.x) that you probably have, the other is their beta developer version with sdk (currently 1.4.005, I think). It seems DJI isn't much better at communicating with devs than they are with us, so with each .00x release they've fixed some bugs and created others, expanded some capabilities and stunted others. As a result, 3rd party software has only been as stable as the underlying DJI firmware (that has generally been good, just in a state of flux).
2nd - the litchi developer has been incredibly responsive, both to fix needs and feature requests. He has often created workarounds for DJI firmware bugs, only to have them fixed a few days later in a firmware upgrade. I have seen at least one day where the app was updated 3 times - and the majority of changes were requests from alpha testers. I can't tell you how much this app has evolved in the last 3-4 weeks and I'm amazed at how advanced it is functionally. But, rapid evolution, by definition, is a contradiction of stability.
As you probably tell, I'm a fan of the app and its developer and highly recommend it. However, at this moment I would recommend you wait.
We are hopeful, and expect, that the firmware DJI releases tomorrow will be the public release of the firmware with sdk we've been using in beta version. This makes sense as it would reunite the two firmware versions and leave just one for DJI to support. It also makes sense because the sdk is necessary, I'm told, for the new features coming in the release of the new DJI GO app (follow me, orbit, waypoints).
Assuming this occurs, you would not need to use DJI's beta firmware but could use their public firmware and run the litchi app. The litchi app is also expected to move from beta to public release sometime after DJI's firmware comes out of beta. How long that takes depends on what DJI changed and fixed (or broke) between beta and public firmwarw releases - and it doesn't seem they are giving their developers any advanced access.
There are also a couple litchi improvements underway (hopefully) for public release, including documentation and inclusion of camera settings within the app. Though the latter are availale in the p2 version of litchi, they haven't been coded yet for the p3 - so when I want to change camera or video settings (like iso, shutter speed, quality, etc.) I have to make those changes in DJI Go before opening in litchi.
So, unless you need the advanced features asap and know they won't be in the new DJI GO, I'd give it a few days to see if DJI's firmware with SDK is a public release. And, yes, litchi can preplan and save and repeat orbit (as well as waypoint) missions, including poi, distance/radius, gimbal control, speed, orbit direction, altitude, etc.
Hope this helps.
Thanks so much for the response. That is great information you just cleared up a lot of things for me. As for need, I was asked to film our construction site starting next week as it progresses through January. I was planning to setup a POI or OBIT and save the waypoints. Hopefully I would then be able to stitch together a time lapse video if the orbits are halfway stable enough. Sure, it will not be perfect but should get me the look I want. Thanks again for the clarification.
I second that. Excellent information SENC. I have been looking at this app and you just answered about every question I had and then a ton more!
By the way, where in NC are you? I am just north of Charlotte.
A waypoint mission with multiple POIs may be the best solution, depending on the size of the site. You could also do 2 identical missions - one to video and one to take a series of stills. As I understand it, the new DJI Go won't allow pre-planned missions - but should allow you to fly a mission and save waypoints along the way to repeat later. Litchi can do the above quite well if DJI Go doesnt meet your needs.
It appears today's public firmware release from dji includes all of the necessary goodies for litchi (ie. we may not need a separate firmware any longer - good news on the road to a full, public app), though it also "broke" some things in litchi (not so good news, but not a surprise, either). Litchi's developer reports that all of litchi's functions should be fine, they just have a bit of code to revise. So, until litchi is updated, it shouldn't be used if you move to the newest dji firmware (1.4.x).
If you are wondering about litchi functionality, they have started updating the flylitchi website with documentation for the P3 and Inspire drones.
Help - Litchi
This also suggests a public release is anticipated soon.
Help - Litchi
This also suggests a public release is anticipated soon.
Well, that didn't take long. Litchi 2.05 has been released and now officially supports the P3. Heading out for a quick test.
Only managed a brief flight and Orbit (POI) test before it started raining again. Ran smooth as silk, though. Will try to rerun it and grab video if the weather breaks again. I like being able to plan it while indoors, and it seemed (from the screen) to be holding a great circle and focus even as I manually changed elevation.
I have not got my email yet. But play store shows it's 2.05 public
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