Litchi vs. AutoPilot vs. Other Apps

mervynys · May 22, 2016

Hi, I have just purchased litchi for my P4. Pardon me if it has been asked before... Is it possible to program waypoints and orbits into a single mission instead of creating individual mission for each?

ocatcr · May 22, 2016

MasterBlaster said:
Right now Litchi does allow you to set the speed, but it is for the entire mission. You cannot set different speeds with different waypoints. I know I have asked them about this and they said it is on their list of enhancements for the future.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Hi, for a DJI SDK app, it is possible to use the joystick to control the speed and direction of a waypoint mission flight. For our app, you could slow down/speedup your phantom by pushing the right stick up or pulling the right stick down. Here is the demo video for our app:

eyecon82 · May 22, 2016

I just wishes obstacle avoidance was working with litchi way points

Rothgarr · May 23, 2016

ocatcr said:
Hi, for a DJI SDK app, it is possible to use the joystick to control the speed and direction of a waypoint mission flight. For our app, you could slow down/speedup your phantom by pushing the right stick up or pulling the right stick down. Here is the demo video for our app:

That's very interesting. Can you also set waypoints in that app by flying to each location and pointing the camera i the direction it needs to be? (In other words, not relying on a map to set all the waypoint details).

Kaehn · May 23, 2016

eyecon82 said:
I just wishes obstacle avoidance was working with litchi way points

It does, but you should never rely on it

ocatcr · May 23, 2016

Rothgarr said:
That's very interesting. Can you also set waypoints in that app by flying to each location and pointing the camera i the direction it needs to be? (In other words, not relying on a map to set all the waypoint details).

Yes. our app supports multiple POI. It automatically adjusts the gimbal pitch angle gradually among waypoints. Here is the demo to show you how to insert POI to the mission:

eyecon82 · May 24, 2016

Kaehn said:
It does, but you should never rely on it

When did this change happen? I don't ever rely on it, but it's reassuring that it's still working when you have no connection

kenargo · May 24, 2016

mervynys said:
Hi, I have just purchased litchi for my P4. Pardon me if it has been asked before... Is it possible to program waypoints and orbits into a single mission instead of creating individual mission for each?

DJI Ultimate Flight (Android app) includes special waypoint types that the app will calculate for you. In the "orbit" waypoint you define the degrees of the circle, radius, interest point, number of points, etc and the app will calculate the perfect orbit flight. Other apps have you setting your own points either by touch or draw.

In addition you can use above ground level (a setting in the mission properties) and the app will adjust the flight according to terrain (using Google Elevation or Digital Terrain Files).

The app includes direct P4 support for avoidance, avoidance distance radar and slow motion video.

This video shows the specialty waypoint types:

chris digata · May 24, 2016

which one of these apps was it that makes a brew while the mission is flown?
I cant find the post with the link, has it been removed?

AlPurvis2 · May 26, 2016

AdvRider said:
As far as I know Litchi is the only truly autonomous app out there that will fly the mission whilst out of radio range....but could be others? I have used the iOS version to fly almost 160 missions. It does the flying while I control camera panning and other photo stuff. Other apps are most likely better for serious photography guys...but for me autonomous and accurate flight path is "job one."

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Do you have to use the DJI Go app with Litchi?

AlPurvis2 · May 26, 2016

kenargo said:
DJI Ultimate Flight (Android app) includes special waypoint types that the app will calculate for you. In the "orbit" waypoint you define the degrees of the circle, radius, interest point, number of points, etc and the app will calculate the perfect orbit flight. Other apps have you setting your own points either by touch or draw.

In addition you can use above ground level (a setting in the mission properties) and the app will adjust the flight according to terrain (using Google Elevation or Digital Terrain Files).

The app includes direct P4 support for avoidance, avoidance distance radar and slow motion video.

This video shows the specialty waypoint types:

Do they have an Apple IOS version?

Fourblade · May 26, 2016

Having listened to what everyone has said about Litchi and Autopilot I bought them both.

Litchi is nice and easy to get your head around - I didn't really have to do much to get out and use it. Autopilot on the other hand is a lot more powerful with a whole host of settings for each flight (that aren't available in Litchi) whether autonomous or manual but Litchi has the fabulous ability to plot a course in your browser and sync it with your phone/tablet - that is awesome!

kenargo · May 26, 2016

AlPurvis2 said:
Do they have an Apple IOS version?

Ultimate Flight is Android only.

AdvRider · May 26, 2016

Litchi/iOS version can be run totally independent of the DJI Go app, however, the GO app does let you tweak some settings not available within LITCHI. I frequently upload a waypoint mission from LITCHI into my P3A/P4. After uploading and the bird is flying. I often kill the LITCHI app and switch to the GO app for extra telemetry....like the individual battery cell voltages. The bird will continue fly the mission regardless of which app is loaded....just make sure you are only running one app at the time otherwise they will conflict.

IBV · May 26, 2016

What about UGCS?

AdvRider · May 27, 2016

UGCS?....what's that?

IBV · Jun 2, 2016

Ugcs.com universal ground control station. They are working on a P4 version it seems. It looks mature.

professorpg · Jun 11, 2016

Do any allow you to enter Lat/log for the waypoints?

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

ADobrovolskiy · Jun 22, 2016

Hi, UgCS allows to enter waypoint coordinates manually.

Baldo Mero · Jun 22, 2016

AdvRider said:
As far as I know Litchi is the only truly autonomous app out there that will fly the mission whilst out of radio range....but could be others? I have used the iOS version to fly almost 160 missions. It does the flying while I control camera panning and other photo stuff. Other apps are most likely better for serious photography guys...but for me autonomous and accurate flight path is "job one."

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

SInce latest firmware, Autopilot also can continue the missions when out of range. And it does support P4. I find it somewhat intimidating due to a complex interface, but much more powerful than Litchi on iOS and allowing control of almost every imaginable parameter during the mission. Although not an autonomous flight app on this league, Visual Studio is an excellent app for creative filming allowing visual tracking of close subjects while you can concentrate on smooth flying.