No compass in Litchi for IOS, or only in iPad mini 5?

Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
Age
75
I have used Litchi for Android as my main app for a few years with Phantom 4 Pro. But now I wanted to use Litchi for IOS on iPad Mini 5 (2019). Everything works well with one exeption. There is no compass in the left bottom corner of the app. At the same time DJI Go 4, shows the compass there and it works correctly as it should. So I have the question. Is the compass missing in Litchi for IOS app regardless the iPad version, or is this the problem only with iPad mini 5 (2019), and it would work well on iPad Mini 4 for example. I can still give my iPad mini back for a week or change it for an older version. TIA for the answer if someone knows
 
HI THERE,
I USE MY iPad VER. 6 WITH IOS VER. 14 AND I ALSO USE LITCHI TO FLY MY P4 , P3 ADVANCED AND MAVIC PRO AND I'VE NEVER HAD A COMPASS PROBLEM,, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DO TO YOUR iPad ver. ONLY SOMEONE WITH THAT IPAD VER. COULD GIVE YOU AN HONEST ANSWER OR CONTACT LITCHI SUPPORT AND EXPLAIN YOUR PROBLEM TO THEM.
BEST OF LUCK...
 
He usado Litchi para Android como mi aplicación principal durante algunos años con Phantom 4 Pro. Pero ahora quería usar Litchi para IOS en iPad Mini 5 (2019). Todo funciona bien con una excepción. No hay brújula en la esquina inferior izquierda de la aplicación. Al mismo tiempo DJI Go 4, muestra la brújula allí y funciona correctamente como debería. Entonces tengo la pregunta. ¿Falta la brújula en la aplicación Litchi para IOS, independientemente de la versión de iPad, o este es el problema solo con iPad mini 5 (2019), y funcionaría bien en iPad Mini 4, por ejemplo? Todavía puedo devolver mi iPad mini durante una semana o cambiarlo por una versión anterior. TIA por la respuesta si alguien sabe
I have used Litchi for Android as my main app for a few years with Phantom 4 Pro. But now I wanted to use Litchi for IOS on iPad Mini 5 (2019). Everything works well with one exeption. There is no compass in the left bottom corner of the app. At the same time DJI Go 4, shows the compass there and it works correctly as it should. So I have the question. Is the compass missing in Litchi for IOS app regardless the iPad version, or is this the problem only with iPad mini 5 (2019), and it would work well on iPad Mini 4 for example. I can still give my iPad mini back for a week or change it for an older version. TIA for the answer if someone knows
Hello: I suggest you download an App to check the status of the sensors of your IPad Mini, perhaps the compass sensor is defective or simply that IPad model does not have it, it happened to me with a Samsung Tab A Tablet, which to my surprise it did not have the geomagnetic sensor, so I gave up using it with my drones. Lucky..!
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Oso
I have used Litchi for Android as my main app for a few years with Phantom 4 Pro. But now I wanted to use Litchi for IOS on iPad Mini 5 (2019). Everything works well with one exeption. There is no compass in the left bottom corner of the app. At the same time DJI Go 4, shows the compass there and it works correctly as it should. So I have the question. Is the compass missing in Litchi for IOS app regardless the iPad version, or is this the problem only with iPad mini 5 (2019), and it would work well on iPad Mini 4 for example. I can still give my iPad mini back for a week or change it for an older version. TIA for the answer if someone knows
HI THERE,
I USE MY iPad VER. 6 WITH IOS VER. 14 AND I ALSO USE LITCHI TO FLY MY P4 , P3 ADVANCED AND MAVIC PRO AND I'VE NEVER HAD A COMPASS PROBLEM,, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DO TO YOUR iPad ver. ONLY SOMEONE WITH THAT IPAD VER. COULD GIVE YOU AN HONEST ANSWER OR CONTACT LITCHI SUPPORT AND EXPLAIN YOUR PROBLEM TO THEM.
BEST OF LUCK...
I have a 5th gen iPad mini with cellular that I use and love it. If your iPad mini WiFi only or also cellular? Only the cellular models have a built in compass the WiFi models do not. I know you said it works with Go4 so I dunno.
Lemme know and I can fire up Litchi in a bit and see if it works on mine. Haven’t used it in awhile but I am certain it was there and working before.

good luck!
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Oso
There is no compass in the left bottom corner of the app. At the same time DJI Go 4, shows the compass there and it works correctly as it should. So I have the question. Is the compass missing in Litchi for IOS app regardless the iPad version, or is this the problem only with iPad mini 5 (2019), and it would work well on iPad Mini 4 for example. I can still give my iPad mini back for a week or change it for an older version. TIA for the answer if someone knows
The only compass that matters is the compass in your drone.
Your drone does not use the compass sensor or GPS receiver in your tablet (why would they?).
What you are calling a compass is just an orientation display and the program works just fine whether or not it is showing on the screen.

Every iPad has a compass sensor but the only use for the compass sensor in the iPad is to tell the program which direction the tablet is facing so the display moves properly as you change the direction you are facing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO and Capt KO
La única brújula que importa es la brújula de su dron.
Su dron no usa el sensor de brújula o el receptor GPS en su tableta (¿por qué lo harían?).
Lo que usted llama brújula es solo una pantalla de orientación y el programa funciona bien, se muestre o no en la pantalla.

Cada iPad tiene un sensor de brújula, pero el único uso del sensor de brújula en el iPad es decirle al programa en qué dirección está mirando la tableta para que la pantalla se mueva correctamente a medida que cambia la dirección en la que está mirando.
The only compass that matters is the compass in your drone.
Your drone does not use the compass sensor or GPS receiver in your tablet (why would they?).
What you are calling a compass is just an orientation display and the program works just fine whether or not it is showing on the screen.

Every iPad has a compass sensor but the only use for teh compass sensor in the iPad is to tell the program which direction the tablet is facing so the display moves properly as you change the direction you are facing.
 
I am clear that the App uses the compass of the drone to orient the location of the drone on the radar, but in the case of the location of the RC it uses the compass of the device that is being used at that time, if the device does not have a compass or sensor Geomagnetic there will be an error in the orientation of the RC with respect to the Drone in the Radar, if you need to do an RTH by instruments, you will have problems for not having a good reference of the location of the RC with respect to the Drone.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Oso
I have a 5th gen iPad mini with cellular that I use and love it. If your iPad mini WiFi only or also cellular? Only the cellular models have a built in compass the WiFi models do not. I know you said it works with Go4 so I dunno.
Lemme know and I can fire up Litchi in a bit and see if it works on mine. Haven’t used it in awhile but I am certain it was there and working before.

good luck!
I have the wi-fi only version of iPad mini 5. I also don't understand why the compass in DJO Go 4 works as it should, though only outdoor but even if the tablet is not moved at all.
 
I have the wi-fi only version of iPad mini 5. I also don't understand why the compass in DJO Go 4 works as it should, though only outdoor but even if the tablet is not moved at all.
As I mentioned above, your wifi iPad has a compass sensor.
All iPads have a compass sensor (and almost all Android devices too).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oso
As I mentioned above, your wifi iPad has a compass sensor.
All iPads have a compass sensor (and almost all Android devices too).
Thanks Meta4 for your explanations. It is exactly what I thought myself. Even wi-fi only iPads have a magnetic compass (magnetometer) in their specifications. So this is apparently the lack of the display of this so called “compass” in the left bottom corner in Litchi app for IOS. Perhaps most people don’t need it. I use it every time as I hate using RTH with the only exception of automatic RTH when I lose connection. And in case of manual RTH with short stops for additional shots, this big display of the drone orientation to me is crucial. So I will come back to a new Android tablet (my old one doesn’t want to cooperate any more)
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
Thanks Meta4 for your explanations. It is exactly what I thought myself. Even wi-fi only iPads have a magnetic compass (magnetometer) in their specifications. So this is apparently the lack of the display of this so called “compass” in the left bottom corner in Litchi app for IOS. Perhaps most people don’t need it. I use it every time as I hate using RTH with the only exception of automatic RTH when I lose connection. And in case of manual RTH with short stops for additional shots, this big display of the drone orientation to me is crucial. So I will come back to a new Android tablet (my old one doesn’t want to cooperate any more)
And all this time I thought a compass was just for drawing circles, lol.

You stated that you "hate using RTH" and was kinda puzzled by that. I often venture out a mile or two and there have been times when surrounding foliage has caused a loss of video transmission. It's kind of like taking a mouthful of really hot coffee...whatever I do next will probably be wrong.

My iPad Mini 4 screen going black makes me shake worse than a drug addict in detox. I hit the RTH button every time and immediately relax knowing my problem is now in the hands of a "higher power". I like using RTH and it has never failed to "bring my baby back home", so to speak. But that's just me. Interested to know about your aversion to using RTH and why that is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
meta4 is correct. I have an iPad pro 11 that is wifi only and an iPad mini 5 with cellular. The iPad Pro does not contain a GPS. Only cellular iPads have a GPS. They both work with my phantom 4 dji go 4. The non-Cellular devices use cell towers and wifi for location whereas the cellular versions use GPS.
it’s only an issue if you planning a mission on the devices. The GPS is built into the phantom and this is what litchi and gs pro use.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
meta4 is correct. I have an iPad pro 11 that is wifi only and an iPad mini 5 with cellular. The iPad Pro does not contain a GPS. Only cellular iPads have a GPS. They both work with my phantom 4 dji go 4. The non-Cellular devices use cell towers and wifi for location whereas the cellular versions use GPS.
it’s only an issue if you planning a mission on the devices. The GPS is built into the phantom and this is what litchi and gs pro use.
Meta 4 is always right :). I remember his invaluable help 5 years ago, when I was a Phantom newbie.
As to wi-fi only tablets, I always start with configuring my smartphone as a wi-fi router, so the tablet has the access to GPS and GPRS from my pocket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
lhan, I'm assuming you mean using the hotspot via wifi on your mobile phone to connect your wifi. Unfortunately this doesn't give you access to the GPS. I use a GPS diagnostics tool andjust tested this against a WIFI iPad pro 2 and latest iPhone. Sadly it reports no GPS at all available. An iPad Mini (5th generation) cellular shows full gps.
Statement from Apple: None of the non-cellular iPads ever made contain GPS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oso and Meta4
As to wi-fi only tablets, I always start with configuring my smartphone as a wi-fi router, so the tablet has the access to GPS and GPRS from my pocket.
ad1950 is correct.
You can share internet data by hotspotting from your phone, but that does not share GPS data.
But you really don't need GPS data for your tablet, unless you want to reset your homepoint during flight to wherever you might have moved to.
This could be used if you were flying from a moving boat or car.
But even then, it's still not really necessary as you can easily reset to the current location of the drone without it and that does just as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
ad1950 is correct.
You can share internet data by hotspotting from your phone, but that does not share GPS data.
But you really don't need GPS data for your tablet, unless you want to reset your homepoint during flight to wherever you might have moved to.
This could be used if you were flying from a moving boat or car.
But even then, it's still not really necessary as you can easily reset to the current location of the drone without it and that does just as well.
You are surely right again, Mata4. The point is that I have always used (and I will continue to use) Android devices, Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Samsung Galaxy Tablets. Both the old one (Tab S2) and the new one I have just ordered (Tab S6), though wi-fi only, they do have GPS. So this is another argument against using iPad mini, (which I can and will give back). So using my smartphone as a hot spot (or wi-fi router using Samsung terminology) is not needed for GPS but for GPRS data from the Internet, for example do be able to download the waypoints missions from Litchi Hub, prepared previously on my computer at home. I think this thread can be very helpful for people hesitating which Tablet and system to choose for drone navigation, especially if they don’t plan to use the same device as o phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tribar
I have used Litchi for Android as my main app for a few years with Phantom 4 Pro. But now I wanted to use Litchi for IOS on iPad Mini 5 (2019). Everything works well with one exeption. There is no compass in the left bottom corner of the app. At the same time DJI Go 4, shows the compass there and it works correctly as it should. So I have the question. Is the compass missing in Litchi for IOS app regardless the iPad version, or is this the problem only with iPad mini 5 (2019), and it would work well on iPad Mini 4 for example. I can still give my iPad mini back for a week or change it for an older version. TIA for the answer if someone knows
I use a Mini4 (wifi+cell), the "radar" in the lower left corner that you mention works on Android only and is not available on Litchi for iOS based devices regardless of GPS/Compass. I miss not having it as well, one Litchi response I've read to someone else stated "it's not a high priority because of low demand." C'est la vie.
 
I use a Mini4 (wifi+cell), the "radar" in the lower left corner that you mention works on Android only and is not available on Litchi for iOS based devices regardless of GPS/Compass. I miss not having it as well, one Litchi response I've read to someone else stated "it's not a high priority because of low demand." C'est la vie.
And this is the final answer to my initial question. It’s just the lack of this compass/radar element in Litchi app for IOS and has nothing to do with iPads or iPhones, regardless their versions. Perhaps many people really don’t need it and don’t use it, but for me, flying mainly manually, making professional photos and footage for stock agencies, the lack of this element is extremely important and was the only reason I gave my iPad mini back and changed it to a new Android tablet. It’s a pity because in many other aspects, iPad was really better. For example switching between applications, DJI Go 4 and Litchi is much simpler in IOS. I could switch smoothly one app to another and vice versa without even turning off the drone or controller. In Android I must at least disconnect the controller, kill manually the running app, and reconnect the controller to be able to start another app.

So my final, but personal opinion is: if you really don’t’ use and don’t need a compass/radar element in Litchi but you use more than one app - IOS is better. If you need and use this element in Litchi - you should choose Android device.
 
And this is the final answer to my initial question. It’s just the lack of this compass/radar element in Litchi app for IOS and has nothing to do with iPads or iPhones, regardless their versions. Perhaps many people really don’t need it and don’t use it, but for me, flying mainly manually, making professional photos and footage for stock agencies, the lack of this element is extremely important and was the only reason I gave my iPad mini back and changed it to a new Android tablet. It’s a pity because in many other aspects, iPad was really better. For example switching between applications, DJI Go 4 and Litchi is much simpler in IOS. I could switch smoothly one app to another and vice versa without even turning off the drone or controller. In Android I must at least disconnect the controller, kill manually the running app, and reconnect the controller to be able to start another app.

So my final, but personal opinion is: if you really don’t’ use and don’t need a compass/radar element in Litchi but you use more than one app - IOS is better. If you need and use this element in Litchi - you should choose Android device.
To compete this discussion, I want to add that I finally have chosen iPad mini 5. Though Litchi lacks this compass/radar element I was used to - the same information about drone orientation to me is in the map window and it works correctly. So you only have to change your habits which element of the Litchi interface to use. The lack of GPS in iPad wi-fi only is no problem for me as I always navigate drone sitting (rarely standing) in one place.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,354
Members
104,933
Latest member
mactechnic