P2V & Ground Station

[ResevorDG]

The Phantom 2 and the Phantom 2 Vision are almost identical flight platforms, its the camera that mates the difference right?

So way then does Ground Station work on the P2 but not the P2V?
How can make Ground Station work on my P2V is there are part I can buy and add on?

 

[Pull_Up]

One big reason is that DJI have said they will be giving us a free firmware and app upgrade to allow ground station style waypoint flying with the Vision, versus paying out for the data link and swapping to an iOS device if you currently use android.

I suspect the reason it doesn't work out of the box might be that the Vision's NAZA is not quit the same as a standard Naza controller - as confirmed by a group on rcgroups forums who have successfully got a non-Vision (i.e. standard) Naza-M-V2 to power up using a Vision smart battery despite having no data pins. It's a different beast to the standard Naza, for which the groundstation gizmos are designed to work.

Personally I'm glad - I don't run apple stuff!

 

[ClimbrJohn]

My guess would be you can transmit waypoint data via the WiFi that's in the FPV camera that the P2V has, while the Phantom 2 doesn't have this. DJI's website states that the Phantom 2 requires [adding the] DJI 2.4G Bluetooth(R) datalink.

Otherwise I would presume you could use a USB cable to upload the waypoints, but then you would need a computer and not the simplicity of a tablet or phone in the field.

*Wait, maybe I'm confused. You can use the Ground Station app with the Phantom 2 today? I didn't think it worked with either aircraft yet.

 

[ResevorDG]

My guess would be you can transmit waypoint data via the WiFi that's in the FPV camera that the P2V has, while the Phantom 2 doesn't have this. DJI's website states that the Phantom 2 requires [adding the] DJI 2.4G Bluetooth(R) datalink.

Otherwise I would presume you could use a USB cable to upload the waypoints, but then you would need a computer and not the simplicity of a tablet or phone in the field.

*Wait, maybe I'm confused. You can use the Ground Station app with the Phantom 2 today? I didn't think it worked with either aircraft yet.

At this time you cannot use ground station with the P2V.
DJI's web page shows ground station compatibility with the standard P2.
There was a press release in december about adding ground station like control to the P2V but I have not heard anything about a timeline.

So from what I am hearing the P2V and P2 actually some major differences in the way they make flight decisions?

 

[ClimbrJohn]

This was posted on their Facebook page a few weeks ago 1/28:

Waypoint Update: We apologise for the delay in launching the waypoints system for the Phantom 2. Our engineers are working at full steam to get it ready for you and they will not release it until it is 100% ready. We appreciate your continued patience.

 

[dkatz42]

So from what I am hearing the P2V and P2 actually some major differences in the way they make flight decisions?

If I had to guess (and I do, given no inside information), the biggest issue is probably porting GS functionality into the P2V smartphone app. The datalink is there (in a different form) and most of the smarts are there in the autopilot (which probably shares 95+% of its code with the stock NAZA controller).

The P2V controller seems to be a small superset of the NAZA-M-V2 controller, mostly by hiding the fancy functionality by making it impossible to switch to the other modes without hooking to a computer. I doubt that there is any difference in the basic flight control software.

(Anybody know if there's anything the NAZA controller does that the P2V controller can't do?)

 

[OI Photography]

So from what I am hearing the P2V and P2 actually some major differences in the way they make flight decisions?

No, I think the other main reason the GS is not available on the P2V yet (in addition to the new interface needed) is due to the 2.4GHz wifi signal on that model. I suspect the data for the P2V GS will just be sent along its existing 5.8GHz data link. The way the NAZA in the P2V handles the automated flight will likely be identical to the other models, it's just the interface for getting the data there will differ.

It's worth noting that DJI does make a 900MHz version of that data link, I wonder if anybody has tried using the GS through that on a P2V. However, that data link is crazy expensive, and I suspect the functionality may still be locked down in the P2V's NAZA.

 

[xrayone]

I tried to connect the GS with the P2V but no luck, I bought a extended CAN bus cable which is for phantom 2, and I connected the cable to the CAN port on the vision's main board, the other end to the air end of GS, the air end did connected to the data link, but the iPad GS can not find the vision. I even switch the vision to naza mode and connected it again but still find nothing.

 

[FPV col]

I notice Dji have not committed to a release date for the GS upgrade, I'm sure I saw it was January then changed to early February now it says coming soon ! :?

 

[Pull_Up]

I notice Dji have not committed to a release date for the GS upgrade, I'm sure I saw it was January then changed to early February now it says coming soon ! :?

Yes, they originally stated January. There was a message from them on Facebook somewhere apologising for the delay but they want to get it 100% - which is obvious, but at least they haven't pushed to hit the original deadline and given us something requiring immediate patching or worse.

 

[MrTommy]

but at least they haven't pushed to hit the original deadline and given us something requiring immediate patching or worse.

I'm really looking forward to being able to use the GS (which I downloaded on my iPad, and like the looks of [the ONLY Apple product I own]), but like with any Windows update, I'll sit back and let everyone else test it before I jump in. Kinda like the camera update - which I still have not done.

Call me chicken...

 

[thetac]

At this time the GS cant be used on either the P2 or the PV2......you can use the GS on the DJI F550flame....and if you are really ambitious you can take the Naza V2, install it into your P2 or old phantom, and use the GS.....of course it'll cost you about 300 bones and some time, but it will work!

 

[Pull_Up]

Don't forget though that you won't be using the existing iPad Ground Station software. The Vision will be receiving a firmware and app update to give it ground station-like capabilities. It seems it will all be done from within the existing app judging by this example screenshot:

 

[FPV col]

I notice Dji have not committed to a release date for the GS upgrade, I'm sure I saw it was January then changed to early February now it says coming soon ! :?

Yes, they originally stated January. There was a message from them on Facebook somewhere apologising for the delay but they want to get it 100% - which is obvious, but at least they haven't pushed to hit the original deadline and given us something requiring immediate patching or worse.

Yes you are right, its just me getting inpatient.. I also would like it working correctly on release as I wouldn't like to take an empty PV case home from my flying site

 

[Dtalbot34]

One big reason is that DJI have said they will be giving us a free firmware and app upgrade to allow ground station style waypoint flying with the Vision, versus paying out for the data link and swapping to an iOS device if you currently use android.

I suspect the reason it doesn't work out of the box might be that the Vision's NAZA is not quit the same as a standard Naza controller - as confirmed by a group on rcgroups forums who have successfully got a non-Vision (i.e. standard) Naza-M-V2 to power up using a Vision smart battery despite having no data pins. It's a different beast to the standard Naza, for which the groundstation gizmos are designed to work.

Personally I'm glad - I don't run apple stuff!

anyword yet on this app release for Vision waypoint flying? this was promised December, then January...Now its almost March. What gives?

 

[Pull_Up]

Someone quoted a Facebook post from DJI somewhere that apologised for the delay but their engineers would only release it when it was definitely ready. No date range given...

 

[GneeChee]

I understand that the ground station functionality is way cool ... but is that all it does? Fly from A to B to C ... etc?

I scanned the DJI info about the ground station, but didn't really find info other than pre-programmed flight paths.

I'm envisioning major uses for this if camera control and quad orientation can be programmed as well. I realize that you can just turn on the video before take off, or set the timer on the camera to take an infinite number of pics - but I'd like more.

For example - following a fence line - camera pointed down while filming to capture the fence (checking for problems) ... then when reaching a waypoint, maybe point the lens up a bit and rotate the quad 360° to get a full view of that point, then lower the camera and continue on the the next waypoint.

Anybody know? Any thoughts? Am I asking for too much?

 

[Pull_Up]

Everything you say is probably possible to program. POI waypoint mode is available now on the pro line of DJI flight controllers, for example (see recent video example on DJI YouTube channel). I can't see DJI giving the NAZA's functions that currently exist in their pro line controllers, though, let alone exceed their specs!

It would be rather cool, though.

 

[GneeChee]

Everything you say is probably possible to program. POI waypoint mode is available now on the pro line of DJI flight controllers, for example (see recent video example on DJI YouTube channel). I can't see DJI giving the NAZA's functions that currently exist in their pro line controllers, though, let alone exceed their specs!

It would be rather cool, though.

Thanks for the response. Based on that - I don't really see the point of it after the initial "cool factor" wears off

I suppose eventually I'll join the ranks of others who've purchased the Vision, then moved on to something else that better suits their needs

But dayum ... this sucker if funner than heck to fly!

 

[themosttoys]

I too am keeping the candle lit, hoping that they release this capability. However, my confidence in it actually happening is fading. The reason is, all the complaining, bad press and partner cost it will generate. Will be an especially big problem for partners (like Amazon and BH that stand for their customers.) I can clearly envision all the new "Phantom gone", "crash", "Flyaway", ... threads that will result from completely autonomous BVR flight. The average P2V customer will not consider everything like obstacles (light poles, power lines, water towers, trees, ...), battery, wind, altitude and descent times, ... and P2V's will be disappearing faster than doughnuts at a Police convention. In my view, it comes down to plausible deniability. If you have to purchase and install something separate (Ex: Ground Station) was it the Ground Station that failed, was it the Phantom itself, was it a mistake you made while installing or was it a mistake in flight plan, ... If it's all in one package (P2V) people will simply blame the P2V.

All that said, I do hope they add the capability, it is very cool.