Can someone tell me how I can definitively identify which way the P3 is facing? When I am a pretty good distance away I am looking at the little red pointer on the GPS map in the corner but when I try to follow the pointer my direction the controls are almost 180 degrees off. I have to go backward to go forward according to the red pointer. I take off fine P3 in front of me the battery facing me and the camera forward. (red pointer pointing 90 to 180 degrees to the right, shouldn't it line up pointing toward the battery too?) I automatically take off hit the left toggle forward and P3 goes up, I push the right hand toggle and it goes forward as it should be. I have it set for mode 2. It just when it gets a distance away I try to fly it like the direction of the red pointer and it is nowhere near where it should go. What am I doing wrong.
P3 how to tell orientation when flying
- Thread starter Jimmy M
- Start date
Meta4
Premium Pilot
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
- Messages
- 15,300
- Reaction score
- 9,242
The pointer on your radar display should be accurate and flying will be a lot easier if i is.
If it isn't, the first thing to check is the compass senor in your phone/tablet.
It may need calibration .. this fixes this problem for most people.
Look here to see how to do it.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=wJlSVanMHcXbuQSlk4HQBg
Some compass apps have a calibration facility.
If it isn't, the first thing to check is the compass senor in your phone/tablet.
It may need calibration .. this fixes this problem for most people.
Look here to see how to do it.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=wJlSVanMHcXbuQSlk4HQBg
Some compass apps have a calibration facility.
When you have the aircraft locked onto satellites and you are about to take off - have a look at the radar and see if the nose of the aircraft is pointing in the right direction. If not spin around on yourself and see if the nose changes direction as you turn 360 degrees. If it doesn't there is a problem with the compass on your tablet. Mine usually points in the wrong direction until I spin 360 degrees once and then the nose is in the correct orientation. There was one tablet that I used to have that always had trouble with the compass and I stopped using it. Having the compass direction on the app is absolutely crucial - in fact without it you would be risking it flying further than LOS as you wouldn't know which way to turn if you lost video
By default I believe the lower left corner shows a red airplane overlaying the map. If you tap the upper right corner of that little map it should switch to the radar view. There you should find that your always the center of that radar screen and can then point the red arrow towards the center and know that the bird is now facing you and fly it back in.
I always orient the front of my P2+ in the same direction (East for me) no matter where I fly. The consistency helps my orientation awareness, I find...
For beginner flyer, it may be easier to use course lock mode. Once you set your course and you are facing the bird, up is always flying away, down is always flying it back.
Left is left and right is right regardless of which way the bird is pointing. Read the manual and practice with LOS a few times. The perspective is totally different the first 20 or 30 flights until you get use to it. I have seen people with 100 flights literally get lost, especially after a few 360 turns and the app reset. Using the CL mode, you can fly back from anywhere even when you lose video or even the app hangs.
Left is left and right is right regardless of which way the bird is pointing. Read the manual and practice with LOS a few times. The perspective is totally different the first 20 or 30 flights until you get use to it. I have seen people with 100 flights literally get lost, especially after a few 360 turns and the app reset. Using the CL mode, you can fly back from anywhere even when you lose video or even the app hangs.
I chose a different approach - I practiced learning to fly in any chosen direction regardless of the orientation, until I didn't need to think, just react. For practice, fly out 30 ft or so and stop, spin the Drone and stop and then think of the stick action needed to fly home, then do it.....I still practice that, and flying by radar alone...
One more thing, does Google map have be set as On totrack your location for the red pointer to be work right with the compass? cannot find the compass on this asus transformer 700T
You are absolutely right.
But for the few that cannot wait and fly their P3 FPV BLOS and without HL, it may be daunting for them.
I used to fly absolutely without any radar and just a analog camera that you can bearly make out what you are looking at.
I still practice all the manual controls with every new bird, like POI for example manually etc.
With the P3 having so many first time flyer and no HL, I can see lots and lots of birds getting lost, run out of battery and lands somewhere never to be found again.
The P3 simply take away the learning process for most people that usually comes with practice. I guess we all live in the age of instant gratifications and that is why the P3 sells so well.
But for the few that cannot wait and fly their P3 FPV BLOS and without HL, it may be daunting for them.
I used to fly absolutely without any radar and just a analog camera that you can bearly make out what you are looking at.
I still practice all the manual controls with every new bird, like POI for example manually etc.
With the P3 having so many first time flyer and no HL, I can see lots and lots of birds getting lost, run out of battery and lands somewhere never to be found again.
The P3 simply take away the learning process for most people that usually comes with practice. I guess we all live in the age of instant gratifications and that is why the P3 sells so well.
Candubob - what did you do to practice the manual POI? I am a complete rookie, waiting for my P3P but am very willing to leave the system in Beginner mode for a couple of weeks while I learn to fly it right. I really don't want to launch the P3 into the air only to see it drop into the river or simply fly away and watch $1300 disappear
Find a place that is clear at least 20 x 20 ft. the first time maybe even 40 x 40 ft.
Put a target (garbage can) in the middle.
Put P3 in P mode - (default ) follow or FPV does not matter that much.
Now try to circle the garbage can with the camera pointing at the garbage can at all time. Have Fun!!!
Go slow in the beginning. Do it clockwise and counter-clockwise. You graduate if you can do 3 circles in a row.
Put a target (garbage can) in the middle.
Put P3 in P mode - (default ) follow or FPV does not matter that much.
Now try to circle the garbage can with the camera pointing at the garbage can at all time. Have Fun!!!
Go slow in the beginning. Do it clockwise and counter-clockwise. You graduate if you can do 3 circles in a row.
Meta4
Premium Pilot
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
- Messages
- 15,300
- Reaction score
- 9,242
The specs say there's a compass
Features Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, compass
Get a simple compass app and you'll see if it's there.
Here's one .. and it has a calibration feature as well
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.compass&hl=en
That tablet was released 2012, July so it's not going to be top of the heap for performance.
It might be OK or it might not. Only way to tell is to try it.
Meta4
Premium Pilot
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
- Messages
- 15,300
- Reaction score
- 9,242
The P3 is much easier to fly than you imagine.I am a complete rookie, waiting for my P3P but am very willing to leave the system in Beginner mode for a couple of weeks while I learn to fly it right. I really don't want to launch the P3 into the air only to see it drop into the river or simply fly away and watch $1300 disappear
It takes about 5 minutes to learn - but a lot of practice and experience to get proficient.
One flight in beginner mode should be plenty.
But for learning, the critical thing is to practise in a large clear open area, well away from trees and buildings.
Obstacles are the number one enemy of quadcopters.
Doing a little research into practice locations near where I live, the local county parks allow RC aircraft in several of the bigger parks, there is a local AMA group with a flying field, and I think I could get away with some of the school fields when no one is using them and I want to talk to some of the local farmers about flying over/at their property. I think I will be ok in regards to "large, open spaces"
When trying to fly and keep the camera at a POI - do you typically use CL and rudder to keep the nose of the P3 pointed to the spot of interest? Is it better to use CL or to simply practice, practice, practice with the spatial relations?
Thanks info and the help!
When trying to fly and keep the camera at a POI - do you typically use CL and rudder to keep the nose of the P3 pointed to the spot of interest? Is it better to use CL or to simply practice, practice, practice with the spatial relations?
Thanks info and the help!
What you are describing is HL (which the P3 doesn't have yet), not CL. In CL, the sticks move the bird relative to the direction it was facing when the home point was recorded. If it's facing north when home point is recorded, right stick up will always send the bird north. IMO CL is more disorienting with no LOS.
bbfbv,
I think you misunderstood me. You are absolutely right, there is no HL in P3 yet.
I am only suggesting that if inexperience flyer wants to have an easier frame of reference, set the CL when you first hover at your Home point. That way, it is "SORT OF" HL in reverse, that is, down is home in this CL mode ( vs. up to head home in the HL) of course without the left - right IOC guidance, you just have to keep track of it in your head or from the last known compass position. Most people fly in more or less a straight line so the left-right thing is less of a concern.
HL is definitely the best to get orientation back, but I think one should practice being able to get the bird back if you lost visual and compass ( such as if your tablet crash)
The P3 is lucky in that you can at least the old RTH key on the TX, but practice is still the best policy to prevent lost bird. I think RTH should only be the last resort. DJI should give the user a 1000VDC shock every time they push that key, that way, it forces the user to learn how to fly.
Unfortunately, back in the days, without Microprocessor, GPS, GYRO, ALTIMETER and ACCERATORMETER I spend more time searching, crashing and fixing bird more than I fly. The longest flight I ever had back then with a battery operated UAV was about 3 minutes and the longest streak without a crash is when it is too cold to fly outside. LOL
I gave up on the whole RC business because it was costing too much time and money, until the P2 and P3 came on the market to get meaningful and useful flight from a UAV at a reasonable price.
I think you misunderstood me. You are absolutely right, there is no HL in P3 yet.
I am only suggesting that if inexperience flyer wants to have an easier frame of reference, set the CL when you first hover at your Home point. That way, it is "SORT OF" HL in reverse, that is, down is home in this CL mode ( vs. up to head home in the HL) of course without the left - right IOC guidance, you just have to keep track of it in your head or from the last known compass position. Most people fly in more or less a straight line so the left-right thing is less of a concern.
HL is definitely the best to get orientation back, but I think one should practice being able to get the bird back if you lost visual and compass ( such as if your tablet crash)
The P3 is lucky in that you can at least the old RTH key on the TX, but practice is still the best policy to prevent lost bird. I think RTH should only be the last resort. DJI should give the user a 1000VDC shock every time they push that key, that way, it forces the user to learn how to fly.
Unfortunately, back in the days, without Microprocessor, GPS, GYRO, ALTIMETER and ACCERATORMETER I spend more time searching, crashing and fixing bird more than I fly. The longest flight I ever had back then with a battery operated UAV was about 3 minutes and the longest streak without a crash is when it is too cold to fly outside. LOL
I gave up on the whole RC business because it was costing too much time and money, until the P2 and P3 came on the market to get meaningful and useful flight from a UAV at a reasonable price.
Can you activate/deactivate CL while the P3 is in the air?
Can I start flying, get to a point and then turn on CL - make the video runs and then turn off CL. Fly to a new location and do it all over again?
Can I start flying, get to a point and then turn on CL - make the video runs and then turn off CL. Fly to a new location and do it all over again?
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Try flying with the map for awhile. Orientation is the hardest thing foe a lot of people, I don't even think about it any longer. Unless the aircraft is pointed directly away from you the controls will not have the same relation to the way you are facing.
HA! That's exactly what I did when I first received my pre-ordered P2, took me 2 or 3 days to get it down. If I recall the flight training pamphlet that came with the P2 had this as one of the training exercises, along with flying a 'Box' A must skill to have if you want to improve your spatial awareness.
Similar threads
