PC Ground Station Reviews

[Fink]

Looking for reviews/feedback/thoughts/recommendations/cautions relating specifically to the DJI Ground Station for PC.

It seems like aside from the iPad's on-screen controls and innate mobility, the PC Ground Station boasts beefier maps and provides the user a nearly identical experience.

My goal with the PC Ground Station is to become more familiar with "autonomous" flight in preparation for jobs that may open in this arena later down the road. The southern region of the US, namely Florida due to the weather, is one of the most popular areas in the US for this line of work and it's something I am very interested in pursuing to either augment my full-time salary or possibly replace it entirely.

Looking forward to hearing from those PC Ground Station users out there.

Cheers!

Fink

 

[IrishSights]

I have one on order. Hopefully get it next week.

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[Fink]

I have one on order. Hopefully get it next week.

Sent from Samsung S4 via Tapatalk

Great! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

If you don't mind me asking, what was it about the PC Ground Station that made you choose it over the iPad Ground Station?

Thanks for posting!

Fink

 

[IrishSights]

I don't have an iPad, simple as that, although my 2 eldest sons do. I only have a laptop which is a bit unwieldy in the field but will do for a while. It all fits in my back pack with my P2. The iPad joysticks seem a bit gimicky. I might consider a Win8 tablet eventually. I'm interested in using it for plotting paths for video sequences. I'm still a bit unclear on how much manual control can be had during a programmed flight. Nothing like a good play! Hoping too there is an upgrade soon for a POI function.

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[Fink]

I don't have an iPad, simple as that, although my 2 eldest sons do. I only have a laptop which is a bit unwieldy in the field but will do for a while. It all fits in my back pack with my P2. The iPad joysticks seem a bit gimicky. I might consider a Win8 tablet eventually. I'm interested in using it for plotting paths for video sequences. I'm still a bit unclear on how much manual control can be had during a programmed flight. Nothing like a good play! Hoping too there is an upgrade soon for a POI function.

Sent from Samsung S4 via Tapatalk

I'm in the exact same boat as you, my friend. No iPad and really no desire/justification to get one. Being a full-time IT ServiceDesk Manager, I have to have my laptop with me 24/7 and it's actually an incredibly powerful machine. Should work incredibly well for the application. I also have a laptop mount in my truck so I can manipulate whatever I need to there and then take the laptop out with me into the field along with the P2 when I'm ready for it.

For me, I'm just looking to get it for the experience of it. I don't have a GoPro for my P2 yet, and if I do go that route, I'll just be using the fixed camera mount. Similar to the iPad, I just can't justify the expense of a gimbal at the moment.

Thanks again!

Fink

 

[IrishSights]

From my local distributer here in Northern Ireland - www.DroneShack.co.uk. They tell me it is actually one product not 2 separate ones like the DJI site says. IPad and PC software in the same box. It includes the BTU which you don't need for the PC version.

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[IrishSights]

Another ambiguity is that in the Ground Station manual there is a chart that shows that the Photogrammetry tool is not available for the P2. See below. Yet on the DJI website it is listed as a feature. Anybody know which it is? [attachment=-1]uploadfromtaptalk1396823899163.jpg[/attachment]

Sent from my Galaxy Note 8

 

[OI Photography]

From my local distributer here in Northern Ireland - http://www.DroneShack.co.uk. They tell me it is actually one product not 2 separate ones like the DJI site says. IPad and PC software in the same box. It includes the BTU which you don't need for the PC version.

Sent from Samsung S4 via Tapatalk

Up until a couple of months ago, it was marketed/sold as one product, the "2.4GHz Data Link" (or 900MHz), with both PC software and BTU included. They've since split it in to two separate products, but I'm sure there's still plenty of dealers with the "old" version. If you ever have to choose between those, get the iPad version, you can get the PC software from any friendly current owner

 

[bcstexas]

I Have a PV2 + on the way. How can I install the software on a laptop. How do you get the software only?

 

[OI Photography]

I Have a PV2 + on the way. How can I install the software on a laptop. How do you get the software only?

Has the PV2+ been confirmed as compatible with the existing groundstation? The original P2V is not.

 

[bcstexas]

I Have a PV2 + on the way. How can I install the software on a laptop. How do you get the software only?

Has the PV2+ been confirmed as compatible with the existing groundstation? The original P2V is not.

I was told that the new P2V's were compatible when I bought it. They said the new release of V2.0 software works with the ground station. Is that not true?

 

[IrishSights]

Spent the last few evenings 'engaging' with the PC GS on the sofa. I don't have an iPad. Not very intuitive is my first impressions to say the least. DJI could do with employing a good documenter and instruction/tutorial writer! Naming conventions is not very informative and ambiguous.

A real 'feature' to watch in the Editor is the 'Route' is defaulting to 'Continuous' rather than 'Start_to_end' which might catch us out if not noticed as the mission will just repeat it self when we might not be aware and cause unexpected take-offs and worse!

I just programmed a couple of waypoints and will depend on getting the homepoint when I do the preflight startup in the field.

Going for first simple GS flight today - more than a bit nervous...

 

[bcstexas]

What I'm tiring to find out is where do you get the software? I have a Phantom 2 vision and would like to try the software on a laptop and not on a Ipad. Thanks for the reply

 

[OI Photography]

What I'm tiring to find out is where do you get the software? I have a Phantom 2 vision and would like to try the software on a laptop and not on a Ipad. Thanks for the reply

Groundstation is not compatible with P2 Vision.

 

[IrishSights]

What I'm tiring to find out is where do you get the software? I have a Phantom 2 vision and would like to try the software on a laptop and not on a Ipad. Thanks for the reply

PC software was in the box. iPad app needs downloaded from the app store.

 

[IrishSights]

Just few further observations on the PC GS in action. I did a straight line mission then a rectangular one with varying heights, speed and turn type. I gotta say it worked perfectly. Using the VPN mode back in the internet realm at home to get the static map for use out in the field. I got it in the air, connected, uploaded mission and hit 'Go' and away it went.

When it got to the last waypoint on the first flight it just hovered there. I clicked the 'Go Home' mode toolbar button then the 'Go Home' button in the popup and it started to desend to the Homepoint. I then caught it on descent but I think it would have justed returned and landed as the speed reduced and eventually stopped in my hand.

Second rectangular mission also went perfectly. When it got to the last waypoint and hovered I switched S1 to ATT and back to GPS and the GS handed control back to me, I then catch landed manually as usual. This is the way I will end a mission from now on.

Next I gotta work out how to program a yaw. Possibly pausing the mission and manually doing it, but what if I'm out of range? More questions. Oh and to check if the gimbel tilt works during a programmed mission...Infinity and beyond!

 

[mmccurdy]

I'm confused. Can you use the PC Groundstation with just a USB cable attached to your phantom 2 or does the Groundstation for the PC require a radio or Bluetooth component?

 

[IrishSights]

There is the airside reciever which attaches to the P2 canbus and attached to the P2 belly with antennas pointing down. There is then the corresponding ground transmitter. It connects to a powered USB port on the laptop. No need for seperate power. That's it!

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[mmccurdy]

Okay, very nice. Might pick one up this weekend!

 

[MrC]

Using the VPN mode back in the internet realm at home to get the static map for use out in the field.

The what now? How exactly can you download the map for offline use? Thanks.