Phantom 2 Vision not going to suport Ground Station

[dataway]

I received email today from DJI that the Phantom Vision 2 will not support the Ground Station



Jorge G. (DJI Technology)

Mar 15 11:27

Dear John Vasquez Yahoo

Thank you for your email. The Phantom 2 Vision is will not be compatible with the Ipad Ground Station only the Phantom 2 will be. It will have waypoint capability through an App upgrade but that feature is still in development and there is no release date.

You can reach our phone support by calling 818-235-0789. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST).
We will do our best to help you resolve this issue.

Thank you.

Customer Service Representative

 

[gunslinger]

Yeah... That's pretty much the word we already had. It's apparently going to be a firmware/app upgrade to allow us to do waypoints... There's been a lot of palaver about when DJI promised what regarding this stuff...

Surprise... surprise...

-slinger

 

[dataway]

Thanks Gunslinger I read a few posts in the forum about it but was not clear if that was the case for the Vision 2 so I just wanted to confirm with DJI to be sure and wanted to pass along the response to the forum.

 

[gfredrone]

I wonder if Vision app will get, Beyond visual range (BVR) flight, like with ground station. Also flight route templates to fly perfect circles and such around objects.

 

[iDrone]

I received email today from DJI that the Phantom Vision 2 will not support the Ground Station

Jorge G. (DJI Technology)
Mar 15 11:27

Dear John Vasquez Yahoo

Thank you for your email. The Phantom 2 Vision is will not be compatible with the Ipad Ground Station only the Phantom 2 will be. It will have waypoint capability through an App upgrade but that feature is still in development and there is no release date.

You can reach our phone support by calling 818-235-0789. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST).
We will do our best to help you resolve this issue.

Thank you.
Customer Service Representative

What Jorge G. told you is in conflict with the info DJI publicly released back in December:

"Phantom 2 Vision will capture Adobe DNG RAW and provide Ground Station capabilities"

December 04 2013

We are very excited to announce that with a firmware update, the Phantom 2 Vision will be able to capture and store pictures in Adobe DNG RAW format in-camera. The update will be released in late December.

Additionally, a separate firmware and mobile phone App update will be released providing the Phantom 2 Vision with Ground Station capabilities including waypoint editing and autonomous waypoint navigation. The update will be released around the end of December or early January.

Here's the Dec 03, 2013 Information Release:
http://www.dji.com/info/news/phanto...g-raw-and-provide-ground-station-capabilities

As this isn't the first time that a "DJI representative" has publicly stated erroneous information, it shouldn't be too surprising.

iDrone :roll:

 

[dataway]

Idrone,

That at least gives me a little hope that the Ground Station will eventually make its way to the Phantom 2 Vision, here's keeping my fingers crossed

 

[GneeChee]

I hate to be a bummer and I'm not generally a pessimist, but many companies have been known to change their mind about what they will - or will not offer at some future (unannounced) date.

I don't believe a news release from last December is in any way a binding contract.

Perhaps they've discovered that the P2V is incompatible. Perhaps they've decided to hold off until the Phantom 3. Perhaps Jorge G. (DJI Technology) is mistaken after all. I don't know where the truth is - I'm just saying that I wouldn't put any faith in an old news release.

Seeing is believing. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[OI Photography]

What Jorge G. told you is in conflict with the info DJI publicly released back in December:

Maybe not...

I get the impression that the statement from Dec that the P2V will be "provided with GS capabilities..." means that it will get that functionality through an update of the existing P2V iOS control app....which won't be the same thing as "being compatible with the iPad groundstation"

Still a confusing semantics game.

 

[djayz]

Actually reading that email from Jorge carefully explains what he means.

-The Vision won't be compatible with the IPAD ground station...note "IPAD"
-the "app upgrade" he mentions is referring to the iPhone app and as we have seen from previous screenshots that will have waypoint updates.

SOO, no iPad GS compatibility for the vision but it will get waypoint functionality in an app update.

Ok I guess but I was really hopping for an iPad app just for normal flying as well as blowing up 2x the iPhone app on an iPad looks horrible.

 

[iDrone]

What Jorge G. told you is in conflict with the info DJI publicly released back in December:

Maybe not...

I get the impression that the statement from Dec that the P2V will be "provided with GS capabilities..." means that it will get that functionality through an update of the existing P2V iOS control app....which won't be the same thing as "being compatible with the iPad groundstation"

Still a confusing semantics game.

True... If the question put to Jorge was "When will the Phantom 2 Vision work with Groundstation for iPad?" then Jorge's response is correct... It isn't compatible. And Jorge may not be aware of or privy to the development of Ground Station for Vision which would explain why he didn't offer anything further.

The Vision is cleverly designed in that it's equipped with two systems that lend it to be flown by the Controller with realtime 1:1 response or (if they ever implement it) wirelessly programmed to fly Waypoints & launched by the Vision app over IP. How much additional manual control will be offered in the app is anybody's guess but I suspect the app will feature a button or two for safety such as RTH for one.

Phantom-1's & 2's (exception: Vision) have no wireless means to communicate with the autopilot which is why they require additional hardware such as a BTU for programming waypoints & launching take offs from an iPad app.

Ground Station for Vision will be very interesting if & when they ever get around to releasing it. I suspect the hype in the news has them rethinking what features they will & won't put in the app.

Don't forget to watch 60 Minutes Sunday night, or watch it on their website after the broadcast if you're in other parts of the world.

iDrone

 

[OI Photography]

What I mean is this:

Jorge's recent statement, "The Phantom 2 Vision is will not be compatible with the Ipad Ground Station only the Phantom 2 will be. It will have waypoint capability through an App upgrade but that feature is still in development and there is no release date." doesn't seem to me to conflict with the Dec statement that "Additionally, a separate firmware and mobile phone App update will be released providing the Phantom 2 Vision with Ground Station capabilities including waypoint editing and autonomous waypoint navigation."

To me, those two statements say the exact same thing. "Providing ground station capabilities" =/= being compatible with current GS hardware, and it doesn't sound to me like they said otherwise in the Dec 4 press release.

 

[GMANNZ]

What I mean is this:

Jorge's recent statement, "The Phantom 2 Vision is will not be compatible with the Ipad Ground Station only the Phantom 2 will be. It will have waypoint capability through an App upgrade but that feature is still in development and there is no release date." doesn't seem to me to conflict with the Dec statement that "Additionally, a separate firmware and mobile phone App update will be released providing the Phantom 2 Vision with Ground Station capabilities including waypoint editing and autonomous waypoint navigation."

To me, those two statements say the exact same thing. "Providing ground station capabilities" =/= being compatible with current GS hardware, and it doesn't sound to me like they said otherwise in the Dec 4 press release.

I seemed to get same take on it as you .... To me, those two statements say the exact same thing.

 

[iDrone]

?..To me, those two statements say the exact same thing. "Providing ground station capabilities" =/= being compatible with current GS hardware, and it doesn't sound to me like they said otherwise in the Dec 4 press release.

DJI's GS hardware is incompatible with Vision:


Current GS hardware consists of a 2.4GHz Datalink (the 2.4GHz x'cvr on the left plugs into the CAN-BUS on the aircraft, the 2.4GHz x'cvr on the right is situated on the ground near the pilot with a Bluetooth module (foregound) connected to it for communicating wirelessly with the iPad.

What you do in the GS app is sent over your iPad's Bluetooth to the ground-side Datalink then retransmitted over 2.4GHz to the Datalink in the aircraft. Likewise, telemetry is sent from the Datalink in the aircraft over 2.4GHz down to the ground-side Datalink then retransmitted via Bluetooth to your iPad.

Vision already has a 2.4GHz Datalink: a 2.4GHz x'cvr built into the camera on the aircraft, and a 2.4GHz x'cvr built into your phone/iPad with the Range Extender in between to boost signals between both, there's no need for addt'l hardware and no need for Bluetooth.. We already receive telemetry over this link, and (if they ever get around to implementing it) will soon hopefullt have flight control as well.

iDrone