Phantom 3p return to home not accurate

[capposteve]

Hi all. As the title says.

Have a 3p and done only 1.5hours of flying so far.
How accurate should the self landing be? It says it uses the small camera underneath and the Manual says make sure you take off from somewhere where the area has contrasting colours to help identify its landing spot. So I bought a 1m landing bright orange pad and took off from it. After 15 mins I asked it to land, it started off ok maybe a meter or two off (hard to tell when it’s still decending) but as it got closer it started drifting away. I had to take over the landing and cancel the self landing as it ended up drifting about 6 meters from the landing pad. Is this right? If not what can I check on it?
Many thanks

Steve

 

[Fly Dawg]

After 15 mins I asked it to land, it started off ok maybe a meter or two off (hard to tell when it’s still decending) but as it got closer it started drifting away. I had to take over the landing and cancel the self landing as it ended up drifting about 6 meters from the landing pad. Is this right? If not what can I check on it?

The home point is recorded as a GPS location. It can be off up to double digit feet. Not much you can do about that. Landing accuracy as I said is based on the GPS point. You can NEVER expect 100% accuracy. Always allow plenty of clearance, for landings if you are autonomously doing so.

 

[Fly Dawg]

Generally speaking however, it is relatively more accurate than you may think. But there again, always be aware that GPS can be off by several feet.

 

[capposteve]

I was under the impression it uses the small camera underneath when taking off to see where it’s taking off from and when return to home is pushed it uses the camera and the gps to help land it accurately. Or am I mistaken?

Thanks. Steve

 

[Fly Dawg]

I was under the impression it uses the small camera underneath when taking off to see where it’s taking off from and when return to home is pushed it uses the camera and the gps to help land it accurately. Or am I mistaken?

Yes, you are mistaken. The VPS, ( Camera underneath) is only for in theory smooth and controlled landings when close to the home point. The VPS has nothing to do with the actual home point location. Personally, I never use the VPS. I find that it has terrain issues at times and causes issues. I just turn it off.

 

[capposteve]

Ok thanks. Maybe that’s not helping. How do I turn it off?

 

[Fly Dawg]

How do I turn it off?

There is a setting in the app that will allow you to do so, but if I am not mistaken you need to be connected to the AC to do that. I haven't touched that setting in so long, I just don't remember off the top of my head.

 

[Meta4]

I was under the impression it uses the small camera underneath when taking off to see where it’s taking off from and when return to home is pushed it uses the camera and the gps to help land it accurately. Or am I mistaken?

Thanks. Steve

The P4pro hasthe precision landing system, not the p3 series.
But you don't need to let rth do the landing.
You can cancel rth and resume control and choose your landing spot better than it can.

 

[capposteve]

The P4pro hasthe precision landing system, not the p3 series.
But you don't need to let rth do the landing.
You can cancel rth and resume control and choose your landing spot better than it can.

Thanks. That’s exactly what I did in the end. I just wanted to clarify that it doesn’t have that precision landing on the p3