Phantom noob in Bristol, UK stumbled at the first hurdle!

[tomgwill98]

Evening all! Just unboxed my fancy new P4P+ V2 and set it all up and was chuffed! Bought primarily as I want to get into some basic mapping work and can't wait to fly. Just signed up to a course to get my permission for commercial operations (PfCO) from the CAA which is required over here in the UK if you want to charge for any services.

I've just found out this evening though that I should have gone for the non-integrated screen version of the P4P V2 as there doesn't seem to be any way to get third party apps (such as flight mapping ones) to control the drone through the integrated screen version of the controller

Anyone selling a GL300L controller in the UK by any chance?!

Cheers, and looking forward to having a root around the forum archives

 

[rattydude77]

Welcome to the forum

 

[dirkclod]

Welcome to PhantomPilots.
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .
Don't be shy and ask anything if you can't find it by searching . ?

 

[BigL]

Mavic Pilots?

 

[Meta4]

Anyone selling a GL300L controller in the UK by any chance?!

Search ebay for GL300L .
I see at least one in your part of the world on there.

 

[dirkclod]

Mavic Pilots?

Lol, whoops sorry about that I’m in 7 of our forums and move to fast
sometimes. ?
Me fix that now.?

 

[gingerbloke]

I fly a pair of P4P (v1) and one is a plus. You can load third-party apps on the +controller with the integrated screen on the v1 (see Litchi can now be installed on the P4P+ and CrystalSky! for example), there are also many videos on YouTube.

Welcome!

Adam

Evening all! Just unboxed my fancy new P4P+ V2 and set it all up and was chuffed! Bought primarily as I want to get into some basic mapping work and can't wait to fly. Just signed up to a course to get my permission for commercial operations (PfCO) from the CAA which is required over here in the UK if you want to charge for any services.

I've just found out this evening though that I should have gone for the non-integrated screen version of the P4P V2 as there doesn't seem to be any way to get third party apps (such as flight mapping ones) to control the drone through the integrated screen version of the controller

Anyone selling a GL300L controller in the UK by any chance?!

Cheers, and looking forward to having a root around the forum archives

 

[Martin Healy]

Evening all! Just unboxed my fancy new P4P+ V2 and set it all up and was chuffed! Bought primarily as I want to get into some basic mapping work and can't wait to fly. Just signed up to a course to get my permission for commercial operations (PfCO) from the CAA which is required over here in the UK if you want to charge for any services.

I've just found out this evening though that I should have gone for the non-integrated screen version of the P4P V2 as there doesn't seem to be any way to get third party apps (such as flight mapping ones) to control the drone through the integrated screen version of the controller

Anyone selling a GL300L controller in the UK by any chance?!

Cheers, and looking forward to having a root around the forum archives

Welcome to the forum. I am also also a Brit living at Lyme Regis. Let us know how you get on with your mapping. Interested also to know whether there is a market for your services when you get your PfCO.
All the best, Martin

 

[Capt KO]

Which mapping software did you want to use. As stated earlier, litchi is available for download now, with your built-in screen. Might do until you switch remotes. Good luck, enjoy your new hobby/job.

 

[tomgwill98]

Thank all for your replies!

I will have a look at and try the Litchi instructions, but from the forum posts it seems like it won't work for the V2 of the P4P+ (GL300K controller).

Found a GL300L controller on eBay for a decent price so have just gone for that so hopefully I can just switch between the two controllers as required.

I'm trying to decide between Pix 4D and Litchi at the moment. I want to do some basic 2D orthomosaic maps and potentially progress to some basic 3D maps. Would anyone recommend one over the other?

Will keep everyone updated on my progress

 

[snowy23]

Welcome to the forum from Durham ?

 

[gingerbloke]

I switch between the + controller and normal in the field, there's a link button on the P4P and a button sequence on the controller from memory (been a while!)

FWIW - Pix4D never properly worked for me, the app looks great and seems to offer so much! but I got strange yaw actions with either of my P4P drones - like this Phantom 4 Pro yawing to left during mapping missions, so I've often ended up flying manually or using Litchi for a site that needs repeat shoots. Litchi has always been 100% for me (used it for years)

Maps Made Easy - Home is a great resource for making maps from your drone data, also Kuula | 360 Virtual Tours made easy. Create. Edit. Share. for making great 'lookaround' 360 views.

I'm PfCO but you might consider waiting until the EASA fallout happens - they love changing the rules and keeping everyone guessing, which would be annoying if you've just spunked £700 + submitted expensive paperwork to the CAA. With Brexit (is it?, isn't it?) and the impact of Covid, plus the CE validation, etc etc ad naus......

Check this out if you're having trouble sleeping EU DRONE REGULATIONS FOR DUMMIES « Terra Drone

There are way too many PfCO operators in the UK for all to be doing it fulltime and making a living (something like 5500+ active) and I was told on my course that 50% of people who obtain PfCO do not renew it the following year. In theory, EASA regs should make things easier but EU bureaucracy will probably try to make it hard/difficult for all I suspect.

A

Found a GL300L controller on eBay for a decent price so have just gone for that so hopefully I can just switch between the two controllers as required.

I'm trying to decide between Pix 4D and Litchi at the moment. I want to do some basic 2D orthomosaic maps and potentially progress to some basic 3D maps. Would anyone recommend one over the other?

Will keep everyone updated on my progress

 

[Meta4]

I'm trying to decide between Pix 4D and Litchi at the moment. I want to do some basic 2D orthomosaic maps and potentially progress to some basic 3D maps. Would anyone recommend one over the other?

I'd recommend Litchi for waypoint flying .. but it's not for mapping.
Pix4D and DroneDeploy are probably the biggest out there and both are good (but not cheap).
DroneDeploy has worked very well for me.
Try their free introductory periods to see what suits you.
With the mapping apps/services, it's free to use the app for mission planning, flying and image capture but they charge if you upload your images for them to process into a map.

 

[tomgwill98]

Thank you for the great advice gingerbloke and meta4.

GL300L is in the post

Think I’ll give Litchi a go first off for waypoint flying and then use the free trials as suggested and see which software works best for me!

I already signed up to a PfCO course so will just look to get that done fairly quickly so I can get working and get at least a few jobs in before any further paperwork/red tape is introduced by EASA.

Now just need this storm to pass so I can get in the air!

Oh - anyone recommend any good insurance companies out there? I guess for hardware and also professional indemnity?

Thanks! You guys have already been so helpful!

Tom

 

[Viewfinder]

Hi Tom (?)

I have been flying a P3A for 4 years and live at GL16 8QB. My wife and I have 22 acres of farmland and woods and I was going to map it with the drone but never got round to getting set up for this. Perhaps you might find it useful to use our land for practice free of charge in return for a promise to do a free map for us once you've made your system work and are CAA permitted. There is a visitor attraction on the site so you would have to operate on days when this isn't open but during school terms that would give you 3 days each week. We would need to meet you and discuss this, and you will need insurance.

BMFA membership gets you all the public liability insurance cover you need during your training phase (ie: before you start doing aerial work) for a very low cost. Also there is a local BMFA affiliated club which has a flying site and they were actively recruiting members before the Covid disaster, I think it's this one: Dean Model Flying Club.

I'm not clear from your posts whether this is your first drone. I shy away from giving advice but if this is your first drone perhaps be cautious about doing anything like mapping until you have learned to fly it competently, and perhaps buy a set of prop guards while you are learning? I learned to fly my drone in our orchard - flying between the trees at a reasonable speed is a good test of competence, particularly when you turn to come back and the yaw stick action is reversed.

Something I learned the hard way is to buy spares for your drone while it is a current model otherwise you can end up having to pay huge prices for spares once the drone becomes obsolete, which, being as it's DJI, seems to take months not years.

Send me a message using the envelope symbol at the right hand end of the top bar if you want to discuss flying on our land.

Michael

 

[tomgwill98]

Hi Tom (?)

I have been flying a P3A for 4 years and live at GL16 8QB. My wife and I have 22 acres of farmland and woods and I was going to map it with the drone but never got round to getting set up for this. Perhaps you might find it useful to use our land for practice free of charge in return for a promise to do a free map for us once you've made your system work and are CAA permitted. There is a visitor attraction on the site so you would have to operate on days when this isn't open but during school terms that would give you 3 days each week. We would need to meet you and discuss this, and you will need insurance.

BMFA membership gets you all the public liability insurance cover you need during your training phase (ie: before you start doing aerial work) for a very low cost. Also there is a local BMFA affiliated club which has a flying site and they were actively recruiting members before the Covid disaster, I think it's this one: Dean Model Flying Club.

I'm not clear from your posts whether this is your first drone. I shy away from giving advice but if this is your first drone perhaps be cautious about doing anything like mapping until you have learned to fly it competently, and perhaps buy a set of prop guards while you are learning? I learned to fly my drone in our orchard - flying between the trees at a reasonable speed is a good test of competence, particularly when you turn to come back and the yaw stick action is reversed.

Something I learned the hard way is to buy spares for your drone while it is a current model otherwise you can end up having to pay huge prices for spares once the drone becomes obsolete, which, being as it's DJI, seems to take months not years.

Send me a message using the envelope symbol at the right hand end of the top bar if you want to discuss flying on our land.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Thanks very much for the offer of your land for some practice space, I will definitely be messaging you to talk further about this!

Also appreciate the insurance and spares advice and yes this is my first drone so I've been taking baby steps so far but having great fun and already getting some great landscape shots

Cheers,

Tom