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Wasn't sure if this post should go here or in the Vision 2 Plus forum, seeing as that is the only supported copter at this point.
http://pix4d.com/pix4dmapper-app/
So I downloaded the android app and the PC software and wanted to give this thing a shot (the free version of course) I played around with their demo file that comes with the PC software and felt like it's pretty straight forward. It's a lot of fun to play with if you're curious.
First impressions: the android app is TERRIBLE! absolute crap. It crashes constantly and doesn't cache maps for offline use. I was using my phone, so i'd have to dissconnect from the vision wifi, get the maps over 4G, turn wifi back on and go right back into the app. if you force quit the app (had to do it several times) it looses all the maps. very frustrating. Also the camera controls don't work if you're using the 7th channel or have the transmitter set to the "upgraded" version. I re-calibrated the 7th channel right before i went out and something go screwed up so i had no control over the camera whatsoever, that was my fault. However, i figured the Pix4D app would take over and control the camera for me... seeing how that's part of the SDK and all right? Well i got a bunch of worthless photos with the camera pointed straight ahead lol. So it was 2 wasted flights. I'm charging the batteries now and will try later (hopefully before it's dark)
Another issue with the app is that you can't zoom in all the way when trying to plan your "route" or flight pattern, the app crashes as soon as your do.
As of right now it's only the rectangular pattern which is flown at 2m/s. you can change the width and height of the pattern but not altitude which is a bummer. I wanted to do the nearby soccer stadium, but the light towers are over 50m tall. (50m is the unchangeable altitude at this point). There is also a "free flight" mode that says it will be coming soon.
I did fully complete 1 of 3 attempted missions. The other two i initiated RTH early. At the end of the one completed mission, the app transfers the pics to the phone. The directions in the PC software tell you to go retrieve the pics from the app on the phone, but i couldn't find the app folder on my phone while connected to my PC via USB cable. I then plugged in the SD card from the copter, and the pics were all there so I just copied them to my PC. The files had all the needed meta data in the file already so i'm not sure whey the app transfers the pics from the copter to the phone after a completed mission.
Things I would like to see changed
1. Changeable altitude (i think this will come, it's grayed out for now in the app)
2. A more stable APP! The app did crash while in the middle of a mission, so i quickly initiated the return to home. It did save all the pics to the SD card, so i didn't loose those which was nice.
3. Cache the dang maps! I mean really? This should be a given.
4. Custom flight patterns. I think this is coming as well (see screen shot) excited to play with it.
5. 2m/s is pretty slow. I tried covering an entire soccer field and couldn't quite get it done. I think my grid size was set to width of 120m and height of 200m which happen to be the max on both. Also when you initiate a mission, it flys to the first waypoint at 2m/s. So if you're far away... you have a long time to wait. I flew the copter there manually and then started the mission, much faster and saves a lot of batter.
6. The ability to postpone a mission or pause a mission, fly home, change batteries, and the continue the mission. If you want to do a large area, it takes a long time and you're going to need more than 1 battery.
7. Ability to rotate the pattern 90 degrees. The pattern is imaged below, but you can't rotate it in anyway. What if i wanted 120m width by 200m height? not doable currently
When you first open the app
Camera View. Does give you copter status which is nice, including altitude. Resolution is bad, but that's normal. Screen goes black for a second when it takes a picture.
Center the screen on the area you want to map, then hit the box with arrows icon to move the pattern onto the area. Sat view. 200mX120m pattern
Same as above but the maps view
http://pix4d.com/pix4dmapper-app/
So I downloaded the android app and the PC software and wanted to give this thing a shot (the free version of course) I played around with their demo file that comes with the PC software and felt like it's pretty straight forward. It's a lot of fun to play with if you're curious.
First impressions: the android app is TERRIBLE! absolute crap. It crashes constantly and doesn't cache maps for offline use. I was using my phone, so i'd have to dissconnect from the vision wifi, get the maps over 4G, turn wifi back on and go right back into the app. if you force quit the app (had to do it several times) it looses all the maps. very frustrating. Also the camera controls don't work if you're using the 7th channel or have the transmitter set to the "upgraded" version. I re-calibrated the 7th channel right before i went out and something go screwed up so i had no control over the camera whatsoever, that was my fault. However, i figured the Pix4D app would take over and control the camera for me... seeing how that's part of the SDK and all right? Well i got a bunch of worthless photos with the camera pointed straight ahead lol. So it was 2 wasted flights. I'm charging the batteries now and will try later (hopefully before it's dark)
Another issue with the app is that you can't zoom in all the way when trying to plan your "route" or flight pattern, the app crashes as soon as your do.
As of right now it's only the rectangular pattern which is flown at 2m/s. you can change the width and height of the pattern but not altitude which is a bummer. I wanted to do the nearby soccer stadium, but the light towers are over 50m tall. (50m is the unchangeable altitude at this point). There is also a "free flight" mode that says it will be coming soon.
I did fully complete 1 of 3 attempted missions. The other two i initiated RTH early. At the end of the one completed mission, the app transfers the pics to the phone. The directions in the PC software tell you to go retrieve the pics from the app on the phone, but i couldn't find the app folder on my phone while connected to my PC via USB cable. I then plugged in the SD card from the copter, and the pics were all there so I just copied them to my PC. The files had all the needed meta data in the file already so i'm not sure whey the app transfers the pics from the copter to the phone after a completed mission.
Things I would like to see changed
1. Changeable altitude (i think this will come, it's grayed out for now in the app)
2. A more stable APP! The app did crash while in the middle of a mission, so i quickly initiated the return to home. It did save all the pics to the SD card, so i didn't loose those which was nice.
3. Cache the dang maps! I mean really? This should be a given.
4. Custom flight patterns. I think this is coming as well (see screen shot) excited to play with it.
5. 2m/s is pretty slow. I tried covering an entire soccer field and couldn't quite get it done. I think my grid size was set to width of 120m and height of 200m which happen to be the max on both. Also when you initiate a mission, it flys to the first waypoint at 2m/s. So if you're far away... you have a long time to wait. I flew the copter there manually and then started the mission, much faster and saves a lot of batter.
6. The ability to postpone a mission or pause a mission, fly home, change batteries, and the continue the mission. If you want to do a large area, it takes a long time and you're going to need more than 1 battery.
7. Ability to rotate the pattern 90 degrees. The pattern is imaged below, but you can't rotate it in anyway. What if i wanted 120m width by 200m height? not doable currently
When you first open the app
Camera View. Does give you copter status which is nice, including altitude. Resolution is bad, but that's normal. Screen goes black for a second when it takes a picture.
Center the screen on the area you want to map, then hit the box with arrows icon to move the pattern onto the area. Sat view. 200mX120m pattern
Same as above but the maps view
