turn off VPS when flying over water?
- Thread starter lukx
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I live on the coast and fly over water all the time. As much by stupidity as anything else I generally forgot to turn off VPS when flying but to date, I've experienced no issues even when skimming the sea by a few feet for dramatic shots. This is not a recommendation, just my experience.
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msinger
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There is generally not much benefit to using VPS outdoors. There are too many situations where it does not work well (e.g. over water). Check out the Phantom manual for a comprehensive list.
alokbhargava
Premium Pilot
It is not recommended to fly low over water with VPS system ON. It's image processing system and sonar system may not work well over water.
No problem if you are flying over say 10' as GPS will be effective and can take care of positioning.
VPS is not reliable over transparent surfaces, in low light conditions, over water, surfaces with no pattern, sound absorbing surfaces, inclined surfaces......
No problem if you are flying over say 10' as GPS will be effective and can take care of positioning.
VPS is not reliable over transparent surfaces, in low light conditions, over water, surfaces with no pattern, sound absorbing surfaces, inclined surfaces......
msinger
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Of course, it has to. Ah why wouldn't it? ;-)
It's redundant. Hahaha
I almost wanted to correct myself, and had to look up redundant, these were the example sentences:
It's redundant. Hahaha
I almost wanted to correct myself, and had to look up redundant, these were the example sentences:
- The drone had originally been designed to go places the Blackbird could not, but it had become redundant on discovery of the fact that there was nowhere the SR-71 could not go in safety … —Tom Clancy, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, 1989
- Undoubtedly in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a witness to an occurrence is someone who has seen it. Therefore, some editors have said, eyewitness is a redundant word and it should be consigned to the dustbin. —Theodore M. Bernstein, Mrs. Thistlebottom's Hobgoblins, 1971
- There they sat, grounded upon the ground, silent, uncomplaining, with bowed heads, a pathetic sight. And by hideous contrast, a redundant orator was making a speech to another gathering not thirty steps away … —Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, 1889
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New spin on an old thread (VPS, on vs off)
Like many, I have been flying without the use of VPS, but after watching an auto-landing at the end of a Litchi mission, I am reconsidering VPS's value.
As I said, my P3 was performing an auto-landing, when watchful as always, I noticed it was coming down at a good clip. Waiting for it to slow just before ground contact, I had my finger on the trigger as always, (ready to return to P mode and take control) and I am glad I did. Maybe three feet + or -, I switched modes and of course it stopped just short of touchdown. I was honestly concerned it would have hit too hard. This led me to start some testing for the P3's elevation awareness with VPS off. Hypothesis, it is sometimes or often wrong.
With VPS off, I flew up to 10', then 15', back down a few, then back up a few. Each time the elevation was wrong, and mostly it was reading higher than it was. Not way off, but off. Next test I turned on VPS, and after repeating the same test, it was spot on with elevation, and like other post had stated, it even followed the minor slopes of my driveway in both directions, each time the elevation was perfect. I took this test to a larger slope with a mix various materials below the P3, concrete, gravel, curbs, short grass and small scattered bushes were found at a small park. Almost everything I was looking for and of course a slope that dropped around 20 feet. At an alleviation of approximately 10 feet I first flew down hill. The P3 followed the terrain perfectly, remaining at or about 10 feet AGL. Next, spin aground and see if it would self elevate or fly into the side of the hill. Answer, elevate, not as quickly as the going down the slope, and not fast enough for an autonomous flight, but at a crawl it did elevate, right back to where I started.
Now, none of this may be new news to many, but I would conclude that if you are going to rely upon auto-land, especially under circumstances that may not allow for P mode override, i.e., out of sight critical battery landing, it may be the difference in a soft vs hard landing, and that may = no damage vs damage, or "maybe" it will it will see the changes in GL that you missed.
! VPS may have more value than it was intended for.
If anyone has information that discounts my test, please advise.
Cheers
Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
Like many, I have been flying without the use of VPS, but after watching an auto-landing at the end of a Litchi mission, I am reconsidering VPS's value.
As I said, my P3 was performing an auto-landing, when watchful as always, I noticed it was coming down at a good clip. Waiting for it to slow just before ground contact, I had my finger on the trigger as always, (ready to return to P mode and take control) and I am glad I did. Maybe three feet + or -, I switched modes and of course it stopped just short of touchdown. I was honestly concerned it would have hit too hard. This led me to start some testing for the P3's elevation awareness with VPS off. Hypothesis, it is sometimes or often wrong.
With VPS off, I flew up to 10', then 15', back down a few, then back up a few. Each time the elevation was wrong, and mostly it was reading higher than it was. Not way off, but off. Next test I turned on VPS, and after repeating the same test, it was spot on with elevation, and like other post had stated, it even followed the minor slopes of my driveway in both directions, each time the elevation was perfect. I took this test to a larger slope with a mix various materials below the P3, concrete, gravel, curbs, short grass and small scattered bushes were found at a small park. Almost everything I was looking for and of course a slope that dropped around 20 feet. At an alleviation of approximately 10 feet I first flew down hill. The P3 followed the terrain perfectly, remaining at or about 10 feet AGL. Next, spin aground and see if it would self elevate or fly into the side of the hill. Answer, elevate, not as quickly as the going down the slope, and not fast enough for an autonomous flight, but at a crawl it did elevate, right back to where I started.
Now, none of this may be new news to many, but I would conclude that if you are going to rely upon auto-land, especially under circumstances that may not allow for P mode override, i.e., out of sight critical battery landing, it may be the difference in a soft vs hard landing, and that may = no damage vs damage, or "maybe" it will it will see the changes in GL that you missed.
! VPS may have more value than it was intended for.
If anyone has information that discounts my test, please advise.
Cheers
Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
I turned off VPS for a few reasons. I do not fly indoors. Outside there are two reasons. First, it can irritate birds with its sonar signal and cause a bird attack. Second, if you use a gimbal guard, DJI will not honor its warranty if there is interference with the VPS. It may look like there isn't interference as it does not directly block it. However, the signal spreads out and the gimbal guard will block some of it. This is recorded on the drone. If you use a gimbal guard, you need to turn the VPS off.
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I personally don't use a gimbal guard, however I see your point. In regards to birds, I have never experienced that as a cause and affect, but I was aware of it being a possibility with animals below the P3. Good points!
Does raise a question; does VPS turn off above an elevation of X or on full time? Back to the manual I go.
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Does raise a question; does VPS turn off above an elevation of X or on full time? Back to the manual I go.
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I believe it is on full time which is why DJI has warned about the gimbal guard. I have also read about some birds using sonar and may be sensitive to the VPS. For the limited uses of VPS, the possibility of causing a malfunction over certain surfaces and with reports of bird attacks, unless you are flying indoors, it doesn't seem worth it even without the gimbal guard issue.
Yeah, Gimbal guards are commonly used by many of us. Never had any problems or errors from mine. ;-)
The birds are not bothered by our VPS, yes this is bunk too.Ha
.
RedHotPoker
My. What an intelligent and erudite reply. The official DJI forum has posted an official warning about the VPS and gimbal guards and says how it can interfere and they will not honor the warranty.
Many birds do use sonar and so does the VPS. Unless you are an ornithologist and sonar engineer, I would rather listen to someone is educated on the subject.
If you have a malfunction and If you have a gimbal guard and you think that DJI might deny a warranty, which I doubt they ever have, just take it off before sending it in. The guards advantages are the reason they are used. The one I have is no where near the VPS sensors and the VPS has always worked flawlessly.
Some people on here just spout out advice with zero proof just because they read it on here from other people who assume they know everything Phantom, most of which are probably prepubescent boys that know everything about nothing.The chances of a bird flying under and close enough to the the P3 and the bird being on the same wavelength as the P3 , then same said bird attacking a P3 is absolutely rubbish. If this was the case birds would be attacking anything with sonar , which they do not.
Just use common sense before you give out your expert bad unverified advise...this is what I found amusing.
Also, you do not have to be an ornithologist OR sonar engineer to use common sense.
Thank you, you are welcome.
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