VPS and GPS hold...

[Speedmeister]

VPS is only active when GPS is none or weak signal and altitude is less than 10 meters otherwise it goes to atti mode. Am I correct in my understanding? If this is correct then skimming low over water is not a problem for the P4P. Thanks.

 

[Mark The Droner]

On my P3P, both are active immediately upon launch. But as the AC gains altitude, the VPS becomes ineffective.

They say VPS doesn't work well over water regardless of how close to the water you are.

Some say it's dangerous to have VPS active over water, but I'm not clear on why that might be.

 

[Speedmeister]

On my P3P, both are active immediately upon launch. But as the AC gains altitude, the VPS becomes ineffective.

They say VPS doesn't work well over water regardless of how close to the water you are.

Some say it's dangerous to have VPS active over water, but I'm not clear on why that might be.

If that is true then it would be the same as flying over a snow covered flat fields.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Not sure about snow,it's white and reflective,,water has no pattern for vps to read,,it's pretty much inactive over 10mtrs in height according to this

 

[Fly Dawg]

Just saying, I turn VPS off and NEVER use it........in my experience the aircraft becomes too unstable to land smoothly.....Not even to mention the above. Basically useless IMO.

 

[Meta4]

VPS is only active when GPS is none or weak signal and altitude is less than 10 meters otherwise it goes to atti mode. Am I correct in my understanding?

VPS is active any time you have it enabled but it's range is limited to 10 metres.

If this is correct then skimming low over water is not a problem for the P4P.

VPS has difficulty reading the water surface and any other surface without a distinct pattern or texture.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Just saying, I turn VPS off and NEVER use it........in my experience the aircraft becomes too unstable to land smoothly.....Not even to mention the above. Basically useless IMO.

It's really good at keeping the AC still at a low level - like three feet. It's almost like it's sitting on a tripod. It's just dead still. I mean, if you want to send a Christmas video of your family or something, it would be awesome. I think it's pretty cool, even if I just use it to show off. But yeah, I've also noticed it's more difficult to land than my P2 series'. It's like there's an invisible bubble over the spot I want to land...

 

[Speedmeister]

Do we all agree that VPS is blind at night or poorly lit area? My p4p hovers steady at 2 feet at night. It can't be because of VPS. Its the GPS keeping it steady. I only see VPS mode during startup and briefly while the bird is acquiring GPS. I see it longer when indoors with poor GPS signal.

 

[Mark The Droner]

I think that it's function is limited. But it'll hover steady without VPS too. Depends on how you define steady. The specs say it should hover within ±1.5 m (with GPS Positioning only).

But also, consider that the VPS includes ultrasonic positioning which shouldn't be affected by lack of light.

 

[Meta4]

Do we all agree that VPS is blind at night or poorly lit area? My p4p hovers steady at 2 feet at night. It can't be because of VPS. Its the GPS keeping it steady. I only see VPS mode during startup and briefly while the bird is acquiring GPS. I see it longer when indoors with poor GPS signal.

VPS is active whenever you have it enabled.
It has a range of 10 metres.
When the Phantom is higher than 10 metres, it shows NA.

 

[Speedmeister]

VPS is active whenever you have it enabled.
It has a range of 10 metres.
When the Phantom is higher than 10 metres, it shows NA.

GPS takes priority given the limitation of VPS. In the absence of GPS, it relies on VPS below 10 meters regardless if it has good information or not. Atti mode will never pop up below 10 meters since VPS takes control unless it knows when it is blind. This is what I suspect.

 

[Mark The Droner]

I don't think that's quite correct. I think when the AC loses satellites, it goes into ATTI. ATTI is attitude mode, meaning it has no help from the satellites.

If the VPS can sense the ground, then, yes, it will have the ability to at least try to hover in one spot if it can (depending on wind and light and texture/pattern of the ground), but it will still be in ATTI mode.

 

[Meta4]

If the VPS can sense the ground, then, yes, it will have the ability to at least try to hover in one spot if it can (depending on wind and light and texture/pattern of the ground), but it will still be in ATTI mode.

Using VPS without satellites it would be in Opti Mode.

 

[Speedmeister]

I don't think that's quite correct. I think when the AC loses satellites, it goes into ATTI. ATTI is attitude mode, meaning it has no help from the satellites.

If the VPS can sense the ground, then, yes, it will have the ability to at least try to hover in one spot if it can (depending on wind and light and texture/pattern of the ground), but it will still be in ATTI mode.

I just go by what DJI go 4 tells me on the screen. It tells me what it is using currently: GPS, VPS, or ATTI. What I am getting from this tread is the bird is using VPS data under 10 meters regardless if in GPS or ATTI mode.

 

[Meta4]

I just go by what DJI go 4 tells me on the screen. It tells me what it is using currently: GPS, VPS, or ATTI. What I am getting from this tread is the bird is using VPS data under 10 meters regardless if in GPS or ATTI mode.

Just watch the bottom line of data when you launch in daylight.
Up top the Phantom will tell you it's in P-GPS mode but down the bottom you will see a height for VPS (until you get above 10 metres)
You are flying in GPS mode but VPS data is also coming in.

 

[Speedmeister]

Just watch the bottom line of data when you launch in daylight.
Up top the Phantom will tell you it's in P-GPS mode but down the bottom you will see a height for VPS (until you get above 10 metres)
You are flying in GPS mode but VPS data is also coming in.

Thanks. I will check that next flight. I was going to fly today with my nd filters that UPS is scheduled to deliver today but I’m still waiting.