Anyone using a GPS tracker?

[Sky King]

Why would I install a gps tracker isn't it redundant? You get the full flight log ON your mobile / tablet device while flying this thing. It records the position speed every second.
Gps tracker is useless when you already have telemetry ,no?

If your Phantom flies away and gets beyond controller range, you won't know where it ended up; only where it lost contact. It may continue in a straight line, it may not, and you won't know where it came down when it does. A GPS tracker will get you close so you can recover it.

 

[kirk2579]

lol i wasn't trying to give him a hard time...im just trying to make sure that if he ever does have a flyaway he actually finds his drone.

anyways, i use trackimo too and i love it. i'm usually around areas with cell reception so it's never been a problem for me. however, if i decided i wanted to start shooting up in the mountains or very remote places, i would consider investing in a marco polo. however, the other question is, if you're in a remote location and you lose your drone and you can find it, is it accessible? for example if you were flying in the mountains or near a lake or very deep forest...i only got my trackimo because i have had a flyaway and lost a P3P cuz of it...and in my case a trackimo would have prevented that. you live and you learn i guess...

I am wondering why you say you "lost a p3p cuz of it"

can you elaborate how in fact the trackimo would have prevented the p3p loss?

other than after the fact of course, maybe locating pieces and parts or if extremely lucky a low bat landing in safe secure spot.

 

[Fantasmagorico]

Hey guys. Wondering if anyone knows the best bang for your buck when it comes to GPS trackers?
Seems like good insurance in the event of a fly away

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

You may want to try the Trackimo. (Google it). The cellphone has two problems compared to something like the Trackimo: it's much heavier and much bigger. I don't know where you would mount it. You can get a mount for the Trackimo, which attaches to one of the legs, or attach it with velcro to a gimbal protector if you have that, which you should. Google DJI Phantom 3 Gimbal Camera Guard-PolarPro.

 

[Jtrjr]

Where and how do u mount this thing on the P3a ? Any pics mounted?

Prowler,

Here you go:

Jerry

 

[Prowler]

Prowler,

Here you go:

Jerry]

Thanks. Looks smaller than I thought they were.

 

[Jtrjr]

Thanks. Looks smaller than I thought they were.

Prowler,

Real small, no balance issue at all.

Jerry

 

[M3t]

I am wondering why you say you "lost a p3p cuz of it"

can you elaborate how in fact the trackimo would have prevented the p3p loss?

other than after the fact of course, maybe locating pieces and parts or if extremely lucky a low bat landing in safe secure spot.

I say that because if I had a Trackimo on it then I would have been able to recover it, or what was left of it at least.

When I lost RC signal the P3P didn't come back to home point, nor was I able to regain signal. My current altitude would have cleared all of the obstacles in the RTH path and should have made it back. Regardless, I never saw it again. I searched the entire RTH path to see if it maybe landed somewhere around there. The Trackimo would have definitely helped with that. Obviously I probably wouldn't have had a perfect condition P3P afterwards, but having parts is better than having it disappear. I had 65% battery life when I lost signal and was only 3000' away.

 

[RoyB]

Here's what I ordered

Drone Mods UAV Locator

 

[Mike-m1911a1]

TrackiMo here.


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[phantom trucker 309]

Anybody have or used a cheap china TK102b tracker (cost £9 ish, ?

 

[len750]

In the only instance where I used it but didn't really need to, it could have saved my bird. I tried to do a 5 mile Litchi GS run with my P2V+ and the bird fell short. Got a low battery alert and the bird couldn't make it home. Fell short by about 1-2k feet. The bird initiated an auto-land. Because I had pre-planned the flight very thoroughly beforehand I knew about where it had gone down. It had landed in an already harvested corn field. I used the tracker just to test it and it pinpointed it right away. Found the bird in perfect condition in the cornfield. If I hadn't pre-planned the flight or if the corn had not been harvested, I would have probably lost the bird.

As noted, it won't do any good if you land in water but anywhere else at least it's recoverable. Just my opinion but I wouldn't fly any type of distance runs without my trackers.

Jerry

Was your P2V+ stock? I have one but must I pucharse some balls as well to go that far with my P2+?

 

[Jtrjr]

Was your P2V+ stock? I have one but must I pucharse some balls as well to go that far with my P2+?

Len,

Stock. A little boring and a typo. This was the successful attempt a few hours after the failed one. Lots of prep, with fingers crossed. The typo was 4.22, it should have been 4.77. This was also before all of the "new" rules.

Jerry

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[len750]

Len,

Stock. A little boring and a typo. This was the successful attempt a few hours after the failed one. Lots of prep, with fingers crossed. The typo was 4.22, it should have been 4.77. This was also before all of the "new" rules.

Jerry

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Great flight! I've always used the Tagg (now called Whistle) for mine. I can always use it on my dirt bike and Razor and my wife can always track me in case something bad happens. I often ride alone. Also I can keep it on the Razor, and if I go hiking and someone tries to steal it, I can track that way as well. Whistle GPS Pet Tracker | Whistle

 

[Noble 1]

Anybody have or used a cheap china TK102b tracker (cost £9 ish, ?

I have the cheap TK102B and it works ok, I bought a clone off eBay and for being a clone it is quality but I had to YouTube setup instructions because the manual is garbage. After setting it up it works well. It's accurate to 30 feet from my testing. H2O wireless $3.00 / month not bad...

Note: Recently, I was in the mountains far from GPS service and my tablet crashed and would not turn back on. My P3P was miles away in the forest. It was the most intense sphincter tightening 15 minutes I've had in a long time. The GPS on the P3 was gone since the tablet crashed, and my TK102 didn't have any service...
My P3 luckily returned to home and didn't get low battery and just land or hit any of the tall trees on its path home. I watched the video footage on the SD card and apparently the P3 did ascend with left stick full upward even during RTH. This saved me.

I bought Marco Polo. I feel so much more relaxed flying now. I'm almost always flying in the mountains out of cell service. Marco Polo is the most reliable non-GPS tracker. Battery lasts for 3 days pinging every 5 seconds at 900mhz. The handheld device looks crazy but it works and you don't need to pack around a HAM radio with a Yagi antenna (which was my alternative - RF UAV drone beacon 600mhz) and would have cost me about half the Marco Polo... But I wouldn't trust it as much and I don't need added stress in my life.

I really want a flytrex live + but for my specific fly style without 3G GPS would it really help? Nope. I sure hope P4 has a dedicated black box- this tracker stuff is nuts.


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[Jtrjr]

Nope. I sure hope P4 has a dedicated black box- this tracker stuff is nuts.

Great story, Noble! I've had a few of those 15 minutes as well.

Jerry

 

[Gary E]

...Yeah, personally for what Marco Polo does, it seems pretty expensive and doesn't have any other use other than for tracking drones or maybe your pets?...
...I like the trackimo because i can put it in my car, luggage, drone, whatever and it provides many uses. The tile is seriously no good for other than keys or stuff you may leave around the house. Also, the battery dies after 1 year so that would be painful if you forgot...

And if you are operating the craft in an area of no cell service? Marco Polo for me. Hope I never have to use it.