Atti mode phantom questions

plasrobin · Jan 1, 2016

Hi,

I've done some interactions in this great community, but this will be my first post.

I had a question about atti mode, a part of me wants to try to fly in atti mode. But i don't want to risk crashing my expensive phantom 3 professional. i've read that its always good to know how to fly in this mode incase something happens like to much headwind when using return to home, or GPS or compass issues.

I've flown with cheap multicopters, can i expect a behavior like that ? what can i expect ? i know it will drift with wind ect but is it hard to keep the altitude like you want the bird to react, is the phantom fairly stable in atti mode ? will it behave like a regular cheap multicopter without gps, i have lots of experience with that, will the air brake work in atti mode ?

If you can please provide me with more info on that so i could learn (safely) a bit more.

Thanks!

Robin
Belgium
Phantom 3 pro

msinger · Jan 1, 2016

Your Phantom will fly without the assistance of GPS when in ATTI mode. The biggest differences you'll notice is that it'll drift with the wind and it'll take longer for it to come to a stop. It'll still maintain its altitude per the usual. Just make sure you're above all obstacles when you try it out and you'll be fine.

Meta4 · Jan 1, 2016

plasrobin said:
I had a question about atti mode, a part of me wants to try to fly in atti mode. But i don't want to risk crashing my expensive phantom 3 professional.

what can i expect ? i know it will drift with wind ect but is it hard to keep the altitude like you want the bird to react, is the phantom fairly stable in atti mode?

Atti mode won't cause your Phantom to crash.
In atti mode you still have the gyros, accellerometers and barometer sensors all working - just the GPS is off.
So your Phantom will hold altitude but not horizontal position.
It's a bit like driving on ice - you have no brakes.

It's no big deal and easy to try out.
Just find a nice open area with no trees or buildings around, send your Phantom up 10 metres and switch to A mode (centre position on the switch).
Fly around, gently at first and see how you go.
At any time you can switch back to GPS.

jimerb · Jan 1, 2016

I'd make sure your above the trees when you try it. Especially if there is ANY wind. I personally get spooked in this mode and don't really see any practical reason to use it since I'm mainly into photography.

Solar Deity · Jan 1, 2016

plasrobin said:
Hi,

I've flown with cheap multicopters, can i expect a behavior like that ? what can i expect ? i know it will drift with wind ect but is it hard to keep the altitude like you want the bird to react, is the phantom fairly stable in atti mode ? will it behave like a regular cheap multicopter without gps, i have lots of experience with that, will the air brake work in atti mode ?

If you can please provide me with more info on that so i could learn (safely) a bit more.

Thanks!

Robin
Belgium
Phantom 3 pro

The behavior is much better than a cheap MR as the barometer will hold altitude for you. You will need to keep horizontal position. It will drift with the wind. I frequently bring the P3 up to about 200' overhead and enter Atti mode. I let it drift with the wind for 10 - 15 seconds or so. I like to know what the wind is doing up above. When reviewing my flight on the Go app, I look for that segment of the flight and you can tell the direction and speed of the wind very accurately. The P3 will be carried by the winds aloft and its speed and direction is evident. I like to know how much wind I was flying in and how the P3 reacted in it, just for my knowledge.

The "air brake" does not work in Atti mode. A safe way to try is bring it above all local obstructions and flip it in to Atti mode and watch. ALWAYS remember your safety net is to put it back in P-GPS mode if it starts getting away from you. It will hold altitude and orientation in Atti mode, but will slide around like a hockey puck on ice, on a level plane. Like I said, I let mine drift until it is "flowing" with the wind. At night (especially), the arm lights are easy to see change from green to yellow in Atti mode. Try and hold it in position while "fighting" the wind. Get ready to flip the switch right back to P-GPS in the first few attempts. Up high, you are safe and lessen the chance of hitting anything. Again, P-GPS mode when your nerves have had enough.

SD

Msinger, Meta4 and Jim are faster typers than me............

Great Pumpkin · Jan 1, 2016

I would add that it is doubly important to know the direction your Phantom is pointing in ATTI when making a course change, because once you send it in one direction, it will just keep going in that direction. It won't stop and hover when you release the stick as it does in GPS to give you a chance to decide what you want to do next or quickly correct a heading when you zigged but meant to zag.

plasrobin · Jan 1, 2016

A big thanks to you all, a very clear explanation, and valuable tips indeed, i love the forum and the android app.

flyNfrank · Jan 1, 2016

Once you reach the altitude you want to fly at, Atti Mode should be your next step if you want to be known as a good flier. Reach altitude, select A-mode, watch the direction the aircraft drifts. Give it some time to pick up speed to give indication on how strong the wind is at this altitude you are wanting to fly at. While drifting I usually yaw the aircraft in the direction of drift travel. Then return back to P-mode when you want full control over the aircraft once again.

dr.evil · Jan 1, 2016

atti mode is the SPEED mode if you want to see how fast the bird flies....
PS. Where are you flying your drone in Belgium? no police problems so far? I'm also in Antwepen and the police is constantly warning me ....

plasrobin · Jan 1, 2016

Cool, thanks

Actualy i have a bit advantage in that case i believe, i live in limburg, and i have 4 hectares of ground to fly on, only farm ground, so i i can't bother anyone.

AIRNUTS · Jan 2, 2016

ATTI mode is not as hard as you think just know that if you let go of the controls and your flying on a windy day the phantom is going to drift with the wind and also you can always go back to GPS mode and regain total control, check this video of me flying ATTI with a cross wind of 30 mph,

MoOriginal · Jan 2, 2016

Just to add to the OP question.
I read or saw somewhere. That atti mode takes less battery power.
Used for example in a long distance flight.
Is this because of the gps being off not drawing voltage from battery?
Is it true?

Meta4 · Jan 2, 2016

MoOriginal said:
Just to add to the OP question.
I read or saw somewhere. That atti mode takes less battery power.
Used for example in a long distance flight.
Is this because of the gps being off not drawing voltage from battery?
Is it true?

If atti helps to squeeze a little more flight out of a battery, it's not because the GPS is switchched off - because it isn't. The GPS is on at all times but in atti the flight controller ignores GPS data.
In any case, the GPS would use so little electricity you would not be able to measure the difference.

I suspect the thinking behind it would more likely be that the Phantom would not be using energy to counter drift. I've never seen any testing of the theory and if the saving was significant, the long distance guys would be all over this.

plasrobin · Jan 2, 2016

AIRNUTS said:
ATTI mode is not as hard as you think just know that if you let go of the controls and your flying on a windy day the phantom is going to drift with the wind and also you can always go back to GPS mode and regain total control, check this video of me flying ATTI with a cross wind of 30 mph,

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That video is very informative and perfect thanks!

Dirty Bird · Jan 2, 2016

ATTI altitude hold on the P3 is a question I was curious about myself. On the P2s in ATTI mode she holds altitude, but you had to watch your altitude at high angles of attack as she would bleed it off. Are you 100% certain the P3 maintains altitude in ATTI mode (when you at max right stick)?

msinger said:
Your Phantom will fly without the assistance of GPS when in ATTI mode. The biggest differences you'll notice is that it'll drift with the wind and it'll take longer for it to come to a stop. It'll still maintain its altitude per the usual. Just make sure you're above all obstacles when you try it out and you'll be fine.

plasrobin · Jan 2, 2016

Brown trouser moment | Page 2 | DJI Phantom Forum

can someon please explain me the difference between gps atti and atti regular? is it just that atii regular is when you flip the switch and gps atti when it automatically enters in atii when you lack gps satellites? the reason why I ask is could the bird go in atti mode while in flight automatically? what's the difference, i hate to make a second topic for this so I thought i ask it here aswell since it's about a atii

Trackman1 · Jan 2, 2016

AIRNUTS said:
ATTI mode is not as hard as you think just know that if you let go of the controls and your flying on a windy day the phantom is going to drift with the wind and also you can always go back to GPS mode and regain total control, check this video of me flying ATTI with a cross wind of 30 mph,

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Thanks for posting the video. I am waiting for my P3P and I find the videos of the go app way more informative than vids from the camera.

force1164 · Jan 3, 2016

What would be a reason a p3a when switch into atti wouldn't ? I switch mine today and it still showed gps?

msinger · Jan 3, 2016

force1164 said:
What would be a reason a p3a when switch into atti wouldn't ? I switch mine today and it still showed gps?

Your Phantom will still be connected to GPS when in ATTI mode. It just doesn't use GPS to hold its position.

plasrobin · Jan 3, 2016

I've done it, Atti flying is not that hard, you have to think way more! its indeed just like a regular quad but way way more expensive. and it handles much better then a regular quad, just like a car on ice indeed. Your more likely to recover from a crash due to panic when a compass problem or GPS problem occurs, its good to know how to manual fly when all goes to hell

thanks!