Follow Me mode, beware on the altitude...

Saleh Penhos · Nov 3, 2015

Hi,

You can see a video of my Phantom 3 Professional running at 10 m/s (36 km/h) following me on my Black Jetta, at 120 meters high...

The issue was that I elevated the Phantom at 120 meters high, BUT from 90 meters below the highest estimated point... I supposed that my Phantom will keep the altitude constant to ME, but is was not... I was lucky to use the 120 meters limit for this function... if not, a crash would be imminent...

This is a very important issue to consider when using this function in uphills or downhills...

You can see the edited youtube video here, as well as the 4K original videos

Edited video, 480p resolution

Full 4K raw videos:

nhoover · Nov 3, 2015

Follow mode in DJI Go does NOT follow your altitude relatively, so yes, you have to be very careful in non-level areas. But in Litchi's Follow you can set it easily to do this as long as your mobile device has a pressure sensor (barometer). Works great on my Nexus 9.

Saleh Penhos · Nov 3, 2015

Thanks nhoover,

Unfortunately, I was not aware of this until I was going uphill, and noticed that thePhantom, was not climbing... I was lucky then...

I will try in Litchi and see if my HTC M8 or my Samsung tablet has a barometer...

Thanks

Saleh Penhos · Nov 3, 2015

Well,

I am lucky that my HTC has a barometer... even though is not accurate, it will serve for my purposes...

I think that the Follow Me function is on one of the best... as you can be very creative...

bobmyers · Nov 3, 2015

Saleh Penhos said:
Hi,

You can see a video of my Phantom 3 Professional running at 10 m/s (36 km/h) following me on my Black Jetta, at 120 meters high...

The issue was that I elevated the Phantom at 120 meters high, BUT from 90 meters below the highest estimated point... I supposed that my Phantom will keep the altitude constant to ME, but is was not... I was lucky to use the 120 meters limit for this function... if not, a crash would be imminent...

This is a very important issue to consider when using this function in uphills or downhills...

You can see the edited youtube video here, as well as the 4K original videos

Edited video, 480p resolution

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Full 4K raw videos:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

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The P3 does not follow relative altitude in any mode-- The altitude is calculated from the home take off point.

Saleh Penhos · Nov 3, 2015

Thanks bobmyers,

So that means that the Litchi, will not work, changing the altitude to keep constant relative to the controller/phone GPS reading?

III% Streve · Nov 3, 2015

A bit of a no-brainer!

Kaehn · Nov 3, 2015

Saleh Penhos said:
So that means that the Litchi, will not work, changing the altitude to keep constant relative to the controller/phone GPS reading?

It will work if your device has a pressure sensor

bobmyers · Nov 3, 2015

Saleh Penhos said:
Thanks bobmyers,

So that means that the Litchi, will not work, changing the altitude to keep constant relative to the controller/phone GPS reading?

I do not have any experience with Lichti since it is an Android app--

with a barometer has no effect on the DJI go App with relation to ground relation and following the terrain at a set altitude.

GreggC · Nov 3, 2015

Beautiful area,
Where is it ??

Saleh Penhos · Nov 3, 2015

Hi,

It is located in Mexico City, in Bosques de las Lomas, one of the most exclusive neighborhood around here...

nhoover · Nov 4, 2015

Saleh Penhos said:
I will try in Litchi and see if my HTC M8 or my Samsung tablet has a barometer...

Install Sensor Box Sensor Box for Android - Android Apps on Google Play and then you can see what sensors you have and how sensitive they are. The specs I found for the Nexus 9 said it didn't have it but it does, as shown by Sensor Box very definitively (and by Litchi Follow working up and down hills).

AgentOrange2015 · Nov 4, 2015

Saleh Penhos said:
Hi,

You can see a video of my Phantom 3 Professional running at 10 m/s (36 km/h) following me on my Black Jetta, at 120 meters high...

The issue was that I elevated the Phantom at 120 meters high, BUT from 90 meters below the highest estimated point... I supposed that my Phantom will keep the altitude constant to ME, but is was not... I was lucky to use the 120 meters limit for this function... if not, a crash would be imminent...

This is a very important issue to consider when using this function in uphills or downhills...

You can see the edited youtube video here, as well as the 4K original videos

Edited video, 480p resolution

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Full 4K raw videos:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

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I liked your video's but here is the main question that everyone out there is asking, " You have your P3P Controller in your vehicle. Do you have it stuck out a window, sitting on the seat beside you, is it in the SUV on the passengers seat, sitting in the back seat, so on an so forth, meaning, where did you locate the controller and what were the conditions around the controller?
It would have been great to see you fly the Phantom down to the vehicle that was being used to do this video and see where it was all coming from.

Erroll · Nov 4, 2015

AgentOrange2015 said:
I liked your video's but here is the main question that everyone out there is asking, " You have your P3P Controller in your vehicle. Do you have it stuck out a window, sitting on the seat beside you, is it in the SUV on the passengers seat, sitting in the back seat, so on an so forth, meaning, where did you locate the controller and what were the conditions around the controller?
It would have been great to see you fly the Phantom down to the vehicle that was being used to do this video and see where it was all coming from.

I have used both GO and Autopilot apps' follow me functions. GO does not adjust altitude.
The Autopilot app does adjust altitude. It will use the barometer if your IOS device has one, otherwise it will use GPS (if you tell it to do so in the engage process.) I don't have a barometer in my mini but have found that GPS is accurate enough to be safe.

AgentOrange2015 · Nov 4, 2015

You missed my point and question, I wanted to know where you mounted the controller in your vehicle? Did you hold it out of the window? Did you open the sunroof? Was a passenger holding the controller while driving around? How did you keep the Antenna pointed at the Phantom when you were driving around?

Erroll · Nov 4, 2015

AgentOrange2015 said:
You missed my point and question, I wanted to know where you mounted the controller in your vehicle? Did you hold it out of the window? Did you open the sunroof? Was a passenger holding the controller while driving around? How did you keep the Antenna pointed at the Phantom when you were driving around?

I am not clear who you are getting so tense with, but in my case, I simply put the controller on the passenger seat next to me with the iPad screen facing me so that I can see what the camera sees, and adjust the gimbal as required.
Remember that the quad is following at only 100-150 feet above and maybe 50 feet to the side/behind me depending on the settings I provided to the app. Surely even you realise that at those distances no sunroof or special antenna pointing is required. As long as you do not travel too fast, the quad will keep up.

Edited to add - I tried it and can confirm, if you do travel too fast and lose signal, the Autopilot app reports "loss of telemetry" and the quad goes into a hover.

tcope · Nov 4, 2015

Don't see that any Lome getting upset, just perhaps brief with the question. I have tried sitting in the passenger seat and using follow me. With the controller at all inside the vehicle I lost signal pretty quick. I suspect the angle of the antennas have a lot to do with it.

AgentOrange2015 · Nov 4, 2015

You have to excuse me, but when you have had some pretty bad crashes with a Phantom 2 and such like I have had over time, I like to check out every thing I can to at least minimize the chances of problems with flying my P3S and P3P with a new application. So yes, the positioning of the controller in your vehicle is a big deal to me and shortly I will go out and give it a try and see what happens. Thanks for your help and assistance with this. Remember this, your breaking new ground for many of us and as such, we depend on your honesty and truthfulness concerning this. So for all of us, who have learned, THANKS for the help.

Erroll · Nov 4, 2015

AgentOrange2015 said:
You have to excuse me, but when you have had some pretty bad crashes with a Phantom 2 and such like I have had over time, I like to check out every thing I can to at least minimize the chances of problems with flying my P3S and P3P with a new application. So yes, the positioning of the controller in your vehicle is a big deal to me and shortly I will go out and give it a try and see what happens. Thanks for your help and assistance with this. Remember this, your breaking new ground for many of us and as such, we depend on your honesty and truthfulness concerning this. So for all of us, who have learned, THANKS for the help.

No problem!.
I have not tried "losing signal" with GO, but certainly with Autopilot, set your following altitude to be higher than any obstacle you are likely to encounter, choose GPS at engage time, and you will be pretty safe. At worst, you will end up with a hovering quad, looking forlornly at your car travelling down the road......