I think I may have a problem and wondered if anyone could shed some light on how to solve it please ? I am flying a Mavic Mini and using an iPad Mini4 nestled in the RC. But the Aircradt Orientation Indicator doesn’t work as I think it should. Please have a look at this 2 minute video and the viewer will see what I mean. https://youtu.be/PMxAf8q0dM8
My Son says that it is because my iPad is not cellular and therefore hasn’t got GPS but I’m not so sure that’s right. Do I need to download a compass app onto the iPad or something like that ? I purchased the MM at Christmas and keep the software updated and the compass calibrated.
Could anyone shed any light on why the indicator isn’t working please ? All helpful answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Yes, he’s right, the Ipad has not got a compass built into it, so it does not know where you are, so to speak.
You could cache your maps of the area into Google Maps, that may help ( you will need to do this at home with WiFi)
My advice is to swop to using a phone, which will have GPS,etc.
You could also link the IPad to a phone as a Wifi hotspot, but, to do that you may as well use the phone as a viewer.
This is why it is important that you have a device that has a compass built in, as you will be unable to keep LOS with the MM.
I believe there maybe other posts that can explain this better than I can.
Thank you @chrisjohnbaker & @stevelyt But I think I may have fixed it. I found more videos on YT and have been oustide and calibrated the IMU. Never done that before but my Son, who is very iT literate, bought 2 MMs at Christmas, one for himself and one for me and he set it all up for me. Maybe he didn’t calibrate the IMU. I’m not able to test it realistically because it’s too windy but when I tturn the Mini round and round while outside the arrow turns accordingly. It’s certainly better than it was anyway. I have recorded the screen and if it’s of any use I’ll post it up.
Half my trouble is that I’m not an Apple fan, desktop and Windows for me, and I only bought the iPad because I wanted a larger screen. I don’t use IOS at all.
Thank you @stevelyt but I only ever use my old Nokia N8 for calls, photos, and the ocassional text. Don’t use it for the Internet or anything like that. Sorry but I’m a bit of a Luddite.
Just an update. The screen recording wasn’t very good and not something I wish to show but the point of the arrow pointed in the same direction as the camera. I’m slightly concerned that the arrow was mostly at 3.0clock in relation to the circle and when I turned the Mini round the point moved accordingly. I would have expected the arrow to have been at the top of the “fan” that is inside the circle when the RC was in-line with it and indeed it was for a while. When I can I’ll have a fly and record the screen and show it on here just in case it helps someone also.
So everything that I read about a mini iPad being ideal for a screen and that it didn’t need to have cellular capabilities was incorrect ? I do have the iPad linked to my router, that’s how I update the drone software and I read in an earlier post of yours that I could cache maps of my area into Google Maps which I do use for other things. Is that a reasonably easy thing to accomplish or best left to my Son to do it for me ? I should probably add that I will probably only ever fly from within a 5 mile radius of where I live and I know the area literally like the back of my hand.
O.K. Gents, I may have made some progress. I’ve always had the little map in bottom LH corner and although I was only in the house a few moments ago I switched everything on and expanded the map and it seemed to know where I was ! I did download Google Maps prior to that though but the map has always been there since my Son set it all up for me, it’s just that I have never used it. I’ve never needed to because I have only ever flown from home and like I said earlier, I know the area very well.
@alexmciver You asked for a DM. What is that please ?
And thanks for the link @chrisjohnbaker, I’ll have a look at that later. I have found a couple of useful YT videos as well.
Now a moan. How can I “quote” another person’s post on here, and how do I “edit” any of my posts. I can’t see how to do either. Apologies for being such a dullard but I am getting on in years. Let’s just say I am “self-isolating” That gives an idea of my age !
To do the above, just highlight the text of the quote of the other member until it turns blue (click you mouse beside it. and scroll right ,holding down the mouse button), and a box “quote” will appear, click the box and the quoted section will got into the box that you reply with.
You can only edit your post for ten minutes after it has been put on GADC, to edit you post, go to the icons to the left of the “REPLY” button at the bottom RHS of your post, click the Pencil (edit this post) and your post and you will be able to amend your post.
Hope that helps.
Thank you for that. Never seen a quote option work like that before. And thank you for sticking with me. Sorry if I’m being a bit dim. Tomorrow promises to be a bit calmer and so I might try a short flight just to see what I have got on the iPad.
No worries, glad to be of help,
I forgot to mention that if you want to send a DM (Direct Message) to another member, just click on their name and you will see a blue box on the right called “message”, if you click on it it then brings up your text box to send that person a message.
The message can only be read and is only received by only the member you have contacted, and, is completely private to you and them.
Thank you, and I understand about the DM now and will send you one. I have always called them PMs and I actually ran a web site for a classic vehicle marque for 12 years and they were always know as PMs ! I must try and keep up ! Incidentally I discovered another way to quote. Press Reply to whoever you wish to quote and then click on the lasso in top left corner.
UPDATE. Did a short flight yesterday with the MM but it was a bit windy. The Aircradt Orientation Indicator did not work correctly but the map seems to be working and so I’ll stick with that I think. Thanks to everyone for their help.
Just a helpful tip,
when flying in wind always fly into the wind on your outward leg of your flight, then if you get in trouble, your return will be a lot easier with the wind behind you.
If need be switch into “sport mode” to give extra speed.
