Precision Droning: New Ground Station Pro for iPad App and What You Need to Know

Last month at CES, DJI released their new Ground Station Pro for iPad app. This free app is an improvement on the old Ground Station app from a few years ago that worked with select flight controllers and the Phantom 2.

The new Ground Station Pro app works with all DJI aerial platforms including the Phantom, Inspire, Matrice, and Mavic series as well as custom drones with DJI flight controllers. The app is built for three things:

1. Creating a Virtual Fence
2. Waypoint Flight
3. 3D Area Scanning

With the Virtual Fence, you can limit flight exactly, allowing the pilot to avoid going outside of a boundary where there may be obstacles of some kind. While in a Virtual Fence, the user flies in in Joystick mode. This mode allows flight through the box with almost no drift whatsoever. This could be useful when precision is required.

With Waypoints you can set up to 99 unique points and control all flight qualities including speed, altitude, camera orientation as well as do various actions including record, hover, or take a picture. Waypoints could be used to capture a complex structure, make a delivery, or complete a complex inspection procedure.

Lastly, there’s 3D Area Scanning. In 3D aerial mapping, getting the right flight pattern and overlap is very important. This app now takes out the need for calculation and takes care of it for you. The software will map out any shape of space. Soon, the app will also be able to 3D map tall structures with 3D Point-of-Interest mode.

Ground Station Pro for iPad is likely the first of many apps of its kind from DJI. It appears to be predominately built for 3D mapping and inspection as opposed to aerial cinematography. Some have already compared the app to 3^rd party apps such as Litchi and AutoPilot, but those were created for aerial cinematography as well.

As it has only recently begun being used, we will likely soon see many use cases in industries such as agriculture, architecture, search and rescue, inspection and many more.

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DJI GS PRO: THE NEW GROUND STATION THAT REVOLUTION YOUR WAY TO FLY

DJI has announced the release of GS PRO (also known as Ground Station Pro), the iPad app that allows you to control and schedule automatic flights for DJI drone.

Through a few simple touches on the screen, you can program complex and take pictures flights in points (waypoints) preset.

The Ground Station Pro is equipped with a new feature, the Virtual Fence, which gives greater security and ease of flight, as it allows you to lock the height and speed within a designated area. The Virtual Fence is very useful in scenarios where there are no-fly zone and can be of great help in the training of future pilots. Moreover, its size and shape are fully customizable. The Virtual Fence can be created both before and during the flight, using the position of the drone as a starting point.

But it does not end there. Other functionalities are 3D Map POI (soon) and 3D Map Area. We’ll analyze them in detail.

3D Map POI

With this feature you can create maps of structures of a certain height. You must simply choose the subject and set a distance between it and the aircraft. The GS Pro will then provide the relevant parameters, including speed and time, to turn around the structure. The images can then be exported into the 3D reconstruction software to produce accurate 3D models of the entire building.

3D Map Area

The GS PRO automatically generates the best routes, after the user has set the flight area and the parameters of the room, and the drone will follow the assigned trajectory. Later, the images will be included in the 3D reconstruction software to generate 3D maps and the mission can be saved for later use.

With the GS Pro you can adjust several parameters including: overlap, altitude, shooting angle, course angle and margins. You can also set up to 99 waypoints and adjust the speed, the pitch of the gimbal and the rotation of the drone (clockwise / anticlockwise).

Each waypoint can have up to 15 consecutive actions, including the rotation of the drone, the pitch of the gimbal, recording start / stop, capture photos and hover.
You can also set the actions End of Mission through the Return To Home, hover or landing.

Two flight modes are finally available: Inside Mode and Scan Mode. Inside mode with the drone will follow a trajectory generated automatically within the selected area and Scan Mode will be provided the fastest route to cover the designated area.

The Ground Station Pro is an excellent application that allow you to improve the performance of various sectors such as agriculture, security, search and rescue, electrical inspections and many others.

The GS PRO is compatible with the following DJI platforms : Phantom 4/ Pro , Phantom Standard 3 / 4K / Advanced / Professional, Mavic Pro, Inspire 2, Inspire 1, Matrix Pro 600, matrix 600, matrix 100, A3 / A3 Pro, N3.

Finally, it is compatible with all cameras of the series Phantom 3/4 and Zenmuse X3, X5, X5R, X4S, X5S and Z3.

 

 

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DJI CES 2017: Which product interests you most?

DJI, the world leader in drone industry, introduced five distinct products in LAS VEGAS on Jan. 4, 2017.Below are all new products from DJI.

Handheld: Osmo Mobile Silver & Zenmuse M1

 

The Osmo Mobile turns a smartphone into a smart motion camera, giving creators the tool to effortlessly create cinematic videos. The new Osmo Mobile Silver was created with lifestyle in mind and shares the same high-quality build and ergonomic design found in the rest of the Osmo family. Using the DJI GO app, users can track their subject automatically, create motion timelapses, take dramatic long exposures, make 9-shot panoramas, and livestream their story to social media.

Further enhancements have been added to the Osmo Mobile Silver to make every moment you shoot look smooth, professional and ready to share. A new Beautify mode uses automatic identification and intelligent processing technologies inside the DJI GO app, allowing users to do minor touch ups and give their videos that perfect, professional sheen. The Osmo Mobile Silver will also work with FiLMiC Pro, a professional filmmaking mobile app that gives creators more flexibility and creative freedom with their handheld device.

With the goal to make products scalable and to provide a way for existing Osmo customers to capture cinematic videos with their smartphones, the Zenmuse M1 gimbal will be made available as an add-on accessory. Similar to the Zenmuse X5 and X5R gimbals, the Zenmuse M1 allows owners of the original Osmo stabilizer to mount a smartphone and take full advantage of their existing Osmo handle.

Energy efficiency and high-capacity batteries give the Osmo Mobile Silver a maximum run time of 4.5 hours. The Osmo Mobile Silver is compatible with a range of smartphones, from 2.3 inches to 3.3 inches (58.6 mm – 84.8 mm) in width. The U.S. retail price of the Osmo Mobile Silver is $299 and the Zenmuse M1 gimbal is $169 (without the Osmo handle). Both products will start shipping in the second half of January.

Aerial:Phantom 4 CNY Edition

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, DJI is putting out a special limited edition of the Phantom 4 with designs from renowned illustrator Martin Sati. This reddish Phantom 4 Chinese New Year edition has a phoenix at the very center of its body, symbolizing good fortune and happiness. The drone will sell for $1,199 and will exclusively be found at Apple Stores, DJI Flagship Stores (except Korea), DJI Online Store, and Tmall DJI Store. It is expected to be delivered on Jan 23.

App: Ground Station Pro

Ground Station Pro (or GS Pro) is an iPad app designed for professional operators to plan and control autonomous flights for DJI aircraft. Through the app’s concise, easy to use interface, complex flight missions can be planned with just a few taps. GS Pro was designed to improve workflow and dramatically increase efficiency in a wide range of industries, especially those in aerial mapping, architecture, precision agriculture and electrical inspections.

The 3D Map Area function allows the aircraft to generate efficient flight paths after the operator has set their required flight zone and camera parameters. The aircraft will then follow this route throughout its mission. The image data captured during these flights can be input into 3D reconstruction software to generate 3D maps, while the mission itself can be saved for re-use.

The Tap and Go Waypoint feature allows for up to 99 waypoints per mission and each waypoint can have up to 15 consecutive actions, including aircraft rotation, gimbal pitch, start/stop recording, photo capture, and hover. A Virtual Fence increases safety and ease of use by locking the aircraft’s height and speed within a designated area. As the aircraft approaches the virtual fence, it will brake and hover to ensure it stays within the flight area.

Compatible with most DJI aerial platforms and Zenmuse cameras, the DJI GS Pro will serve as a powerful and convenient tool for many industries and give critical missions added accuracy and reliability. The GS Pro iPad app is free and available for download at the App Store.

Display: CrystalSky Monitor

Created for outdoor aerial imaging, the CrystalSky monitor features an ultra-bright screen that is clearly visible in sunlight. It is designed from the ground up to work seamlessly with the DJI GO app, giving camera operators total control.

A maximum 2000 cd/m² of brightness means the CrystalSky monitor is more than four times as bright as typical mobile devices. On-screen details are clear and sharp, and colors are vibrant, giving the quality needed to fine-tune image composition. Optimized video decoding is used to provide smooth, real-time video with minimal latency. The monitor supports H.264 and H.265 video decoding, allowing it to play back files at up to 30 fps and 60 fps respectively.

The CrystalSky monitor’s HDMI port allows up to 4K video to be output to FPV goggles and other display devices. The monitor’s storage can be extended, or footage recorded on a Micro SD Card can be played back directly on the monitor. It can also be used for footage backups. The embedded DJI GO app provides full access to all DJI GO features including aircraft parameter adjustment, camera control, footage management, and playback.

A two-cell 4920 mAh external battery gives the CrystalSky monitor a longer operating time than comparable mobile devices. It supports quick charge, and controls its discharge rate well even in low temperatures. The external battery has been designed for more extreme temperatures. CrystalSky is able to operate in as low as -4°F (-20°C) and, with its internal cooling system, functions normally in temperatures as high as 104°F (40°C).

The CrystalSky monitor will come in two sizes with 7.85″ and 5.5″ screens, and can achieve a maximum operation time of 4-5 hours and 5-6 hours respectively. Pricing and availability of the CrystalSky monitor will be announced at a later date.

 

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