Two options to launch your Mavic Pro

Getting the Mavic Pro from unboxing to flight is about as simple as it could be. First you unfold the Mavic and then find an area clear of tall buildings, wires, planes, people and cars. You get the picture; it can be difficult to find legal places to fly a drone these days (also, don’t forget to get your $5 drone license at the FAA.gov).

The Mavic Pro comes pre-paired with its shockingly small remote. This is easily my favorite drone remote ever. It’s light, rugged, comes with a built-in monochrome LED screen and grippers that fold out to hold your smartphone. You don’t need to use a smartphone to fly the Mavic Pro (you can also fly with just the phone app), but then you miss out on the live feed of what the Mavic Pro’s 12-megapixel, 4K gimbal camera can see. There is also a significant amount of touch-screen control added through the excellent, free DJI Go app.

As soon as you power up both the drone and the remote, they pair. The bottom of the remote unfolds and acts as a secure holder for your smartphone. The default plug on the drone one I tested was a micro USB. I flew the drone with both an iPhone 6 and a Samsung Galaxy S7. For the former, I had to use a separate lighting cable that plugged into a USB slot on the remote and then directly into the iPhone.

Take-off is easy and you even have two launch options: Lift-off through the app or via the remote-control joysticks. In the app, I selected the takeoff icon on the screen and then used an on-screen slider to initiate the take-off. Launching with the remote joysticks is more fun and maybe a tiny bit easier.  To launch with this mode, you have to simultaneously push or pull the sticks to the inner or outer corners. Once the motors start, you release the joysticks and the Mavic Pro takes off. It’s drone flight simplified.

Like every other drone I’ve flown over the years, the Mavic Pro is full of sensors. It has ultrasonic sensors to know its altitude, so it automatically hovers to a little over a meter high, waiting for instructions. There are also forward-facing vision sensors for obstacle detection and, of course, a GPS and compass. Put simply, the Mavic Pro knows where it is, where it’s going and if there’s anything in its way.

When I launched the Mavic Pro and started using the remote control, I was immediately impressed by its control. Not only is the Mavic Pro responsive, but I could precisely control its movements in a way I have never experienced before with a drone. While I comfortably flew in a large open field, I also successfully flew it in my tiny backyard, did a couple of test-flights inside my house and one in Mashable’s New York City studio space (without GPS, it had a little trouble responding to my land command).

It also helps that, obviously, the Mavic Pro has built-in obstacle detection. Anytime the Mavic Pro got too close to anything and it would slow down or stop, the Obstacle Detection Bar on the app would turn orange and the remote would vibrate. I could not force it to run into anything. The drone can still back into stuff; there are no rear obstacle detection cameras.

If you want the Mavic Pro to respond more quickly (or radically) to the control and to fly at its max speed of 40 miles per hour, there’s a small slide switch on the side of the remote that lets you enable Sport Mode. I wouldn’t suggest drone newbies using this or enabling this mode indoors.

It’s also worth noting that the Mavic Pro is among the quietest drones I’ve flown. I’m not saying it’s not loud, but once you get it a hundred feet in the air or so, it’s fairly hard to hear.

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Xiaomi mi drone setup tutorial

We need to connect the phone with Xiaomi mi drone well before flying, turn remote control on, and then turn power button on, after the remote control power button turns red to white, it shows the remote control has connected successfully with your drone. Then you can open Xiaomi mi drone App on your phone to let the drone connect with your phone APP.

The Drone flying at different locations needs to calibrate the compass first before.According to the prompt of the APP, after calibration, switch Mi drone host, can let Xiaomi drone keep the normal state. In addition to calibrate the compass, if the remote control operation is unusual, you can also use the APP to correct the remote control.

Xiaomi Mi drone is built in more perfect no-fly zone information, you need to try outside the zone to experience the fun of aerial and remote control flying. At the same time we will strictly comply with the relevant safety standards.

When you start the Xiaomi mi drone, its camera can’t touch anything,  otherwise it may cause the failure self-inspection of camera and gimbal.

Sohu technology based on the actual encounter situation, when you start the millet drone, drone cameras can’t touch anything, otherwise it may cause the failure of camera haeundae self-inspection. In this case, if for aerial will be failure.

After Xiaomi Mi drone completed self-checking and search positioning, if it meets the requirements for take-off, users can press the button on the remote control and control the state by left and right roller. When landing, it also needs to press the button for safety landing. On the left side of the button of the app can also be in transmission photos mode switch.

If the UAV fly under the lower power, it will return automatically. And it will have warning notification for low power and app notification in the phone. Xiaomi mi drone increase the notification function of low power on its remote control, too for better safe flying.

 

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How to save Syria’s Palmyra with a drone?

The war in Syria has lots of people worried about the country’s future. But some are also worried about preserving Syria’s past.

Take the ancient city of Palmyra. ISIS militants destroyed part of it, and they rigged many of the sites there with explosives before they were driven out last spring.

So an architect working with the Syrian government had an idea: Send in a drone.

The result is an art exhibit, “Eternal Sites: From Bamiyan to Palmyra,” on display in Paris. French President François Hollande opened it, and The New York Times reports that he “described the works as ‘an act of resistance’ against terror and intolerance.”

How it got to Paris was a story itself. “The situation wasn’t very stable,” says Yves Ubelmann, co-founder of Iconem, the group behind the project. “It was difficult for us to stay on the site.”

But in the little time they did stay, much was done. Ubelmann says they used a drone that could take thousands of photographs per hour. It gave them plenty of data for use in recreating the ruins with 3D printing.

“We use a specific algorithm that is able to reconstruct a 3D model based on 2D pictures,” he says. “So we can put into this program the thousands of pictures and create a model of Palmyra that is picture-perfect.”

Ubelmann believes that heritage can be rebuilt digitally. He also says it’s a way to combat ISIS propaganda.

“We use a picture to show how nice these sites are. And I also think it’s a response to violent people who try to destroy sites like Palmyra and Bamiyan [in Afghanistan],” he says. “The problem is that this destruction is the result of ignorance. And if we give these people the culture and a way to love this heritage I think we can fight violence in this way.”

As for Palmyra, it’s still in a war zone. But Ubelmann hopes his team can return and protect what’s left.

( Via PRI )

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Is Yuneec Breeze designed for you?

Yuneec Breeze is a simple, easy-to-fly drone that takes good-quality photos and video, then folds down into a small, portable package.

One simple word is all it takes, and that word is simply “simplicity”. Yes, the Yuneec Breeze was designed and marketed for the everyday person who’d love the opportunity to get a better view of things and capture life’s moments with professional quality in resolution. The Yuneec Breeze comes as a single unit, and requires practically no set up or break down to operate. It is operated straight from any smart device with WiFi capabilities, so there’s no controller to store or keep track of. The breeze weighs in at only .8 lbs which does put it within the specs to legally be considered a drone, so any use will require FAA registration and the operator will need to make sure they stay compliant with the law to operate it. Small and incredibly compact with it’s own storage container, the Yuneec Breeze can be taken pretty much anywhere the operator desires, as well as indoors if the operator has the confidence to do so.

The memory is also completely self contained in the Yuneec Breeze, which we see as a real plus in this instance. An SD card that can be changed out is of key importance to a lot of professionals using the the larger drones, but with the Yuneec Breeze battery life only having 12 minutes per charge, it’s impossible to fill up the memory between flights and uploading is as simple as sending the photos and video straight to your smart device via the WiFi connection or through USB to your home computer. Yuneec was also nice enough to provide an extra battery, so right out of the box you can get double the flight time. It takes about 45 minutes to charge each battery, so don’t expect to go running out to fly again right away.

The Yuneec Breeze comes equipped with an optical sensor on it’s underside. While this helps prevent the Yuneec Breeze 4k from hitting ground, it does not work as a side sensor so there is still the chance of running into obstacles. We also discovered that flying over water presents a risk, as the reflectivity of the water’s surface interfered with the optics, causing the Breeze to lower on it’s own. It almost ended up in the drink, but we were able to right it just in time.

For one, Yuneec neglected to give instructions in the box on how to do it and the tools it requires. Built outside the USA, this fix requires a 1.5 mm hex wrench…and the tool is not provided, so getting this job done may require a trip down to the hardware store if you don’t already have one. You’ll also need to use an exacto blade to remove the cover where the prop screws are accessible, and the gum that secures the cover is in the way of the screws and will need to be worked around. When we did get the props changed out, we found it difficult to reattach the covers as securely as they were out of the box.

Despite some of these minor setbacks, the most important aspect of the design of the Yuneec Breeze is how insanely compact it is. Even with the landing gear engaged, we were able to comfortably fit the Yuneec Breeze under Yuneec’s Typhoon Q500 4K quite comfortably. With it’s own carry case capable of storing one backup battery, this conveniently compact flying camera can go anywhere you want to take it with virtually no problems, and THAT’S what it’s all about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to use Phantom 4 battery correctly

Battery life is always an important consideration, the Phantom 4 is capable of nearly 28 minutes of flight, compared to the Phantom 3’s 25 minutes.

Designed specifically for the DJI Phantom 4, the ‘Intelligent Flight Battery’ is a Lithium Polymer unit with a voltage of 15.2v and a capacity of 5350mAh which gives users an extended flight time and increases reliability. The official DJI charger which comes alongside the battery has an output power of 100w.

According to DJI, the Phantom 4 Battery makes this sleek quadcopter 25% more effective than its predecessor, the Phantom 3. However, the Phantom 4’s extra power means extra weight. The PH4 is almost 30% heavier than the previous power unit, though at 16 ounces, it’s hardly a heavyweight.

Specifications

Battery

• Capacity: 5350mAh
• Voltage: 15.2v
• Type: LiPo 4S
• Energy: 81.3Wh
• Weight: 462g
• Height: 2”
• Length: 3”
• Width: 1”
• Battery Life: 24 – 28 minutes

Charger

• Power 100w
• Voltage 17.4v

It’s time to focus on how to use it correctly. Use the following guidance when powering up your quadcopter to ensure a safe, reliable flight.

Using the Battery

When activating the Phantom 4 battery, press the ‘Power Button’ once, then press again and hold for 2 seconds to turn it on. The button’s LED will turn red before changing green and the Battery Level Indicators will display the current charge level.

To turn the battery off, follow the same steps, the Power Button LED will flash when powering down.

Notes

• You must fully charge the battery before your first flight
• Always turn off the battery before inserting it or removing it from the Phantom 4
• Never insert or remove the battery when it is active

Charging the Battery

1. Connect the Battery Charger to a power source
2. Open the protection cap and connect the Intelligent Flight Battery to the Battery Charger
3. The Battery Level Indicator (LEDs) will display the current charge level
4. The battery is fully charged when all of the LEDs have turned off
5. Air-cool the battery after each flight, allowing it to reach room temperature before storage

Notes

• Batteries must be charged using a DJI approved adapter (warranty will be voided if a non-DJI charger causes issues)
• Wherever possible, don’t leave the battery unattended during charging

Pilots should always factor in battery life before every flight, planning routes and setting emergency landing points. Poor planning and a lack of emergency points risks having your drone’s auto-landing sequence place it dangerous terrain (like water).

(Remember: More range means more responsibility.)

Also remember that you can find extra batteries or Phantom 4 bundles here.

 

 

 

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I recommend you spend the extra money on the Mavic Pro remote

When the Mavic Pro arrived in our offices, the reaction was unanimous: holy shit, it’s small. The folding drone is roughly the size and weight of a hefty Italian sandwich, let alone the controller.

There’s one other option available, the Mavic ($749), which is the same as the Pro edition, minus the dedicated remote control. If you plan on flying exclusively with your smartphone as the controller, it’s a solid way to save some money, but it cuts the maximum operating range to about a 0.6 miles (1km) and throttles down the top speed to 9mph. I recommend you spend the extra money on the remote. It’s small—smaller than an Xbox controller when folded—and flying a drone with joysticks offers more control.

The controller features dual joysticks—the left controls altitude and spins the Mavic Pro about its axis, while the right moves it in in the direction you push the stick. It also has two control wheels—the left adjusts the gimbal tilt and the right brightens or darkens video. There are buttons to take a picture, start and stop video recording, activate Return to Home mode, and pause automated flight. Two rear buttons launch the app’s camera menu by default, but can be customized. Likewise, any of the four directional presses of the small joypad that sits at the right of the monochrome information LCD can be customized.

Two antennas sit atop the controller, folding down for storage. The clip to hold a smartphone—it had no problem accommodating a phablet—sits at the bottom. Cables are included for Lightning and micro USB connections, but if you use a phone with USB-C you’ll need to buy an $8 accessory cable.

Here we’ll show you how to successfully link the DJI Mavic Pro Controller with the Mavic aircraft.

How do I know if my remote is linked with the Mavic Pro aircraft?

The main symptom of an unlinked remote controller or mobile device is the flashing yellow light at the back of the craft.

What should I do before attempting to link the remote control to the Mavic Pro aircraft?

1. Ensure that all your devices are fully charged.
2. Release the small flap on top of the Mavic’s remote controller and ensure that the mode is set to RC, not WiFi.

3.Ensure your mobile device is fully charged.

You shouldn’t need to do anything else in preparation for linking your remote control and the aircraft.

How do I link my Mavic Remote Control and the Mavic Pro aircraft?

Simply follow the instructions below to link the controller and the aircraft:

1. Connect the remote controller, and the mobile device you’re using, with an appropriate USB cable.
2. Turn on your Remote Control and Aircraft.
3. Launch the DJI Go app on your mobile device.
4. Press the blue ‘Camera’ button.
5. Select the three dots at the top right-hand corner of the screen to open the settings menu.
6. Then select the small blue remote control icon on the left-hand side of the menu.
7. Now select the ‘Linking Remote Controller’ option within the settings menu.

8.Select whether this is a Master or Slave controller (usually Master) and press OK.

9.You will now see a ‘Searching for Aircraft Frequency’ prompt appear on the screen.

10.Now with a small tool, press the link button on the side of the Mavic Pro, just underneath the flap and above the red LED.

11.Wait up to 60 seconds until a prompt is shown in the DJI GO app that confirms ‘Remote Controller Linked’.

That’s all there is to it!

 

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