Boat Mode

ivan · Mar 1, 2016

Just scanned this whole thread. Good info. Hopefully they can push something out for the spring/summer.

hershal · Mar 2, 2016

getting closer, lets pray!

Rich · Mar 2, 2016

Let them know you want this, create some customer demand.

Captain J.D. · Mar 21, 2016

CEO sent me a message on another blog, it's coming in the next software update, he said 3-4 weeks out is the plan, so that would make it around the later part of April.

hershal · Mar 21, 2016

Perfect timing for boating season.

Eric Sheehan · Mar 21, 2016

Anyone know what the forthcoming enhancements to Follow Me are?

GroundAndAir · Mar 27, 2016

Captain J.D. said:
In researching some discussions and various blogs I was directed to an old discussion here, I'm new to the group btw, regarding problems getting the solo to initialize when "on a boat". Filming offshore was the whole reason my wife got me a drone in the first place, had no idea the solo would be so hard to initialize when on a rocking boat vs the Phantom, which I've had friends use on the boat numerous times with no problems at all. Anyways in the old discussion I found from back in the summer, there seemed to be some research into creating a "Boat Mode" that would possibly be a work-around and make the thing initialize better if not completely still etc. Does anyone have any recent info on this topic or suggestions for me? I fear I'm just going to have to buy a different drone and be done with it, which I hate b/c the flight features on this thing are so nice, and I can fly and run the boat at the same time all by myself.

What I would do is take off from shore or on a boat dock and land by having someone grab it from the boat (be careful) and press/hold a+ b+ pause and the motors will shut off

erikgraham · Mar 27, 2016

GroundAndAir said:
What I would do is take off from shore or on a boat dock and land by having someone grab it from the boat (be careful) and press/hold a+ b+ pause and the motors will shut off

@Captain J.D. goes to far out to sea for that. He needs a true boat mode. Thankfully it's comming soon.

GroundAndAir · Mar 28, 2016

erikgraham said:
@Captain J.D. goes to far out to sea for that. He needs a true boat mode. Thankfully it's comming soon.

I understand

Captain J.D. · Mar 30, 2016

Just this morning I noticed and downloaded a new software update but I don't think this is the one, I don't see anything different.

Captain J.D. · Mar 30, 2016

erikgraham said:
@Captain J.D. goes to far out to sea for that. He needs a true boat mode. Thankfully it's comming soon.

Correct. Where I need to shoot on any given day is anywhere from 25 to 50 miles offshore. If I had a battery that would last that far if launching from shore, it would need to be nuclear. Lol.

timzee · Mar 30, 2016

Captain J.D. said:
Correct. Where I need to shoot on any given day is anywhere from 25 to 50 miles offshore. If I had a battery that would last that far if launching from shore, it would need to be nuclear. Lol.

Ah yes, the much anticipated nuclear battery is in the works and hopefully should be shipping just in time for the next holiday season! Pre-order to make sure you get yours...

erikgraham · Mar 30, 2016

Captain J.D. said:
Just this morning I noticed and downloaded a new software update but I don't think this is the one, I don't see anything different.

Yeah, I think that's probably the update from last week. It's just fine tuning tweaks. The biggest new feature is that the Solo will turn your GoPro on automatically when you power it up.

Rich · Mar 30, 2016

There was a services update that is supposed to fix FollowMe mode and some other minor things.

LarryF · Mar 30, 2016

Eric Sheehan said:
Anyone know what the forthcoming enhancements to Follow Me are?

I believe Follow-Me is going to have some type of automatic altitude adjustment based on the terrain. I saw a video of it being tested on hills. But I think it's going to rely on having access to Google maps to get the elevation data from.

SPP · Mar 31, 2016

Wow, this will be good. I do boating too and indeed if shaky shaky floor and no flight alllowed, its kinda sad.

Captain J.D. · Mar 31, 2016

erikgraham said:
Yeah, I think that's probably the update from last week. It's just fine tuning tweaks. The biggest new feature is that the Solo will turn your GoPro on automatically when you power it up.

Oh really? Well here's the thing, and I have the Hero 3 Black for what it's worth......
But for me, my GoPro has always turned on automatically, I always thought that odd b/c in the instructions I read when I first got the solo, they said you had to turn it on yourself. So since I did that software update the other morning, now the GoPro does NOT turn on automatically?

RENATO TOME · Aug 10, 2016

Hi Guys. Really really waiting for boat mode.

I tried to launch from a boat yesterday and It was very frustrating as I think It was for almost everybody that has tried it. I was working with the Brazilian Humpback Whale Institute, 10 miles away from the coast, swell around 3ft, lots of whales but my bird has decided to stay on board and not fly. No mag interference was detected (fiber boat), but several times, before "searching for GPS" screen appears, the bird has entered in "calibrating sensors" for a life... I was able to launch Solo only one time (hand launch, manual mode, after innumerous unsuccessful trials).

At the first attempt, after start the bird, RC and Solo App as usual, App did not recognize that It was connected (msg: "waiting for Solo"). Toons of reboots (no results). I also tried to go for a new RC pairing but it did not work. Trying to connect using tower same bad result. I think this problem is not concerned with the boat launch but once in terra firme I flew without any problem.

I will also test a balance platform in a few days, but for now, I just need to be able to launch or, unfortunately, I think I will need to buy some Phantom (really do not want that, love my Solo, but my competitors are using in boats without so much problems). Thanks in advance for your help. Hope 3dr is fast enough to update App with boat mode and I can use my Solo to fly in the open ocean.

I will try to disable ARMING_CHECK (putting "0" or "-17") using tower and test again to see If It will work better. As soon as I try I will post the results.

SARDG · Aug 10, 2016

RENATO TOME said:
Hi Guys. Really really waiting for boat mode.

I tried to launch from a boat yesterday and It was very frustrating as I think It was for almost everybody that has tried it...

I'm in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the CG/CG Aux are just beginning to investigate a drone program for SAR (Search and Rescue), pollution investigation, etc. It's likely that the CG Auxiliary would take over any drone program that materializes, just as they did the PWC program. (Personal Watercraft - JetSki).

They have begun some trials, but using Auxiliarist's larger DIY drones. Not being able to launch from a boat would definitely preclude use of Solo for these missions. Whether we will ever see boat mode... who knows?

erikgraham · Aug 10, 2016

RENATO TOME said:
Hi Guys. Really really waiting for boat mode.

I tried to launch from a boat yesterday and It was very frustrating as I think It was for almost everybody that has tried it. I was working with the Brazilian Humpback Whale Institute, 10 miles away from the coast, swell around 3ft, lots of whales but my bird has decided to stay on board and not fly. No mag interference was detected (fiber boat), but several times, before "searching for GPS" screen appears, the bird has entered in "calibrating sensors" for a life... I was able to launch Solo only one time (hand launch, manual mode, after innumerous unsuccessful trials).

At the first attempt, after start the bird, RC and Solo App as usual, App did not recognize that It was connected (msg: "waiting for Solo"). Toons of reboots (no results). I also tried to go for a new RC pairing but it did not work. Trying to connect using tower same bad result. I think this problem is not concerned with the boat launch but once in terra firme I flew without any problem.

I will also test a balance platform in a few days, but for now, I just need to be able to launch or, unfortunately, I think I will need to buy some Phantom (really do not want that, love my Solo, but my competitors are using in boats without so much problems). Thanks in advance for your help. Hope 3dr is fast enough to update App with boat mode and I can use my Solo to fly in the open ocean.

I will try to disable ARMING_CHECK (putting "0" or "-17") using tower and test again to see If It will work better. As soon as I try I will post the results.

I feel for you but your gonna need to buy a phantom 4 and the Litchi app. Huge bummer 3DR dropped the ball on boat mode.