Here GPS

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

So I installed the Here GPS and it's great. Today I was descending straight down quickly and the quadcopter start rocking like a ship on stormy waters. I guess with mast on the front, the aerodynamics have changed and flight characteristics are slightly different. It's just a small thing. No deal breaker but worth noting.

Kennamer · Aug 28, 2018

Google: Ring Vortex State.

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

That usually causes you to drop altatude. The drone wasn't being pushed down. I was coming down fast intentionally. I just never got the rocking before.

Kennamer · Aug 28, 2018

Hi Jay.

I'm pretty sure that if you were coming straight down 'fast' in zero winds, you were witnessing the 4 'rotor systems' in various states of ring vortex (settling with power). It happens to mine all the time. If you descend at the same rate while moving forward, you shouldn't see it as much (or at all) because the propellers stay in clean air. I have a hunch that your GPS has absolutely nothing to do with it, unless it weighs 5lbs! ;-) Maybe just a coincidence that you haven't seen it before? Or it was an especially warm day? Did you recently change the speed sliders in your app to a higher setting?

I just flew a friend's Solo with the new 3-bladed Master Airscrew props while it was 110 degrees out with zero wind, and it rocked scary bad during a max speed decent! Well scared him anyway. Haha.

Hope this helps.

Pedals2Paddles · Aug 28, 2018

A fast descent straight down will do that with or without the here on the solo or any other multirotor aircraft.

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

No I have my speed sliders set for what I feel is best for filming.
Another thing, the past two days (3 batteries cycled twice) I've only got 10min of flight time. I know I'm trying to blame a lot on a gps but things change and you look for a common denominator.
I love the gps wouldn't go back if I had to. Anybody know why my three batteries got bad all of a sudden?

Pedals2Paddles · Aug 28, 2018

Only got 10 minutes... compared to? Landing at what %? Doing what kind of flight?

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

Photography, no more than 1000ft away, no higher than 150ft. Landing around 38% to 40%

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

Compared to 15min.

Pedals2Paddles · Aug 28, 2018

It is physically impossible that you were getting 15 minutes of flight, landing at 38-40%. That did not and could not ever happen. On a brand new battery at full capacity, 40% is 9 minutes of hover or up to 11 minutes of medium speed flight. So, it sounds like you're getting exactly what you should be getting and have been getting.

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

So is the original Solo battery the only/best option?

Kennamer · Aug 28, 2018

I would say Uranium-235 would be best. Simply split its nucleus to get energy, convert it into electricity, and you could fly for YEARS non-stop.

Pedals2Paddles · Aug 28, 2018

jaylitton73 said:
So is the original Solo battery the only/best option?

If you have some other battery, then say so. I don't read minds. Otherwise I will assume that you, like 99% of everyone else with solo, is using the Solo's battery. The few people who are not, would say so rather than being cryptic about it.

But anyway, no I do not believe the HERE caused your reported/perceived 30% reduction in reported flight time regardless of what battery you are or are not using. That's absurd.

jaylitton73 · Aug 28, 2018

I'm not arguing with you. The drone is a vessel to get my camera in the air. The Solo is a good one. I want to make it a great one. I have no idea what you think my intentions are or what I'm attacking here. I don't have to use the Solo in my rotation. I choose to and want to know what my best options are to make it the best photo/video platform it can be. Fairly close range. That's it.

XevetS · Aug 28, 2018

jaylitton73 said:
I'm not arguing with you. The drone is a vessel to get my camera in the air. The Solo is a good one. I want to make it a great one. I have no idea what you think my intentions are or what I'm attacking here. I don't have to use the Solo in my rotation. I choose to and want to know what my best options are to make it the best photo/video platform it can be. Fairly close range. That's it.

The here GPS has no effect on stability, what version firmware are you running on your SOLO?

If you haven't already give this a read https://3dr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/v8_01_05_16.pdf
What you experienced was VRS period...never come straight down with a quad always slip the aircraft in a safe direction while descending you can come down very fast and stable that way if need be..
I'm pretty sure paddles misread your post. but If you are using the stock 3dr solo battery the flight times you are getting seem correct and the here GPS has no effect on flight times. or they are so minute you would never notice.

Some folks have incorporated aftermarket batteries and it takes quite a bit of tinkering, soldering swearing etc etc.
Just do a search right here on these very forums for all the info you are requesting its there...

Pedals2Paddles · Aug 28, 2018

IDK what this guy is even rambling about now.

just_bruce · Aug 28, 2018

Pedals2Paddles said:
IDK what this guy is even rambling about now.

He appears to me to be responding to what he perceived as an overly aggressive response. In a somewhat line-and-paragraph break free manner, admittedly.

brianuc4 · Aug 28, 2018

jaylitton73 said:
So I installed the Here GPS and it's great. Today I was descending straight down quickly and the quadcopter start rocking like a ship on stormy waters. I guess with mast on the front, the aerodynamics have changed and flight characteristics are slightly different. It's just a small thing. No deal breaker but worth noting.

Solo rocking while descending rapidly is nothing out of the ordinary, doesn't matter what GPS it has installed. Mine has always done it, even with the stock GPS.

And the original Solo battery is pretty much all we have. A few have rigged custom battery setups but I don't know if it helps flight time.