Relying in a flight controller that can´t handle hot or chilly days,...
To clarify, the Flight Controller or "FC" is what controls the motors. When you push the right stick forward this says to the FC, "Rev up the rear motors." The FC is on-board the drone. However, only one program I know of assigns FC duties to the iPad, and that's Autopilot. This is apparent, because when Autopilot crashes, the drone just stops in space and hovers. Mission over. I have to start over. Maddening.
Conversely, programs like GS Pro simply upload the waypoints to the drone. Once the mission starts, the bird is completely autonomous. In other words, you can disconnect the iPad completely, and the bird will still finish its mission. In fact - and I haven't tested this yet - I believe you can shut down the Remote Controllers, and the bird will STILL finish it's mission. I'm pretty sure this is true, as the bird can be programmed to fly out past RC range. In theory, the bird will reconnect with the RC once back in range.
The point of all this is that, in this instance, the iPad does nothing more than give the user telemetry information. So if your iPad is crashing simply giving you telemetry and video data, there is something wrong with your iPad.
The simple question is, can I plan a mission for photogrammetry using GS pro, or Drone Deploy, or Maps Made Easy, without using an iPad? I don´t think so... at least, using these applications, I can´t...
Agreed. I have an older Android device that I use for my GoPro cameras. It's too small and cheap to use with my drones.
...you wrote, "store the Pro in the fridge for a couple hours, and then put it in a cooler with ice to keep it cool on the job site”. this is not supposed to happen, am I right?
Correct. My problem is I started an 18-month long construction Autopilot project, just to find out in June that the iPad Air 1 can't take the heat. I have to finish this project, so I did some research. It seems the Air Pro's processing power is double that of the Air 1, so I got it. This MOSTLY solved my Autopilot app crashing issues, but not completely. Out of desperation, I decided to store the iPad in the fridge and then the cooler. Because I use FatShark™ goggles, I don't have to actually see the iPad during flight. So I just toss the thing in the cooler with some ice to keep it cool. It's a kluge, but it works. And, yes, I shouldn't have to do that.
When I said that the iPad crash, happened in a 7º Celsius and also in a 35º Celsius.
I've operated my drone in near-freezing weather with zero iPad issues. The iPads don't seem to mind the cold. The DO mind the heat. I have the Air 1 and Air Pro. Which one do you have?
Yes, I can upload the waypoints (I was using the Drone Deploy app), but latter, once in flight, the iPad just turned off completely with that message about the cpu overloaded, or turn off the app,
That is interesting, because my iPads have NEVER crashed using GS Pro, the Go App, or the Go 4 app. Me and my business partner have literally flown back-to-back missions on a film set all day long for 12 hours with nary an issue. So that is TWO iPads. We have done this several times with nary an issue. If your iPad is crashing on GS Pro, I submit you have other issues.
Three questions:
1) Which model (generation) iPad are you using?
2) What other apps do you have running?
3) Is your iPad drone-specific, or do you use it for other things?
...and the only thing I can do is push the home button in the RC and wait that the drone return and land safely...
Hmmmm....why not allow the drone to finish its mission? Why not simply wait a bit reboot the iPad? Remember, while flying these missions, the iPad is merely RECEIVING telemetry data. It isn't actually controlling the bird.
And to be clear, I agree you shouldn't have to do this. I'm just suggesting that you're ending your missions unnecessarily.
putting again the iPad inside the car with the air conditioner and hope that the next flight will be ok... and doing this continuously, flight after flight, is just insane... especially in the really big areas, like last summer, more than 24000 acres with the
Inspire 2 and a 25mm lens to fly high and keeping a good resolution. Yes, is flying around 6 hours per day with 6 pack of batteries and a generator for a nonstop operation.
I have done the same thing on a film set. In those situations, it's so hectic that we actually have a third guy for battery and data management. But I digress. My point is that we have flown TWELVE hour days under the same conditions as your mapping missions, with nary an iPad issue. Interesting.
Now, you can imagine, with so many flights, having the piece of sh... iPad crashing all the time.
Yes. Unacceptable. Answer the three questions I asked above.
I need to say it again, is just unbelievable that DJI and even the 3rd-party apps keep relying in a device like iPad to do the professional work.
Honestly, I believe something is wrong with your setup. Either your iPad is too old to handle these modern, resource-heavy apps, or something else is going on.
To finalise, you know any option to emulate with confidence the iOS in an android device (or windows) ?
I believe there exists an iOS emulator for Windows. I haven't used it, so I can't comment on its reliability.
Just hope this can change soon, and the companies involved, especially DJI, can look to this huge mistake and solve the gap. I think the first step is improving the GS Pro and make it available for android devices. After all, the idea of a "Ground Station" is to work for what was created... a Ground Station.
I agree to a point. But honestly, I think something is possibly wrong with your iPad. My iPads are very duty specific. They fly my drones and operate my audio consoles. Other than those hand full of apps, I have nothing running. I have uninstalled all the social media apps and/or disallowed them access to the CPU and/or the Internet. Perhaps a tune up is all your iPad needs.