Welcome Inspire Pilots!
Join our free DJI Inspire community today!
Sign up

IPad Air 2: Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi +Cellular?

Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
20
Reaction score
3
i have an Inspire 1 on the way and it is time to upgrade the old Ipad 3 anyway. I've done a number of searches on different forums but haven't seen a definitive answer, wi-fi or wi-fi + cellular? I understand you CAN cache the maps for on site use, but I have also read a few comments that maps were not there when the pilot got to the site. I'd rather pay for wi-fi only, but if it creates any issues I'd spring for the cellular. So, do you people with wi-fi + cellular have any complaints? How about wi-fi only, do you wish you had the cellular version? Thanks!
 
Minimum is iPad Air1. May i suggest to not use an iPad mini because you will want the bigger screen.
If you have an iPhone you can use the Hotspot function to connect to the iPad and load the maps. Just don't forget to
disable the function before flight, also stop WiFi on the iPad before flight.
 
I bougth my iPad Air 2 today, and went with the cellular. Being able to download maps maps on site, and check this forum or other sites on the go is sure helpfull :)
 
I bought the iPad Mini wifi only, thinking I would pair it to my cell phone when I wanted to download data. Huge mistake -- the mini wifi only does not have a GPS radio either, and pairing it all the time is a PITA. Plus for $10 more (on Verizon) it will share my data plan with my phone. So I sold the wifi only version back on eBay and upgraded to the wifi + cellular.

I should note that I use the iPad mini for all its other uses, beyond just flying the aircraft.
 
Last edited:
I use an iPad mini 3 wifi only and find it to be perfectly adequate for use with the Inspire. I always have my iphone with me and just hot-spot it if I need maps.

On another note, it amuses me that everyone says to turn your wifi off (or at least put it into airplane mode). This is simply just not necessary (with a wifi only model) because the iPad wifi is only a receiver, not a transmitter so therefore it cannot interfere with anything else. Sure, if you have Bluetooth switched on I agree but wifi only? forget it.
 
I bought the iPad Mini wifi only, thinking I would pair it to my cell phone when I wanted to download data. Huge mistake -- the mini wifi only does not have a GPS radio either, and pairing it all the time is a PITA. Plus for $10 more (on Verizon) it will share my data plan with my phone. So I sold the wifi only version back on eBay and upgraded to the wifi + cellular.

If you use an iPhone to tether the iPad, the iPad uses the GPS in the phone, just as if it was in the iPad. If you tether to something else, that does not happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: catware
This is simply just not necessary (with a wifi only model) because the iPad wifi is only a receiver, not a transmitter

WiFi is a transceiver. How could your device even request to receive data if it could only receive???
WiFi transmits a lot even just to acknowledge receipt of every packet it gets.
 
I've got the Air 2 Wifi only. I leave wifi on even when flying but I've never had it connected to a hotspot while flying. Never had an issue. Even prior to buying the Air 2 I use to use my Samsung Note 4 and even then I never switched off wifi or data and again, no issues.
Realestate on the Air 2 is a must.
 
Thanks for the replies. I will definitely be going with the iPad Air 2. Other than more easily downloading maps before flight, is there any other advantage to having cellular during flight? Such as maps updating or improved GPS? If there is no advantage during flight, I think I'll just save some money and just download via hotspot before flight.
 
I only bought a cellular version to use it for some marine charting apps I use, just for the gps. I don't even put a data plan on it. Otherwise I would have saved some coin with a wifi only.
 
After a little more research and the excellent pricing offered at B&H Photo, I wound up with the iPad Air 2 64gb w/ Wi-Fi and cellular. I know it's nitpicking, but the wi-if only does not actually do true GPS while tethered. It triangulates cell tower data and updates appx every minute, although there are tests that have been run while using this setup for navigation that were said to lose this info for up to six minutes or more while on the move. For all practical purposes, I would probably never need any more than this, but I figured, since my iPad 3 and Vz Note 4 sometimes have difficulty maintaining a hot spot connection, I would go ahead and buy a piece of mind. Rather have it and not need it than the reverse. Plus $10 /month to add it to my 10Gb verizon plan is a no brainer. Thanks for all the opinions and recommendations!
 
The thing is: Tablets do use Wifi, be it 2.4 or 5ghz. So do the remotes. It might work 99% the time you
use it, but there CAN BE interferences.

ps. The same goes for GPS Trackers, most work in the same frequency range and CAN be a problem.
 
Glad I got wifi only. As long as you can hot spot on your phone your good. Oh and instead of clicking the little triangle you actually have to be able to find yourself on a map (which may be challenging for some). Iv flown while still connected to my hotspot and didn't noticed any difference. Not going to make a habit of it tho. My only complaint is the controller won't charge my air 2. I guess if I really wanted to ***** I'd say I also have to take my case off to fit in the mount. But that's the least of my worries right now.
 
Heh, not making it a habit is my motto as well. I forget it sometimes as well but i get better.
Btw. the remote does charge the iPad , just not very fast. Usually usb ports have 5V, the iPad
can be charged with 12V if you use the Apple charger. It gets charged but slower than the Pad
drains its battery.
 
Heh, not making it a habit is my motto as well. I forget it sometimes as well but i get better.
Btw. the remote does charge the iPad , just not very fast. Usually usb ports have 5V, the iPad
can be charged with 12V if you use the Apple charger. It gets charged but slower than the Pad
drains its battery.
It says not charging next to the little battery icon when it's plugged into the controller
 
Yes, its the same when you plug the Pad into a computer, just the 5V trough the usb port.
Its not enough power to make the pad switch the icon and text to "charging" but it does, just
very very very slow.
 

New Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
22,387
Messages
211,145
Members
36,148
Latest member
ak8np1