Weak GPS signal when I enter IN mode ( or F button)

[pfm]

Upgraded to new software 1.5.0.30 for my Inspire 1B
I am new to this hobby and never used the F button before
When I enter IN mode to use either of the 5 options, follow, POI, etc.. I get the message that my GPS signal is weak!?!?
As a result, I can't try these IN features.
What gives?
What am I doing wrong or what should I do to solve with this problem?
I purchased the I1 for the fact that the remote has built in GPS and as a result, I wouldn't have to buy a new iPad Mini 2 with cellular and could just use this tablet with the GPS from the remote.
Please advise me....your help is much appreciated and thanks in advance to you
Take care, Pat

 

[pfm]

Just researched and figure I must have cellular with my iPad in order to use the Intellegent flight modes available. So that's why I have weak GPS when accessing these modes

 

[The Editor]

Just researched and figure I must have cellular with my iPad in order to use the Intellegent flight modes available. So that's why I have weak GPS when accessing these modes

POI is not dependent on your remotes GPS it is only the aircraft lock that is used in this mode.

 

[pfm]

Further research seems to tell me there is a problem with the software in relation to the weak GPS signal.
From what think I have found out, mini 2 without cellular should be able to do POI, Follow me, Waypoints, etc,..... for the Inspire....
Is this correct?
And at this time, is it a software issue with 1.5.0030 or 2.4.3 that has been causing me the weak GPS signal I am receiving?
I have watched YouTube videos showing POI and Waypoints, but nowhere does the video say whether the demonstrator was using an iPad tablet wifi only nor wifi tablet wifi+ cellular
Could someone please clarify for me regarding this latest update and whether I need wifi only or cellular iPad to access these intelligent flight options
Thanks for any help

 

[Packetdancer]

I would think they'd work?

But even if you have a wifi-only tablet, you can still always use a mobile hotspot (or your phone) as the cellular signal. I use a wifi-only iPad mini and turn on my phone's hotspot for the iPad to connect to if I want to pick up the map imagery, for instance. (Usually just long enough for all the map tiles to be cached.)

 

[The Editor]

Further research seems to tell me there is a problem with the software in relation to the weak GPS signal.
From what think I have found out, mini 2 without cellular should be able to do POI, Follow me, Waypoints, etc,..... for the Inspire....
Is this correct?
And at this time, is it a software issue with 1.5.0030 or 2.4.3 that has been causing me the weak GPS signal I am receiving?
I have watched YouTube videos showing POI and Waypoints, but nowhere does the video say whether the demonstrator was using an iPad tablet wifi only nor wifi tablet wifi+ cellular
Could someone please clarify for me regarding this latest update and whether I need wifi only or cellular iPad to access these intelligent flight options
Thanks for any help

As I said above - POI does NOT rely on remote GPS, it is totally unrelated.
POI will work on any tablet irrespective of whether it has GPS capability.
The weak GPS from the remote has been an issue from the release of the Inspire and despite several FW updates it is only slightly improved.

 

[pfm]

Thanks Packetdancer and The Editor, your help is greatly appreciated. So does the info from The Editor mean I can do Waypoints and the other autonomous options when I turn the
P-A-F key to F-mode with a wifi only iPad mini 2?

When I do so, that's when I got the weak GPS signal.
So I am trying to understand your information and, as a result, I guess I don't necessarily need a cellular iPad (or built in GPS in the iPad) to make these options (F-mode) work.
It will be using, what is the weak GPS signal I am getting from the remote control?

 

[The Editor]

Thanks Packetdancer and The Editor, your help is greatly appreciated. So does the info from The Editor mean I can do Waypoints and the other autonomous options when I turn the
P-A-F key to F-mode with a wifi only iPad mini 2?

When I do so, that's when I got the weak GPS signal.
So I am trying to understand your information and, as a result, I guess I don't necessarily need a cellular iPad (or built in GPS in the iPad) to make these options (F-mode) work.
It will be using, what is the weak GPS signal I am getting from the remote control?

POI will work even with no GPS to the remote, as will waypoints. These two modes only rely on GPS reception to the aircraft itself which we know is rock solid.
Follow me mode on the other hand will not since it relies on a 'tether' to the remote with positional data gathered from GPS reception on the remote.

 

[pfm]

POI will work even with no GPS to the remote, as will waypoints. These two modes only rely on GPS reception to the aircraft itself which we know is rock solid.
Follow me mode on the other hand will not since it relies on a 'tether' to the remote with positional data gathered from GPS reception on the remote.

Thanks for all your help gentlemen...
So from what you tell me, I understand that all IN functions will work with a non-cellular iPad, but if I want to use follow me, I will have to use an iPad with built in cellular, or external gps, since the main issue is weak GPS signal in the Remote controller?
Thanks again for clarifying this for me.

 

[Packetdancer]

Thanks for all your help gentlemen...
So from what you tell me, I understand that all IN functions will work with a non-cellular iPad, but if I want to use follow me, I will have to use an iPad with built in cellular, or external gps, since the main issue is weak GPS signal in the Remote controller?
Thanks again for clarifying this for me.

Like the Editor said, unlike any of the other modes, 'Follow me' relies on GPS data from the thing being followed (i.e., the controller/tablet). Think of this like waving a flag for the drone to know where 'you' are, and thus where the camera needs to be pointed and where to fly towards. The tablet/phone in the controller needs to have accurate GPS in order to provide that information, and wifi-only iPad models lack real GPS hardware.

If you need the Follow Me mode but have a wifi-only iPad, I suspect you have basically three options (someone please correct me if I've overlooked one):

1. Install DJI Go on your smartphone—which will almost certainly have real GPS—and use that instead of the iPad when you need Follow Me mode.
2. Get a tablet that has cellular hardware in it, because that will have true GPS hardware as well. (You can just choose not to activate the cellular service, and still have real GPS.)
3. Get an external Bluetooth GPS receiver, and pair that to the wifi-only tablet. Keep the two close together, obviously, because—aside from Bluetooth wireless range limits—the GPS location you get will be that of the external receiver.

 

[pfm]

Like the Editor said, unlike any of the other modes, 'Follow me' relies on GPS data from the thing being followed (i.e., the controller/tablet). Think of this like waving a flag for the drone to know where 'you' are, and thus where the camera needs to be pointed and where to fly towards. The tablet/phone in the controller needs to have accurate GPS in order to provide that information, and wifi-only iPad models lack real GPS hardware.

If you need the Follow Me mode but have a wifi-only iPad, I suspect you have basically three options (someone please correct me if I've overlooked one):

1. Install DJI Go on your smartphone—which will almost certainly have real GPS—and use that instead of the iPad when you need Follow Me mode.
2. Get a tablet that has cellular hardware in it, because that will have true GPS hardware as well. (You can just choose not to activate the cellular service, and still have real GPS.)
3. Get an external Bluetooth GPS receiver, and pair that to the wifi-only tablet. Keep the two close together, obviously, because—aside from Bluetooth wireless range limits—the GPS location you get will be that of the external receiver.

Thank you Packetdancer and Editor for all your help and advice.
This really clarifies things for me.