Posted by Erik Graham on January 22, 2016 at 2:49pm
Unlike the Iris+ or X8+, Solo's Follow Me function has a major flaw... the phone being followed must remain in close proximity to the controller because it can not transmit its location directly to the Solo. Everything has to go through the controller.With older 3DR drones, whether DIYs or RTFs like the Iris or X8, you could secure the phone and MavLink antenna between a skiers shoulder blades and send him on his way, keeping the controller with you at the top of the mountain. As the athlete descended, you could even use the controller to have the drone descend with him or her. At the end of his set, you could call the drone back using the controller, swap batteries and rig a second athlete with a second phone/MavLink and send him on his way. Same thing worked for all the action sports - mountain biking, motor cross,etc etc.The Solo has taken about 10 steps forward with smart shots like cable cam, but it's taken 3 steps back with Follow Me (net net were are still ahead 7 steps ;-).My question is if it would be possible to get the Solo working the old way. Maybe add a 900mhz antenna to the Solo and go back to the MavLink antenna connected to an android. I'd sure like to see 3DR offer an add-on product like this, but I'm guessing they are busy enough these days with a bunch of higher priority stuff.If anyone has the technical chops and the interest, I can line up the financing to put something together.
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