Anafi no gps lock

[StIwY]

I heard that solar tempest may cause weak GPS signal along with other kind of interferences. No doubt that the drones have a weak signal compared for example to my smartphone, which can lock 20+ satellites even INSIDE my house.

Maybe they mount cheap GPS chips ? Not talking only about Anafi but also DJI drones.

 

[Dani]

As someone mentioned here before: I have also the Weak Signal problem. I launch the Anafi and land immediately land. This is enough to get a fix for me. It looks to me it's a software problem rather than the hardware.

 

[AnafiPilot1]

Like all things Parrot & Anafi it is not cheap GPS or anything, just poorly executed!

They use the uBlox M8 GNSS chipset which can do 3 concurrent GNSS sources (e.g. any 3 of the following at the sametime GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, & BeiDou), it is a very good chipset, I have used it in a few projects.

However they recently changed the firmware to correctly upload the GPS-A data to the drone, so it does a hot start rather than a cold start everytime you power it up, but their method is not great, as I don't think they cache GPS-A data which is retrieved directly from uBlox servers (I think they call it AssistNow data), as uBlox offers many tpes of data, like offline data which is good for 30 days and online type data which is good for 3 days.

So you need to make sure the phone you are using has a internet connection every fews day to update this data - this will make your Anafi GPS acquisition times down to around 30 seconds, rather than 2 minutes - but as I said they do not cache this correctly, so sometimes you still end up having to wait 1 minute plus to get a good lock.

In terms of number of GPS - you will alway get an increase in GPS satellites once the Anafi is in the air as it is further away from obstructions and other RF signals - as the Anafi goes up it sees more of the sky, especially the horizon becomes lower (with respect to the Anafi), so it can see more of the lower latitude sats which may make a big difference to depending on your latitude on the Earth!

 

[Liger 1956]

So you need to make sure the phone you are using has a internet connection every fews day to update this data - this will make your Anafi GPS acquisition times down to around 30 seconds, rather than 2 minutes - but as I said they do not cache this correctly, so sometimes you still end up having to wait 1 minute plus to get a good lock.

Do you need to run FF6 on your phone whilst it has an internet connection to cache the data or will it do it in the background?

 

[AnafiPilot1]

As far as I can tell (well using my DNS and Firewall logs), everytime FF6 is started it attempts to contact the u-blox.com servers for the GPS assist data.

Do you need to run FF6 on your phone whilst it has an internet connection to cache the data or will it do it in the background?

 

[GabrielKroes]

Observed the same and noticed the drone seemed to be appropriately located on the map.

Hi guys

I'm new to the forum, but I've had my Anafi for about 2 years now. Today the drone for some reason stopped picking up GPS as explained in this thread (both on the controller and drone), but it shows in the correct location on the map. Surely the correct location on the map means that it's picking up a GPS signal. Is it just the App not showing the correct GPS signals?

And yes, I know that this photo is inside, but I've tried various locations (home, office, open field) today and it does the same...

 

[GabrielKroes]

I failed to mention that at the various locations where I tried (I failed) to get a GPS lock, the map showed up correctly every time.

Could the map simply have come from the phone I'm using to pilot the device?

Lastly, it's useful to mention that I have tried different phones and it gives the same error. What's strange is that both the controller and the drone fails to pick up a GPS.

 

[Liger 1956]

I don't know why your Anafi is failing to pick up GPS but I do know that there is no GPS in the controller. The app uses the phone/tablet GPS to display the map.

 

[GabrielKroes]

I don't know why your Anafi is failing to pick up GPS but I do know that there is no GPS in the controller. The app uses the phone/tablet GPS to display the map.

So I wonder why would the controller also shows no GPS?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Liger 1956]

It is showing that your phone, which is connected to the controller, has no GPS.

 

[GabrielKroes]

It is showing that your phone, which is connected to the controller, has no GPS.

But that can't be true if it's showing the correct location on the map. Else how would it get the location shown on the map?

I've so checked and the phone gets GPS signal for other apps such as Google maps.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[AnafiPilot1]

You

But that can't be true if it's showing the correct location on the map. Else how would it get the location shown on the map?

I've so checked and the phone gets GPS signal for other apps such as Google maps.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

You have to be careful here - as the phone is also using Wifi and mobile base station data to provide location which is why the phone/controller is showing a position on the mini-map, but as it is not a GPS locked position the icon is staying red.

However, the Anafi itself is not on the picture as there is no GPS Lock for it (that would appear as the drone symbol on the minimap).

 

[GabrielKroes]

I'm busy communicating with the support team via email, but their line of questioning seems to indicated that they think the drone must have crashed recently and that this is the cause, which is not the case.

I've done the hard reset too, but it's not solving the problem.

 

[Jeaux]

I am having the same problem mine started after a firmware update no gps both show red. I have also experimented with previous versions of the app and the April release shows GPS to the phone but still nothing from the anafi.

 

[Jeaux]

I am having the same problem mine started after a firmware update no gps both show red. I have also experimented with previous versions of the app and the April release shows GPS to the phone but still nothing from the anafi.

 

[ParrotAnafiFan]

Guys a GPS has to have time to initialize called TFF (Time to First Fix)

15 min plus every 180 days is normal. (That is to turn your anafi gps green)
Once it does this, next bootup is quicker because it has the almanac. Read about the almanac below:

GPS signals - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is a lot it has to do, and it has to get a good outdoor view of the sky also talks about why cell phones are faster to fix on. I can't believe you guys are sending your Anafis in because of this...........

Time to first fix - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

also

GNSS augmentation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

what area are you in? It also has to find your GNSS

 

[Jeaux]

Guys a GPS has to have time to initialize called TFF (Time to First Fix)

15 min plus every 180 days is normal. (That is to turn your anafi gps green)
Once it does this, next bootup is quicker because it has the almanac. Read about the almanac below:

GPS signals - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is a lot it has to do, and it has to get a good outdoor view of the sky also talks about why cell phones are faster to fix on. I can't believe you guys are sending your Anafis in because of this...........

Time to first fix - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

also

GNSS augmentation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

what area are you in? It also has to find your GNSS

Very aware of the process logic of GPS unfortunately this is not the cause for my issue or for the issue listed above by GabrielKroes. My unit was working fine Friday. I updated firmware Saturday and now neither my phone or drone shows having GPS no matter how long or where I let it sit.

I too have tested multiple phones ipads and android tablets all the same result. I have also tested older versions of the android app and have had luck in getting the phone to show as having GPS but cant get the version to run once I connect them to the drone app crashes.

Im no expert but that tells me there is something going on with the communication between the app and the drone.

 

[ParrotAnafiFan]

 

[BRC]

I am having the same problem mine started after a firmware update no gps both show red. I have also experimented with previous versions of the app and the April release shows GPS to the phone but still nothing from the anafi.

What Anafi FW did you upgrade from and to?
silly question but have you tried holding the anafi above the ground maybe 3 feet up in an open area to see if that will acquire a gps lock
I know after the last three FW updates magnetic interference is much more sensitive and interferes with GPS
I used to be able to get a gps lock with drone sitting on concrete driveway - no longer
Are you getting any messages like magnetic perturbance

 

[Jeaux]

What Anafi FW did you upgrade from and to?
silly question but have you tried holding the anafi above the ground maybe 3 feet up in an open area to see if that will acquire a gps lock
I know after the last three FW updates magnetic interference is much more sensitive and interferes with GPS
I used to be able to get a gps lock with drone sitting on concrete driveway - no longer
Are you getting any messages like magnetic perturbance

I am on the newest firmware from the previous version. I have taken it up to 200 feet and just let it sit for a full battery with no luck. Very weird issue and whats baffling is even the phone shows gps however I know the phones gps is working. I'm at the point where I'm gonna just shop for a new gps module.and switch them out what sucks is this drone only has 59 minutes flight time.

And no not a noobie been flying since original dji naza diy builds days and still have them lol...