Follow Me without Barometer

[Liger 1956]

My Motorola Moto G5 phone does not have a barometer. When I use follow me mode will it use the phones GPS height to alter the Anafi's height or will it just ignore any changes in height of the phone? I know that the GPS height has a larger error than surface positioning but any changes in height should be reported fairly accurately.

Also despite searching I cannot find a plug in barometer module for an Android phone. Does anybody know of one?

 

[MustangPhil]

I have the exact same problem with my PocoPhone F1... the absence of a barometer Mems sensor !
I found alternatives with external modules... but so expensive I’d rather by a new phone.

So I did the opposite : My iPad Mini 4 does have a barometer sensor but no GPS as it’s the standard WiFi version. So I fly my Anafi most of the time with the iPad Mini 4, that I could pair with a Bluetooth GPS module (the Garmin Glo)...

 

[Joela85]

Also looking for an answer about this feature and the barometer, I've just sent a question to Parrot, but typically won't get a response for a few days. I'm going skiing next week and would like to use the follow me feature off piste. Would work a lot better if the Anafi could change altitude with me.
Anyone experimented with this feature and altitude change?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

If you have a barometer in your device this works very well. There are limits as to how fast it will change in altitude. If you are going to fast the Anafi might not have enough time to adjust. Some devices work better then others.

 

[Joela85]

If you have a barometer in your device this works very well. There are limits as to how fast it will change in altitude. If you are going to fast the Anafi might not have enough time to adjust. Some devices work better then others.

Ye, it something I'd be interested in trying. I've had a look around youtube and couldn't see anyone else who has tried it skiing.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Ye, it something I'd be interested in trying. I've had a look around youtube and couldn't see anyone else who has tried it skiing.

There is one or two videos of the Parrot Bebop 2 doing just that. Pretty sure there is not much difference with the Anafi.

 

[Joela85]

There is one or two videos of the Parrot Bebop 2 doing just that. Pretty sure there is not much difference with the Anafi.

Ye, I did see the Bebop ones, but wasn't sure if the software was the same or if using barometer.

 

[MustangPhil]

I saw vids on YouTube of guys running up a hill in follow me mode, using the barometer feature with the Anafi. It seems to work quite well, the Anafi was climbing at the same pace...
You should concentrate your searches on follow-me mode and maybe not on ‘barometer’...

There is also this guy descending a hill with a motorbike... the Anafi seems to follow the slope :

 

[Kilrah]

You should concentrate your searches on follow-me mode and maybe not on ‘barometer’...

Thing is, he specifically wants to know what happens without a barometer, but 99% of videos are probably made with one.

 

[MustangPhil]

Yes, I’ve just seen the title ! sorry guys.

My PocoPhone does not have a barometer but why not to do a quick test with your phone without barometer (climb on a ladder... my iPad Mini 4 finds differences of less than one meter when I checked the barometer with an Altimeter app on iOS)...
I suppose without a barometer, the phone only relies on the GPS signal, that is precise in x,y position in a +/- 5 m range ... but for the altitude, they claim something in the +/- 15 m range depending on the number of acquired satellites...

That said, I would not dare skiing too close to the ground and pine trees with a drone in flight... maybe for this test, you should fly at a ‘confortable Altitude’ and as you descend... even if the Anafi does not follow you on the Z axis ... it will not descend too near obstacles ?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Should also check with the Ski resort he is going to. Most do not allow drones on the property.

 

[Joela85]

ye, I'm not sure I'm going to have time to test before I go out. Can do some tests while I'm out there, and will do so at a sensible height.
The ski resort I'm going to is fine, used to work there for many years and will only be using the drone away from the pistes and people.