PC Ground Station, Ace One WP and 900M Datalink to be discontinued

[DJI Innovations]

Dear DJI Customer,


On December 12, 2015, Google will stop supporting Google Earth. Since DJI's PC Ground Station software is based on the Google Earth API, we will also discontinue support for PC Ground Station. As a result, DJI’s Ace One WP flight controller and 900M Datalink, both of which rely on our PC Ground Station software, will also cease to be functional.


We are dedicated to ensuring our customers continue to have a great experience with our products. Customers who purchased an Ace One WP flight controller or 900M Datalink after December 12, 2014 have the following options:


1. Send your 900M Datalink back to DJI to receive a FREE 2.4GHz Bluetooth Datalink. Proof of the date of purchase will be required with any request. Please contact your regional support center for details.


2. If you purchased an Ace One WP after December 12, 2014, please contact your regional support center for more details.



North America: support.us@dji.com

Europe: support.eu@dji.com

Asia and Other Regions: support@dji.com

 

[Hexacrafter]

E-mail of displeasure sent to DJI.
For us that helped support (from the beginning when he was living in an apartment) & build DJI into the Monster it has now become, I find this announcement just another kick in the teeth to those that have supported DJI from the beginning.
We own thousands of $$ for DJI FC & PC ground stations and find this move by DJI an indication of their current business strategy & ethics.
It is easy for them to turn thousands of dollars of working equipment into junk with a swipe of a pen instead of reinvesting resources to provide PC ground station support with the Google Maps API instead of the Google Earth API.
Additionally, a "Bluetooth" data link is basically a LOS ground station with VERY limited range.... not even a similar ground station option to the PC 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz PC systems.
@DJI Innovations ... you really need to get your focus back to customer support and service.... not just greed & power.

 

[AirShooter]

E-mail of displeasure sent to DJI.
For us that helped support (from the beginning when he was living in an apartment) & build DJI into the Monster it has now become, I find this announcement just another kick in the teeth to those that have supported DJI from the beginning.
We own thousands of $$ for DJI FC & PC ground stations and find this move by DJI an indication of their current business strategy & ethics.
It is easy for them to turn thousands of dollars of working equipment into junk with a swipe of a pen instead of reinvesting resources to provide PC ground station support with the Google Maps API instead of the Google Earth API.
Additionally, a "Bluetooth" data link is basically a LOS ground station with VERY limited range.... not even a similar ground station option to the PC 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz PC systems.
DJI... you really need to get your focus back to customer support and service.... not just greed & power.

I could not agree more. This is a true kick in the face to anyone who has been using the 900mhz systems and has built systems around this once ehh fairly great PC program. Well at this point looks like Mission Planner and a PixHawk will be the only way to go. I just sucks for me, I'm 50, and I just barely got the hang of Ground Station 4.11, I'm horrified. Any chance a 3rd party can integrate another map system? The hardware will still work, I will not do any further FW updates on anything!!!

@DJI Innovations

 

[AirShooter]

Dear DJI Customer,


On December 12, 2015, Google will stop supporting Google Earth. Since DJI's PC Ground Station software is based on the Google Earth API, we will also discontinue support for PC Ground Station. As a result, DJI’s Ace One WP flight controller and 900M Datalink, both of which rely on our PC Ground Station software, will also cease to be functional.


We are dedicated to ensuring our customers continue to have a great experience with our products. Customers who purchased an Ace One WP flight controller or 900M Datalink after December 12, 2014 have the following options:


1. Send your 900M Datalink back to DJI to receive a FREE 2.4GHz Bluetooth Datalink. Proof of the date of purchase will be required with any request. Please contact your regional support center for details.


2. If you purchased an Ace One WP after December 12, 2014, please contact your regional support center for more details.



North America: support.us@dji.com

Europe: support.eu@dji.com

Asia and Other Regions: support@dji.com

@DJI Innovations
YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH NOW LOOSING ME AS A CUSTOMER, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY CARE..

 

[jetkrazee]

Just found this information out myself this morning. What a bunch of sh**!! I use my pc ground station constantly for my work.
@DJI Innovations , you should be ashamed and need to come up with a solution.

 

[UgCS]

You could use UgCS for desktop mission planning with DJI vehicles. Our software does not rely on Google Earth API and therefore will still work. 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz data link systems work with our software. Feel free to check it out if interested: www.ugcs.com

 

[Ccard]

Just found this information out myself this morning. What a bunch of sh**!! I use my pc ground station constantly for my work.
@DJI Innovations , you should be ashamed and need to come up with a solution.

DJI replied to my request for a free upgrade as per their offer. I bought the PC ground station in Sept. 2014 , but the cut-off date for purchases is Dec. 2014.
I'm going to try out the UgCS ground station in a few weeks. It looks promising.
Besides the DJI PC ground station software sucks the big one.

BTW.. I can not find any FCC ID or I.C. ID (canada) info for the DJI LK900M datalink. Does anyone know where to find this information?
The MFG is supposed to have this info clearly displayed on the exterior of the product....

Chris

 

[jetkrazee]

DJI replied to my request for a free upgrade as per their offer. I bought the PC ground station in Sept. 2014 , but the cut-off date for purchases is Dec. 2014.
I'm going to try out the UgCS ground station in a few weeks. It looks promising.
Besides the DJI PC ground station software sucks the big one.

BTW.. I can not find any FCC ID or I.C. ID (canada) info for the DJI LK900M datalink. Does anyone know where to find this information?
The MFG is supposed to have this info clearly displayed on the exterior of the product....

Chris

I just downloaded UgCs free version. Seems decent but will put it in a actual flight test tomorrow and I will post my opinions more on the software.

 

[Hexacrafter]

I downloaded the free GgCS. After a bit of trial & error I was able to get the connection via my 900 MHz DJI datalink. Now that I better understand the software, it connects and functions very well. I will be upgrading to the paid version. i am very happy that my DJI datalink is still a useful tool. Funny... These guys have done what the Billion Dollar DJI innovations who built and sold the datalink refused to do......

 

[jetkrazee]

Couldn't agree more HexaCrafter. Unfortunately I didnt get to do a test flight today but will in the morning.

 

[Alex D]

I downloaded the free GgCS. After a bit of trial & error I was able to get the connection via my 900 MHz DJI datalink.

Hi, could you share with me what problems you met? I'm CTO of SPH Engineering, developer of UgCS.

 

[Hexacrafter]

Alex. It was me learning new software. With the 900mhz datalink, it will not connect to the aircraft if the are too close together. The need to be a minimum of about 30' apart to connect. I was in a small area when testing and could barely get the required distance between the Aircraft & Groundstation.
Alex. I have to say Thank you for your UgCS. I really like it.
I am still getting used to it compared to the DJI system..
I am still trying to understand your version of Click & go....
My ability to test fly at my current location is limiting, but I intend to conduct lots of flights in the near future.
Only one suggestion...
A video of the click & go like DJI did years ago with split screen of the PC & aircraft would be really cool.
Thanks Again!!!

 

[Carapau]

Alex, just a thought on pricing. I feel that 2000 dollars is way to much for the full set up BUT I also think that 65 bucks for a nearly full set up is also too cheap. I appreciate that you are a business and need to make money from this and that of course is a good thing. So my thought is that the vast majority of the work I do and I guess many others does not require the full package (does more than my current DJI one at that level and DJI has worked well for me). So why not reduce the full package to lets say 500 bucks and the middle package up to 300 bucks. I will happily pay 3-5oo bucks for good software and I think you will increase your turnover as a result by reducing that top price and increasing the bottom one. Just my thoughts on it although others may well shoot me down in flames!

 

[Alex D]

With the 900mhz datalink, it will not connect to the aircraft if the are too close together. The need to be a minimum of about 30' apart to connect. I was in a small area when testing and could barely get the required distance between the Aircraft & Groundstation.

This is from DJI manual (http://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/groundstation/en/Ground_Station_User_Manual_en_v3.04.pdf page 45):

Two Wireless Data-Link Terminals had been placed too close. The valid communication distance
between 2.4GHz wireless data-links should be longer than 1.5 meters; the valid communication
distance between 900MHz wireless data-links should be longer than 5 meters.

So this issue not from UgCS

Alex. I have to say Thank you for your UgCS. I really like it.

Thank you!!

I am still trying to understand your version of Click & go....

I am still trying to understand your version of Click & go....

I personally never used DJI PC Ground station in the field. But as I understand we implemented something very similar to DJI. With main difference - in UgCS you can visually adjust altitude of target point. You can play with Click & go with drone emulator.

Please note - in UgCS 2.6 we disabled Click & Go for A2 and WKM. Standart DJI A2/WKM behavior - drone will go home in case of even short communication interrupt between drone and GS - seems too dangerous and we decided to disable it.

Now we are going to implement Click & go mode as single-wp missions, it should work more robust. Should be available in December.

 

[Alex D]

just a thought on pricing. I feel that 2000 dollars is way to much for the full set up BUT I also think that 65 bucks for a nearly full set up is also too cheap.

Hi, may be you are right. We are thinking about possibility to order necessary functions inside of UgCS, something like InApp purchasing. For example if you need functionality of UgCS One + only DEM import, it will be possible to buy UgCS One license ($65) and inside of UgCS unlock only DEM import (say +$100).

What do you think about this model?

Could you share what do you need for your tasks from UgCS Pro?

Also about price of UgCS Pro. Primarily we included to price cost of consultations and support. From our statistics every UgCS Pro customer will ask us at least 10 questions... For "wholesale" customers we are providing big discounts, we have lot of customers who bought 5+ licenses. Of course support cost for additional licenses is much lower and we can provide lower price in such cases.

 

[Carapau]

That sounds like a good idea- a bit like the Jeti DS14 model where you purchase each function to upgrade it. I like that idea. Primarily I use the GS to do agricultural work so mainly using the photogrammetry tools.

One area that I think should be unlocked at the lower price point rather than the higher price port is the ability to turn off the airport restrictions. The problem being is that this is a very blunt tool and will prevent a lot of flights from perfectly legally operating. In my role as ARPAS chairman I had a meeting with our National Air Traffic Services last week and we discussed DJIs approach to 'no fly zones' and whilst we all agreed it was a very good step forward it was still very flawed and prevented a lot of legitimate commercial use. Im very happy to pay for increased functionality in the software but not so happy to pay for ability to fly!

 

[Alex D]

ability to turn off the airport restrictions

We intentionally included this feature only to Pro version. We think that hobbyists flying in NFZ are most significant threat for our industry. Our logic here was pretty simple - only professionals will pay $2000 for software, and they at least know what is NFZ and airspace restrictions. I hope that in near future (5...10 years ) systems like NASA UTM will be deployed worldwide and GS software will know about clearance for particular route. So it will be safe to make NFZ disabling available in all versions.

 

[Carapau]

Actually hobbyists and pros are seen as almost zero threat by our CAA. Its the consumers who are a massive threat. By this I mean the guys who can just go and by a phantom or similar and all of the waypoint stuff is easily done for them thus no experience is required. Whilst UGCS might be easy to use I would suggest that anyone using it would fall into the hobbyist rather than consumer brigade. Hobbyists in UK language generally means people who are really into the flying side of things, often join clubs or join forums such as this and thus show a real interest in doing things right or simply pick up the fact that there are laws and that they exist for a good reason. I cant see consumers even knowing that UGCS exists let alone buying it.

 

[Ccard]

Hi Alex.
I have to agree with all of the suggestions & remarks made by Carapau.

Having an 'a-la-cart' pay a little extra for each additional step in the blocks/groups of features would for someone like myself , who is a member of an R/C club & an avid enthusiast of all flying thins but not trying to make money {yet} from it.
I would probably by upgrades as I became more familiar with the software and as the perceived need arises.
As an active member in a model flying club I am well aware of the many dangers, laws and responsibilities that I have to regard when operating any flying craft.

Aside form those who fly professionally or are members of a flying club. Personally, of the people I've met or know, who fly RTF multirotors, very few actually understand fully what they are doing and what range of possible outcomes may result if things don't go well nor do they even have a clue about the laws governing use that already existed 30 years ago. They probably will not spend much money to buy GC software , they might be willing to buy a $19.95 'cool' APP for their phone....

I use the DJI A2 controller as well as the Pixhawk, so considering what is available in the world of open source ground controllers for non-DJI compatible products, if the the price difference between basic feature feature-set of UgCS and the cost for the next level of additional features were too large it would sort of become an all or nothing choice for me and I would end up using the A2 setup for some things but use the other flight controllers and the other software most of the time.
The open source software & hardware is continuing to develop at an increasing rate, so I think if UgCS had some sort of tiered upgrade packages it may be more attractive to more people who may otherwise turn away.

[ I hope what I wrote makes sense... it's past my bedtime ]
Regards
Chris

 

[Alex D]

Hi Chris,

Generally we are not going to get any money from those who are flying just for fun. For them we are propose UgCS Open absolutely free.

This version has range restrictions (500m maximum distance from first waypoint and 120m altitude AGL) what are standard for most countries for unlicensed flights.

Also UgCS Open has functionality what available in open source or free software.

Could you tell me what functionality of UgCS Pro do you need for unprofessional use?