Many XT2 Thermal Camera options not visible in DroneLink Android App
Equipment: DJI Matrice 210 V2 + Flir XT2 (13mm, 30hz, 640x521px) + Cendence Controller + CrystalSky Monitor
I have created a mission in the DroneLink web app. Downloaded the mission to my CrystalSky (Android) app. When viewing the mission in the CrystalSky (Android) app I do not see the many options available for my Flir XT2 thermal camera as they are presented in the DJI Pilot App. There are many options for the Flir XT2 thermal camera (Isotherm, Heat-Track, Alert, etc) that I need during my flight missions, and need to be controlled in-flight. It's a sophisticated thermal camera with various options available - there's more to it than than just hitting a single record button. I don't see those options in the android app.
Will those options be available, or is it simply not going be feasible to use the DroneLink app for flight missions being that the camera is so sophistaicated with so many options during flight?
Also, I plan on using the Zenmuse Z30 camera *and* the Flir XT2 camera on the DJI Matrice 210 V2 at the same time. This further complicates the options because now there are two cameras on board with various options during flight.
Will the DroneLink app on the CrystalSky be robust enough, especially with all the available camera options, to run missions?
I have been impressed with the web app for planning maps/missions, however, is the product mature enough to run missions on an enterprise system with two cameras, especially with a thermal camera such as the Flir XT2 with many many in-flight options? Having those options available is a must for search and rescue (SAR) and wildlife operations.
Thank you.
Comments
7 comments
The camera menus that are presented in the flight dashboard are from DJI's UI Library, which is usually lagging behind their production apps by a few months. I think this lag has been longer lately because they completely rewriting the UX SDK and I am hoping this will mean the update will include all the new options for the more advanced cameras.
As far as applying automatic settings, Dronelink already supports sending commands to multiple cameras by letting you set the "channel" when you expand the advanced settings on a command:
Of course, not all the thermal commands have been exposed in the command component properties editor yet, but we are open to feature requests on which ones are the most important to add next. As always, priorities will come down to what our paying customers are asking for most.
As for Crystal Sky, it is running a relatively old version of Android and a processor that is several years old, so while it may have a wonderful screen, everything else is a compromise.
The camera menus that are presented in the flight dashboard are from DJI's UI Library, which is usually lagging behind their production apps by a few months.
So, are you saying that the Flir XT2 is not available from the DJI UI Library to be displayed on the DroneLink dashboard?
I also made a request in another post to have the Flir XT2 put in as one of the available cameras in the DroneLink catalogue along with the Z30. You quickly responded by adding the Z30 to the catalogue (much appreciated BTW), but I found no comment on the Flir XT2.
Of course, not all the thermal commands have been exposed in the command component properties editor yet, but we are open to feature requests on which ones are the most important to add next. As always, priorities will come down to what our paying customers are asking for most.
So, are you saying the XT2 thermal commands *can* be exposed in the command component properties so that the options can manually be altered during in-flight missions (but DroneLink hasn't gone around to it)?
I'm trying to understand. Are these issues part of the same overall issue which is driven by DJI's UI Library (as you stated earlier), or is it driven by DroneLink current resources/priorities?
Thanks.
The DJI UI library is a black box. You just include their code in your (native) app and get what you get in terms of the UI and menus. These UI components are meant for you (the operator) to be able to navigate through on-screen menus and set settings on the camera and other components, just like in DJI GO. Like I said, they always lag behind what DJI GO and DJI Pilot have in their interfaces.
The Dronelink web app is a completely different code-base from the native app, and does not rely on the DJI UI libraries. If you want to send specs on the Flir XT2 I am happy to add it as an option in the web app.
The DJI SDK has many different interfaces available for setting the hundreds of options available on their cameras and other peripherals, and we have only exposed a small subset of these interfaces to be "commands" in Dronelink. If you have specific ones that you want us to add, you can look through the list here:
https://developer.dji.com/api-reference/android-api/Components/Camera/DJICamera.html
The DJI SDK has many different interfaces available for setting the hundreds of options available on their cameras and other peripherals, and we have only exposed a small subset of these interfaces to be "commands" in Dronelink. If you have specific ones that you want us to add, you can look through the list here: https://developer.dji.com/api-reference/android-api/Components/Camera/DJICamera.html
The ones most useful for the Flir XT2 are, of course, everything under the "Thermal" subheading, and are very comprehensive, as you can see.
So, are you saying that list of Thermal "commands" could be added to the Dronlink in-flight app and be available while operating? (if the Dronelink customer base desires it) Or, are you saying that it will not happen until DJI updates their UI Library even if you update Dronelink? Or is it both, it will not happen until DJI updates their UI Library AND until you update Dronelink command profile?
(Sorry, I don't know the inner workings (of SDK's, UI's,etc) like you do so I may be asking the wrong questions, I apologize ahead if that's the case.)
I'm not concerned about automated commands for a mission, but manual commands/controls during flight; where I can pause the mission, take control of the thermal camera, set options (zoom in, set Isotherm properties, get the temperature of an object, etc), then resume the mission. This is often the case in Search and Rescue missions; you program a grid to fly over, you find a heat signature, you pause the mission, you then manually investigate the heat signature using the thermal cameras options and capabilities, then if it's nothing, you resume your grid search.
Adding automated commands is dependent on us writing the code. Menus in the native app are dependent on DJI writing the code, unless we implement our own camera menus (which isn't going to happen any time soon unless there is a big customer paying a lot of money for it).
Menus in the native app are dependent on DJI writing the code...
By "native app" do you mean the DJI Pilot app, or DroneLink app?
https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035345774-What-is-the-difference-between-the-web-app-and-the-native-app-
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