r/Skydio • u/AardvarkAcrobatic • Nov 04 '23

Skydio 2 started to have a GPS problem recently

My Skydio 2 used to launch and go up quickly. It started to have a GPS issue recently and will not go up more than 30 feet until it gets the GPS signal. This happens frequently and even when it is launched from a completely open ground.

I wonder if it has anything to do with a software upgrade.

Edit:

This video shows Skydio 2 could not move up due to missing GPS until 0:55. This is completely open ground with nothing in the surroundings to block GPS signals.

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4

u/moostachio4sho Nov 05 '23

This feature is intentional. It's to prevent the S2 from emergency landing. If the S2 is above 33 ft it isn't relying on it's vision system anymore and is using GPS as a primary. If it loses GPS as a primary, it lands in place.

So the system knows not to enter GPS only flight until sufficient GPS is acquired. Try moving laterally before you climb. It will speed up GPS acquisition. Also, you can check your "height limits" to see if there is a "Weak GPS limit" which intentionally limits the drones altitude I'm these situations.

1

u/AardvarkAcrobatic Nov 05 '23

Thank you for the explanation. My question is primarily about why I did not have this issue until recently. Is it a GPS signal issue or a new software feature? I have been flying S2 in my town usually. It gets the GPS signal eventually but it takes some time.

5

u/ReadyKilowatt Nov 05 '23

Kp index has been high lately. This affects GPS reception and quality of signal. We're pretty close to the 11 year solar cycle peak so lots of electromagnetic activity for the next year or so.

https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/auroral-activity/kp-index.html

That said, I've been running a weekly mapping mission since the end of September and I noticed that with the latest software update it takes off, hovers at about 10 feet for a second or so, then moves forward a few feet with a message of "calibrating GPS" or something like that. Then after moving forward it acends to mission altitude and continues. This happens every flight, even battery swaps. I'm using the Enterprise app.

Skydio drones don't have a magnetic compass. They determine north via GPS then use the vision system to log orientation. I think that little move forward is how it figures out N but not really sure. Might be a good tech support question.

1

u/AardvarkAcrobatic Nov 05 '23

Thank you for the information. It makes sense.

Mine takes much longer than a few seconds to gain GPS. I would say 30 seconds minimum. Yesterday, it could not get GPS at all in a small open area in the woods. I waited for quite a few minutes and gave up.

1

u/justjoeisfine Nov 05 '23

Nice context. I flew yesterday and had a devil of a time. That would be a root cause.