Wizard Watch me mode

[BobW55]

Has anyone used the wizard in watch me mode with something that is quick moving and changing altitude?
I am talking like following a dirt bike that is going up/down hills doing jumps etcetera.
I have used the wizard in this mode myself, but just following me on a bicycle. While it did keep up, I was not changing altitude. I need to know how well it will follow something that is changing altitude rather quickly,

 

[Steve Carr]

The altitude following isn't perfect because two barometric altimeters are being compared. Those are rough at best. If you maintain sufficient altitude separation then all should work well. I think I would use it in "lead me" rather than follow me so you can see what it's doing.

BTW it works better if you keep plenty of horizontal separation as well as vertical.

 

[BobW55]

The plan is to have it try to follow my RC glider around. Just about have the mount on the wing saddle figured out. Nice thing about the glider is it can fly pretty slow with full flaps.

 

[Dirtrider71]

I went for a ride this past weekend and wanted to use this feature. Does anyone know the max distance and height on the Wizard? Our trails sometimes go off into the woods and with no foliage on the trees, I wonder if it will still track me and be high enough over the trees. I realize that once the tree canopy fills in, it won't work.

 

[Steve Carr]

I went for a ride this past weekend and wanted to use this feature. Does anyone know the max distance and height on the Wizard? Our trails sometimes go off into the woods and with no foliage on the trees, I wonder if it will still track me and be high enough over the trees. I realize that once the tree canopy fills in, it won't work.

I don't remember the limits, but 75-100' high and up to 200' away should be easy. From the videos I've seen, getting too close is iffy for tracking.

 

[Dirtrider71]

My planning was to use the wizard and CGO3 app on my phone to make sure I was in frame. But what also stopped me from trying it was what would happen if I rode to fast and lost connection. I assume the app would cut out before the wizard would. Would the wizard reconnect and prevent an auto landing?

 

[Steve Carr]

It should. I'm certain the range is much shorter than the ST16, but still good for the follow me function. I don't think it would auto land until it hits the low bat warning. If it loses signal it is supposed to RTH to the last known position of the controller or wizard. That should be plenty of time to reacquire the signal.

 

[Dirtrider71]

Thanks Steve. I just need to find a wide and long enough field to test. If I ever get a chance, I will post results.

 

[Dr Delta]

I would be highly interested in knowing if the H does follow if one is descending below starting point, like for instance descending from a hill at rather high velocity.
Since I live in a perfectly flat area I can not test that myself.

 

[Murray Martz]

I would be highly interested in knowing if the H does follow if one is descending below starting point, like for instance descending from a hill at rather high velocity.
Since I live in a perfectly flat area I can not test that myself.

Do you mean a scenario like this perhaps?.....the H is on flat land about 50 feet from a downward slope. You are on the edge of the slope with the Wizard and start to head down and away from the H. Will it see you and follow?
Is that about right?

 

[Dr Delta]

Do you mean a scenario like this perhaps?.....the H is on flat land about 50 feet from a downward slope. You are on the edge of the slope with the Wizard and start to head down and away from the H. Will it see you and follow?
Is that about right?

Yep... best a slope with a bit of a steep descent and about 200 ft lower arrival then starting point.

 

[Murray Martz]

Yep... best a slope with a bit of a steep descent and about 200 ft lower arrival then starting point.

One thing I do know is it will keep a relative distance from the Wizard. As to the rest, I don't own a Wizard as yet.

 

[Dr Delta]

One thing I do know is it will keep a relative distance from the Wizard. As to the rest, I don't own a Wizard as yet.

Yes, it will. That is in the manual.
But will H follow the descent, that is an interesting issue. Not found any video's doing so neither.

 

[nicholas hickman]

I have been asked to film some people exercising race horses, was thinking about using the wizard and follow/lead. Not used the wizard yet!

 

[BobW55]

Wizard is a neat tool. I definitely recommend playing with it in a wide open field until you get a feel for how things respond. I just went for a bike ride around the block where I live. It did well keeping up with me, just had to make sure it was high up to stay out of the trees. ( I do not have the pro version) Make sure you have a countdown timer. While the wizard will give a vibrating battery warning, there is no voltage read out. I set my timer for 10 minutes, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to get off the bike and land.

 

[Rayray]

I need to know how well it will follow something that is changing altitude rather quickly,

Remember to be sure the Wizard is switched to altitude follow. You can set the H starting height using Angle before you switch to Follow or Watch. Don't fly the glider above the H or it will turn upside down (joke).

 

[Steve Carr]

 

[ArnhemAnt]

Something else that I don't see mentioned too much is the 'dynamic altitude' when using the Wizard in watch/follow mode. This can be turned 'on' or 'off' and will enable the H to move in unison with the Wizard in regards to the altitude of the two devices.
Have a look at this clip (from 17:15) to see the dynamic altitude function.