Alternating color/white lights does NOT mean GPS lock!

[Skeets]

So, it turns out that the white light does not mean GPS lock. If the back light is blinking a color (not white), it means it is searching for GPS. If the color is solid, that means it has a GPS lock. What the white means is that it is refreshing the location of the ST-16 for when you RTH. For those who do not know, the H has Dynamic Return to Home, which means the H RTH's to where ever the ST-16 is. So if you move while flying the H has to update its RTH position. THAT is what the white LED is doing.

Explanation of the white light begins at around 9:00

 

[Rayray]

If the color is solid, that means it has a GPS lock. What the white means is that it is refreshing the location of the ST-16 for when you RTH

I agree. To put it in simple terms, solid purple indicates TH craft GPS lock. The added white flash means that the ST16 controller has at least 10 GPS Sats locked.

 

[Skeets]

I agree. To put it in simple terms, solid purple indicates TH craft GPS lock. The added white flash means that the ST16 controller has at least 10 GPS Sats locked.

That is not quite my understanding. From what I got from the video, the added white light is the H getting updated position information of where the ST-16 is at that moment in time. Not specifically that the ST-16 has at least 10 satellites. Of course the ST-16 has to have a good GPS lock to "tell" the H where it is, so it may go hand in hand, but the video specifically says the white light is the H getting updated position data from the ST-16. The video even says that it's ok to fly without the white light, but I would be surprised if it would be ok to fly without a good GPS lock on the ST-16... but I could be wrong.

 

[PatR]

You will never get a GPS Lost warning when the white light is flashing. They occur only with a straight color back light. When there is a good GPS link GPS will always be updating. Not updating is a bad thing

 

[Skeets]

You will never get a GPS Lost warning when the white light is flashing. They occur only with a straight color back light. When there is a good GPS link GPS will always be updating. Not updating is a bad thing

The video states that a solid purple light means GPS lock. The white light, alternating with the solid purple light, means that the H is refreshing it's home point (ie the location of the ST-16). He also states that the H is still safe to fly if there isn't a white light, but the RTH location will not be refreshed until there is the white light AND 10 satellites. He does not say that the white light indicates at least 10 satellites. Now, will you ever get a GPS lost warning if there is a white light? Perhaps not, but that is coincidental and not indicative of the white light.

 

[Paranull]

Hi!

I remember a statement that white starts to flash when there is enough satellites for follow me and watch me modes.

Best regards.

 

[Rayray]

I'm long familiar with the video, which dates from January. Our European friends have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the Typhoon H.

I think "refresh" is not precisely the right word. After flying 3 TH's for months, with different ST16s, I stay with what I said.

The reason the White light flashes is only to distinguish it from the solid Purple light. Both the craft and the ST16, once GPS is good on both, update their GPS positions in real time. This allows the craft, for instance, in "Follow Me" or "Watch Me" modes, to follow the Controller precisely even as both move at high speed, through turns, etc.

On startup, watch the ST16 Sats as they accumulate, on the right of the screen. When the number gets to 10 or more, the craft rear White flashes will begin, if the Solid purple is already showing. If the White is refreshing, then the Purple is also refreshing. No big deal.

Bottom line: If you have White flashes over solid Purple, you be good to go!

 

[Skeets]

The video is produced by Yuneec. With all due respect, I would take their explanation of what the white light means over any of us consumer/users. Unless the European version is different than the US version in that aspect, why would you disagree with what he is saying? Even he is the one who is saying it's the refresh of the home point. Again, the white light may only happen to come on if there are 10 satellites but that doesn't mean that the white light means GPS lock. Perhaps we are both saying the same thing, but in a different way?

 

[CraigCam]

What difference does it make? If you loose GPS you've got blinking purple and white doesn't matter so the blinking white light and GPS failure are not synonymous. As for the video from Yuneec. I work with ProTools and the company (Avid) who makes it know the least about it as they are designers not end users. I'd hesitate to take anything from the manufacturer as an absolute which is obvious from the multiple threads of Yuneec confusion (allegedly) where it's proclaimed they don't have a clue.

 

[PatR]

I dunno, but the H's I have display the sold purple light almost immediately after arming. To my way of thinking the light is only telling me the aircraft is in Angle mode, and not necessarily relating GPS position status. I agree with Craig in not putting a lot of stock in what comes out of info originating with Yuneec. Too many conversations with their people have established that many users have more knowledge of the system than they do. If Yuneec corporate was to put an official "approval" on videos and info I'd be inclined to put more trust in it, but they don't. The dealers and end users are generating 95% of the info out there, not Yuneec. Until Yuneec steps up I have to personally test new info before putting any faith in it.

In any case, there's no such thing as having a GPS "lock" with the H system. There's nothing present that would allow one. The people that insist on using the term "lock" only add confusion to GPS discussions relative to the H.

As for loss of GPS by itself, the H doesn't care unless a user tries to trigger RTH. Just like the Chroma and Typhoons before the H it reverts to a user guided Angle/stability type mode, going where the operator tells it to. If the operator is totally reliant on GPS to fly it's because they are too far away or they have yet to develop flying skills. Flying skills are something the H instructions stress to develop as quickly as possible. It should not be used as a beginner's aircraft.

 

[Skeets]

Well.....I stand corrected. Ive been wrong once or twice in my life, and I guess this is one of them. In my defense, I was referencing a video that was put out by Yuneec, but CraigCam and PatR was right in that I should have not been so quick to put alot of stock into that. (but it is on the internet, right? It HAS to be true, right?)

On page 23 of the manual, it states:

"NOTICE:
White blink between solid flight mode indicates enough satellites for Watch Me/Follow Me" <<<How did I miss that in the first place?

---sorry for the confusion.

 

[byhead]

Thank you Pat! Your descriptions are always so precise and fully detailed!
I, for one, have indeed learned to put my confidence in your replies.
Would you please head to my upcoming (momentarily) post regarding
the two gimbal 'Tilt and control' switches, top left on the ST16.

 

[PatR]

Skeets,

Thanks, and in consolation it's pretty darn easy to misunderstand what Yuneec is stating in some if their "documentation". Much is flat out omitted and it would appear that native English speakers were not used to check the accuracy of any text that was put through a translation program.

Because of that forums such as this are vital for all of us to learn from. Our shared combined experiences provide a means to obtain considerably more utility from the H. Everyone that shares their experiences matters, and helps refine the constantly expanding performance reference data.