Can't get RTK to work with the M30T RC Plus Controller

GsquaredAerials · Aug 15, 2023

So I've been having trouble finding free local NTRIP networks in my area to test out RTK with my M30T. I'm trying my 2nd 14 day trial with a company called Point One Navigation who for $500/yr offers RTK towers all over the country. I'm in communication with them and they say they support the M30T and RC Plus controller.

Wanderlost · Aug 16, 2023

It looks like your RTK signal is just too weak for your location. I would try flying near a tower to see if it worked there. (There was also a note on the screen that said you needed to restart the aircraft after changing RTK services, but I don't think that's your problem).

GsquaredAerials · Aug 16, 2023

Wanderlost said:
It looks like your RTK signal is just too weak for your location. I would try flying near a tower to see if it worked there. (There was also a note on the screen that said you needed to restart the aircraft after changing RTK services, but I don't think that's your problem).

Actually, it was a wrong entry of zeros and Os. I just did a flight and RTK worked flawlessly once I got into a hover. It jumped from 19 sats to a constant 39. What a cost savings over the D-RTK 2 Mobile Station equipment. I understand its place in the mapping industry but for people like me that are just starting out, Point One Nav's nationwide coverage at $50/mo or $500/yr is very nice option.

I've been looking around for free or low cost NTRIP networks in my area but it's very hard to find and calling TDOT was an annoying process without much help. A service like Point One Navigation actually seems easier if and when my job makes me travel as I never have to change RTK settings. I highly recommend you try out their 14-day trial if you're struggling with the cost of D-RTK 2 or finding local NTRIPs and they don't even ask for credit card information. I'm going to perform a lot of flights during my free trial and see how good their service is, especially in different areas where signal strength and coverage is usually weak for me since I live at the base of the Smoky Mountains. I'll report back.

Wanderlost · Aug 16, 2023

TnDronePilot said:
So I've been having trouble finding free local NTRIP networks in my area to test out RTK with my M30T. I'm trying my 2nd 14 day trial with a company called Point One Navigation who for $500/yr offers RTK towers all over the country. I'm in communication with them and they say they support the M30T and RC Plus controller. So I did a screen record of me trying to get it to connect. I know this forum is pretty empty but just wanted to post in case someone has had a similar situation with their controller.

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Glad you got it all to work. I'll have to check, but I'll bet I don't have access to something like that in Canada.

GsquaredAerials · Aug 16, 2023

Wanderlost said:
Glad you got it all to work. I'll have to check, but I'll bet I don't have access to something like that in Canada.

I have an email into them asking how far the tower signal goes since there aren't that many spread across Canada.

GsquaredAerials · Aug 16, 2023

Got a reply from Point One Nav:

Unfortunately there is no perfect answer to questions like this. RTK positioning is driven in large part by the quality of the user's device and the environment where a device is working. We have users who get sub 4cm level accuracy out to 75km. We also have had users that report challenges within a few km of our perfectly functional base stations. After researching those experiences with the users, they are generally attempting to get a fix with an obstructed skyview (many of them indoors), they have a large multi-path source immediately adjacent to the test area, or they have some kind of hardware or firmware problem preventing their device from working as well as they hoped it would.

Typically, the three biggest determining factors (in no particular order) of the quality of the position are:

The quality, as well as the constellation and signal support of the GPS antenna and receiver in use.
The distance from the source of the corrections. Yes, this is absolutely a factor and the closer you are to the center of those circles the faster your device will be able to get a fix and the more likely the solver will be able to maintain that fix. But I wouldn't want to quote a specific number for you given the amount of GPS hardware variability in the world today.
The quality of the cellular service at the location you are working in. Because you need to source the corrections from our servers, if you are working in an environment that has limited cellular bandwidth or a cellular network that has a high latency (> 1s) your device could have trouble maintaining a connection to the data stream. When this happens the device can lose its "fixed" status and the calculated position can drift.

The experience a particular user has with their equipment generally comes down to the sum of those 3 factors. At a high level, the user will have the best quality solution within those more opaque blue circles with the quality and performance getting better as you get closer to the middle of the circle. We have many users that have very good results out to 60 and 70+km. We also have regular reports of high quality corrections even past that if the test site has high marks for the above data points.

The best recommendation I can give anyone is to give Polaris a try; maximize that 2 week trial and let us know if you are experiencing problems. We will do our best to help get answers to questions as quickly as we can. They can sign up for an account to check our coverage map. If they are working within one of those more opaque blue circles on that coverage map then there is a good chance they can use our solution. It is our hope that everyone's experience with Polaris matches their requirements. We are also constantly expanding our network so stay tuned to our map and our online news feed to learn what we are up to as we continue to bring the easiest to use high-precision positioning possible to our users.

Recoveryone · Oct 2, 2023

mikegrad · Oct 3, 2023

I used Polaris for awhile and it seems like a viable solution, however I managed to get my issues with NY CORS worked out and its a free and viable solution for my area. If i go outside of my area I will definitely use Polaris vs D-RTK 2 purchase!

jaja6009 · Oct 3, 2023

My only problem with Point 1 is that it is listed as a decimeter solution unless something has changed, hence the name 0.1 m.

What datum are they sending the corrections out in?
If it's WGS84 it seems like more added work to transform into NAD83(2011).

I currently use a small but growing local RTK service. They are now in 3 states. The only downside is they do not have a large network, and in some places I have to change my workflow or work in PPK due to a long baseline.

GsquaredAerials · Oct 4, 2023

I gave up on Point 1 for now as the job I wanted to use it for was in a rural farm area with no cell reception so their services wouldn't connect to my controller. Other than that, the are a good company and have very quick replies to any questions or concerns. I will use them again if I have the need.

Jeff White · Sep 12, 2024

Might want to check out Swift Navigation for RTK: Swift Navigation | Precise Positioning. They are a lot cheaper than Point One Navigation. Swift Navigation is $69 monthly or $699 annually for RTK corrections.

cgmaxed · Sep 21, 2024

I live in Florida. I use the DOT NTRIP free service with my Matrice 30 series. I have good and bad days when it comes to convergence. Some Days it's immediate while my drone sits on the ground. Other days it takes longer. If it takes longer than 2 minutes, I have to fly the drone straight up and hover, then restart the RTK on the drone to see if convergence occurs. It usually does when I hover it about 20 feet above any thick vegetation. Then I bring it back down and land it, The convergence connection stays unbroken. This establishes a very accurate home point when I take off again. When the drone returns it lands within 1-4cm right on the RTK recorded point it took off from. It never fails to land within that 1-4cm recorded RTK position. I'm so comfortable with the precise landing, I sometimes, don't even watch it land.

P.S. Don't expect this landing precision with the DJI mavic enterprise. Because it has only 1 RTK module, It can't establish such precision when landing. However, they say it's the best drone to perform accurate survey mapping work. The M30 is missing a a mechanical camera shutter, can't take images very quickly, and doesn't have time sync. Lastly DJI says the m30 can't be depended on to create consistent repeatable accurate image data, but the Mav3E can. It's funny though, It can't land as accurately as the m30. It's usually off by 1-1.5 ft when landing with it's RTK on.