I just released a fully reworked version of TelloMe Android, v1.2.0. And this one is super slick!
It comes with a Selfie Stick mode. With this mode
Tello will stay in front of you - even if you turn around
Tello will circle around you so it will end up in front of you. All while keeping you in frame.
This works for best for "Track Person" as this uses the full body to calculate the position. With "Track Face" it uses the head position instead which works well technically - but its hard to keep the head movement under control at all times. Look at an approaching car and
tello may smash into it!
Person tracking is on another level in this release. With no other people and no obstacles around you can expect
Tello to simply follow you until the battery runs flat. Walking and slow running are OK. I think a bicycle or electric scooter should work if going slow, albeit with higher risk of target loss. Sudden changes in direction are of course a challenge for Parallel mode and Selfie Stick mode. Not so much for simple Follow / Trace.
This version also finally has audio recording.
Minimum phone requirement are mor or less the same. Face detection is even faster than before. Minimum is something like a Galaxy S7 with Android 8, but that is really the minimum and more powerful devices are receommended. Newer devices give better tracking and more control speed (drone speed is throttled for lower spec phones).
The App can be downloaded for free on PlayStore but the free version does not record any video. You can unlock this from the first menu item via an in-app purchase.
If you enable the debug settings you will see some funny wire puppets while tracking a single person. TelloMe uses pose estimation now which is the reason for the massive improvement in bad light and more accurate distance calculation. With the new tracking quality a 20-25m dronie should be possible (I will give this a try in the next release).
Now pose estimation opens up quite a few possibilities for pose / gesture control. I will see what I can do about it. As a first step towards a "hands free" mode there is "Tap takeoff": Tap 3x on Tellos camera to initiate a throw takeoff. More to follow
PS: The most important factor regarding video quality is interference! The best way to good video is to activate airplane mode on the phone and re-enable only wifi. That does not the same things as switching off BT and cellular data!
