Can anyone recommend a Simple, usable, desktop (Box PC) flight planning software program

[WildGulo]

I'm old school and use my real desktop (box PC) because I like the bigger screen real estate. Can anyone recommend a clean, easy to use...i.e. layout/plan, export/drag and drop to the tablet software product? Looking through what is available, why is there no offline/disconnected software package that allows you to plan this stuff at your leisure from the comfort of your Desktop? Or am I missing something? OR...being able to import a set of predefined coordinates from Excel for waypoints and do the waypoint by waypoint and route leg adjustments after you've uploaded them? Seems like a big hole no one has filled. With DJI Go 4.0 you need to be connected to the drone and wasting battery power doing all the settings....WHY?!!!

I downloaded the UCGS for DJI. Nice software, lots of latitude on settings, relatively easy to layout, but the connection to transfer data is nuts. Looking at how they have configured their software...apparently the UCGS for DJI is supposed to be loaded to my Tablet/phone for a wireless connection from my laptop to upload the flight mission. They just assumed "desktop" meant a laptop...not a box PC. What am I missing here? Why all the complication? I work in remote areas that have no wireless and often no cell connections. How does this help me? It doesn't. Tried to email them and you can't...the Send button won't turn Green. LOL!! WTH?

I have some simple needs. Flying a route to various waypoints at a mile or so distance. When the drone arrives at a waypoint, it will ascend or descend to a pre-selected height, rotate 360 with a specified camera angle, then walk along a bearing for 50-100 meters at a specified height and camera angle..when compete it will then ascend to travel to the next waypoint and repeat...will probably get 3-4 waypoints/stations completed per battery because of the distance.These need to be pinpoint accurate because these are established reference points. Hence the desire to import the coordinates and not type them all in individually.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Seems like a wide open opportunity for some motivated programmers. I can't be the only one frustrated with this.

 

[BigAl07]

WELCOME to the forum!!

Have you looked into LITCHI ?

Keep in mind that you can't fly "a mile or so" and still be legal here in the USA.

 

[Thomas B]

Welcome to the forum from the deserts of Arizona! Enjoy.

 

[steve_lyt]

litchi , for me as well

 

[WildGulo]

litchi , for me as well

I just looked at their site and it looked like just mobile downloads apps from Google Play and iOS. Will go back and look.

 

[steve_lyt]

the lichi is a web app for the pc , you create the mission , save it , then connect the android or ipad with litchi on it to the internet and the mission is available

 

[WildGulo]

WELCOME to the forum!!

Have you looked into LITCHI ?

Keep in mind that you can't fly "a mile or so" and still be legal here in the USA.

Going to apply for the waiver...need to in my work. Hopefully I can get it. Or I;ll need to walk out part way and fly it and then return to the truck. Need to get the software wrangled too. Was surprised how much effort has been put into this with the vastly complex enterprise drone management system software and yet the most convenient and useful things seem to be overlooked. Will check out Litchi again.

 

[BigAl07]

Litchi

Going to apply for the waiver...need to in my work. Hopefully I can get it. Or I;ll need to walk out part way and fly it and then return to the truck. Need to get the software wrangled too. Was surprised how much effort has been put into this with the vastly complex enterprise drone management system software and yet the most convenient and useful things seem to be overlooked. Will check out Litchi again.

You'll need DEEP pockets for that waiver. Its a doozy.

Litchi Mission Hub is the desktop version.

Mission Hub - Litchi

Litchi's Mission Hub lets you plan waypoint flights and later execute them using the mobile Litchi app.

flylitchi.com

 

[Terry63]

I'm old school and use my real desktop (box PC) because I like the bigger screen real estate. Can anyone recommend a clean, easy to use...i.e. layout/plan, export/drag and drop to the tablet software product? Looking through what is available, why is there no offline/disconnected software package that allows you to plan this stuff at your leisure from the comfort of your Desktop? Or am I missing something? OR...being able to import a set of predefined coordinates from Excel for waypoints and do the waypoint by waypoint and route leg adjustments after you've uploaded them? Seems like a big hole no one has filled. With DJI Go 4.0 you need to be connected to the drone and wasting battery power doing all the settings....WHY?!!!

I downloaded the UCGS for DJI. Nice software, lots of latitude on settings, relatively easy to layout, but the connection to transfer data is nuts. Looking at how they have configured their software...apparently the UCGS for DJI is supposed to be loaded to my Tablet/phone for a wireless connection from my laptop to upload the flight mission. They just assumed "desktop" meant a laptop...not a box PC. What am I missing here? Why all the complication? I work in remote areas that have no wireless and often no cell connections. How does this help me? It doesn't. Tried to email them and you can't...the Send button won't turn Green. LOL!! WTH?

I have some simple needs. Flying a route to various waypoints at a mile or so distance. When the drone arrives at a waypoint, it will ascend or descend to a pre-selected height, rotate 360 with a specified camera angle, then walk along a bearing for 50-100 meters at a specified height and camera angle..when compete it will then ascend to travel to the next waypoint and repeat...will probably get 3-4 waypoints/stations completed per battery because of the distance.These need to be pinpoint accurate because these are established reference points. Hence the desire to import the coordinates and not type them all in individually.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Seems like a wide open opportunity for some motivated programmers. I can't be the only one frustrated with this.

I use the Litchi Mission Hub on my Desktop Computer. You have to Have an internet connection to plan missions. After your mission is planned you can save it. I save it to my tablet which I use with my Mavic Pro.
Once the mission is on your device you can use it with no internet connection. The selected mission loads to your aircraft and it will fly the mission to completion, even if you loose your control link. I use Google Earth for my map engine but I believe there are other options.

 

[WildGulo]

I use the Litchi Mission Hub on my Desktop Computer. You have to Have an internet connection to plan missions. After your mission is planned you can save it. I save it to my tablet which I use with my Mavic Pro.
Once the mission is on your device you can use it with no internet connection. The selected mission loads to your aircraft and it will fly the mission to completion, even if you loose your control link. I use Google Earth for my map engine but I believe there are other options.

Thanks...I was just looking at the Litchi site again and I saw no Desktop usable version. Just the mobile apps. So I see there is a log in on the Mission Hub site. Am assuming you need to Sign up/Register for the site to use it and then need to pay for and download the Android version for the tablet to transfer and actually use the software? Are there route controls on this? Like speed, elevation...they just show waypoints so am assuming the speed slider they show is progressional from the last point to the next? And point to point elevational changes are in a straight line gradient (incline/decline). So it's not like your drone was at 50 feet at the waypoint and then you set the route leg to 25 feet and flew horizontal at 2.5 mph? And this Mission Hub interface is a web version to plan your routes. Seems like a social site? Other people's routes are shown. Do you choose to share your routes or are your routes shown and stored be default? Why the hell are these people making a simple process so difficult?

 

[steve_lyt]

you need to register the app , then login with the same details on the mission hub

 

[WildGulo]

you need to register the app , then login with the same details on the mission hub

Thanks Steve...but is everything you do on Mission Hub public or can you decide to share or not to share. My client's stuff is confidential.

 

[parkgt]

Thanks Steve...but is everything you do on Mission Hub public or can you decide to share or not to share. My client's stuff is confidential.

You can set them to "Private"

 

[WildGulo]

Many thanks...think I can get what I need out of it. May need to set an additional point overlaying the primary waypoint and drop the height to what I want. Will experiment with it. Thanks for the insight!!! Really Like UCGS, but the hassle of transferring data through their portal system and the $69/mo for licensing when my use will be intermittent vs $25 one time...I'll figure it out.

 

[steve_lyt]

As dar as i know, litchi missions are ptivate unless you choose to share the mission wirh someone else

 

[meens]

The good thing about litchi is that you can create a mission on your computer, that mission will be automatically transfered to your drone via your Litchi account and you can even simulate the mission on Google Earth via Virtual Litchi Mission available here : Virtual Litchi Mission

 

[HumbearKS]

Does Litchi work with the Mavic Mini? I heard it doesn't but wanted to confirm...thanks..

 

[steve_lyt]

dont know the answer to that one, but I will look for you. I just had a look and could find nothing that said it will work with the mini
. Sorry

 

[HumbearKS]

Thanks, Steve..

 

[johngilkey]

I recommend Litchi. Once you own the app for your iOS or Android tablet or phone you can go to flylitchi.com/hub and create missions. Once you log into your Litchi account they will be accessible on your mobile app. Even better, using Google Earth Pro you can actually visualize and virtually fly your missions. Here is a link to a YouTube video I did on the subject:

Best of luck with your flying.