Customizing Litchi keys in Mavic Air

[ElvisIsDust]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum and flying in general. Please forgive me if this has already been answered. Litchi is working wonderfully for me as a way to use waypoints with the Mavic Air autonomously. However there are some instances where I would like to set the waypoints and poi positions on the fly with the remote while the bird is in the air. Particularly, to set accurate points and altitudes in areas where I cant see what's going on due to tree cover on google gps satellite images. I keep reading that you can do this with Litchi by setting custom buttons. However, the Litchi software buttons refer to the C1 and C2 buttons which are not available on the Mavic Air RC. The Air has the "function" and "C" button only, and these are not customizable options within the Litchi app. Any tips on how I might accomplish setting waypoints and POI locations on the fly with a Mavic Air utilizing Litchi? Thanks...

 

[brett8883]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum and flying in general. Please forgive me if this has already been answered. Litchi is working wonderfully for me as a way to use waypoints with the Mavic Air autonomously. However there are some instances where I would like to set the waypoints and poi positions on the fly with the remote while the bird is in the air. Particularly, to set accurate points and altitudes in areas where I cant see what's going on due to tree cover on google gps satellite images. I keep reading that you can do this with Litchi by setting custom buttons. However, the Litchi software buttons refer to the C1 and C2 buttons which are not available on the Mavic Air RC. The Air has the "function" and "C" button only, and these are not customizable options within the Litchi app. Any tips on how I might accomplish setting waypoints and POI locations on the fly with a Mavic Air utilizing Litchi? Thanks...

If you customize the “C1” and “C2” buttons in Litchi does it not program the “C” and F” buttons on the remote? I notice while it does say “C1” and “C2” it also says “right” and “left” next to those buttons in the app as if to say, “C1 or the button on the left.”

 

[ElvisIsDust]

Unless I'm doing something wrong, no it doesn't. It does not override the settings that were programmed in via the DJI Go 4 app. Have tried making them undefined on DJI and they keep reverting back to my previous setting. I think that left and right might correspond to C1 being on the left and C2 being on the right? I'd love to be proven wrong on this. It does seem strange that Litchi would support waypoints on the Mavic Air but not account for the custom buttons being different on the RC.

 

[brett8883]

Unless I'm doing something wrong, no it doesn't. It does not override the settings that were programmed in via the DJI Go 4 app. Have tried making them undefined on DJI and they keep reverting back to my previous setting. I think that left and right might correspond to C1 being on the left and C2 being on the right? I'd love to be proven wrong on this. It does seem strange that Litchi would support waypoints on the Mavic Air but not account for the custom buttons being different on the RC.

Have you forced quit DJI GO 4? The function buttons on the remote are run by the application currently connected to the drone. Without a mobile app running those buttons don’t do anything.

 

[ElvisIsDust]

Well I don't know what I did differently than yesterday but I went through the process again to make sure I was telling you everything accurately. Lo and behold, it works fine. I'm scratching my head but very happy to I know now that it is possible. Thanks for your response, Brett.

 

[ElvisIsDust]

I haven't tested it yet, but it makes sense to me that when flying low in close proximity to obstacles, I could customize a button to "Waypoint at device" and simply walk the path pressing the button every few meters. No need to even start up the drone, right? Could be great for low-altitude real estate property shots. Thanks again for your help.

 

[brett8883]

Well I don't know what I did differently than yesterday but I went through the process again to make sure I was telling you everything accurately. Lo and behold, it works fine. I'm scratching my head but very happy to I know now that it is possible. Thanks for your response, Brett.

Anytime

I haven't tested it yet, but it makes sense to me that when flying low in close proximity to obstacles, I could customize a button to "Waypoint at device" and simply walk the path pressing the button every few meters. No need to even start up the drone, right? Could be great for low-altitude real estate property shots. Thanks again for your help.

I actually always wondered what that option was for, good point!

Just remember that GPS and altitude aren’t perfect and the vision sensors can only see in certain directions. In a ground planned waypoints mission(you planned it on the ground before flying it) you have to be especially aware of this because its not always clear when the drone will rise to an altitude or turn in what direction and when.

So what I do for these is set the crushing speed in the mission settings to 0 MPH but max speed at like let’s say 15 MPH. Then set every waypoint’s speed to “crushing speed” which is the default option.

By setting the cruising speed to zero you control the speed at which the drone moves with the right stick manually. Right stick forward to move forward through the mission and right stick back to go backwards through the mission. This way you can watch it go through the mission and If it does something you don’t expect just let go and it will brake.

Remember that switching to sport mode will disengage the mission and allow you to fully control it manually again.

 

[ElvisIsDust]

All good points. I did some reading after my last statement and learned that consumer gps isn't quite as accurate as I was hoping. +- 2.5 meters horizontally is pushing it for landscape paths. Having to have a minimum 9 foot buffer from all obstacles doesn't seem to promising for my grand plan. And even a 9 foot buffer doesn't necessarily buy us any guarantees. Looks like I need to working more on my manual skills. I'd love to have this guy safely fly an intricate course while I solely concentrate on yaw and gimble tilt but it appears this might be a pipe dream with consumer gps.

 

[Billibong]

Hi,
I have a Air 2s with a std. controller (the one that hooks to the phone) is there a way to program the FN button (left button) to allow it to capture "Waypoint at aircraft". I set in the Litchi settings but it doesn't work. It sounds like "Elvis isDust" member maybe got this to work, anyone know?
Thanks,
Billbong