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Difference in Height and Altitude in DJI Pilot Mission Planning

MSMdrone

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I'm flying a Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual. In DJI Pilot, when using Mission Planning to build a waypoint mission, what is the difference in Height and Altitude when setting RTH, route, and/or waypoint altitudes? The User Manual and DJI video on mission planning don't explain the differences in the two altitude settings. It appears to me that Height is the altitude measured from where the drone took off and Altitude is the altitude measured by barometric pressure from sea level. Because I'm taking off from the top of a parking garage (approx. 60 ft AGL), I want to make sure I understand the differences and set my RTH altitude correctly to clear all nearby obstacles if the drone goes off track for any reason. (I've added a generous buffer to the altitude until I know the difference for sure.)

Thank you very much for the assistance! I'm new to the forum. I apologize if this question has already been asked and answered, but I tried searching for an answer to my question and could not find it.
 
I'm flying a Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual. In DJI Pilot, when using Mission Planning to build a waypoint mission, what is the difference in Height and Altitude when setting RTH, route, and/or waypoint altitudes?
Unless the Enterprise version is completely different from every other DJI drone, all heights (or altitudes) are the height of the drone relative to where it was launched.
The barometric sensor zeros at startup for each flight and has no reference to sea level.

Try a little testing in a large, open area to get an understanding of how it works.

If you are launching from a parking garage, be aware that launching from a reinforced concrete surface can cause serious issues that you really want to avoid.
Use a plastic box or similar to keep the drone >1 foot above the concrete to prevent to compass being deflected by steel inside the reinforced concrete and causing a yaw error.
 
Hello Meta4. Thank you very much for the information--I appreciate it very much.

I understand that all heights are relative to the point from which the drone was launched. What I don't understand is the difference in the altitude reflected on the remote controller when you set the flight altitude and RTH altitude in DJI Pilot and it requires you to select (using the slide bar) either Height or Altitude. I'll follow your suggestion and fly missions in each setting to see what altitudes are reflected in each setting for the same waypoints & altitudes.

Thank you also for the caution and suggestion about launching from the concrete surface of a parking garage. We use a launch pad and haven't experienced any problems yet for these mission sets. RTH has been dead accurate so far for each of the 15+ missions we've flown from this location. That said, I'll be cautious about this launch location.

Thanks again!
 
What I don't understand is the difference in the altitude reflected on the remote controller when you set the flight altitude and RTH altitude in DJI Pilot and it requires you to select (using the slide bar) either Height or Altitude.
You need to think about any obstacles in your flight area that could be between the drone and the home point.
How much higher are they than the home point?
Set an RTH altitude that such that if RTh is initiated, the drone will rise to a height that would allow it to clear the obstacles for the flight back.
Thank you also for the caution and suggestion about launching from the concrete surface of a parking garage. We use a launch pad and haven't experienced any problems yet for these mission sets. RTH has been dead accurate so far for each of the 15+ missions we've flown from this location. That said, I'll be cautious about this launch location.
Search for "yaw error" to find info about what they are.
A launch pad won't prevent them and having previously launched from the same place doesn't mean it's safe.
 
Thanks again! I understand and agree about the importance of setting an appropriate RTH altitude to clear all obstacles. In this instance, before launching from the roof of the parking garage, launched the drone from ground level and measured the height of all the obstacles in and near the operational area (with the tallest obstacle being a 250-ft radio tower). We also flew a mission from the parking garage roof to check the height of the obstacles again, then set the RTH and added an extra 50 ft for a buffer cushion (while still remaining below 400 ft AGL).

Thanks again also for the caution and suggestion about launching from the parking garage!

I don't think I worded my original question well. When you build the waypoint mission in the Mission Planning tool in DJI Pilot and set the flight altitude, RTH altitude, and--if desired--different altitudes for waypoints, you're asked to choose Height or Altitude (selected by using a slide bar). I'm trying to confirm that the difference is Height is measured from the launch point of the drone and Altitude is measured from actual MSL in the area. I'll fly the route using both selections (once selecting Height and once using Altitude) and record the displayed altitudes.

Thanks again! I appreciate your information, suggestions, and quick responses!
 
you're asked to choose Height or Altitude (selected by using a slide bar). I'm trying to confirm that the difference is Height is measured from the launch point of the drone and Altitude is measured from actual MSL in the area.
Can you post a screenshot of where you input this?
 
Sorry for my delayed reply.

Attached are two snapshots from a test waypoint mission (not the actual mission flown) I built to show what I'm talking about. The first snapshot shows the slide bar asking you to select Displayed Height/Altitude. (It defaults to Height.) The second snapshot shows the caution you receive if you select Altitude. (As I explained before, I assume Height is being measured from the takeoff/RTH location of the drone, which in this case is from the top floor of a parking garage approx. 60 ft above the street/ground. Similarly, I'm assuming Altitude is being measured from local MSL.)

I plan on flying missions with both settings to determine the difference in what is actually displayed.

Thanks again!
 

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Attached are two snapshots from a test waypoint mission
It's clear from your screenshot that height is something different from altitude.
What the difference is, is not clear.
I was unable to find a manual for DJI Pilot, but there is a series of instruction videos.
The video for waypoint missions :
... skips past the height/altitude settings without explaining them.
I downloaded the Pilot app and all I can get from that is that when you tap on Height it describes height as:
Difference between the current altitude of the aircraft and the takeoff point
This is the normal way that DJI display height.

For Altitude, it shows as :
The current height of the aircraft
This makes no sense to me and I have no idea what it means.

I'm assuming Altitude is being measured from local MSL.)
Your drone has no sensor that can give it any height relative to MSL.
I wouldn't make any assumption and would only trust this if I had tested it.

I plan on flying missions with both settings to determine the difference in what is actually displayed.
If it was me, I'd just ignore the Altitude setting and stick with height, which is clear and simple to understand.
 
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I agree. The definition/explanation of Altitude setting in DJI Pilot makes no sense. I've reread the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual user manual several times and can't find a definition in it. I've also watched the DJI Pilot Mission Planning video several times and it doesn't provide a definition.

I understand the definition of Height and it's easy to compute it in relation to nearby obstacles, so I'll continue to use it. I don't understand what Altitude is displaying in Mission Planning but will fly the same mission route in both settings (Height and Altitude) and see if I can figure it out. If so, I'll post my findings.

Thanks a lot! Enjoy what's left of the weekend.
 
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I've seen on a DJI tutorial video in which they explain the difference between the two. Essentially, they define AGL and if you take off the roof of a building, (Eg 10m high) you declare the 2nd height as -10m (minus 10m). dji pilot 2 - Bing video
Hopefully this helps?
 
Hello Nutzman. Thank you very much for the information. It will be helpful when I start flying an M30 with DJI Pilot 2 in a few weeks but doesn't apply to the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual because it uses DJI Pilot (the older version) and doesn't offer the same options that DJI Pilot 2 does (nor the better explanations DJI Pilot provides for Relative to Takeoff Point and ASL EGM96).

I had to travel, so I haven't had the opportunity yet to fly the same mission route using and comparing both altitude options offered in DJI Pilot (Height and Altitude), but my guess is they are basically the same options--Height measures the altitude from the drone's takeoff point (in my situation, approx. 60 ft above the surrounding ground level) and Altitude is the estimated relative to EGM 96 datum.

Thanks again! I appreciate your input.
 
People keep saying there are no sensors for MSL, GPS gives that information. I suspect altitude would be GPS determined and height to be done by either the vps sensors or barometer. I don’t know how to confirm that without flying a separate GPS recording device.
 
People keep saying there are no sensors for MSL, GPS gives that information. I suspect altitude would be GPS determined and height to be done by either the vps sensors or barometer. I don’t know how to confirm that without flying a separate GPS recording device.
MSL is irrelevant to your drone.
It doesn't use GPS at all for altitude.
 
People keep saying there are no sensors for MSL, GPS gives that information. I suspect altitude would be GPS determined and height to be done by either the vps sensors or barometer. I don’t know how to confirm that without flying a separate GPS recording device.
It only uses the barometer, and the barometer only measures relative changes in elevation from the launch point, which is always set to zero. MSL and AGL cannot be measured.
 
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