Drone Deploy and Terrain Aware (AGL)

[queeg730]

Folks,
I plan to use DD to map a very undulating area, where the ground falls away from the Home Point (up to 60m below HP) on one side, but slopes up (up to 80m above HP) on another side.
The DD plan I have created suggests a height of 60 metres.

The question is...... will the drone follow the terrain, dropping down on one side and up on the other..... in other words.... will it fly 60m AGL or always 60m Above Home Point.
If the latter, then it will be too high for decent mapping on the 'low' side, and will crash into the ground on the high side.
Any thoughts on this???? I have previously only done relatively flat ground where this didn't matter, but in this case, I may be in strife!

 

[Keule]

The question is...... will the drone follow the terrain

No - you have to use a flight control app which has terrain follow capabilities.
Try Map Pilot or UgCS. Both are able to create mapping flights and follow terrain.

 

[queeg730]

Thanks Keule... I suspected as much.
I will just raise the altitude.... I am not sure that a terrain following flight plan would be good for say, a quarry, where there may be great differences in elevations?

 

[Keule]

Thanks Keule... I suspected as much.
I will just raise the altitude.... I am not sure that a terrain following flight plan would be good for say, a quarry, where there may be great differences in elevations?

Here an article from MME: Terrain Awareness