Flying a grid with waypoints without smoothed path

[ZeeDoktor]

Using Mavic 3 with RC Pro, creating waypoints unfortunately seems to create a smooth path through all the waypoints, making it in essence unusable to fly a grid for photogrammetry.

Is there a setting I'm missing to turn the smoothing off?

 

[Eagle Eye 62]

Did you try increasing the number of waypoints?

 

[akdrone]

no you didn't miss anything. this implementation is clearly for videography and is set to make smooth transitions with no way to change it but the other reply points to a poor but possible work around creating a small set of point right at the turn point so maybe it would fly a straight line and then make sharp turn? I've not heard of anyone trying it. I'm glad we have this ability but it is clearly NOT a replacement for "real" waypoints needed for straight routes and such.

 

[ZeeDoktor]

I flew numerous test missions using these methods.

Let's call the first leg of the grid the upwind leg, the second the crosswind leg, the third the downwind leg. Creates a U shaped track with an extended lower part of the U to create the 75% overlap between the upwind and downwind track.

A single point for each turning point creates a bowed upwing and downwind leg - bowing out so far there's zero overlap between some of the footage.

Using three points for each turning point works better, but it still tries to bezier its way through that turn and the upwind and downwind legs bow slightly - the downwind leg more so.

Adding more points (4+ in the corners) doesn't improve the situation.

I usually do these mapping shots using video, then extracting the frames and adding exif information from the SRT file using some python code I wrote.

Using photos is another option, just creating a large number of waypoints for every position you want a photo taken. This works best so far, however, there are some significant snags: While you can use "apply to all" for altitude when editing the waypoints, you can't "apply to all" for "take a photo"... had to do that on 120 waypoints manually.

I really wish they tried to think less about what a specific use case wants but to just use the full codebase for all their drone products on all of them. Let the users decide which drone they want to use for which mission.

The other thing that's SORELY missing is a heading/track display while flying. When mapping and trying to fly parallel tracks, it's next to impossible to get it right without flying a specific track and its corresponding track reversal.

About to head out for another shoot, will try to create lots of waypoints today - the secret to less smoothened turns might be to have several fly through points BEFORE and AFTER the turn. Will report back in a few hours...

 

[ZeeDoktor]

I think I sort of managed to work around these issues now. Here's what I do:

I fly to the starting point, camera down, heading in the direction I want the first leg to go, then move sideways to the desired overlap. Camera forward so I see where I'm going, then I fly backwards a few seconds, then full speed forward and engage cruise control. Note that cruise control remains engaged when going into the waypoints mode, but you need to engage it beforehand. Then tap the waypoints button and then start clicking C1 overflying the start point, and click every 5-10 seconds. Because CC is on, I just need to use left stick for track control, turn around at the end of the first leg, map display full screen now so I can maintain approximately the correct offset between tracks. Before every turn, I mark a waypoint, and during the turn I do about 3-4 waypoints. That seems to keep the track relatively straight where I want it.

Then I edit the waypoints when done, apply global gimbal angle to -85 degrees, set the start and end recording waypoints (first and last usually) and come back to change battery, and start with a fresh battery. Creating the grid usually takes me about 60-80% of a charge.

Insert new battery, power on, and hit go from while on the ground still, and it does the whole thing on its own. Pretty cool.

Glad I bought 5 batteries...

Attached is what that looks like on my screen.

 

[ZeeDoktor]

I've added a tutorial with some scripts I wrote to process videos into geotagged images for use in photogrammetry: How to extract geotagged frames from video for use in photogrammetry

 

[Filmarik]

I think I sort of managed to work around these issues now. Here's what I do:

I fly to the starting point, camera down, heading in the direction I want the first leg to go, then move sideways to the desired overlap. Camera forward so I see where I'm going, then I fly backwards a few seconds, then full speed forward and engage cruise control. Note that cruise control remains engaged when going into the waypoints mode, but you need to engage it beforehand. Then tap the waypoints button and then start clicking C1 overflying the start point, and click every 5-10 seconds. Because CC is on, I just need to use left stick for track control, turn around at the end of the first leg, map display full screen now so I can maintain approximately the correct offset between tracks. Before every turn, I mark a waypoint, and during the turn I do about 3-4 waypoints. That seems to keep the track relatively straight where I want it.

Then I edit the waypoints when done, apply global gimbal angle to -85 degrees, set the start and end recording waypoints (first and last usually) and come back to change battery, and start with a fresh battery. Creating the grid usually takes me about 60-80% of a charge.

Insert new battery, power on, and hit go from while on the ground still, and it does the whole thing on its own. Pretty cool.

Glad I bought 5 batteries...

Attached is what that looks like on my screen.

Man, this is bonkers!! Hope someone is paying you well for doing this!!

 

[ZeeDoktor]

Love and happiness is my reward.