Planning repeated photo session

[marciano]

I'm planning to take some photos of a place and repeat them time to time.
Each photo has a lot of metadata info: Latitude, Longitude, Relative altitude, Gimbal yaw degree, Gimbal Pitch degree.
Theoretically I have all the variables needed to repeat the mission departing the drone from the same point (because the relative altitude)
Litchi allows me to set Latitude, Longitude and Relative altitude. Also Heading=Gimbal yaw degree.
For the angle of the camera respect from the horizon, the Gimbal Pitch degree it is not that easy. I have to create Point of Interest POI-1 anywhere and change its position or altitude until Gimbal Pitch (set as Focus POI) angle matches that I got from previous metadata. This form field only shows the angle, it is not possible to directly change the angle.
Then I have to add a Action -> take a photo
Then go to the next point.

First question is if this procedure would be the best to achieve what I'm planning.

Second question is: I don't care about the path itself but the waypoints. It is possible I find new obstacles so I have to pause the mission manually avoid them and resume it to go to the next WP. Is it possible to act this way?

 

[Greekislandlover]

Sounds like you are taking stills? I'd be inclined to plonk the drone at the place with the lat / long / height coords and then take loads of pictures and pick the ones that match closest for a match in framing.

With litchi you can start the run at any waypoint. So if there is an obstacle between waypoints 4 and 5, stop the run at 4, position the drone wherever and then get it to start at 5.

So if you have say 8 waypoints where you want to stop at, you can go to the first and hit pause or stop, take loads of pictures and then resume it or start at waypoint 2. Stop it there, take pictures rinse and repeat. Any obstacles you can manually fly round between programmed points.

 

[Keule]

First question is if this procedure would be the best to achieve what I'm planning.

If you have the right flight control app, then your plan can easily be planned and executed.
Use DJI GSPro:
Create a waypoint mission with the required coordinates.
Each waypoint can be defined by entering:
- Lat/Long
- Height
- Drone/Camera orientation
- Gimbal pitch
- and finally the desired action (Take a photo)

next waypoint ...

It is possible I find new obstacles so I have to pause the mission manually avoid them and resume it to go to the next WP

With GSPro - no problem. But you, as the pilot has to watch out for obstacles in the path! If you detect something, hit the pause button, manually fly around the obstacle, proceed with the next waypoint.

 

[marciano]

So from both apps Litchi and GSPro I am able to Pause then Resume from WP x. Is that so?

At GSPro I've checked that all variables can be set.
Thank you!

 

[Greekislandlover]

I have no experience with GSPro, but certainly with Litchi you can pause and resume, or stop and restart from any of the waypoints. Plus with Litchi and the DJI Go4 app you can fly to where you want the waypoints to be, frame the shot, press the C1 or C2 buttons on the back of the remote to record the position and camera angle then save the route. This may be true with GSPro too, but as I said I have not used it.

With Litchi you can do the editing on a PC and incorporate the data onto Google earth for checking obstacles and camera views with Virtual Litchi Mission. There are loads of youtube tutorials. With the DJI apps it's only editable on your tablet or phone.

You can configure all your parameters in Litchi too. Open the app, start a new mission and click for a waypoint. On the right is the window with the details, and all of these can be set manually there.

The buttons on the remote are configurable, so you need to check what they are configured to.

You don't say what drone you have, but both the Mini and the Air 2 have yet to gain Litchi functionality. Plus with the DJI Fly app, the Mini (AFAIK) doesn't support waypoints but the Air 2 does. You will need to check what works with the drone you have.

 

[Keule]

GSPro I am able to Pause then Resume from WP x

In GSPro you can:

a) Pause and resume from the next waypoint
b) Moving a joystick during a Waypoint Route mission will manually control the aircraft flight speed and heading. After releasing the joystick, the aircraft will resume its preset flight speed and heading.

 

[marciano]

You don't say what drone you have, but both the Mini and the Air 2 have yet to gain Litchi functionality. Plus with the DJI Fly app, the Mini (AFAIK) doesn't support waypoints but the Air 2 does. You will need to check what works with the drone you have.

From 2016 I am using a Phantom 4 Pro (I posted first questions in Phantom forums but I didn't get an answer)
I never have used the waypoint mode with it. Years ago, maybe I'm wrong, I think the path couldn't be saved for later use in Go. I started with a no longer updated app called FPV Camera (for iOS) with a P3P. I didn't check what happened with Go4
Anyway it is a basic waypoint mode. That's why GSPro was released.

Plus with Litchi and the DJI Go4 app you can fly to where you want the waypoints to be, frame the shot, press the C1 or C2 buttons on the back of the remote to record the position and camera angle then save the route. This may be true with GSPro too, but as I said I have not used it.

GSPro also has the ability to record a path in the air.
Go4 doesn't have all the options (actions) that Litchi and GSPro have.
I don't see in Litchi's help how to record waypoints during a flight. However the result should not be too different than Go4

You can configure all your parameters in Litchi too. Open the app, start a new mission and click for a waypoint. On the right is the window with the details, and all of these can be set manually there.

From the app and from litchi hub I couldn't set the gimbal pitch angle directly. It is showed when I add a POI which I have to move or change its height to get the angle I need.

The main subject is to get recorded (or get the variables from metadata) all the data needed to position the camera in the same position/angles as previous flight.
That's accomplished in hard (not that hard) or maybe easier way.
The other subject is to resume the flight to the next WP what you say it can be done.

GSPro WayPoint Route -> Aircraft Record All
Will this option record these vars for each WP?

- Lat/Long
- Height
- Drone/Camera orientation
- Gimbal pitch

and create an editable mission?
I only have used GSPro PhotoMap missions

Thank you both

 

[Keule]

Will this option record these vars for each WP?

Yes

and create an editable mission?

Once you have recorded and flown a mission you can not edit that mission. You have to copy that mission to another one and edit that newly created mission.