Questions about Waypoints

[pedz]

There is a large construction site that is roughly a rectangle. Using the “Create waypoints as you fly” method, I flew to one corner and set a way point, fly to the next corner, set a waypoint (using C1 each time). Rinse and repeat so I had 5 waypoints (1 and 5 roughly on top of each other). At each waypoint, I would set the gimble and direction of the drone like I wanted it which was roughly back towards the center of the rectangle.

I few back home and killed the motor so I could monkey with the settings and I did the usual stuff like Start Video at waypoint 1 and Stop Video at waypoint 5. Then I flew the route.

The drone did not go straight from WP1 to WP2 to WP3 … but instead arched from point to point. That’s cute but not what I want.

Also… is there a way to add a waypoint in the middle or move the waypoints around in the list?

They clearly spent a lot of time with this feature but it still seems rather half baked.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Yes, adding waypoints between existing waypoints will reduce the rounding through the existing waypoints. Add as many as you need to get as close to straight lines as possible.

 

[pedz]

It is still frustrating. I created a route with 36 ways points. I know that the Mavic isn’t as precise as the Inspire but I wanted to fly about 40 feet off the ground to make the video more interesting. I created the route by flying it and adding waypoints via C1.

But I’ve yet to successfully complete the route. I spent 3 batteries trying. It would get part way though and then stop due to an obstruction. The obstruction was not really that close and the drone was being obstructed because it changed slightly the path I had flown.

Anyhow… I think I have the route set but I have to wait for the weekend so the construction site isn’t busy to try it out.

I’m very much wondering if I could just fly the route by hand and be just as accurate and consistent.

 

[GadgetGuy]

It is still frustrating. I created a route with 36 ways points. I know that the Mavic isn’t as precise as the Inspire but I wanted to fly about 40 feet off the ground to make the video more interesting. I created the route by flying it and adding waypoints via C1.

But I’ve yet to successfully complete the route. I spent 3 batteries trying. It would get part way though and then stop due to an obstruction. The obstruction was not really that close and the drone was being obstructed because it changed slightly the path I had flown.

Anyhow… I think I have the route set but I have to wait for the weekend so the construction site isn’t busy to try it out.

I’m very much wondering if I could just fly the route by hand and be just as accurate and consistent.

Manual is always better, unless repeatability is critical, and even then, manual flying of the route is often the best option, especially if obstacles are nearby, as you can turn obstacle avoidance off in regular flight, but not in Waypoint Missions. It's a safety thing.

 

[pedz]

Manual is always better, unless repeatability is critical, and even then, manual flying of the route is often the best option, especially if obstacles are nearby, as you can turn obstacle avoidance off in regular flight, but not in Waypoint Missions. It's a safety thing.

I’m surprised the drone just stops rather than figuring out how to go around the obstacle.

In this case, I want to fly the same route around a construction site from the start of the project until the end making maybe 8 to 16 flights. Then tape them together so that during the fly the time moves forward. Kinda like a hyperlapse except the time span will be months instead of minutes.

So… I want something very repeatable and very easy to do so “going out yet again” doesn’t become a mental obstacle.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I’m surprised the drone just stops rather than figuring out how to go around the obstacle.

In this case, I want to fly the same route around a construction site from the start of the project until the end making maybe 8 to 16 flights. Then tape them together so that during the fly the time moves forward. Kinda like a hyperlapse except the time span will be months instead of minutes.

So… I want something very repeatable and very easy to do so “going out yet again” doesn’t become a mental obstacle.

Probably best then to keep adding waypoints that are closer together and further away from the obstacles that are causing problems. You could also fly higher and farther away from the obstacles by using the 7x or some level of modest digital zoom on the primary camera.

 

[pedz]

For anyone who is curious, this is the first pass. As the description says, I hope to make passes perhaps every two weeks until the project is done and then somehow blend them together. I'm not sure exactly how I will do the blending.

I decided to make the passes at the same time according to the sun so I am doing the route roughly one hour after sunrise. This maybe a bad choice because one side of the rectangle is looking straight into the morning sun.

I'm curious how this will all go... I think the last parts when the drone look straight down will be interesting once there are buildings and other things to look at.

 

[GadgetGuy]

For anyone who is curious, this is the first pass. As the description says, I hope to make passes perhaps every two weeks until the project is done and then somehow blend them together. I'm not sure exactly how I will do the blending.

I decided to make the passes at the same time according to the sun so I am doing the route roughly one hour after sunrise. This maybe a bad choice because one side of the rectangle is looking straight into the morning sun.

I'm curious how this will all go... I think the last parts when the drone look straight down will be interesting once there are buildings and other things to look at.

Using the exact same flight path, you will likely run into problems during construction when cranes and other tall structures will be higher than your current flight elevation. I'd set my mission elevation fly well above the tallest possible structures you might encounter during construction, unless you plan to increase your elevation as construction proceeds, which will prevent blending.

 

[pedz]

Using the exact same flight path, you will likely run into problems during construction when cranes and other tall structures will be higher than your current flight elevation. I'd set my mission elevation fly well above the tallest possible structures you might encounter during construction, unless you plan to increase your elevation as construction proceeds, which will prevent blending.

Yea. That’s a valid thought. I don’t know what they are going to put up. If it another track of houses, then I should be ok. I’m actually up higher than it appears. I should easily clear a one or two story building.

Clearly I don’t know what I’m doing but that’s why I’m doing it. Figure out how to do it and also figure out if the end result is anything useful or interesting.