Virtual Litchi Mission

[Sper1]

I have huge screens so I cannot test but try CTRL and - a few times.
CTRL and + to get back to where you were.

Also check to see if the recommended resolution and scaling is used in settings.
Try rolling back the scaling to 100% or less just to use the HUB.

I finally found the solution ☺ Thank you

 

[namirda]

I have designed this flight a while back with no issues.
It would go out to WP1,
head out facing WP2
Turn to face direction of travel by WP3
Head out to WP4
Turn to face direction of travel by WP 5
and so on.

I moved the WP3 and WP5 by 25ft and when I run the flight through a simulator, once it reaches WP2 headed to WP3, the view (aircraft) just spins and spins instead of one roughly 180° turn to WP3
The spinning stops once it reaches WP3

Same happens for WP4 and WP5

I have tried every setting I can think of to resolve.

Please advise

@pmshop - sorry I missed this post.

Your problem is that the course changes at several of the WPs in your Bandera City Park mission are just too sharp. VLM was really designed for smooth missions and will struggle with missions like this.

You will get a better result if you relax the course changes and add more curvature at the WPs

If you really need such sharp curves then you should select a small infill distance of perhaps 50m and the maximum number of smoothing points per waypoint which is 31. The result is still not perfect but at least it does not go round and round!

Hope that helps

N

 

[Cam Pilot]

Download latest version here :
Virtual Litchi Mission V2.5.0
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VLM Frequently Asked Questions

Problems Getting Started

Q) VLM does not start properly – startup sound and splash screen and then nothing!
A) Restart VLM while pressing CTRL and you will be given the option to reset VLM to initial conditions

Q) The Litchi Mission Hub panel in VLM is shifted from its expected location?
A) Try running in compatibility mode by right clicking on the VLM icon and choose

Compatibility tab -> Change High DPI Settings -> High DPI Scaling Override.

Q) VLM runs but Google Earth does not open?
A) Check that Google Earth Pro is properly installed and that kml files are properly associated with Google Earth. You can check this by double clicking on a kml file and confirming that Google Earth opens.

Q) VLM crashes on startup complaining about 'CefSharp.Core.dll' or one of its dependencies.
A) Check that the following are properly installed on your system:
Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (x64)
Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x64)
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6

Q) Can I run VLM on a Mac?
A) VLM is a windows only application. You have two options to run on a Mac or Linux machine

1) Apparently VLM runs well in a Virtual Machine such as Parallels​

2) User Bazuchan has implemented a version of VLM which runs as an extension to the browser. Yet another Virtual Litchi Mission (Google Chrome Extension)​

​

Q) I get a message about my quota being exceeded - what's up?
A) VLM uses the Google Elevation API to get its elevation information using an API key which is shared between all users. If usage of this key exceeds a certain daily limit then you will need to either wait until the next day when the quota is reset - or else get your own key from Google. You can open an account with Google at https://console. cloud.google.coms. Google will require you to enter your credit card details but unless your usage of VLM exceeds 40,000 hits in a month you should not be charged anything. You can enter your own API key into VLM in the Google Tab of VLM Settings.

Problems with the Virtual Mission

Q) The elevations of my virtual mission look wrong
A) Check the following:

1) The exaggeration factor in Google Earth should be set to 1.0​

2) Check that Litchi Mission Hub, VLM and GE are all using either Imperial or Metric units – do not mix them.​

3) Check that the VLM Home Point Reference Altitude is appropriate for your mission. If you are unsure then use the default setting of WP1 and put the first WP of your mission directly above the Home Point (Take Off Point)​

4) If there are still small elevation differences then compare the elevation of the Home Point in both Google Earth and Google Maps (ie Litchi). If they are significantly different then set the VLM HP altitude to the elevation measured by Google Earth.​

Q) The VLM Mission is a poor match with the real mission
A) Check the following:

1) Check that you have specified a heading and gimbal angle for every waypoint of your mission. If any of these values are undefined you will see an orange warning in the VLM Activity Log.​

2) Check that your mission does not exceed the capabilities of your drone. Any such issues will be highlighted in orange in the VLM Activity Log and should be addressed.​

3) Check that the Google Earth viewing window is set to 16:9 to match your camera settings.​

4) Check that the drone type is set correctly in VLM and that the FOV setting is correct.​

5) Check that the VLM Cruising speed matches the setting in the Litchi Mission Hub.​

6) If the VLM mission is jerky then try increasing the number of smoothing points.​

If you still have questions or problems then please ask in this thread.
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Original post dated 26/12/2017:

In this thread started almost a year ago - https://mavicpilots.com/threads/how-hard-would-it-be-to-simulate-litchi-missions-in-google-earth.7864, user “torqum” introduced the intriguing idea ‘flying’ a Litchi mission virtually in Google Earth to see how it looks from the perspective specified in Litchi. It was a very appealing concept – to fly a mission anywhere in the world without getting out of your armchair!

In that thread, user "JTS" submitted a conversion program which apparently worked for some folks but not for others – and not for me so I decided to write my own.

The utility is called Virtual Litchi Mission (VLM) – it is a standalone executable and does not need any installation. It runs on my Win10 x64 machine but should run on x86 machines as well. On older versions of windows your mileage may vary…..

VLM sets a watch on a user specified Downloads folder and will automatically read any csv file created in this folder. When Litchi Mission Hub writes a csv file to this folder, VLM will convert it to a “Tour” in Google Earth including the complete camera orientation and gimbal settings which were specified in Litchi.

The resulting Virtual Mission can then be flown in Google Earth and should show results very similar to that obtained when the mission is flown with your drone. I have tried it out on quite a few of the public missions available in Litchi Mission Hub and in areas where the satellite imagery is good, the results are impressive. Google Earth is so amazing!!

I have found VLM useful to check that there are no erroneous parameters in my Litchi Mission and to check that the camera ‘sees’ what I want it to see. It has saved me several wasted flights with my mavic.

A full User Guide is available in VLM under the Help Tab

Please give VLM a try and let me have any feedback, comments etc. I hope you find it useful.

Thanks

N

I tried to open a mission in VLM to no avail. Previously it has worked perfectly. I've re-set VLM to initial conditions and I've installed the latest version but when I export the CSV files don't appear in Google Earth Pro. Can you advise please?

 

[namirda]

I tried to open a mission in VLM to no avail. Previously it has worked perfectly. I've re-set VLM to initial conditions and I've installed the latest version but when I export the CSV files don't appear in Google Earth Pro. Can you advise please?

Hi, If you let me have a link to your mission and a screenshot showing the activity log of VLM when you export the csv file then I will take a look.
Thanks
N

 

[Teleman]

I have been a user of VLM since the earliest release and I love it except: the speed of the mission on Google Earth is slower than the actual speed on VLM. ie: if VLM says mission is 12 minutes it is 10 min. on Google Earth. Is there a way to correct this?

 

[Prismatic]

I have been a user of VLM since the earliest release and I love it except: the speed of the mission on Google Earth is slower than the actual speed on VLM. ie: if VLM says mission is 12 minutes it is 10 min. on Google Earth. Is there a way to correct this?

The key thing is to double-check that the "Cruising Speed" in VLM matches the speed set in the Mission Hub. That's caught me a couple of times.

 

[OzoneVibe]

The key thing is to double-check that the "Cruising Speed" in VLM matches the speed set in the Mission Hub. That's caught me a couple of times.

Mission Hub and the Litchi apps doen't even report the correct flight time for a mission.

I had this confirmed directly by Litchi … there's a "safety margin" built in.

I asked this when I had an exact 1 mile track at a constant speed of 20mph - and wasn't getting the anticipated/correct 3 minute flight time.

An easy thing for anyone to confirm for themselves by doing the same simple exercise.

But you are also very correct in highlighting that cruise speed setting in VLM. Easily overlooked even when you know it's there.

 

[CmcbMav2]

MISSIONS->Export as CSV. It goes into GE and displays the mission ok, however the .CSV file is missing from my Watch Folder.
Under VLM Setup->Mission Settings I have unchecked "Delete files in Watch Folder after Use"

 

[gope_53]

Recently I have had the problem that loading a mission with 24 waypoints and 3 POIs took 13 minutes. My air was at an altitude of 1 m during this time and saved/loaded the mission; but the battery went from 90% to 17%.

I had created the mission with VLM at home and it should take place about 8 km away. Why did it take so long to load the mission? It was visible on the screen (mobile phone) after 2 seconds, so the data was available.
How can I accelerate this? How long does it take for your missions?

Sorry for the double posting. But I find that in this thread I rather get the needed answer.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[Teleman]

The key thing is to double-check that the "Cruising Speed" in VLM matches the speed set in the Mission Hub. That's caught me a couple of times.

 

[Teleman]

ANother question: I notice that The Litchi Hub now has Virtual Mode built into it. So should I use Litchi Hub or still use the VLM app. What is the connection (if any) between both methods of VLM?

 

[Teleman]

Recently I have had the problem that loading a mission with 24 waypoints and 3 POIs took 13 minutes. My air was at an altitude of 1 m during this time and saved/loaded the mission; but the battery went from 90% to 17%.

I had created the mission with VLM at home and it should take place about 8 km away. Why did it take so long to load the mission? It was visible on the screen (mobile phone) after 2 seconds, so the data was available.
How can I accelerate this? How long does it take for your missions?

Sorry for the double posting. But I find that in this thread I rather get the needed answer.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Try loading the mission when you are higher in the air. I remember that missions cannot be activated at lower altitudes or when on the ground.

 

[OzoneVibe]

I remember that missions cannot be activated at lower altitudes or when on the ground.

This is most definitely not my experience.
If you upload the mission when the drone is on the ground, once the uploading has completed the drone will immediately take off and carry out the mission.
Likewise - I've often uploaded when my Mavic Pro has been in a low (head-height-ish) hover without an issue.

 

[parkgt]

I don't usually start a mission on the ground feeling it is safer to manually TO, check stability and climb to clear obstacles before starting.

But I have never had an issue when i have started on the ground.

 

[Facherty]

Recently I have had the problem that loading a mission with 24 waypoints and 3 POIs took 13 minutes. My air was at an altitude of 1 m during this time and saved/loaded the mission; but the battery went from 90% to 17%.

I have never experienced this. Generally a mission, no matter how complex, uploads in 3-5 seconds.

 

[gope_53]

Thanks for the answers for now. On previous missions the upload took at least 30 seconds. How long does the upload for a 20 waypoint mission take?
How can I accelerate the upload? I create the mission at home and then fly away from it. Until now I always started the mission from the ground.

 

[parkgt]

the mission at home and then fly away from it. Until now I always started the mission from the ground.

Not the safest or best approach IMO. I prefer to get up close to mission height making sure all is well with controls and craft, and then taking time to check focus and set exposure correctly for the scene expected.

 

[CareyL]

Thanks for the answers for now. On previous missions the upload took at least 30 seconds. How long does the upload for a 20 waypoint mission take?
How can I accelerate the upload? I create the mission at home and then fly away from it. Until now I always started the mission from the ground.

I don't know what your problem is but I load circular spirals with 60 way points, some actions and one or two POI's in about 5 - 10 seconds. Usually after I have done a manual lift off to 3m.

 

[gope_53]

I still have the problem. In the first post I said that the download takes so long. Correct is that the mission data is available in a few seconds. Then I get the numbered list with the altitude data.
After confirming the data, the drone starts the engine, flies to the first point (is always very close to me with 1 m height) and the monitor shows the message: "1st point: initialize". And it stays that way for the next few minutes until I switch over and abort the mission.
What is initialized here? The mission data are already on the mobile phone and are transmitted to the drone.
Last year it worked fine. (With the same mobile phone and the same drone. The only difference is that I don't have a SIM card on my mobile phone at the moment, because I have a new S10).
Who can help?

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[Facherty]

Since your issue has nothing to do with the subject heading (Virtual Litchi Mission) it may be that the people who can help you most are not reading this thread? You may do better posting a new message in this forum?

In the meantime, just to eliminate the drone's "natural fear" of being near the ground, plan a new mission that starts 25m in the air, just above and ahead of you. Make that mission to go to a second waypoint, 20m ahead of you at the same height (25m). Finish the mission there - don't add any further waypoints.

Start the drone, raise it to somewhere near where the mission will start, and then upload the simple mission. Let us know how that goes.