Waypoints without hyperlapse

[GeorgeMoses]

Using my Mavic Air 2, is there a way to use waypoints without using hyperlapse?
I would like to store waypoints around a construction site and film the progress daily without using hyperlapse but shooting straight 24 fps video and still shots.

 

[Nomad-3]

Using my Mavic Air 2, is there a way to use waypoints without using hyperlapse?
I would like to store waypoints around a construction site and film the progress daily without using hyperlapse but shooting straight 24 fps video and still shots.

I was hoping for something like that too, but there seems no way. Let's hope that DJI will publish an API and Litchi can take care of it…

 

[Dale D]

Using my Mavic Air 2, is there a way to use waypoints without using hyperlapse?
I would like to store waypoints around a construction site and film the progress daily without using hyperlapse but shooting straight 24 fps video and still shots.

I have no knowledge about the availability of Waypoints for Mavic Air but I have it on my Mavic 2 Pro and love it.

 

[Todd Clarke]

Mavic Air 2 support has just been added to the DJI SDK so it’ll only be a matter of weeks before DroneLink and Litchi roll out support for the MA2...

 

[dawgpilot]

Mavic Air 2 support has just been added to the DJI SDK so it’ll only be a matter of weeks before DroneLink and Litchi roll out support for the MA2...

Wow, first I saw that this was released. I can confirm I'm seeing SDK 4.14 (Trial 1) over at DJI's developer site.

 

[Todd Clarke]

Yep, like you I’ve been watching it like a hawk!!

 

[Mitch]

Waypoints?

 

[Todd Clarke]

Waypoints?

You can kind of think of waypoints as a pre-programmed course that you plot on a map. The drone will fly this course precisely by itself, allowing you to do other things like control the camera. Waypoints are only supported in a very minor way on the Mavic Air 2. The only access you have is when you’re doing a Hyperlapse (a moving timelapse) you fly to each point and add up to (99 I think) all with different camera angles, altitudes etc and hit go. The drone flies to the first point and takes a picture at your set interval (I use 2 seconds) moving through all the waypoints you’ve set. At the end the drone stitches all those images together and spits out a completed video file. It’s pretty cool.
However, 3rd party apps like DroneLink and Litchi allow you to pre-plan your waypoints on a map and give you much more control. That’s why I’m glad to hear that the Mavic Air 2 is now supported in the DJI SDK and soon in DroneLink and Litchi!!

 

[Mitch]

You can kind of think of waypoints as a pre-programmed course that you plot on a map. The drone will fly this course precisely by itself, allowing you to do other things like control the camera. Waypoints are only supported in a very minor way on the Mavic Air 2. The only access you have is when you’re doing a Hyperlapse (a moving timelapse) you fly to each point and add up to (99 I think) all with different camera angles, altitudes etc and hit go. The drone flies to the first point and takes a picture at your set interval (I use 2 seconds) moving through all the waypoints you’ve set. At the end the drone stitches all those images together and spits out a completed video file. It’s pretty cool.
However, 3rd party apps like DroneLink and Litchi allow you to pre-plan your waypoints on a map and give you much more control. That’s why I’m glad to hear that the Mavic Air 2 is now supported in the DJI SDK and soon in DroneLink and Litchi!!

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I was not clear with my question. I was asking if the software development kit just released provided waypoint capability for the Mavic air 2. I don’t mean virtual waypoints I mean traditional way points.

 

[Mitch]

Thank you for your detailed explanation. I was not clear with my question. I was asking if the software development kit just released provided waypoint capability for the Mavic air 2. I don’t mean virtual waypoints I mean traditional way points.

Yikes, I think you did answer my question. You stated at the end of your explanation that the Mavic air 2 software development kit just released does provide support for traditional way points! Is that correct? If so that is awesome!

 

[Todd Clarke]

From what I understand the Air 2 may only support virtual stick like the Mini 1. I’ve only used DroneLink with my Mini 1 and the only waypoint support was via virtual stick, so if at any time you lose connection it will RTH. Traditional waypoints as on the Mavic 2 series (I believe, I’m not sure though) saves the flight plan and GPS co-ordinates to the drone so it can complete the mission even if connection to the controller is lost!! I’d be happy for someone who actually knows the answer to this question to correct me if I’m wrong, because I’d like to know as well!!

 

[maelstrom]

I’ve only used DroneLink with my Mini 1 and the only waypoint support was via virtual stick, so if at any time you lose connection it will RTH.

But, to be fair, that does make it legal. Fully autonomous missions, where the drone continues after control us lost, are not permitted without a special exemption.

 

[Mitch]

See litchi response....