What is the simplest way to fly a circle?

[Skull Studios]

This is the easiest explanation -
Right stick move slightly to the right, drone will start to move, start using left stick small movements moving stick to left this will gradually move the aircraft round in a circle. Yes you will need to adjust the height using up or down on the left stick

 

[LA 2020]

Any way to fly the drone in a circle (either camera pointing toward the center or tangentially) by using only the control sticks or other simple and quick method that also works over featureless area?

Doing it in intelligent fly mode is too long and complicated: touch a reference point, set parameters, etc.

I need a simpler, quicker way just to reposition the drone to the desired angle with the sun and other objects affecting a shoot. Sort of like walking around something 360 before deciding from where to take a picture.

First I use the Litchi App exclusively now because you have camera control when using curves, in DJI Go4 you do not which is strange. Also in Litchi you can program a mission on you phone/ipad not connected to anything which is a great feature and saves your battery. The hands down best way to fly a circle is (using the DJI Go4 or Litchi App) use "point of interest" if you have one then just fly around it setting your diameter, altitude, etc. If you don't want to fly around a point of interest use the Litchi App and "Waypoints" it's very easy to set up a mission (without being connected) using "curves" in settings. You can tweak the curves to any radius to make the mission path smooth so the videos are also smooth. You can start and stop the video at any waypoint along the way. Also if you set the "heading" to "Automatic" in the mission settings the camera will follow the drone's heading. In the Litchi only you can also make that setting "manual" and you can control the camera from your controller (you can't do this in DJI Go4 when using curves). Also set the "Default Gimbal Pitch Mode" to "Disabled" so that you have the ability to change the camera's pitch during a curved mission. Make the curves as smooth as possible between waypoints, so no right angles just use more waypoints. Finally I use a slow cruising speed around 2-3 mph and then a higher max speed 10-20. This way I control the straight speed with the stick and when I come to a corner I just let off the stick and it automatically goes to 2-3 mph so no "judder" in the video around a curve. Finally if you use the automatic waypoint feature (the pencil icon under the wrench icon) in Litchi you can actually just draw your circle on the map and the Litchi will set your waypoints for you, this is fast. Be sure to check your altitudes carefully as Litchi allows you to go - (minus feet) so make sure your always above your home point unless you want the minus altitude. To make your whole waypoint setting easier get an Apple Pencil it is MUCH easier to choose things when setting up a mission. Good Luck!

 

[Drbobk]

Any way to fly the drone in a circle (either camera pointing toward the center or tangentially) by using only the control sticks or other simple and quick method that also works over featureless area?

Doing it in intelligent fly mode is too long and complicated: touch a reference point, set parameters, etc.

I need a simpler, quicker way just to reposition the drone to the desired angle with the sun and other objects affecting a shoot. Sort of like walking around something 360 before deciding from where to take a picture.

So it doesn't sound like you need a perfect circle, but rather you just want to look at an object (or non-object "point in space") from all sides to determine how best to photograph it. That's a lot easier than trying for a perfect circle.

In a no-wind environment, to do a clockwise circuit, just start moving left (right stick to the left) and as soon as you're moving you'll see that your subject is moving to the right of your screen so you use the left stick to turn slightly to the right. Just hold both sticks and adjust as necessary to keep the subject centered. If there's wind, you will more likely fly in some sort of oval, as the wind will push you faster in one direction than when you are on the opposite side of the circle. Pilots have to train for this in "turns around a point". When you are headed downwind, you have to increase your bank angle too your turn doesn't get stretched, and when you are headed upwind you need to decrease bank angle.

That being said, I have NO IDEA how to do this while pointing away from the target - either on a tangent to the turn or even weirder, pointing to the outside. In these cases, there is no constant reference point to keep in the center, but an always changing view where you somehow want to keep the "slew rate" constant rather than the view constant. Over water I'd say it's nearly impossible to do manually.

 

[Gringorio]

Any way to fly the drone in a circle (either camera pointing toward the center or tangentially) by using only the control sticks or other simple and quick method that also works over featureless area? Doing it in intelligent fly mode is too long and complicated: touch a reference point, set parameters, etc. I need a simpler, quicker way just to reposition the drone to the desired angle with the sun and other objects affecting a shoot. Sort of like walking around something 360 before deciding from where to take a picture.

I would say the best thing to do is practice as much as possible. I recommend flying figure 8s while watching the drone so you can get used to the stick inputs when its coming toward you and going away from you. Also, pick a subject with lots of space around it and practice flying your circle around it while watching the screen, like a video game. I fly manual panning circles a lot with moving objects and I could not even tell you what I'm doing with the sticks, I'm just focused on the subject on the screen keeping the composition the way I want. Here's a couple short examples I made for my Instagram:

Skip to 0:12 seconds:

The more you practice flying manually in different situations the better drone operator you'll become. Good luck!

 

[GJD]

Any way to fly the drone in a circle (either camera pointing toward the center or tangentially) by using only the control sticks or other simple and quick method that also works over featureless area?

Doing it in intelligent fly mode is too long and complicated: touch a reference point, set parameters, etc.

I need a simpler, quicker way just to reposition the drone to the desired angle with the sun and other objects affecting a shoot. Sort of like walking around something 360 before deciding from where to take a picture.

I did this just using the sticks The Church

 

[Drbobk]

I would say the best thing to do is practice as much as possible. I recommend flying figure 8s while watching the drone so you can get used to the stick inputs when its coming toward you and going away from you. Also, pick a subject with lots of space around it and practice flying your circle around it while watching the screen, like a video game. I fly manual panning circles a lot with moving objects and I could not even tell you what I'm doing with the sticks, I'm just focused on the subject on the screen keeping the composition the way I want. Here's a couple short examples I made for my Instagram:

Skip to 0:12 seconds:

The more you practice flying manually in different situations the better drone operator you'll become. Good luck!

The first one with the motorized vessel is tough, because as you come across in front of the boat and you’re at the 12 o’clock position relative to the boat, you still have to match the boat’s forward speed as you come across its heading. That was nicely done. You’re not really flying a circle here at all, except relative to the boat, but not to the land/ocean below you.

 

[Gringorio]

The first one with the motorized vessel is tough, because as you come across in front of the boat and you’re at the 12 o’clock position relative to the boat, you still have to match the boat’s forward speed as you come across its heading. That was nicely done. You’re not really flying a circle here at all, except relative to the boat, but not to the land/ocean below you.

Thanks! Well, relative to the subject, the examples show a smooth circling action despite the movement of the subject and short edit for Insta and addresses the OPs question on how to smoothly circle a subject (Manual practice practice practice). Moving or not, practice is the key. Challenging yourself with different moves in a safe, obstacle free environment before moving on to the real deal. If anything, I recommend manually flying by screen only (after mastering visual flying) if you really want to fly smooth circles or any other scene that requires smooth flight, gimbal movement, and composition. Of course, this also requires that you have set your expo settings for a more cinematic touch. In short, practice coordinating gimbal pitch with smooth stick inputs while watching the screen only and setting your gain and expo for slow movements.

 

[skiptv]

No human can fly a better POI 'Point of Interest or Orbit' around an object, then the AI in a DJI Drone.
you can try, just move each stick to the outside or inside after you have started a tracking moment using just the left stick. If you really want to know how to fly a an orbit, take a class on drone fight

 

[Mike.757]

There is no other way? (This is just as disappointing as there is no easy and quick way for constant-speed straight flight.)

youtube.com/watch?v=8SxCfrxlDms&feature=emb_title
How to avoid accidental engine shut-down by inadvertently moving the sticks simultaneously toward the corners? In the setting t think there are 2 options re engine shut-down by sticks (not well documented what is the difference), maybe selecting one over the other?

What you are asking to do is constant speed but not straight flight. You are constantly changing heading to maintain a certain distance from a reference point. We used to do that in the navy with TACAN and, later GPS points. To do that, you place the point 10 degrees above the 3 o'clock line then fly until the point drops below the 3 o'clock line then turn towards the point until it is 10 degrees above the 3 o'clock line and repeat until you have completed you arc around the point. Three things: one, that is a very labor-intensive maneuver that takes up a LOT of brain power. You will completely lose track of where your drone is. Two, it is an instrument procedure so you will be looking at your controller and not the drone ensuring that you lose track of where your drone is. Three, it will not be a smooth arc that an automated circle will provide.

In the time it would take to perfect that maneuver, you could get the procedures down to activate an automated maneuver. Do the auto maneuver 10 times from scratch in an open field. Then try it over a real POI and see if it is still as hard as you think it is. You'd be surprised at how fast you will get at setting up your drone.

 

[Gringorio]

No human can fly a better POI 'Point of Interest or Orbit' around an object, then the AI in a DJI Drone.
you can try, just move each stick to the outside or inside after you have started a tracking moment using just the left stick. If you really want to know how to fly a an orbit, take a class on drone fight

I whole-hearted disagree. As I'm sure many others will as well. The selected POI often drifts off course by your "intelligent" drone, leaving your subject off-center. Actually flying your drone does wonders! Try it some time.

 

[SCCooper]

Any way to fly the drone in a circle (either camera pointing toward the center or tangentially) by using only the control sticks or other simple and quick method that also works over featureless area?

Doing it in intelligent fly mode is too long and complicated: touch a reference point, set parameters, etc.

I need a simpler, quicker way just to reposition the drone to the desired angle with the sun and other objects affecting a shoot. Sort of like walking around something 360 before deciding from where to take a picture.

Like everything in life, if you want to be good at something, YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE.
You think using intelligent flight modes is long and complicated? Lord have mercy.

Do this: find a large open area. place a large-ish object dead center in that area. Fly around it. clockwise circles, counter-clockwise circles. Nose in, nose out. hell, for extra credit, go up a couple hundred feet and fly figure eights. just practice manual flight. all angles, just keep your eye on it so you don't hit something. You'll be a better pilot, and, once you get better, you'll have more fun.