i_anderson
lvl.3
United States
Offline
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How very apropos!.......
I've now done so much reading about different "solutions" for autopilots I'm getting confused!
I've now flown a handful of missions from the DJI GS app, and it works great with, I think, a few caveats (*Please* jump in and correct me with any corrections, thanks!)
- [Info] Being a "conservative" sort, for my first mission I set the speed to "low". It was a little windy, but I think it would have taken about a week to complete it had I not intervened! (OK, failsafe would have taken over, but you get my point!) Did it again at "high" speed (still limited to 6m/s I believe?) and was much better.
- [Feature request] Again, I could be wrong, but seems you can only set up waypoints in "real time" - You're on-site, the map is preloaded, the TX, RE and bird are all fired up and ready to go. Then you can swipe to GS, enter waypoints and "go". She takes off and flies to WP #1.
- Once there, she appears to hover for a while, then make the appropriate yaw adjustment and heads for WP#2 (etc). I *think*, but again, please jump in here, this may be improved by setting, say, three 30degree change WP's close together in order to turn 90degrees?
- I can't see a way to either "save" missions and/or set them up ahead of time?
- No "POI lock". I'm going round in circles (or, rather, I'm not! ;)) on this. I keep thinking a combination of H/L & C/L could do it, but only if I move the home point. Which is something I don't really feel good about - I'm very happy flicking S1 down to invoke RTH, and am happy when she lands within a foot or so of the takeoff point - Don't want to mess with that!
I believe the "offline" mission planning stuff is however available in "DJI Pilot", from the app store. Trouble is, that's only for the Inspire 1, not the Phantom. The app was getting *terrible* reviews from Phantom pilots who couldn't make it work..... The GS app is the only (official DJI) autopilot for the Phantom(?)
So, I continued my studies and came across Autoflight & Phantom Flight. For reasons that elude me now, I decided PF was not what I wanted, and dug deeper into Autoflight. It looks very much like what I want (I'll detail that below), but the (very nice) site leaves me with more questions...... Hopefully, the developer can clarify;
- I'm using an iPad for application display, connected to the Phantom's wifi (no cellular). My iPhone should also be in my pocket and connected to the same wifi network - Correct? [Cellular can be disabled?] - I think in that case I can set "follow me" and Autoflight will not only chase me (or be ahead of me, or to the side etc depending on the "bearing" set) , but also keep the camera pointing at me. I can set the distance, altitude & bearing and she'll orientate herself to keep the camera aimed at my iPhone - Correct?
If this is true, sounds like a great way to "follow" (or lead, or be abeam of?) a car or boat for example. However, I believe the release notes say I need to be moving at least 3MPH for this to work - Probably fine in a boat or car, but not when I'm walking around the outside of a castle for example......
I also believe (but again, could be very wrong!), that the RE doesn't need to be anywhere near the TX? It just needs a connection to the Phantom (?) So, what I'm thinking is to drop the iPhone (wifi only) & RE at the POI ahead of time. Then the Autoflight app will "focus" exclusively on that location and keep the camera pointed there - Correct?
Is that's true, I can then use the "orbit" capability to get in closer or go further out/higher up while still keeping the POI in the center of the video?
Would really appreciate any comments, clarifications or corrections! My son is getting married (outside) next month and I'd love to give them an "aerial video" of the whole place (an old mill in France) along with some subtle, out of the way, video of the ceremony itself. They would need to be the POI - maybe slot my iPhone & RE into her garter belt!? ;) [More seriously, stash the iphone & RE under the "altar"........]
Cheers,
Ian
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