In the app,  it shows 5m/s max speed on the slider in the waypoints app.

That's about 12 mph......I am trying to set up waypoints on a curvey road to film Motorcycles running about
45 to 65 mph.....NO I don't intend to keep up with them, but because I am cutting the corners, I don't need to.

But I really need more than 12mph.

I may need to fly this route in ATTI mode, but then I need a camera man AND a spotter.  ( I'd have the spotter anyway )

Any thoughts?

Thank you
Randy
www.sefsd.org

Our Waypoint speed is set at the 5m/s as you have found. I think there are some SDK developers with 3rd party apps that will let you go faster.
I have not tried any of them myself though, not had time. Maybe someone who has will chime in.


Dave

Try Litchi great app I use it and I will let you do what  you want.

The 3rd party apps are also limited but to 15 m/s.

I remember I had often over 20 m/s before the unhappy firmware restrictions.

On July 24th I had a max speed at

Max Speed
27.16 m/s

NOT in Atti mode. So the downgrade is rather severe.

I would like to have speed restrictions to be removed again in Firmware at least for SDK.

How did you get 27.16m/s? That's pretty amazing, was that with a tail wind? And do you mean you could get even faster in ATTI mode? I'm sure the Inspire 1 is capable of much faster speeds, the limiting factor could only be the camera, surely? Is the gimbal going to have issues fighting against the wind resistance at such speed?

I can understand the slower speed for waypoints, easier to make sure it hits the right point without over-shooting because in the second it takes to update the GPS it would move 20m instead of 5 and that could be the difference between a beautiful close up and a nose full of building at high speed.

PaulKerry Posted at 2015-10-8 21:00
I laughed at "nose full of building" !!

It reminds me of "Full-windscreen view of ground" - somet ...

Haha, I imagine that's something car drivers wouldn't want to experience either.

Hey everyone...

What a frustration!
Also interpreted the 5000m wrong!

My normal missions involve flying within line of sight some 5 to 11 km in one direction.
In the past I had an assistant drive the car while I controlled the Inspire 1 and the camera.

So I thought I could fly to my first waypoint, mark it and bring the bird down, not switch off, drive to the next waypoint, take off and mark the waypoint and so and so on for 5000m.
What a let down!
Out in the sticks with full battery packs and raring to go... with a soft dry hot wind at my back I take off for the first waypoint.
I mark it...
I return to my landing spot so that I can travel to the next waypoint position...
aaaargh!
As the aircraft touches down everthing is lost!
I try several times... it does not work.

Okay...
So another strategy...
I take off and mark the first waypoint...
I fly to the next change in direction some 300m or 400m away...
I mark the waypoint....
I fly to the next change in direction....
I try to mark the point.... aaaargh! the APP tells me I'm more than 500m from my home point!

So where does the 5000m come in?
I was prepared to divide my 6 km mission into separate portions, say at direction changes...

I am totally frustrated!

Hey Paul
Thanks for this.

Okay... I tried the iOS sim - as you pointed out the small map does not work.

Was thinking of updating the "home point" as I go along as a work-around, but by that time I was really not in the mood.

So if I get an English version of the PC sim APP...
How would I be able to get the flight plan onto my iPAD?

Regards

So what you are saying is...
When I save the mission it is saved on the Inspire 1 and not on the iPAD?
Therefore when hooking up the PC it saves the mission to the Inspire 1.

When recalling a "favourite" the iPAD actually calls on the Inspire's onboard memory?

Okay...

Downloaded the PC simulator.
Started simulator.
Connected to aircraft and RC.
Inserted generic, but real world GPS coordinates.
Started simulator.
Oops...
I'm blind? sort of... there is no map, just pure blue skies (like a Monday ;-) ) plus lots and lots of green pastures...
No map displayed on PC...
So I said to myself "I can't crash, can I?"... so let's give it a bash, map or no map!

Out comes the iPAD, I connect it to the RC and start the flight sim on the iPAD.
Ah! Controls at last...
I fly around, plan a mission with waypoints (further than 500m from home), save it and fly it.

So now - how can I get a map to show in the PC sim so that I can plan properly?
It seems there is some hope after all...

Adamastor Posted at 2015-11-26 16:31
Okay...

Downloaded the PC simulator.

I recently tested this as you will find in my post. You should ignore the pic simulator screen for anything other than setting the home point coordinates. Fly the route virtually using the iPad as you would in reality using the map to guide you (make sure you have Internet connection) record your  waypoints including updating your home points. Save your mission as a favourite and then you can fly the mission for real later in the location.
Paul S

Hey Paul and Paul...

You mean I use the normal iPAD app and not the iPAD flight simulator?
Because in the iPAD flight simulator the map just sits in the corner and cannot be used full screen.
The PC sim warns you not to use the normal iPAD app...

Please advise...

Adamastor Posted at 2015-11-28 20:41
Hey Paul and Paul...

You mean I use the normal iPAD app and not the iPAD flight simulator?

You connect the Inspire to the PC and run the PC simulator. You set the home point co-ordinates in the PC simulator. You then use the Go app on your iPad just as you would when flying (not iOS simulator) with the map in the enlarged mode (assuming you are connected to the Internet) The Go app uses the home point co-ordinates you set in the PC simulator as the home point so you can now fly virtually from that start point using the map. You can record waypoints etc., save the mission as a favourite and then when you go to the location physically you can fly your recorded mission for real.
Oh and I forgot to add, you can find the coordinates for any location using:

http://www.mapcoordinates.net/en
Paul S

Okay guys...

Found the warning about launching the app...
On page 3 of the PC sim user manual.

So I Launched the app anyway and started my mission.

See the picture... still same thing as in real life :-(

failed mission

Okay...

Think I solved it.
Took off, flew to first waypoint and marked it;
Updated home point to to aircraft position on iPAD;
Flew and marked rest of waypoints, last waypoint marked was at my RC position (preferred landing area).
Saved the mission and flew it.
It works... me thinks...
Hell... I'm scared whit-less to fly this in real life!



Open saved mission



Just before take off



Completed mission

Hey Paul...

The test was just that, a test.
I used a familiar area. What worries me a little, is that I have flown low level some time ago at a river with a fairly high bank... the aircraft sort of followed the hight of the ground.  In other words when it came to the edge of the river bank the aircraft kept it's height above ground and went lower... I am not sure if my pre-set hight of 60m at my point of departure over the yacht club which is like 20m to 30m lower than my take-off zone will then be 80 to 90m above the water...

Anyway...
My main purpose for wanting the waypoint feature is that I fly electrified rail and power lines.
I have flown these before, but freehand flying following in a car with an assistant driving and me flying and controlling the camera.
The results was not very satisfactory for my personal liking (some zig zag flying, camera wandering etc), even though the client seemed very pleased with the results.

This is the type of work I am talking about (just threw some clips together to try and create a show reel for what it's worth):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_I3KDxhyCdbM1JlRVktUWdpQ3c
And just for the record, I'm no Tarantino ;-)

My linear distances range from less than 100m to 11 or 12km.
And yes, the idea is to follow in the car even though I have some automated flight for the simple reason that setting the bird down without me being nearby can cause serious damage to the aircraft and flying back to the start might not make it on the battery.
I want to break the total distance into smaller chunks, but I still have to plan a little more - the naming of the favorites in the DJI app seems problematic.
The only thing that kills me is that 500m limit thingy...


As you can see from the picture, I will follow a road (dirt road for most of the time) while the aircraft will be crossing some bushy terrain.
This is flying from a substation towards the electrified rail line and then following the power line to a point further up the rail line - a total of some 3 or 4km - the black line representing the existing power line route.
I have to cross a busy regional road and the rail line once or twice... while following the aircraft.
You will also see that I have few choices on where to start and finish.
Also I do not want to be in the shots if I can help it.
Maximum segment perhaps 2 or three.

So much to learn, so little time...

Adamastor Posted at 2015-11-30 07:59
Hey Paul...

The test was just that, a test.

Hi Adamstor,

I have a similar use case, albeit civil structures like irrigation channels and creeks / waterways.
I have recently concluded a field trial of a number of UAV platforms for longitudinal inspections and in our case the Inspire just doesn't stack up.

Not due to any hardware limitations (quite happy with range, speed and clarity from the x3) but mainly due  to the lack of taskable waypoints and the variability in performance with firmware updates. I'm not going to recommend that we invest in a fleet of UAV only to have them become useless or unsafe when an error or fault creeps in.

The altitude drop issue in V1.3 is a great example. I can't imagine having to train all my pilots to avoid issues like this every time there is an update.

Farnk666 Posted at 2015-11-30 11:33
Hi Adamstor,

I have a similar use case, albeit civil structures like irrigation channels and cree ...

Afternoon Farnk666

I was toying with the idea to swing my Inspire for a S900.
In future I want to be able to carry a full radiometric IR payload like an OPTRIS 4500 and micro PC.

What equipment / aerial platform is on your short list?

The S900/1000 doesn't have the endurance I'm after.
Although it's more expensive, check out the Altura Zenith.
Fully integrated thermal and IR imaging, along with gimbals to carry a DSLR

Up to 45min flight time isn't too shabby. Again you get what you pay for.

PaulKerry Posted at 2015-11-29 23:33
Ah... Then, my apologies for the assumption. I thought that you were actually going to fly that te ...

Afternoon Paul

I did try the DHP at one stage - I think I changed the home point to the RC and moved on from that point to a position further along.  If I recall correctly the aircraft did come home when I asked it to.  What I did not check was whether it will be able to do it to multiple positions without setting it again.  Something that I must try...

But quite frankly... trying to plan my route on Google Earth is a royal pain in the butt.
If you look at the picture I sent, enlarging to where I can see my electrical tower clearly is not easy.
And flying to the waypoint? What a pain!
I would much rather take my Garmin GPSMap 60GSX, mark my waypoints in the field, come back to my vehicle, download to my control system and fly my mission right there and then.  If I have to or want to plan in the office, I would like to point and click and NOT fly and click :-(

Ah well, maybe it is time to look at a completely different solution.

Farnk666 Posted at 2015-11-30 13:53
The S900/1000 doesn't have the endurance I'm after.
Although it's more expensive, check out the Altu ...

Had a quick squizz at Zenith.

Must make contact with them to find out if their IR equipment has software to analyse temperature.
FLIR and Optris can read temperature post flight to degrees per pixel...
Radiation differences for my application is just not good enough.

So far Optris holds the most promise, untill I've had a read up on the Dupla Vista

Adamastor Posted at 2015-12-1 00:40
Had a quick squizz at Zenith.

Must make contact with them to find out if their IR equipment has s ...

You'll definitely need a big bird to carry a thermal system that is radiometric.
You inspecting for asset condition?

PaulKerry Posted at 2015-11-30 19:41
Thanks for the feedback on DHP.

What are you using to run the app?

Hey Paul

I use an iPAD Mini 2 Wi-Fi only.
I only recently learnt that my iPAD does not have GPS and I'm now looking around to replace it with one that has GPS.
Deliberately did not go for the 3G edition because 90% or more of my work is way outside cell phone reception areas.I have 3/4G mobile Wi-Fi router that powers directly from my vehicle's 12V socket, from the mains and/or USB.

Also had weak GPS signal on my app before, but ascribed it to the proximity of the power lines.
But as I said the DHP has worked once or twice.

HB

Farnk666 Posted at 2015-12-1 07:07
You'll definitely need a big bird to carry a thermal system that is radiometric.
You inspecting fo ...

Hey Farnk666

Yes I fly electrical and other infrastructure.
You will find a link to a video a little higher up.
I also loaded it to YouTube today - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfF-Mir2k7gJZF3brx-uCeQ

The Optris equipment only weighs 380g and I believe it has successfully been added to the Matrice 100 already.
http://www.optris.com/pi-lightweight-netbox

HB

Adamastor Posted at 2015-12-1 21:31
Hey Farnk666

Yes I fly electrical and other infrastructure.

Thought so.
I do the same, but with water infrastructure and treatment plants

Okay...

Paul and Paul I can confirm, the tip you guys assisted me with was a success.
Set up the route in 3 sections, each approximately 1 to 1.8km in length.
Drove 275km to my site, took off, selected "F" on the remote, recalled a favourite, and the aircraft completed the run with no issues.
One section ended with the same waypoint as the next section's starting point so I just recalled the second one and carried on where I left off with the first for a total route length of 2.? km.
I followed in the car and did not reset the "home point" once.
The battery lasted only until the end of the second leg because the airspeed of 5m/s is excruciatingly slow at 50m above ground ;-)

Anyways... the assignment was successfully completed and I now have a better understanding of how to make things work.
Would be nice to be able to tweak the stored flight path and/or change height as you go along - I would have had better results at say 40m.

But it works.

Hey everybody

Just some more thoughts on waypoints and IR cameras.

Looks like Autoflight's Autopilot could be the answer on the waypoint flying thing.
Even allows you to upload KMZ/KML files.
This will suit me as I can get real world waypoints with my Garmin, fine tune it in Basecamp and upload it via Google Earth... to try it out soon

Then I received some correspondence and a web link from a company in Poland namely Workswell.
Complete full radiometric FLIR TAU2 640 and normal image camera package weighing in at 400g or less.
Now to find a flying platform and remote controller is the easy part - it looks like the gimbal is going to be the problem!
http://www.drone-thermal-camera.com/workswell-airvision/

I have it on good authority that the Inspire XT is a FLIR TAU2, but not the full radiometric version for now.
DJI will use the "performance" version of the TAU2 and the full radiometric version will launch a little later.

Till we chat again...