Hey guys back again. Can I join up and going again after I had dumped in the water. Today I set the drone off on a waypoint mission. it was going on a 4K flight which was 11 minutes and it disappeared outside and haven't seen it since. This was about 30 mins ago. I'm up in the trees now trying to find it but it's pretty rugged terrain and I've had no luck so far. Is there a way to find it. I'm hoping to pick up the signal again if I walk along the way.
Would the drone normally power itself off if it goes down for landing. Or will it continue to emanate a signal that I will be able to find with the remote. Seriously rugged terrain. Not sure if I can even access some parts of the the waypoint path.
Thanks again Jason

It should run until the battery fails.

roymoon Posted at 2016-10-2 10:09
It should run until the battery fails.

Putting out a signal?

Just checking the waypoint path now. Maybe i made a mistake with the altitude.
As it was going up into a hilly area, should have i added to the altitude based on the origin, or does litchi calculate that into it?
i.e. Just beyond where it took off the land is around 100mt higher. I had altitude set to 60mt.
So perhaps it went straight at 60mt into the trees.
I'll attached the flight path.

found it. yep, litchi does not account for height changes.
Bit broken up, but alive.
Time to find a few new parts on ebay.
This drone is on it's 3rd life, after being totally submerged in the lake 2 weeks ago.
Maybe i should be more careful ;)

jason34 Posted at 2016-10-2 14:41
found it. yep, litchi does not account for height changes.
Bit broken up, but alive.
Time to fin ...

'found it. yep, litchi does not account for height changes'

None of the apps do. They have no method to measure increases in terrain, nor does the aircraft. That's something the pilot has to do.

gosh! what's with all the waypoint missions?! Don't you guys enjoy just flying your drone? I heard of A LOT of accident during suych missions, and I think I fail to understand why risk a $1000 bird with something like this? There's enough accidents waiting to happen if you fly it just line of sight, or fpv.....
Why, oh why?
Happy u found it though.. and expensive toy to misplace.... get a gps tracker on it..

Phantomski Posted at 2016-10-2 15:20
gosh! what's with all the waypoint missions?! Don't you guys enjoy just flying your drone? I heard o ...

Yeah, seems to me more people are losing their aircraft flying Litchi missions lately.

I fly litchi for guided or repeatable projects and it's working great this case was PE.. good find!! I just went into the drink filming in DJI..(backwards into a tree) so a crash can happen in many ways.
1st crash and good lesson!! Proud to say craft dried out and is flying, planning to do a few more test flights before a big waypoint mission!!
cheers Darrin

darrin@proimage Posted at 2016-10-2 14:52
I fly litchi for guided or repeatable projects and it's working great this case was PE.. good find!! ...

Yeah mine just dried out too. Clipped a tree and dove straight into the lake.
Next flight was this one into a tree. Drone is coping a beating :O
Hopefully this is the end of the damage for a bit.

So I see in the screen shot jason34 posted and it says waypoint 2 ground elevation is 131m above start point.  So should he have put waypoint to at 191m and not 60m??
Just curious to understand.
cheers
Adrian

Every altitude is relative to the Home Point altitude. So you need to know the elevation of your flight route.

You may use this site, which provides the elevation:

https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm

You may also use Google Earth Pro (free) which allows you to create a path, and then it creates a kml file.  You may then import the kml directly into Litchi. The Path is relative to the ground elevation.  Here is a screen shot below:

I think Litchi is not the cause of lost phantoms, but it is usually due to errors in the mission settings.  Always double check the settings and always fly shorter test  missions, before the final mission.  Even though I fly mostly over flat surfaces, I still double check every setting.  I also make sure the altitude differences between adjacent POI is not too extreme, use circled all the time, no extreme turns and adjust speed according to the mission and always make sure you adjust the max manual speed to to max before you fly, in the event you want to take over.

hurring1 Posted at 2016-10-4 13:00
So I see in the screen shot jason34 posted and it says waypoint 2 ground elevation is 131m above sta ...

You have to account for the elevation of everything along your flightpath.  This is a shortcoming of Litchi, which allows you to set waypoints without flying it first, like the Go app requires.  An oversight or miscalculation results in you flying into the ground.  Remember, these aircraft have no ground sensor, they do not maintain a set height above the ground as terrain changes.  It knows the altitude of the home point where it took off, but everything else is up to the pilot.  Checking on Google Earth first would have showed an altitude of 200m at least was required to clear the terrain (that's 200m above sea level, not the takeoff point).   
Top of the "fence" is 200m ASL.

It should be possible to calculate each individual waypoint for a constant altitude above the ground, but it willl require a bit more work.  Don't just assume because the waypoints are clear of the ground, it will guarantee the path in between them is also clear of the ground or other obstacles.  It is safer to model it in Google Earth first to check the flight path against the terrain just to make sure there is appropriate clearance.

If you had started off by doing your homework first, you wouldn't be making this kind of mistake.

The above two posts are what you should have learned first.

Don't make the same mistake again.
Don't blame the app.

endotherm Posted at 2016-10-5 00:59
You have to account for the elevation of everything along your flightpath.  This is a shortcoming o ...

hmmm weird, in my every flight with licthi zero meter is always at take off point
i see it like this, when phantom back at the mission and land it said 0 meter right when it take off on the licthi app
so, zero meter count in take off point or sea level ?

benzphantom Posted at 2016-10-5 10:19
hmmm weird, in my every flight with licthi zero meter is always at take off point
i see it like th ...

Google flying litchi mission using google earth for altitude changes, there are a couple of great vids. on how to do this in google earth & then load to Litchi, as the guys above explained .
also, if I recall in Litchi at each waypoint it shows your altitude in realation to ground, does it not, so you know if your going to kiss the dirt
DJI Mavic, keeps itself at altitude you set above the ground as it changes!

Delta Nine Posted at 2016-10-4 14:19
If you had started off by doing your homework first, you wouldn't be making this kind of mistake.

T ...

+1.
I didn't want to be the one to drop the hammer.
  

Phantomski Posted at 2016-10-2 05:20
gosh! what's with all the waypoint missions?! Don't you guys enjoy just flying your drone? I heard of A LOT of accident during suych missions, and I think I fail to understand why risk a $1000 bird with something like this? There's enough accidents waiting to happen if you fly it just line of sight, or fpv.....
Why, oh why?
Happy u found it though.. and expensive toy to misplace.... get a gps tracker on it..

There's lots good reasons for using Litchi, and that doesn't automatically mean that people don't "enjoy just flying their drone".  You can do both.  For instance, one winemaker and another owner of a hotel in a particularly picturesque place want to film the same route through the seasons and then upload them to their sites after they've edited the material, to give a sense of the rhythm of the seasons.  Litchi is a great way to do that.  For others, using the interpolation allows for (relatively) smoother gimbal motion, as in it's current configuration with a tiny, back-facing wheel on the RC, is not ergonomically designed to deliver great outcomes.

Geebax Posted at 2016-10-2 05:04
'found it. yep, litchi does not account for height changes'

None of the apps do. They have no method to measure increases in terrain, nor does the aircraft. That's something the pilot has to do.

I sent a note to Litchi this week on a couple of topics and one of my questions was why they don't simply allow setting waypoints as Above Ground Level (AGL), as it would prevent crashes (this thread is proof).  For instance as the ASL data is clearly available (and shows within the waypoint settings popup window), a solution could be  to flag to users when a waypoint is flying underground (e.g. have the pin show in red).  The response was "We will be making improvements to our support for ground elevation in a future update."  No doubt there'll still be crashes, but design solutions can clearly improve and minimise potential for human error.

GMG Posted at 2016-12-10 08:31
I sent a note to Litchi this week on a couple of topics and one of my questions was why they don't simply allow setting waypoints as Above Ground Level (AGL), as it would prevent crashes (this thread is proof).  For instance as the ASL data is clearly available (and shows within the waypoint settings popup window), a solution could be  to flag to users when a waypoint is flying underground (e.g. have the pin show in red).  The response was "We will be making improvements to our support for ground elevation in a future update."  No doubt there'll still be crashes, but design solutions can clearly improve and minimise potential for human error.

One reason would be that the aircraft has no idea what ground level is. It has no0thing to measure ground level. All it knows is that when it initially takes off, it sets the internal barometer to zero. All altitude readings are then related to that datum.

Geebax Posted at 2016-12-9 23:35
One reason would be that the aircraft has no idea what ground level is. It has no0thing to measure ground level. All it knows is that when it initially takes off, it sets the internal barometer to zero. All altitude readings are then related to that datum.

But shouldn't GPS provide that (though admittedly it's less accurate for vertical, than it is for horizontal calculations) or are are even the newer receivers not accurate enough?

GMG Posted at 2016-12-10 10:00
But shouldn't GPS provide that (though admittedly it's less accurate for vertical, than it is for horizontal calculations) or are are even the newer receivers not accurate enough?

No, the accuracy of GPS in measuring altitude is not related to the technology of the receiver, but the physical geometry of the measurements. DJI do not use GPS altitude at all, far too inaccurate, they rely solely on the barometer.

Geebax Posted at 2016-12-10 09:31
No, the accuracy of GPS in measuring altitude is not related to the technology of the receiver, but the physical geometry of the measurements. DJI do not use GPS altitude at all, far too inaccurate, they rely solely on the barometer.

In android version Litchi have a find my drone feature (hope never to use it) I reckon Litchi is great just need to triple check alti between waypoints and make sure you don't touch screen after you load your mission and accidently add another waypoint {:4_157:}

endotherm Posted at 2016-10-4 09:59
You have to account for the elevation of everything along your flightpath.  This is a shortcoming of Litchi, which allows you to set waypoints without flying it first, like the Go app requires.  An oversight or miscalculation results in you flying into the ground.  Remember, these aircraft have no ground sensor, they do not maintain a set height above the ground as terrain changes.  It knows the altitude of the home point where it took off, but everything else is up to the pilot.  Checking on Google Earth first would have showed an altitude of 200m at least was required to clear the terrain (that's 200m above sea level, not the takeoff point).   
[view_image]Top of the "fence" is 200m ASL.

Google will draw any distance AGL automatically, its one of the settings when you add a path. This can be imported to Litchi..
(still leave yourself room AGL and tree height may be quite different).
then fly it slow and watch carefully, never just trust a mission even if flown many times, so easy to add a point heading off the map...cheers D

GMG Posted at 2016-12-10 05:31
I sent a note to Litchi this week on a couple of topics and one of my questions was why they don't simply allow setting waypoints as Above Ground Level (AGL), as it would prevent crashes (this thread is proof).  For instance as the ASL data is clearly available (and shows within the waypoint settings popup window), a solution could be  to flag to users when a waypoint is flying underground (e.g. have the pin show in red).  The response was "We will be making improvements to our support for ground elevation in a future update."  No doubt there'll still be crashes, but design solutions can clearly improve and minimise potential for human error.

Ground elevation does not take into account height of trees, etc. Just knowing the routes ground altitude isnt enough.

If you use the Litchi Mission Hub (PC) to plan your waypoint missions, it will tell you the Ground Elevation and how many feet above or below the first waypoint the ground actually is. I find this very helpful.

Defender4he1 Posted at 2016-12-10 01:57
In android version Litchi have a find my drone feature (hope never to use it) I reckon Litchi is great just need to triple check alti between waypoints and make sure you don't touch screen after you load your mission and accidently add another waypoint

Wow - I'd love to hear from anyone who has used it (and wonder why this isn't evident on DJI GO 4).  I'm on iOS and wish it was on that.

stuka75 Posted at 2016-12-10 06:07
Ground elevation does not take into account height of trees, etc. Just knowing the routes ground altitude isnt enough.

I'm aware that trees are planted in the ground.  On Litchi you can see them (unless someone sneaks them in and plants a mature one with a backhoe) ) so I raise elevation with the relevant waypoints accordingly. ;)

GMG Posted at 2016-12-10 22:58
I'm aware that trees are planted in the ground.  On Litchi you can see them (unless someone sneaks them in and plants a mature one with a backhoe) ) so I raise elevation with the relevant waypoints accordingly. ;)

Guess I dont quite understand. Does LItchi mission hub give you the ground elevation, or the desired height of the aircraft at that waypoint in relation to the home point(which is what i thought).

@stuka75 It offers both.  When you set waypoints, they're relative to the home point (where you launched from), but if you look at the popup window that allows you to set variables associated with the waypoint, below the chosen altitude (relative to the home point) it shows ground elevation.  It's hard to make out, but see below.

GMG Posted at 2016-12-11 01:17
@stuka75 It offers both.  When you set waypoints, they're relative to the home point (where you launched from), but if you look at the popup window that allows you to set variables associated with the waypoint, below the chosen altitude (relative to the home point) it shows ground elevation.  It's hard to make out, but see below.
[view_image]

I''l be damned. I've setup multiple wyapoint misssions in this app, and never noticed the ground elevation you mentioned.
Wow, Thanks I am getting old!

I know - it's so easy to miss. The thing that annoys me is that the areas I fly can be quite hilly, so I find myself often doing add/subtract in my head for each waypoint.  It'd be great if I could layout my initial waypoints at a uniform altitude AGL and then go around tweaking after.  

I got litchi, while it was on sale.. did not try it yet though... work in progress ;) Automation scares me a bit, after programming some automated machinery and seeing how easy making a mini error is....

GMG Posted at 2016-12-11 05:12
I know - it's so easy to miss. The thing that annoys me is that the areas I fly can be quite hilly, so I find myself often doing add/subtract in my head for each waypoint.  It'd be great if I could layout my initial waypoints at a uniform altitude AGL and then go around tweaking after.

Our area isn't very hilly, but heavily forested. The canopy on average is around 70 to feet in height. That said, we find that most flights at an altitude of 150 to 180 feet is about right for viewing on video. So, its easy to setup each waypoint at the same height. Lot different in a hilly area as you said.

Phantomski Posted at 2016-12-11 06:12
I got litchi, while it was on sale.. did not try it yet though... work in progress ;) Automation scares me a bit, after programming some automated machinery and seeing how easy making a mini error is....

Yeah, one of my first Litchi flights was a mile out and back over dense woods at around 150 feet. Was scary waiting fro the P3 to reappear after losing video and control at around 2300 feet. 5 minutes without sight or sound! But then up she shows. I screwed up the video settings, so we had to fly the same mission again an hour later. Realized  the ground actually rose up around 3/4 mile out and tree tops got closer to p3 in the vid. find an open flat unobstructed field and run short test missions with line of sight to develope your faith in your settings and the app. It also a good app just for basic flying around. Sometimes less glitchy than DJI Go.
Enjoy

endotherm Posted at 2016-10-4 12:59
You have to account for the elevation of everything along your flightpath.  This is a shortcoming of Litchi, which allows you to set waypoints without flying it first, like the Go app requires.  An oversight or miscalculation results in you flying into the ground.  Remember, these aircraft have no ground sensor, they do not maintain a set height above the ground as terrain changes.  It knows the altitude of the home point where it took off, but everything else is up to the pilot.  Checking on Google Earth first would have showed an altitude of 200m at least was required to clear the terrain (that's 200m above sea level, not the takeoff point).   
[view_image]Top of the "fence" is 200m ASL.

Even using Google Earth can get you in trouble.  Things like telephone and electric wires are not very visible in them, and many do not use a uniform height.  The best strategy is to fly the mission first, setting waypoints as you go along.  After creating a mission in this way, you can then adjust mission parameters for each waypoint so you can get the shot you want without as much chance of disaster.  In all cases, it is vital that you have a properly calibrated compass and imu for accurate results.  And enough satellite coverage, of course.

GMG Posted at 2016-12-10 16:12
I know - it's so easy to miss. The thing that annoys me is that the areas I fly can be quite hilly, so I find myself often doing add/subtract in my head for each waypoint.  It'd be great if I could layout my initial waypoints at a uniform altitude AGL and then go around tweaking after.

You can easily do that.  There is a global setting for waypoints for speed and altitude.  Altitude will stay at what is set on the first one, unless you manually change it.

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-12-11 17:20
You can easily do that.  There is a global setting for waypoints for speed and altitude.  Altitude will stay at what is set on the first one, unless you manually change it.

I think you missed the bit in bold - I was saying that if it took my first waypoint and applied that altitude Above Ground Level (rather than retaining the Above Sea Level altitude of the first waypoint...or its approximation of that, as it's using barometric pressure).

GMG Posted at 2016-12-11 17:39
I think you missed the bit in bold - I was saying that if it took my first waypoint and applied that altitude Above Ground Level (rather than retaining the Above Sea Level altitude of the first waypoint...or its approximation of that, as it's using barometric pressure).

The Phantom knows nothing about sea level.  It uses its barometric altimeter only, and it references the home point as 0 feet altitude.  So your first waypoint is height agl, not above sea level.    Unless I misunderstand your post.


On further reflection, I think what you are saying is that you would like whatever height agl the first waypoint is, say 50 feet, you would like the Phantom to maintain that much height agl regardless of terrain.   In other words,  a sort of terrain following mode.

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-12-12 21:51
The Phantom knows nothing about sea level.  It uses its barometric altimeter only, and it references the home point as 0 feet altitude.  So your first waypoint is height agl, not above sea level.    Unless I misunderstand your post.

That's it.