How to use the Ground Station

Maybe I missed a point in the g/s demo from the link but when I start my flight plan I need to move the copter vertically up from the start point to about 100 feet to clear some trees before moving to my first waypoint. Do I manually take the copter up to 100 feet before touching 'go' on my iPad g/s app or do I set the first waypoint a few feet from my start point to ensure the correct altitude before it moves off to the next waypoint?
 
I think the answer is "yes" to both methods. Although I haven't tried manually flying to altitude before initiating the mission I'm fairly confident that it works. (If it quits raining today I'll test this.) I normally set a nearby waypoint for the express purpose of gaining altitude and avoiding trees. But... I've been a bit surprised on a couple of occasions when the Phantom didn't head straight for waypoint 1. Recently, for example, it backed up several feet over my head, then began its ascent. This took it very close to a tree behind me.

For that reason I always begin a mission with my fingers on Switch S2, ready to flip to ATTI/GPS in case it is necessary to take over control.

stamford said:
Maybe I missed a point in the g/s demo from the link but when I start my flight plan I need to move the copter vertically up from the start point to about 100 feet to clear some trees before moving to my first waypoint. Do I manually take the copter up to 100 feet before touching 'go' on my iPad g/s app or do I set the first waypoint a few feet from my start point to ensure the correct altitude before it moves off to the next waypoint?
 
After a few flights here is how you can use the GS.

Take off, get above the trees via flying it normally.

Then press go, drone will execute waypoints.

Make the last waypoint near the starting point and flip to atti on your controller and then back to GPS (if you want to fly by GPS). Now you have control, come in and land.

Its pretty easy. I haven't had any issues.

EDIT: I would always take off manually and then initiate the GS. One takeoff I had it took 30 second for the phantom to become stable. I'd rather it do that while I am in manual control - rather than through the GS.
 
tbwester: Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I'll be giving that a try come good flying weather.
 
bookmarked!

As for the initial problem of getting to height, why not set waypoint 1 as your home location?
Then set the needed altitude.

Ditto on the best demo yet. DJI should take notes!
 
Now that I have a number of successful missions under my belt I'll share my favorite way to use the GS: sitting in a comfortable lawn chair, wearing FPV goggles. This relaxed posture allows me to focus my attention on controlling the gimbal's tilt angle, which in turn has greatly improved the videos I've recorded. I use the GS for stream and habitat surveys, so it really helps to be able to concentrate on what the GoPro is "seeing" with hands-off flying, rather than trying to do six things manually and simultaneously.

Previous to installing the GS, I rarely used goggles.
 

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