Import Multiple CSV (waypoints) using which app??

[Thomas_CT]

Hello,

I am fairly new to the DJI world, I have used the 3DR Solo for the past year and love the open source platform that was available (Mission Planner/Tower).

I am looking to fly specific routes over long distances (battery changes when necessary) using numerous waypoints, ie. a CSV or text file.

Is there a comparable app to Mission Planner? It is great to be able to read in/open a text file and then upload it to the UAV and have it fly the mission?

I currently utilize the Litchi app, but it can be painstaking to enter lat/long one at a time...

 

[FunN4lo]

I love Litchi for waypoint planing. I asked the same question a while back, but did not find an answer. I ended up keying (copy/paste) all of my WPs. I am not sure if you have found Litchi's Mission Hub that you can access from a laptop. It beats keying on a tablet or phone, but still not ideal for what you are asking.

A bump for you and a tag to follow

 

[Ian Gr]

Litchi CSV files are pretty easy to fabricate if you have any knowledge of VBA (Excel, Access). The Litchi CSV format is straightforward (one waypoint per line) but is a bit intimidating when all columns are present including actions. Litchi will accept a CSV with just the first two columns (Latitude and Longitude formatted as decimal degrees) or the first 3 to include altitude.

So if you can export waypoints from a GIS (eg QGIS) and load into an Excel spreadsheet (or enter them directly), you can create a very simple 2 or 3 column CSV then load that via Mission Hub and enter actions (eg. take photo, start recording etc) interactively. You can, of course, add extra waypoints, move existing ones here as well.

I agree re entering waypoints in the Litchi app. Not only tedious but can be painful when all you want to do is move the screen image and you end up adding an unwanted waypoint. I do all my mission setups via Litchi Mission Hub on a PC.

A couple of points to be aware of. You MUST set the option for straight line segments before flying. If not Litchi will take one photo at the first waypoint and that will be it - really tedious when you take several minutes to get to the first point only to find you have stuffed up.

Litchi will pause at each waypoint presumably to settle the aircraft before taking a photo. Depending on waypoint spacing this can add significantly to total flight time.

What can be even more tedious is the fact that you must set up a waypoint for each photo. If you decide you want more frequent photos you have to add extra points or start from scratch. In my case I normally fly missions for creating photo mosaics which involves flying multiple flight lines with equi spaced waypoints, normally 30 to 60 photos in all. So I have been experimenting (fairly successfully) in laying down waypoints just at the end of each line and using the interval timer to take photos every 3,4,5 seconds etc. For example at a flight speed of 10 km/hour a 3 second interval timer takes a photo approxinately every 8.3 metres, a 5 second timer every 14 metres and so on. With the Sandisk Ultra SD cards I use, 3 seconds is about the minimum you can go to get consistent results.

Using the timer this way the drone doesn't pause at each waypoint so you do have to consider ground smear. My flying is normally done at 100 metres so even with a 20 megapixel image as long as shutter speed is better than 1/200th second ground smear is acceptable.

Hope this helps.

 

[jmos]

You could try DJIFlightPlanner Pc based but uses DJI Ultimate Flight Android App to execute flight plan.
We've been using almost identical flight planning(More Customized) software from here FlightPlanner – AeroScientific for aerial surveys out of a Cessna 172.

Just purchased our first Phantom 4 Pro for work and considering the Matrice 200 series.
Have purchased an Apple Ipad so playing with DJI Ground Station and MapPilot, if these can't import flightplans I'll have another look at DJIFlightPlanner on Android.
Also been told about DroneDeploy Shapefile or Google Earth KML Flight Planning need to have a closer look.
Cheers

 

[cadm8]

Nice post, ultimate flight is the way to go for serious no going back for a second time work

 

[Pipeliner_USA]

DroneDeploy let's you upload a KML or a shapefile. Can confirm--I've used it. It works fine.

 

[Thomas_CT]

Litchi CSV files are pretty easy to fabricate if you have any knowledge of VBA (Excel, Access). The Litchi CSV format is straightforward (one waypoint per line) but is a bit intimidating when all columns are present including actions. Litchi will accept a CSV with just the first two columns (Latitude and Longitude formatted as decimal degrees) or the first 3 to include altitude.

So if you can export waypoints from a GIS (eg QGIS) and load into an Excel spreadsheet (or enter them directly), you can create a very simple 2 or 3 column CSV then load that via Mission Hub and enter actions (eg. take photo, start recording etc) interactively. You can, of course, add extra waypoints, move existing ones here as well.

I agree re entering waypoints in the Litchi app. Not only tedious but can be painful when all you want to do is move the screen image and you end up adding an unwanted waypoint. I do all my mission setups via Litchi Mission Hub on a PC.

A couple of points to be aware of. You MUST set the option for straight line segments before flying. If not Litchi will take one photo at the first waypoint and that will be it - really tedious when you take several minutes to get to the first point only to find you have stuffed up.

Litchi will pause at each waypoint presumably to settle the aircraft before taking a photo. Depending on waypoint spacing this can add significantly to total flight time.

What can be even more tedious is the fact that you must set up a waypoint for each photo. If you decide you want more frequent photos you have to add extra points or start from scratch. In my case I normally fly missions for creating photo mosaics which involves flying multiple flight lines with equi spaced waypoints, normally 30 to 60 photos in all. So I have been experimenting (fairly successfully) in laying down waypoints just at the end of each line and using the interval timer to take photos every 3,4,5 seconds etc. For example at a flight speed of 10 km/hour a 3 second interval timer takes a photo approxinately every 8.3 metres, a 5 second timer every 14 metres and so on. With the Sandisk Ultra SD cards I use, 3 seconds is about the minimum you can go to get consistent results.

Using the timer this way the drone doesn't pause at each waypoint so you do have to consider ground smear. My flying is normally done at 100 metres so even with a 20 megapixel image as long as shutter speed is better than 1/200th second ground smear is acceptable.

Hope this helps.

How do you setup the camera to take photos at time intervals?

 

[jmos]

DJI GS PRO 1.6 now supports shp kml kmz import, ripper.
It will cost you though
Was $80 AUS for the import option.
Just need flight data and it covers all our needs

 

[Moromortimer]

DJI GS PRO 1.6 now supports shp kml kmz import, ripper.
It will cost you though
Was $80 AUS for the import option.
Just need flight data and it covers all our needs

Hi Jmos: I bought the file import option for GS PRo but I can´t find the way to do the connection to transfer files prom my Mac to the iPad. Do you have a clue? Thank you

 

[jmos]

I find easiest method is to email kmz/kml to ipad.
Once selected it will enable you to open in gs pro.
You can then use as background map or gs pro will use polygon and create flightplan.
Sometimes i use both methods depending on how gs pro flightplan turns out.
You can always edit/modify gs pro fligjtplan and re save.

John

 

[Moromortimer]

I find easiest method is to email kmz/kml to ipad.
Once selected it will enable you to open in gs pro.
You can then use as background map or gs pro will use polygon and create flightplan.
Sometimes i use both methods depending on how gs pro flightplan turns out.
You can always edit/modify gs pro fligjtplan and re save.

John

Thank you very Much!
I also want to ask you how can I erase node points from a poligon in GS Pro, everytime I touch one it multiplies into another one that I don´t find the way to erase then.

 

[jmos]

See Creating a mission
Select point(turns blue) drag to bin icon

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/groundstation_pro/20171121/GS_Pro_User_Manual_EN_V2.0.pdf

 

[Moromortimer]

See Creating a mission
Select point(turns blue) drag to bin icon

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/groundstation_pro/20171121/GS_Pro_User_Manual_EN_V2.0.pdf

HI JMOS, HAPPY 2018! I need to ask you if you know how to make permanent a map in a mission with GS Pro. I need to see the map when I am on the field with no wiFi Access at all on site. Is this possible?
Thank you!

 

[jmos]

Maps cache/save on my Ipad mini 4 celular memory so data available when not internet abailable.
Might be different on other tablets, you just need to have a play and see.
I know theres a cache maps setting in dji go, havn't seen same setting in gs pro but seems to happen by default?

 

[Moromortimer]

Yes I use an iPad Pro with gps & WiFi -cell. But haven’t found the option of maps cache in GS pro.

 

[shubh96]

Litchi CSV files are pretty easy to fabricate if you have any knowledge of VBA (Excel, Access). The Litchi CSV format is straightforward (one waypoint per line) but is a bit intimidating when all columns are present including actions. Litchi will accept a CSV with just the first two columns (Latitude and Longitude formatted as decimal degrees) or the first 3 to include altitude.

So if you can export waypoints from a GIS (eg QGIS) and load into an Excel spreadsheet (or enter them directly), you can create a very simple 2 or 3 column CSV then load that via Mission Hub and enter actions (eg. take photo, start recording etc) interactively. You can, of course, add extra waypoints, move existing ones here as well.

I agree re entering waypoints in the Litchi app. Not only tedious but can be painful when all you want to do is move the screen image and you end up adding an unwanted waypoint. I do all my mission setups via Litchi Mission Hub on a PC.

A couple of points to be aware of. You MUST set the option for straight line segments before flying. If not Litchi will take one photo at the first waypoint and that will be it - really tedious when you take several minutes to get to the first point only to find you have stuffed up.

Litchi will pause at each waypoint presumably to settle the aircraft before taking a photo. Depending on waypoint spacing this can add significantly to total flight time.

What can be even more tedious is the fact that you must set up a waypoint for each photo. If you decide you want more frequent photos you have to add extra points or start from scratch. In my case I normally fly missions for creating photo mosaics which involves flying multiple flight lines with equi spaced waypoints, normally 30 to 60 photos in all. So I have been experimenting (fairly successfully) in laying down waypoints just at the end of each line and using the interval timer to take photos every 3,4,5 seconds etc. For example at a flight speed of 10 km/hour a 3 second interval timer takes a photo approxinately every 8.3 metres, a 5 second timer every 14 metres and so on. With the Sandisk Ultra SD cards I use, 3 seconds is about the minimum you can go to get consistent results.

Using the timer this way the drone doesn't pause at each waypoint so you do have to consider ground smear. My flying is normally done at 100 metres so even with a 20 megapixel image as long as shutter speed is better than 1/200th second ground smear is acceptable.

Hope this helps.

For the wapoints, is it possible for Litchi to load another set of waypoints once it reaches the 99 WP limit and continue flying? Like if we have two .csv files for one mission, would the App be able to just load it in or would we have to manually switch them?

 

[Ian Gr]

I routinely generate .CSV files in my own app. Written in VBA for MS Access. It may or may not be useful to you as it is designed to fly a rectangular grid of waypoints. You can specify spacing of waypoints (E-W and N-S), orientation of survey, altitude etc and it creates the .CSV. Image of entry screen below.

For random points the Litchi Mission Hub web based app is pretty good.

 

[Ian Gr]

For the wapoints, is it possible for Litchi to load another set of waypoints once it reaches the 99 WP limit and continue flying? Like if we have two .csv files for one mission, would the App be able to just load it in or would we have to manually switch them?

I can't see why not. At the completion of a mission you can tell the drone to stay where it is rather than return to home. While it is there you should be able to load and execute the next mission.

 

[harry01]

Hi All,

new here and interested into importing missions to GS pro. I have used with success importing csv docs to gs pro with the litchi format. Unfortunately I have not found the way to import a mission including the drone heading and gimbal pitch. Possibly there must be an other coding for these. Can aybody help with that ?

Thank you in advance !