Ultimate Flight V3 update - now with selfie and Panorama mode

[kenargo]

It's been a while since I announced updates here but some of the app's users suggested I drop in and let everyone know what's going on with the app.


DJI Ultimate Flight - v3 - Android Apps on Google Play

The app has gone through lots of changes since the last update starting with an entirely new way to communicate with the SDK which has turned out to be very good results especially with regards to performance. The app now only loads into memory what is needed. If you are using waypoints then no code for Orbit or follow are in memory, same for other modes.

The app still has the modes as before: FPV (with course and home lock), Waypoint, on-screen Joystick, Follow, Orbit and a new Selfie mode. Dynamic home point and find-my-aircraft are also included.

Waypoint mode allows you to record waypoints, draw your path and have the app define the waypoints for you as well as map touch. For the hard core fliers you can hand-enter latitude/longitude.

In Selfie and FPV the app also includes automatic gimbal control which maintains camera angle on a designated point and altitude. For the Phantom 3 this is limited to camera pitch but for the Inspire 1 camera yaw is also managed.

I've also bee working with some other UAV organizations and the app will load waypoint missions loaded onto the device in KML format so those who are creating maps have the ability to use the mission planner on sites like mapsmadeeasy.com directly simply by placing the KML file into the GS folder on your device.

The latest version uses the latest SDK from DJI which includes a number of fixes and a new hardware supported video decoder which may perform better if your Android device includes a video accelerator.

Camera setting are all present and working as are a large set of application parameter making UF the mode user-configurable app available.

Read more about the app at the website DJI Ultimate Flight - Home or download from the play store.

Enjoy

 

[Wibble]

Sounds like you have been working hard. Will have to give it a try.

 

[Andrea Passerini]

Thanks for your great work!!!!!!

 

[kenargo]

Just released: Panorama mode for Phantom 3 and Inspire 1

If you own the app you can download for the update here: http://www.droidbin.com/p1a1nds8bo1isr39t1afa1q5b1cqm3. If not you can purchase the app from the Play Store (DJI Ultimate Flight - v3 - Android Apps on Google Play), run it once to allow Google to validate the app license and then you will be able to download the update and start creating panoramas!

There are more panorama modes coming so stay tuned for more updates.

This 1st version creates full panoramas with images at 0 (straight out), -45 degrees and -90. About 8 images per level; 24 in a full capture set.

To create a panorama, simply fly to the spot and press GO. You can cancel the operation by flipping the flight mode switch.

Some panorama image stich applications:

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/ice/
https://www.photostitcher.com/
http://www.ptgui.com/
http://www.kolor.com/autopano/

 

[Cyclone]

Many thanks. I have a few weeks off work soon and will give this a go, weather permitting

 

[kenargo]

If you have been following the update notices you may recall that Ultimate Flight recently released 2 new panorama modes; 1 for free flight and another under waypoint control. Users are posing their panoramas and the results are really (IMO) great. This is the main page with the collection:

Check out the 1st user post of a full panorama image taken using the new panorama mode recently added to DJI Ultimate Flight:

http://www.kenargo.com/AndroidApps/UltimateFlight/gallery.php

This is the newest one; full panorama taken with the Ultimate Flight App:

Port Aransas Marina

 

[phantomlova]

Thank you! i will give it a try!

 

[kenargo]

I've just completed a few additions that should make Panorama even nicer to use including the creation of an Image Gallery on my website (DJI Ultimate Flight - Panorama Gallery).

The new additions include the capability to tweak camera pitch and number of photos per level and, in the case of a waypoint Panorama (a new type of waypoint) these settings are saved into the mission file for easy loading at the flight field.

Also, new, the app will stop and restart the video automatically. Functional in both Panorama flight mode and Panorama waypoint.

Did I mention there is a new "vertical" mode for panorama for those tall shots where you want to stitch a tall object rather than 360 degree shot.

A few of the newer items added into the app recently:

* Waypoint loader support KML files allowing you to create missions using tools like Google Earth or MapsMadeEasy.com
* Flight log is save in KML and csv enabling you to load your flights into apps like Google Earth and reviewing your flight.

A short note cannot do justice to the new features specifically for the Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 with many more features coming on the next weeks.

 

[SkyDiveDragon]

I have a question to the new panorama mode...

I tried to do something like scanning a building. For thath I need a starting waypoint at maybe 5m. The next step
is the camera angle or P3 angle facing to building and start to do phots till the next waypoint (end of building).
Than fly nearly 5m up and start again facing to the building with fotos back again to the first waypoint.

This process has to be go on till I have reached maybe 30m of high and stop. At the end I wanted to have the
same like a survey/grid mission with a lot of pictures, in the best way overlap with "x"... to stitch them together
to a big picture and see the complete front of a building in high quality.

Maybe someone could help me with the tasks....

And... sorry for my english. I don´t like the translation to google and test or better remember my school awareness.

Greetings Sky

 

[kenargo]

I have a question to the new panorama mode...

I tried to do something like scanning a building. For thath I need a starting waypoint at maybe 5m. The next step
is the camera angle or P3 angle facing to building and start to do phots till the next waypoint (end of building).
Than fly nearly 5m up and start again facing to the building with fotos back again to the first waypoint.

This process has to be go on till I have reached maybe 30m of high and stop. At the end I wanted to have the
same like a survey/grid mission with a lot of pictures, in the best way overlap with "x"... to stitch them together
to a big picture and see the complete front of a building in high quality.

Maybe someone could help me with the tasks....

And... sorry for my english. I don´t like the translation to google and test or better remember my school awareness.

Greetings Sky

There will soon be an easier way to handle this but at the moment you need to edit the mission file. The operation is easy.

Create the 1st orbit waypoint and define the parameters, then save the mission file.

Next, open the mission file (it's on the Android under DJI_Ultimate_Flight\GS) and you will see line similar to this at the bottom:

orbitRadius numberOfPoints degreesAround surroundDirection interestDirection navigationMode
5 27 360 0 4 2

This is the orbit definition.

In the upper part of the file you will see a line defining the orbit flight details, it will loos like this:

41.82235 -88.2959 5 1 1 OPERATION_ORBIT TRUE -1

What you need to do is to make multiple copies of the lines under the original ones. For the orbit parameters, you won't need to change anything unless you want to alter the radius, etc. For the line at the top you will want to change the 3rd value (this is altitude in meters).

Save the updated CSV onto the Android and you should have your ascending orbit flight; the app calculates the waypoints so you don't need to calculate the individual points.

Hope this helps but if it's unclear feel free to contact me and I can help you get the file edited.

There is an update in process with new waypoint operation types that will make this simpler but it's a about a week out.

 

[SkyDiveDragon]

Hy,

thanks for the fast answer... but. I thought you understand something wrong. I don´t want to have a orbit from
a building... and climb up.

I need the same like a mission for a big field for scanning with overlapping pictures to stitch them together as one.

So I have to fly from first waypoint --> to second. In this flight I need 80% overlapping pictures. The camera has to
trigger on and on till the second WP. Than fly up nearly 3 or 4 meters and start again doing pictures back to the first
WP even with the facing to the building and do pictures back to WP one! Than fly up 3 or 4 meters and go on to the
second WP.

As you could see, same like gridding a field but only in horizontal way not vertical. I could arrange WP as much as
I need till the high of the building but I didn´t manage to trigger the camera in automatic mode since the flight including
the GPS data.

I hope it would be clear.

 

[kenargo]

Hy,

thanks for the fast answer... but. I thought you understand something wrong. I don´t want to have a orbit from
a building... and climb up.

I need the same like a mission for a big field for scanning with overlapping pictures to stitch them together as one.

So I have to fly from first waypoint --> to second. In this flight I need 80% overlapping pictures. The camera has to
trigger on and on till the second WP. Than fly up nearly 3 or 4 meters and start again doing pictures back to the first
WP even with the facing to the building and do pictures back to WP one! Than fly up 3 or 4 meters and go on to the
second WP.

As you could see, same like gridding a field but only in horizontal way not vertical. I could arrange WP as much as
I need till the high of the building but I didn´t manage to trigger the camera in automatic mode since the flight including
the GPS data.

I hope it would be clear.

Ah, you are correct; I misunderstood the requirement.

The app will not do the calculation's for you, they would need to be done by you or an app (like ArcGIS) but if this is a common pattern that you use often then the app will allow you to create the mission once and use the same mission "pattern" at any other location.