Waypoint through tight spots

[rj0209]

I have the Phantom 3 Advanced.

Has anyone tried using the waypoint feature through tight spots? Spots that are 15-20 feet in width?

I have a client that wants aerial shots of his commercial property, but the property is surrounded by trees. Has anyone tried using the P3 through the woods or tight spots between buildings through waypoint?

 

[Fly Dawg]

15-20ft? That's pretty tricky. I have done 50ft between trees before, but due to the variances in GPS accuracy, you could be off to one side or the other. Personally I would walk it manually if it is that tight. Unless of coarse you are talking miles of property. The other thing you could do is locate the tallest tree that you would encounter and set your waypoint altitudes above that point, as long as the terrain is fairly flat.

 

[rj0209]

I did that today. I found the tallest trees, put the drone over the tree line and did the POI intelligence mode. But the problem is, all you see is roof... no sides shots. So i want to take the drone to roof height and then back up as far as the trees will allow me and then create a waypoint mission and see how it goes.

I was just wondering if anyone has done this?

 

[Fly Dawg]

I have yet to attempt anything that detailed, but theoretically speaking what you could try is a "step ladder" or "zip line" style of waypoints. With Litchi, the aircraft will gradually decend or ascend between waypoints to the set altitudes. You probably already know this, but for example, say waypoint x is 75ft AGL. Put waypoint y 10-20ft in distance from waypoint x and altitude of 50ft AGL, and waypoint z, 10-20ft in distance from waypoint y at 25ft AGL.
Something like that might get you through the trees, in a gradual decent from 75ft to 25 ft. Then reverse that for future waypoints as needed. But I would maintain VLOS very closely. Any deviation in the altitudes, or GPS accuracy would be a disaster. Just a few thoughts on that.

 

[Sagebrush]

There's a three-meter accuracy with the GPS. Buildings can create multi-path GPS accuracy problems like canyons. Location accuracy on aerial maps differs from place to place. Trees? You are using aerial maps that are probably at least a year old and meanwhile the trees got bigger.

I think it's a recipe for a train wreck. If you're tempted, do a test flight at less than 5 mph, keep the camera facing forward, and keep your trigger finger on the abort switch.

SB

 

[rj0209]

Awesome advice! Thank you guys so much. I like the idea of creating an obstacle course before hand, and will definitely have someone with me that can keep their hands on the abort switch. I will try this next week and post a video.
If anyone has any more tips, please let me know.
Thanks!

 

[Sagebrush]

Awesome advice! Thank you guys so much. I like the idea of creating an obstacle course before hand, and will definitely have someone with me that can keep their hands on the abort switch. I will try this next week and post a video.
If anyone has any more tips, please let me know.
Thanks!

It's just the mode button on you're controller. Just keep your left trigger finger on it and be ready to push it back to P-Mode. The bird will freeze.

SB

 

[John Decker]

I get asked this regularly for the real estate videos I do. Where I've tried to be smart and preprogramme the waypoints is where I've had the closest misses - one day's perfect flight might be the next day's, disaster, due to the vagueness of the GPS.
What I do now is to use the programmable buttons: on the day, fly to your waypoints, pressing one button to set each one. Then fly over the points of interest pressing the other button to set them. Save the mission and adjust speed, poi heights etc, check the finish action is to hover and check whether circled turns are going to screw you over. Run the mission once at a slow speed with your finger on the paf switch and walk with it as it flies. If it goes well take it back, slap in a new battery if required, hit record and get out of the shot.