First GS mission recommendations?

[richparry]

My PC GS will arrive in a few days. I hope to have it operational very soon. In the meantime, I have PC GS software installed and practicing creating missions.

In preparation for the BIG DAY when I send my Phantom 2 off into the wild blue yonder, are there good newbie mission(s) for my first few flights. I'm guessing a simple point A to point B back to point A would be a good start.

Thanks,

 

[OI Photography]

Just make sure you're well above trees and other obstacles, and start with just big horizontal squares in the sky, with the last two waypoints being at a different height than the 1st pair. Do that first with normal turns, then with banking turns, then with adaptive turns.

This will quickly get you familiar with how a GS-controlled Phantom will behave when it moves between or at waypoints.

 

[Buckaye]

My biggest mistakes have been:

1. Guessing heights that are too low. Trees can be very tall you don't truly get to a safe alt till 200+ feet in taller tree situations.

2. Using the banking and adaptive turn modes can greatly affect the path of the phantom as it looks to efficiently turn between waypoints. It's not a bad thing but you need to be prepared that in a square with banked turns (for instance) the right angles will be cut off significantly. Not a problem if you're at altitude but if your at a lower altitude... Tree you were thinking your were going around could suddenly be in your path! Experience talking here lol

3. The altitude under 50 feet or so is pretty unreliable. I have started a flight where the phantom reads 10 ft before take off... And when it lands In the same spot.. It then shows 30 ft on the ground. So I would suggest not setting your altitude at nothing less than 50 or 60 ft for automated flight.

4. You will occasionally lose connection to your phantom via the GS. Happens all the time. Don't panic... If you need to pick up the regular contoller and switch to atti that's fine... But what I do is make sure my starting and ending waypoints are pretty close to me. After it flys it's route... I can rescan for the aircraft as it gets closer again and either hit go home or take control with regular controller to land.
I generally wait till it hits the waypoint right above me.. Hit "go home" and when it's about 30 ft up... Take control with the regular controller and land. It can land on its own.. But can be a 10 meter radius difference from the take off point...

I realize this is a lot... And probably makes your nervous. However I'm just trying to give you the things to think about before you make some of the same stupid mistakes I have (as I write this, I am awaiting delivery of a replacement zenmuse gimbal due to a stupid waypoint/altitude combination mistake I made which sent my phantom into a pine tree just below its peak)

Automated flight is super cool and I have had lots of good flights... It's just a bit odd for people who normally used to controlling an RC quad rather than letting a computer do it .

Good luck!

 

[Suwaneeguy]

Set your first and last waypoint close to take off point.
Turn off voice and loop.
Do a simple square flight with each leg 100 feet long or so.
Do this in a nice big open field with no obstacles.
In case of a crash, easy to find.
Press go and watch it fly.
I love it.

 

[Timsytanker]

I quite like the voice selection on the iPad because I don't upload the mission until I am airborne, I toggle between gps and atti to make sure everything is working properly before taking off. I usually can't see the screen but can hear the voice.

 

[richparry]

Thanks to all that replied.

My PC GS arrives on Monday, in the meantime I read the manual and found there is a "Simulation" mode, this seems like an important feature for a GS newbie like me but can't give it a try until the GS arrives.

 

[tbwester]

Give everything plenty of room, and make sure that your copter ends its mission back where you are.

GL.