Litchi Virtual Missions Setup

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I don’t know how many Litchi users are aware that it is now possible to set up a waypoint mission using the online Litchi Mission Hub site and export that mission as a Google Earth virtual video tour so you can simulate exactly what your DJI drone will record during flight. You will find some screen grabs of a recent mission that I set up below. (I tried to add the actual .kmz video file but couldn't.) The steps are as follows:
  1. Using Chrome as your browser, go to the Chrome Web Store and download the Litchi Virtual Mission Extension HERE and have it added to Chrome.
  2. Click on the 3 dots in the upper right of Chrome, then click on “More tools”, and then choose “Extensions”.
  3. Find the “Chrome Litchi Virtual Mission” extension and click on the Details button.
  4. Scroll down and click on “Extension options”.
  5. Choose your DJI drone model. This is important so what you see in the tour will closely represent what your specific camera lens will see.
  6. Establish a free account on the Litchi Mission Hub website if you haven’t already done so.

    The above steps will only have to be set up one time. From here you are good to go.

  7. Use Chrome as your browser and create a waypoint mission in Mission Hub.
  8. Once you have the mission set up, you can save it by clicking on the blue “Missions” button in the lower left corner. You also have a NEW (red) option under that button “Export as VLM”. If you click on that, it will download a .kmz virtual tour to your Downloads folder. Double-click that file and Google Earth will open.
  9. Find the name of your waypoint mission under the Temporary Places folder and double-click on it. You will see a Virtual Mission listed under it. Double-click on that mission and it will run. (See attached example.)
This is a great tool to confirm exactly what your waypoint mission will capture on video. Go back into Mission Hub and tweak it if necessary. Naturally, if you are flying an area where Google Earth provides the option to display 3D buildings combined with Terrain, the resulting simulated video mission (screen capture below) will look more realistic as it flies around.

Happy flying!
 

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    waypoints.JPG
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  • GE Temporary Places folder.JPG
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Spotted a Youtube video on this very subject recently.

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Spotted a Youtube video on this very subject recently.

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
Visual Mission Planning is different than VIRTUAL Mission Planninng. That method in your video only allows you to establish waypoints using Google Earth and see your 3D flight path. It does not allow you to simulate your flight as a video and see exactly what your camera will record. The procedure I posted will allow you to do that. It will produce a virtual flight, using the same lens parameters of one's particular DJI model.
 
Visual Mission Planning is different than VIRTUAL Mission Planninng. That method in your video only allows you to establish waypoints using Google Earth and see your 3D flight path. It does not allow you to simulate your flight as a video and see exactly what your camera will record. The procedure I posted will allow you to do that. It will produce a virtual flight, using the same lens parameters of one's particular DJI model.
I understand this distinction better now, MapMaker53. I recall dabbling with a similar video preview feature offered by the autopilot app called Dronelink before I reverted back to Litchi on account of Dronelink's obscure user interface. Good to see this capability is now possible with Litchi.
 
Interesting. I found Dronelink to be a very complicated software when I looked into it, also. Thought it was just me.
 
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