Taking Photos on a Litchi Waypoint Mission

[Keith Mitchell]

Does anyone know a way to get both photos and video in one Litchi waypoint mission without manually switching from video mode to camera mode?

Litchi waypoint mission actions include "Start Recording," "Stop Recording," and "Take Photo." I've tried combining video and photos in a single mission, even issuing an action to "Stop Recording" before taking a photo, but the mission script apparently cannot switch to camera (still picture) mode from video mode. If I fly two missions I can get photos in one mission and video in another, but I can't combine photos and video in one mission.

 

[Richard R]

Actually, you should be able to do both on the same mission. You may need to put a short (e.g. 1-2 second) delay in the mission after stopping recording to allow the camera to complete the action and close the file before snapping a still. And do the same before starting to record again.

 

[Keith Mitchell]

Thanks Richard. I’ll give it a try.

 

[Richard R]

Thanks Richard. I’ll give it a try.

Let me know how it works for you.

 

[Keith Mitchell]

OK, I'm back from testing. The bottom line is that your suggestion of using a delay worked... 3 out of 4 times.

Here are the details:
I created a simple waypoint mission in the Litchi Mission Hub.
The mission has 7 waypoints, with a Take Photo command at Waypoints 2 and 5.
I ran the mission twice.
On Mission 1, the photo was taken at Waypoint 2, but NOT at Waypoint 5.
On Mission 2, the photo was taken at both Waypoints 2 and 5.
I ran the two missions one right after the other, with no changes. I didn't even power down to change batteries.
Actions for Waypoint 2 and 5 are identical:
- Stop recording
- Stay for 4 seconds
- Take photo
- Stay for 4 seconds
- Start recording
Richard, I see you are a retired physicist. I'm just plain ol' retired software developer and IT flunkie. When I used to write software, my fellow employees would sometimes complain that a program worked one way the first time and a different way the second time. I would tell them that, as long as the software did not change and the environment was the same, the program is not capable of behaving differently on two different runs. We would usually discover that the user thought the result changed but didn't, or else the environment somehow changed. That must be what is happening here, but I really cannot imagine what changed between Missions 1 and 2.

The good news is that I'm getting more comfortable with Litchi every time I use it, and overall, my results are starting to look more like what I imagine when I create the mission in Mission Hub. Also, I always love the quality of the video that I get from the P4P. Just gorgeous! But since I am trying to run a business and do this for hire, I need to get better at Litchi and to have confidence that it will do what I tell it to do before I use it on a job.

Thanks very much for the suggestion!! I pasted a graphic below that shows the JPG missing from the first mission run.

 

[MarkyMark]

But since I am trying to run a business and do this for hire, I need to get better at Litchi and to have confidence that it will do what I tell it to do before I use it on a job.

View attachment 99122

Hi Keith.
Just wondered if you'd heard about VLM (virtual litchi mission) ?
I'ts a free piece of software thats been developed by a member here.
It allows you to fly your missions in Google Earth to see what they actually look like for real before you fly them.
It really is an amazing piece of kit !!!
Mark.

 

[Keith Mitchell]

Hi Keith.
Just wondered if you'd heard about VLM (virtual litchi mission) ?
Mark.

Thanks, just downloaded it. I'll check it out. I've downloaded a KLM file into Google Earth Pro to see the 3D flight path before, but haven't heard of this app.

 

[MarkyMark]

Thanks, just downloaded it. I'll check it out. I've downloaded a KLM file into Google Earth Pro to see the 3D flight path before, but haven't heard of this app.

Enjoy mate, and if you need any pointers then this thread is the place to look.
Virtual Litchi Mission

 

[Keith Mitchell]

Enjoy mate, and if you need any pointers then this thread is the place to look.
Virtual Litchi Mission

Just gave it a try. Wow!!!!!!!!!

 

[Richard R]

OK, I'm back from testing. The bottom line is that your suggestion of using a delay worked... 3 out of 4 times.

Here are the details:
I created a simple waypoint mission in the Litchi Mission Hub.
The mission has 7 waypoints, with a Take Photo command at Waypoints 2 and 5.
I ran the mission twice.
On Mission 1, the photo was taken at Waypoint 2, but NOT at Waypoint 5.
On Mission 2, the photo was taken at both Waypoints 2 and 5.
I ran the two missions one right after the other, with no changes. I didn't even power down to change batteries.
Actions for Waypoint 2 and 5 are identical:
- Stop recording
- Stay for 4 seconds
- Take photo
- Stay for 4 seconds
- Start recording
Richard, I see you are a retired physicist. I'm just plain ol' retired software developer and IT flunkie. When I used to write software, my fellow employees would sometimes complain that a program worked one way the first time and a different way the second time. I would tell them that, as long as the software did not change and the environment was the same, the program is not capable of behaving differently on two different runs. We would usually discover that the user thought the result changed but didn't, or else the environment somehow changed. That must be what is happening here, but I really cannot imagine what changed between Missions 1 and 2.

The good news is that I'm getting more comfortable with Litchi every time I use it, and overall, my results are starting to look more like what I imagine when I create the mission in Mission Hub. Also, I always love the quality of the video that I get from the P4P. Just gorgeous! But since I am trying to run a business and do this for hire, I need to get better at Litchi and to have confidence that it will do what I tell it to do before I use it on a job.

Thanks very much for the suggestion!! I pasted a graphic below that shows the JPG missing from the first mission run.

View attachment 99122

Keith,
Glad my suggestion helped. I, too am confused about why it didn't work everytime! Looking at what you posted, the timing seems to be consistent between the two missions, just, as you said, missing the second photo. I've never had that happen. Usually, once it works it always works. I know it's a long shot, but make sure that before you fly again that you reformat the SD card, and do it with the app with the card in the bird. And I've been locked at times in that eternal battle between the hardware and the software guys with each blaming the other when things go wrong. Happy flying.