Autopilot Beta Test

[Patou]

Thanks to Autoflight crew,

Within the build 95 the strange stop and go behavior of the craft is almost gone in waypoint flights.
I tested it with my phantom 4 and the Inspire1 with the same flight plan. However the phantom 4 was less stable (smooth) instead of the inspire1... Is it maybe due to the different weight and inertia?

Thanks again for your great work

 

[Patou]

I forgot,...

I couldn't use the C2 button to toggle between camera/maps even after multiple resets...

Any idea?

 

[Hangar]

Within the build 95 the strange stop and go behavior of the craft is almost gone in waypoint flights.

Almost gone? Hopefully completely gone. Note, there still may be some abrupt movements due to this issue. The twitching issue occurred on a more regular interval.

I couldn't use the C2 button to toggle between camera/maps even after multiple resets...

Are you running the latest firmware on the RC?

 

[Patou]

Almost gone? Hopefully completely gone. Note, there still may be some abrupt movements due to this issue. The twitching issue occurred on a more regular interval.

Ehmmm...I tried to say it's gone for about maybe 90%. But for me this is a very good result. As in the video capture you can't see any abrupt movements anymore.
Sorry for my lack of English )


Are you running the latest firmware on the RC?

Firmware on RC is 1.6.0

 

[Hangar]

Firmware on RC is 1.6.0

That should work. Please email a screen recording of the issue to [email protected]

 

[cougar]

I forgot,...

I couldn't use the C2 button to toggle between camera/maps even after multiple resets...

Any idea?

Had the same issue, try connecting to the GoApp and activate the buttons and confirm they are working. Then just close GoApp and go back to Autopilot, mine where working after.

 

[Elcid]

Thanks for the question and we understand your concerns.

The short answer is, no - users take full responsibility.

The long answer is, we realize there may be rare exceptions where the software truly causes an unrecoverable situation, and we are willing to listen and be reasonable.

The truth is, there have been thousands of flights with our app so far (since the March release), both using the production version, and beta versions, and there have still been no incidents where the app was at fault. Of the incidents that have occurred (there have only been 3 that we are aware of), the cause was determined to be the user not following the instructions in Flight School:
Flight School - Autoflight Logic

For example, users put the craft in Naza-M mode, flew in high winds, and flew near obstacles without being ready to take control at a moment's notice with the RC. The app anticipates that issues may arise in real world flight conditions and we take advantage of the hardware switches on the RC to provide the human with a quick fail-safe to override the computer instantly.

We take safety very seriously, and we hope this is evidenced by the amount of time and attention we spent on Flight School. I am a licensed private pilot myself and come from a family of professional pilots. We used this extensive network to refine Flight School over the course of many months during the initial and ongoing development.

Having said all of that, I would also like to mention that we treat all of our beta versions like release candidates and have spent hundreds of hours flight testing before a customer or beta tester ever gets to touch the software.

No NDA is required at this time, but users must agree to the license agreement that is presented when the app is first opened.

Ok, am the newbie here. And i purchase the latest and greatest as of this update i.e. 4/22/2016. can someone please tell me. Are the configuration parameter that are set with the DJI go app, defaults when you use this app. in other words, if I set the return to home function natively on the go app, is that what autopilot defaults to?

 

[Mario_DronAlb]

It isn't under our control. This is a limitation imposed by DJI given the current level of technology relative to SD card bandwidth capabilities.

ok, thanks. May I ask you if is there any way to controll the lens focus of the X5 camera with inspire pro?

 

[Hangar]

Are the configuration parameter that are set with the DJI go app, defaults when you use this app. in other words, if I set the return to home function natively on the go app, is that what autopilot defaults to?

The ones that apply to the aircraft or camera stick, but the ones like gain and expo tuning on the RC do not.

ok, thanks. May I ask you if is there any way to controll the lens focus of the X5 camera with inspire pro?

You can long press on the camera view to initiate an auto-focus operation.

 

[sanderx]

Quick question on the RTH issue when RC connection is lost with the AC. I understand that by using 3rd party apps when the RC connection is lost the AC will not return home as it would using the DJI GO app but will just hover until critical battery level is reached and then will autoland. My question is, is this the same when using the 'black box' mode in autoflight logic or only when using waypoints and other modes where AFL takes over certain functions? Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hangar]

is this the same when using the 'black box' mode in autoflight logic or only when using waypoints and other modes where AFL takes over certain functions?

The RTH issue only applies when using a very specific SDK API, which Black Box and Focus do not use.

 

[gobeezer]

Autoflight, thanks for your quick replies a few weeks back, all made sense. Between work getting in the way, I tried what you suggested (and upgraded to Build 96)...

Try using smaller values for the Gimbal Responsiveness Setting.

In Waypoint mode (Joystick Mission and Joystick Focus), smaller Gimbal Responsiveness does let the camera rotate at higher speed as you suggest. However, even with "Instant" there's a lot of delay between stick input and camera response. It feels like the camera is "on ice", slow to start moving and slow to stop moving, whereas response to the Gimbal Wheel feels "instantaneous". Is lagging response to stick input in this mode a limitation of DJI's APIs?

It really just depends on the environment that you are in, but even in the best case all you can really hope for is 200 ft. This is why we created the network airspace option. Is there a reason you don't want to use it?

I'll definitely use network airspace when possible; I asked about peer-to-peer range because of places I shoot with little/no cell coverage (e.g. filming ATVs out on the sand dunes). I assume you use the iOS "Multipeer" framework, so I understand peer-to-peer range is up to Apple. I'm not sure about a solution, unless DJI / someone can come up with a "GPS beacon" for Follow subjects to carry that has long range and low latency, maybe using similar signaling to the DJI remote.

This is by design. If you want full control the idea is to disengage Autopilot. As for the pitch wandering back, when you roll the gimbal wheel when Autopilot is engaged, it should calculate the implied altitude offset of the subject and apply it to the mode control. If you don't see this happening, please send a screen recording showing the issue to [email protected].

Yes, I confirmed that with Autopilot engaged, rolling the gimbal wheel does change altitude offset -- very cool. As for camera pitch wandering back during "override", I see your point that flipping Flight Mode to "P" gives manual control of movement only, and if I also want control of camera pitch I can Disengage. BUT, please hear me out... with the Phantom 3, Autopilot retaining control of just the pitch is of limited value. For me it's WAY more common to switch between complete Autopilot control and complete manual control -- that's something I'll do multiple times nearly every flight. So, in terms of making the frequent case easy, flipping the mode switch is much less distracting than Disengaging & re-Engaging via screen presses (especially when using this Drone Aviator Hood, which gives excellent visibility but can make screen interaction a little clumsy). Would it be possible to have Autopilot retain control of camera during Flight-Mode-switch override UNTIL there is gimbal wheel input (i.e., revert to manual control once the gimbal wheel is moved)? Or, could there be an option in Settings to have the Flight-Mode switch override Autopilot's control of camera (with default of "no" so that current behavior is kept by default)?

Thanks for listening,
-Mike

 

[sanderx]

The RTH issue only applies when using a very specific SDK API, which Black Box and Focus do not use.

Thanks. So if I use Waypoints with Autoflight and the connection is lost at a certain waypoint, the AC will hover until critical battery level and then RTH is activated or will RTH be activated the moment the connection is lost?

 

[Hangar]

Is lagging response to stick input in this mode a limitation of DJI's APIs?

The easing at either end of the movement is due to the Autopilot gimbal control algorithm as it favors smoother transitions over more reactive starts / stops. As for any delay before the movement, this issue is the command flow. You move the joysticks, and the SDK reports that movement to the app (100ms latency), and then the app calculates and sends commands back to the RC (another 100ms latency). When you roll the gimbal wheel on the RC, there is no round-trip to an app, it just issues the commands immediately.

Would it be possible to have Autopilot retain control of camera during Flight-Mode-switch override UNTIL there is gimbal wheel input (i.e., revert to manual control once the gimbal wheel is moved)? Or, could there be an option in Settings to have the Flight-Mode switch override Autopilot's control of camera (with default of "no" so that current behavior is kept by default)?

Open to making it a setting. The question is, would you want the gimbal to reset back to FPV during the periods of manual flight control?

Thanks. So if I use Waypoints with Autoflight and the connection is lost at a certain waypoint, the AC will hover until critical battery level and then RTH is activated or will RTH be activated the moment the connection is lost?

It will do the former. If that isn't clear from this article, please let us know so we can update the article to be more clear.

 

[gobeezer]

Open to making it a setting. The question is, would you want the gimbal to reset back to FPV during the periods of manual flight control?

Thank you, that would be great! I assumed override would simply cause the gimbal to stop wherever it was (unless/until moved manually), but no strong opinion if you think reset to FPV (then controlled manually from there) would be better.

 

[Igor88]

Open to making it a setting.

Hi. I'm new here, but I'm using A.P. from the day one (beta).
If you are open to suggestions, I have a question. Would it be possible to have more than one target in focus mode (inspire). And to have smooth transition between them (interpolated).
Also. Would it be possible to get smooth transition on engaged-disengage in focus mode.

 

[Fastrack]

Using v3.3.89 and firmware 1.07.00.90 on my Inspire.

I setup an Orbit in Intermediate mode.
Center POI
Altitude 60m
Radius of 450m
Speed of 10 kph (I think)
Focus Subject (15m Altitude)

I'm not sure if I can export my 1 flight I did? So I drew a diagram:
- Red is the Center POI of the orbit
- Blue is the approx location of the take off point
- Green is the Focus on Subject

When I pressed engage, it took off to about 1m and proceeded straight along the yellow line in my diagram! I was about 3m away and had to run out of the way or it would've flew right into me.

Is there a setting somewhere that I missed? To take off straight up to the Flight altitude and then go out?? If my take off point was 100m north it would have flown right into a forest of trees.

Is it better to fly up manually and engage once in the air? I've never use Auto take off or landing except to test it (as well as return to home). I also have VPS disabled as my flying is over mostly water.

The orbit was working, but alias the set speed was way too slow so I cancelled it and flew it back.

Something so simple I could have flown myself and I've only used DJI's auto take off once to test it - but it did fly straight up.


Ben

 

[Hangar]

And to have smooth transition between them (interpolated).

What triggers the interpolation, and what defines the duration of the transition?

Would it be possible to get smooth transition on engaged-disengage in focus mode.

Are you referring to the gimbal snapping back to FPV on disengage? This is controlled by the firmware.

When I pressed engage, it took off to about 1m and proceeded straight along the yellow line in my diagram! I was about 3m away and had to run out of the way or it would've flew right into me.

Does this describe what you saw?

 

[Fastrack]

Does this describe what you saw?

No I don't think so.

This was actually on fresh "boot", I had not flown yet. I switched the mode to F.. Opened Autopilot and clicked engage, it counted down and took off to a height of about 1m (maybe a bit lower) and proceeded to fly directly along the yellow path. It seemed to gradually gain altitude on the way to the 450m radius path.

Are there any logs in the app ? If I did not have black box enabled? I can supply anything required.

Ben

 

[Igor88]

What triggers the interpolation, and what defines the duration of the transition?
.....
Are you referring to the gimbal snapping back to FPV on disengage? This is controlled by the firmware.

If there would be more targets in focus mode - we can easy choose target from ios screen manually. Like - buttons for: focus off, fpv, target1, target2..... So trigger could be manual and duration of the transition should be as it is now.
.....
When you engage focus, camera moves on target abruptly. This way I can not combine my pretarget video with target video. Nice would be to start filming a scene and than to switch to target.