I sincerely thank you very much for your comment, Dave and your help with putting Bob's comments and his intentions in perspective, but my point is this:
I would rather not spend so much time planning a flight with a computer when I can calculate it, plan it, fly it and film it in mere minutes without touching a computer.
I do realize Bob was trying to be helpful but there are already tons of posts on the advantages of using AutoPilot, I've read many of them way before this post and decided that I did not need AutoPilot because of what and how I film things, I just couldn't find any reason to use it.
I don't film long distances or even several waypoints at a time. I only film short clips of specific subjects that all are close by (often with close obstacles).
My post was how to get precision flights using waypoints and doing it with a little math for camera angle and in only one flight.
Both of Bob's responses were trying to help me by trying to convince me to use AutoPilot instead of using math. I made light of the Albert Einstein comment but that was really uncalled for considering the following: I understand his intention and I do believe his intention was not meant to upset me.
On the other hand, Bob didn't seem to get that I didn't want to use AutoPilot. He was not seeing what "MY" intentions were.
My intentions were solely to maybe help just one person that doesn't want to take the time to plan a flight on a computer and to stress how to be very Accurate or Precise with waypoints.
Example for the use of calculations: Maybe it's a situation where the usable light will be gone in 30 minutes, after that, the scene is gone forever, having the knowledge to calculate it, plan it and film it in 12 to 15 minutes may give that person the chance to get the shot without taking the risk of losing that chance.
Even AutoPilot users could benefit from knowing how to do it like that. Let's say that the time it takes to do two flights would have caused you to lose that scene, it would need to be done in one flight.
Again, there are tons of posts on AutoPilot but there are no other posts about simply doing a little math and filming the subject without touching a computer and doing it in minutes.
I thought I'd introduce something that hasn't been covered to death already.
For the record, I studied AutoPilot as well as Litchi and I studied them in depth, I watched several videos as well as read dozens of threads on them (I didn't pay close attention to camera tilt angles because I was more concerned about whether or not the app was a good fit for me), I decided that it was simply more that I needed for my purposes.
Please, let me try to put this in perspective.
Let's say that I need a piece of plywood cut with a beveled side along the longest side, I don't know exactly what the bevel degree needs to be yet but I decide to do a little math to determine what degree that bevel needs to be which takes 1 minutes or less. Then I decide that all I need to do is use an average skill saw to cut it. But wait, it needs to be perfectly straight so cutting it freehand may not be good enough.
So, I decide to clamp an aluminum straightedge to the sheet of plywood, set the predetermined bevel degree on the saw (which had been determined by the math formula), then keep the skill saw pressed against the straightedge as I cut it to insure that the cut is perfectly straight.
In summation, I made the calculations, set it up, make the cut and it's done and all in 15 minutes or less.
BTW, I can and have been able to follow a straight pencil line freehand with a skill saw and others think that I did it using a straightedge (believe it or not, that's up to you).
Now, rather than doing it the way I just described, should I have instead went out and bought a CNC (computerized) panel saw, programmed it to make that cut and end up with exactly the same thing? Would you think that using a CNC panel saw would be a bit of an overkill for a simple project that could easily be done with a calculator, a skill saw and a straightedge and in far less time?
I have CNC machines in my machine shop and I'm here to tell you that programming a CNC takes a more time than it takes to use a calculator, saw and straightedge.
If the piece I needed were much more complex (with several compound cuts), sure, I would have used a CNC machine.
But, where filming is concerned, the bottom line is, I've never needed anything more than the DJI Go App, a laser measuring tool and a calculator so why should I use something that is overkill for my purposes.
This thread has turned into something way off Base.
I feel like it's a situation where I'm using a handsaw to cut a board while everyone else in the "Modern Age" is using power tools. It's like I'm being told that I'm using ancient tools and that I should keep up with the times by using AutoPilot.
Not everyone uses their Inspires for the same exact type of filming projects.
If I needed an app like AutoPilot or Litchi, I would have no problem using them.
A while back I transitioned from the old standard instruments in an airplane to the now standard EFIS (AKA, Glass Panel or in some cases, Glass Cockpit) The one I started out with was the Dynon EFIS with a Garmin GPS, they still have the basic nav instruments including VOR/DME, comm radios, turn coordinator, DG, etc. etc.etc. Then the term iPad pilot was coined and now it's very common for an iPad to be in the cockpit along with something like a Foreflight pilot app and a Stratus 1 or 2 which is a piece of hardware that supplies barometric pressure, altitude info, etc.
I have one and that app pretty much replaces paper charts, A/FD books, approach plates, airport diagrams, taxiways, E6Bs, you name it, it's got it.
I didn't have any trouble deciding that it was something that I should have. When I thought about it, if my airplane lost power to the electronic instruments, I've got a backup right there. I even carry a handheld aviation transceiver/VOR as my backup comm radio (just in case).
My point is, if it's something that could realistically benefit me, I'll get it and use and........I didn't have any trouble learning it, understanding it and becoming proficient at using it.
In your response you seem to think that I suggested using the camera angle only but fly it backward while climbing manually.
The calculation is "Only" for the camera angle".
Bottom line, DJI Go will allow for backwards waypoint flights.
You suggest testing the flight plan at home using a garbage can, then transfer that flight plan to the graveyard, that's two flights and being away from the scene.
Please understand that I see opportunities that I want to film and I want to film it right then, not later. As long as it's safe and it passes my preflight, I'm going to fly it right then.
I recently took a trip to west Texas, There were some awesome sunrises and sunsets and I was ready to film them as long as I could quickly find a place to film them from and as long as the Inspire passed the preflight. A couple of times I wanted to use those wild looking trees to my advantage which were not only obstacles, but also needed a good waypoint mission to do part of it, the rest was by the seat of my pants flying, I made a couple of measurements, calculated it, recorded the waypoints, flew those waypoints, then flipped the switch to Atti and finished my sunset scene (all in one flight, two flights would have took too long and the sun would have been too low on the horizon.
I've watched videos on setting up an AutoPilot mission and I swear, I could plan an IFR flight plan from NC to Maine in about the same time.
What's upsetting me is the fact that "My Intentions" were and are being ignored and even being made fun of. Why is that?
Is it that the math is over some people's heads?
Is that why the Albert Einstein "Joke" so **** funny??
Ok, I took a break and I've thought about all of this carefully.
YOU GUYS WIN. AUTOPILOT IS THE BEST THING OUT THERE AND EVERYBODY SHOULD BE USING IT.
I'M USING THE WRONG THING AND I'M DOING IT THE WRONG WAY.
I DON'T NEED A CALCULATOR, ALL I NEED IS AUTOPILOT, PROBLEM SOLVED.
HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO STUPID?
WHOEVER INVENTED AUTOPILOT SHOULD BE AWARDED THE NOBEL PRIZE BE SIGNED ON WITH NASA
THE DJI GO APP SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE APP STORES BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO USES OBVIOUSLY HASN'T HEARD ABOUT AUTOPILOT
Editor, Could you PLEASE delete my stupid Albert Einstein post. It's so lame it's doesn't deserve to be on Inspire Pilots or even the internet. Please??????
I mean really, what was I thinking? Math? Who in the world would want to use math when AUTOPILOT is here?