Mission start point
Does the drone have to take off exactly from the beginning of the mission? What happens if, for example, a drone takes off 100 m from the place where the mission was planned?
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Comments
7 comments
It doesn't have to unless you specific a takeoff restriction zone (will show as an orange icon / circle). In either case, if you takeoff from a different location, it is possible that the ground elevation is different than the planned takeoff location, which affects all the altitudes used in the mission plan since the drone measures altitude relative to the takeoff point.
Thank you for your response.
Jim, even if you do not specify a takeoff restriction zone, isn't there a warning displayed by Dronelink if you are over a certain distance from the mission takeoff point?
Yes.
Would this impact on the accuracy of consistent elevation settings that the photos are taken from if no cell service? Say if the pilot in the field wants to change take-off location to somewhere else, and they have downloaded the mission to be off-line.
For example, if they wanted to start on the east end of a map, with lines running north/south then later on they would move more to the west end of the map while the drone is flying over that west section. (say on battery #5 of the mission...they want to move closer to the drone, but the place they move to when moving westward is now uphill / at a different elevation than the east end of the block).
If we have AGL (terrain following) set for determining the photo to ground elevation quality (GSD) and they have the map downloaded offline, now with no service, will changing their take-off location + take-off elevation like this mid-mission, will it somehow confuse the mission/drone as to what height 60m from ground truly is?
You need either a Wi-Fi or cell service to change a plan. The downloaded for off-line will only save that plan as it was. Even if your using the DL Native flight app to edit its using a browser to access your plans. If you click on edit no browser will open since no service and the DL app will indicate this. Hopefully I understood your question and this helps.
Maybe that helps. I'll try to reword it though.
If I create a map mission that starts on the east end of a big site. Elevation there is 900m above sea level (ASL). Tell the drone to fly at 60m (AGL) for the whole map.
After 45 minutes (or 3-4 batteries) let's say the drone is now constantly flying lines about 1km away from the east end where we originally set the approach/area drone was taking-off from.
If the map pilot in the field then moved their gear and drone about 1km west to get their take-off/landing location closer to where the drone is currently flying (for battery efficiency).
There is no downside to doing this for elevation accuracy, if no cell service?
What if the 2nd take-off location they use (that's 1km to the west), is higher at 930m above sea level vs 900m we saw in their original take-off location. (they've moved up hill)
Just wanted to make sure that the off-line plan on their phone would still fly at 60m above ground (AGL) for all the photos no matter take-off location, or if it would be confused (thinking it's already 30m above ground.)
Mostly just trying to parse Jim McAndrew's original comment in this thread to see if it might impact on drone pilots moving around their mapping area (in order to try to save on battery life/time). Should we insist field pilots stick to only one take-off location or something to ensure all photos are 60m AGL?)
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