Terrain Follow
I was just getting ready to purchase the Elite version when I noticed it does not come with Terrain Follow(?) I saw a video on youtube that stated you needed the Elite to use it (but it appears not an option for the hobbyist). This is a deal breaker for me as I live near the Mountains and Terrain is a huge factor in doing this. Is there truly no option as this is just for a hobby and too expensive to purchase a business license for a hobby.
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I understand your concern. Yes, Terrain Follow is a bit different then AGL but you can obtain similar results with AGL markers.
Elite has AGL which works really good. I use it a good amount of the time because I live in a rural area with rolling hills and constantly changing elevations. I’ve had no issues for over a year. Flown a fair amount of missions at 35’ altitude and about 80’ in elevation changes and works fantastic. Even flown a few mission in a Forest area where the elevation change was about 500’ increase from take off location over a 3.5 mile road. I have a similar plan which I’m going to fly in a few weeks. It’s 4.8 miles along the Forest Road with markers set at 65’ to 85’. If your set even higher I don’t see having any issue but pilots choice. The mission preview will show what it will look like and you can even import the KMZ file to Google Earth to get a much better look. I believe that mapping still has terrain follow as an option even with an Elite Plan. I’d ask.
Here is a plan I’ve shared which several others have accessed. I’ve actually flown this mission and this may help you to make your choice. Good luck.
https://app.dronelink.com/wyldwestaz/shared-plans/plan/p6EiKIqTfyCOh93yxLwR/fCWq5OnaZD2g93Zkxjbz
So I purchased the Elite, but when I select AGL, it tells me I have to purchase a business plan. Where are you seeing AGL? I only see it under reference in the takeoff location. I purchased it based on the comments I read but maybe I am missing a setting somewhere? If I can't get it to do that, I hope I will be able to get a refund for this software as where I intend to fly is very hilly.
Thanks!
Unless there is something wrong with your account when upgraded it should have it. Make sure your account shows Elite in your account info, not premium. DL may need to check your account if there is an issue.
What are you trying to do ? Any Path, Orbit or destination component has the AGL selection. Reference is where you select AGL so I’m not sure what else you’re looking for. Also can add markers as I stated and shown in my shared plan with AGL along a path.
Also as I stated, I believe all maps have Terrain Follow but I’d ask DL directly if they still do.
I'm guessing that Doug Anteau is referring to the message that comes up with the mapping component under the elite plan which is actually AGL(Terrain follow), and obviously has a subtle difference from AGL which can be applied to all other components
Understood. As far as I know the map component is the only one which has the Terrain Follow function even with the Elite. I may be mistaken but that’s what Jim has mentioned several times unless it’s changed. So if Doug has the Hobby Elite it should not be saying he needs a business plan of still has that function. My older Hobby Premium plan does have Terrain Follow (AGL) as a selection. I’ll let the DL team answer if it still applies to the Elite.
Hello, my problem is with mapping. The only reason I purchased this software is for the mapping. That is something I wanted to play with and learn more about. When I create the map, I am unable to instruct the drone to map over hills, etc.
Here is a good example. The area that I intend to map out goes up the side of a hill (on the left side). I cannot figure out how to map it without either running into the trees or setting it up for a specific altitude but when I go up or down the hill (depending on where I start), the range from each row may affect the picture.
I hope I am just missing something obvious as I really want to use this software.
Thanks!
Dronelink
Terrain follow is only available in the business plans. We are currently working on an updated version of the pricing comparison page that will make this much more clear. If you feel like the current comparison page led you to a wrong purchase decision, feel free to request a refund.
So unless an older plan like my Hobbyist Premium (2020) which has it, the newer Hobby Elite which does mapping can’t do Terrain Follow (AGL) ? I didn’t want to misrepresent DL. 😳 Sorry Jim if I was mistaken but that’s why I stated to wait for DL to explain.
I appreciate everybody's responses. I did a lot of research and watched videos and read posts online showing the AGL worked with the Elite plan. Honestly can't believe that is not included as the product is useless in my area without it. I will be submitting a request for refund as this product does not meet my needs. I assume it used to be part of the Elite plan then was taken off? Thanks again for all of the responses.
AGL is still currently part of the Elite plan, but like I said, the comparison page doesn't draw a very clear distinction between what AGL means and what Terrain follow means. We are taking steps to make this more clear but until that happens:
Thank you for your patience with me Jim. Just to be clear, is there a way to set up a plan for mapping (like the example I gave in my earlier question) and manually adjust altitude to account for going up a hill? I see when I do waypoints or whatever I can adjust altitude, but can't see how to do it while setting up mapping.
No, the only solution for this right now is terrain follow, or make your own Path with as many AGL markers as you need granularity.
So the Elite does still have Terrain Follow (AGL). Not sure why your plan is asking to upgrade when selecting. )So I purchased the Elite, but when I select AGL, it tells me I have to purchase a business plan. )
Also when mapping your usually at 200’ or higher in altitude and with Terrain Follow (AGL) it should work great. I’ve seen others post maps on here using it. I’ve tested at about 50’ just to see how it worked and no Issue. All you can do is create a map, fly the plan to test it. If not something which will work for you then as Jim stated request refund within 30 days. Can’t hurt to test it and I don’t think you will find another app which will perform the same for the money. Just some last thoughts. Hope it wired put and Good luck…..
When I click AGL, I get this. Outside of this, I have no idea how I will get the drone to increase altitude as I create this map. While building this map, I see no other way of increasing altitude once the original 285 ft is set. At 285 feet, it will hit the trees as it extends into the hill.
I’m not trying to push this app on you Doug but one other thing to add. You can set up the map and download the KMZ file and run on Google Earth. That will give you a very good look of how it will actually work prior to actual flight. There is no loss in trying. Enjoy sir…
As stated, I’ll let DL help with your account since I don’t work for them. Sorry I can’t help more but my older premium account can select it in your shared map.
Yeah, it says I have the Elite plan (and I was charged for that). My fear of starting at the top of the hill or bottom of the hill is because as the distance changes to the ground, the overlap will change which I assume may affect the mapping. I did play with Google Earth and that looks really cool.
I don't take it as you are pushing this app on me. I appreciate your help. I really want it to work and though it is a hobby today, may do more with it in the future once I master it. The resort was my first attempt at testing it as the owner (a friend of mine), gave me the challenge. It appears though, unless I purchase a monthly business subscription, I will not be able to map the whole resort. At this time, the business subscription is more than I can afford. When purchasing this, I had in my head a bunch of areas that I wanted to play with this (all around hills/mountains). To me, that is where the real fun and beauty is.
BTW Mike: My wife and I absolutely love Arizona. We are hikers and camelback mountain in Phoenix was a trip. Also, Sedona is like a dream (so beautiful and fun to hike). Sadly, Sedona is NOT drone friendly.
Doug
Ok Doug. A lot of support from DL with the DL YouTube 101 videos and help pages. Sending a couple links to their Youtube channel and support pages which should help incase you weren’t aware of all its great support. Enjoy.
Haven’t been to Sedona but wife and I want to take a trip some day. Beautiful area. 😃
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3wRlldCPXFi4octcc4Iv6IdSI4pHld7u
https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/categories/360001874574-General
Elite has AGL, not Terrain follow. See my previous post for an explanation of the difference right now.
It looks like the hobbyist plan still shows Terrain Follow / AGL in the table but it still doesn't work for hobbyist plans with mapping. Still pretty confusing.
Not sure where you saw any Hobbyist plan with those features. The pricing structure does not indicate AGL or Terrain Follow. Only professional plans have that feature as you can see in their price list. Some much older Hobbyist plans when purchased had those but not now.
https://app.dronelink.com/pricing/hobbyist/compare
I paid for a couple months of Starter and finally ran some successful missions in a hilly environment. It would be great if you'd allow us to fly those missions unedited again without having to fork out another monthly fee. I was a bit shocked to find that I was locked out from flying it because I wasn't trying to do anything new. I paid to create that mission, but now I'm stuck with a useless Premium Hobbyist subscription.
I don’t work for DL but It’s not about you paying to create any mission. it’s when you use the app to fly the mission for profit. If DL did this then way too many would buy only one month, create a ton of planned missions for clients, then continue to use it for months and months to make money while DL gets zip.
Seems like they should have plenty of logging of events to know who is using the app for profit and who is mapping their property a few times a year. I'm just flying over my house which is on the side of a hill, but the orthophoto and 3D maps generated with WebODM trip up and only render the lower portion, even if I run the mission at higher altitude using the highest point as the reference. It was $60 for Premium hobbyist, which is unusable for my hobbyist purpose, and I paid for two months of Pro Starter at another $70. Two months later, $130 paid, and I can't run what seems like a basic mission to map my house on a hillside.
Mike is correct, the features are locked for both editing and flying. In this case, terrain follow is in the professional plans not because we think it only has use cases for business, but because it is a valuable feature and putting in the hobbyist plans devalues the professional plans.
This is copied from your FAQs:
A hobbyist living in eastern Colorado, flat land, can pay one time and map their property everyday. A hobbyist in western Colorado, hilly/mountainous, can pay one time and will not have fun, cannot fly for recreation or education, because the ground around them isn't flat. One hobbyist is happy, and the other one will need to find a new hobby, sign up for a recurring Professional subscription, search for a different app, or download the DJI SDKs and write their own code.
Feature gating our plans is our business model, and it is how we can afford to create the features in the first place. If we don’t make money, the features wouldn’t exist. Not sure what else to say.
I don’t think anyone here begrudges the company making money. But this specific feature being gated off for the higher end plans seems particularly galling because the table seems to show it being available at the lower plan.
And also it doesn’t seem like the kind of feature that would have a high level of cost to the business on the back end.
And like Mike said, this feature arbitrarily benefits people in flat lands of Kansas and arbitrarily hinders people who live in more hilly/mountainous areas like Colorado.
Not sure where you are seeing any Hobbyist plan with AGL/Terrain follow. I sent this same link before. https://app.dronelink.com/pricing/hobbyist/compare
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