1st Time MK Waypoint Flying How/To Tips

[FlyEYE]

Way point flying is the next thing I want to try out on my MK.
Reading up on it, things aren't entirely clear.

Could some one put together a simple upper level view of the process (as there is details out there on using the different applications for creating the waypoints), including flying using them, and things to keep in mind, particularly to avoid bad things from happening

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[RTRyder]

Way point flying is the next thing I want to try out on my MK.
Reading up on it, things aren't entirely clear.

Could some one put together a simple upper level view of the process (as there is details out there on using the different applications for creating the waypoints), including flying using them, and things to keep in mind, particularly to avoid bad things from happening

Thanks, much appreciated.

The first thing you'll need is this, the tool that takes a Google Earth image and inserts GPS coordinates for use in MKtool OSD. The download link is down in the lower right corner.. http://translate.google.com/transla...SID=449d4d1aec224e60458541c33df9321e#msg13608

Once you have that installed, watch this video and it will take you through how to create the map and then how to use it to set waypoints for the MK to use... http://vimeo.com/13831806

The first time you use waypoints you may want to set one or two two fairly close to the takeoff point just to make sure everything is working correctly. I did one the first time keeping my finger on the GPS switch so I could kill the route if it appeared to be heading off for parts unknown. I'll say this, it's a really strange feeling to flip that switch and watch your Mk go flying off on it's own for the first time, and hitting come home afterward is just as bad. Once you've done the first one and seen it work it gets a little less stressful knowing it's going to do what you want it to.

Ken

 

[crcr]

Does anyone know if it is possible to setup a series of waypoints and have a different POI for each waypoint? and what happens if you set a waypoint outside the 250m radius, does it stop, miss that waypoint and go to the next or what?

Thanks

 

[RTRyder]

Does anyone know if it is possible to setup a series of waypoints and have a different POI for each waypoint? and what happens if you set a waypoint outside the 250m radius, does it stop, miss that waypoint and go to the next or what?

Thanks

From what I know of the current firmware release you can only set one POI for the route. There is also a limit to the number of waypoints that can be set but I don't recall what the number is at the moment and I'm too lazy to power up one of the MKs so I can get all the way into MKtool and look right now. If you try to set a waypoint beyond the 250 meter limit it will fly to the limit in that direction and stop, or at least that has been the behavior in previous releases and I haven't heard of it being changed so its probably still the same.

You can now however purchase a Navi board with a, I think, 750 meter limit if you feel like paying the $1800 and some change asking price for the special license and who knows what other hoops you might have to jump through before you get it...

Ken

 

[FlyEYE]

You can tell the MK which direction to point (360 degrees) at the way points and if I remember right you can have it point in the direction of other waypoints so you aren't limited to just pointing in the direction of the POI. There is only 1 POI however. Also, you can set the height you want the MK to be at as well as what height the Point of interest is at in case you have a camera, it will try to point the camera there.

 

[crcr]

Thanks guys, What I'm wanting or was hoping to do is fly a route of 4 or 5 waypoints and at each waypoint take of photo of something different. I then need to take exactly the same photos a month later so I need some way of lining the camera up to the same angle.
From what you have said I could set up the 4 waypoints and have the POI set for the first waypoint and for the other 3 I could set the direction I want the photo taken but this wouldn't give me the angle for the camera.
So what would be my options?
1) I guess I could have a printed photo at each waypoint then line it up to match, but this uses valuable flight time
2) Save a new waypoint file for each waypoint setting a POI at each, this I guess would be time consuming?

Any other ideas?

When setting the height of a waypoint, where is 0m? is it ground level?

Thanks

 

[RTRyder]

Thanks guys, What I'm wanting or was hoping to do is fly a route of 4 or 5 waypoints and at each waypoint take of photo of something different. I then need to take exactly the same photos a month later so I need some way of lining the camera up to the same angle.
From what you have said I could set up the 4 waypoints and have the POI set for the first waypoint and for the other 3 I could set the direction I want the photo taken but this wouldn't give me the angle for the camera.
So what would be my options?
1) I guess I could have a printed photo at each waypoint then line it up to match, but this uses valuable flight time
2) Save a new waypoint file for each waypoint setting a POI at each, this I guess would be time consuming?

Any other ideas?

When setting the height of a waypoint, where is 0m? is it ground level?

Thanks

Maybe a bit of kludge but if you set the height you'll be at for each waypoint, you can maybe also set the angle of the camera platform to a known position and adjust the height at the waypoint so the angle and direction gets you the shot you want? As long as the Mk is pointed in the right direction and you know the angle of the camera and its height then its more or less simple geometry to figure out what the camera lens is going to be pointed at if the waypoints and direction (orientation of the MK) stay the same for each flight.

Yes, 0m is ground level but I'm not sure if the reference point is the waypoint or the takeoff point. The Mk wouldn't know if the ground elevation changes just by GPS data so I think it would be 0m at takeoff point, the altitude then calculated by the changes seen by the pressure sensor on the flight controller?
Ken

 

[BorisS]

Dont know if you guys know this tool but it comes in handy http://www.geomaptool.de/index.php?language=en specially for MK waypoint flying

Boris

 

[crcr]

Maybe a bit of kludge but if you set the height you'll be at for each waypoint, you can maybe also set the angle of the camera platform to a known position and adjust the height at the waypoint so the angle and direction gets you the shot you want? As long as the Mk is pointed in the right direction and you know the angle of the camera and its height then its more or less simple geometry to figure out what the camera lens is going to be pointed at if the waypoints and direction (orientation of the MK) stay the same for each flight.

Yes, 0m is ground level but I'm not sure if the reference point is the waypoint or the takeoff point. The Mk wouldn't know if the ground elevation changes just by GPS data so I think it would be 0m at takeoff point, the altitude then calculated by the changes seen by the pressure sensor on the flight controller?
Ken

Thanks Ken, that sounds like a pretty good work around. I guess the first outing will be just to set up the camera height and angle then once I know the height I need to be I can programme that height into the waypoint mission.
Once waypoints have been uploaded and the MK is in the air doing its thing, can you change the waypoint location and height while its flying?

Just thinking more about working out the camera angle height and location. It would be good to be able to work it out as close as possible at home before going to site if possible. I use an 18mm lens, is there a way to work out the height and/or distance from the subject I need to be to get all the area I need in the shot?

@Boris,
That looks like some cool software, is this what you use to set up your waypoint?

 

[crcr]

I've been trying to get this waypoint thing sorted but haven't had much luck so far.

I did one mission with a POI and one without and neither seemed to work, In one of them it seemed to reach the waypoint but then just drifted off in another direction without moving to the 2nd waypoint. Once I could see it wasn't working I ended both missions manually to bring it back home. I would really appreciate it if someone can please have a look and tell me what may be wrong, Many thanks

The screen capture software I used saves in .swf. I think you may need to download it to view? sorry

POI
http://www.screencast.com/t/sTpKEDmpK
In this video it also shows the MK pointing at the POI but it was actually about 45 deg out (counterclockwise) how do I correct this?

No POI
http://www.screencast.com/t/i76EgWvAg