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Grid with DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL in Mission Planner configuration

Posted by Randall Esquivel on September 22, 2014 at 11:36am

I have been trying to configure an automated flight plan using Mission Planner and our drone is a 3DR Y6 with APM 2.6.

Using Mission Planner I have programmed an automated flight with several waypoints and the drone is doing it successfully. I'm interested on taking pictures to form a mosaic with the photos, so I installed CHDK in a Canon SX260 and configured it for  automatic shutter using this guide (http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-apm-to-chdk-camera-link-tutorial/) which allows the camera to be controlled from the APM to take a picture any time the GPS sensor detects the copter has moved X meters and it is working using a script in the camera to detect a signal applied to the camera in the USB port.
This method requires to configure:
  • CAM_DURATION: 1
  • CAM_TRIGG_DIST: X (meters)
  • CAM_TRIGG_TYPE: 1
  • RELAY_PIN: 13
However, I want to use the Flight Plan DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL for taking images on determined GPS locations on Mission Planner. After using Flight Plan with a polygon and 'AutoWP -> Survey (Grid)' it is possible to configure exactly how many pictures we want and the interface seems pretty simple to use. In 'Camera Config' I select 'DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL'  but when I fly the drone it takes pictures using the distance configuration shown before. If the test is performed using CAM_TRIGG_DIST=0 the drone does not take any picture in this case.
The camera control is successful since we are able to take pictures using CAM_TRIGG_DIST and in Mission Planner "Trigger Camera NOW" the camera is properly triggered every time. What is the parameter configuration required to use DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL in order to have priority over the distance-controlled shutter?
Thanks.

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Replies

  • Frank Douglas December 11, 2016 at 12:21am
    I have the same question
  • Alberto Cristóbal Granda November 18, 2016 at 11:21pm

    It measures the distance between GPS points. 

    Sriram said:

    hi guys

     Does pixhawk3.3 measures the distance along the path or just calculates the difference between gps points ?? 

  • Sriram October 14, 2016 at 8:42am

    hi guys

     Does pixhawk3.3 measures the distance along the path or just calculates the difference between gps points ?? 

  • Phill Simpson September 26, 2014 at 11:32am

    Did you put a Waypoint with at least a 1 second delay immediately after the DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL?  Its required.

    • Randall Esquivel > Phill Simpson September 26, 2014 at 12:57pm

      Phill,

      The flight plan in mission planner using 'Grid' creates a waypoint and a 'DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL'  after that but it doesn't set a delay.

      The waypoints with delay you mention should be added manually or is there a way to add those points automatically in mission planner?

      Thanks

      • Phill Simpson > Randall Esquivel September 26, 2014 at 2:38pm

        I haven't tried using the "Grid" feature, I did all mine manually. In my case I was doing photos from a stationary position in the air. When testing my mission I found that the camera would not work until I put a Waypoint with at least 1 second delay and zero for Lat, Lon, and Alt after each 'DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL'. 

        An easy way for you to test is to write a short mission that just takes a couple of photos with the Waypoint commands added. Take the props off the Y6, power it up, arm it, and advance the throttle just enough to speed up the motors. Then put it in Auto. It should start taking photos.

        I've attached an example, if it doesn't work then there's a parameter not set correctly.

        Camera Test.txt

        https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3702668726?profile=original
        • Randall Esquivel > Phill Simpson September 26, 2014 at 2:57pm

          Phil,

          That is a good idea, I'll try this configuration soon.

          Thanks for your answer!

          • Randall Esquivel > Randall Esquivel September 26, 2014 at 4:33pm

            Phil,

            I have tested this method and it is working in the way you pointed, using CAM_TRIGG_DIST=0 and DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL to trigger the camera with the waypoints with delay of 2s.

             I found another post where you were discussing about this problem using Pixhawk and from that it seems that it is a bug in the code. My copter is using APM 2.6 with 3.1.5 so this show me that you have detected this error before.

            Is firmware version 3.2 available to APM? I also have available a Pixhawk which I'll be using in case this firmware is only available for Pixhawk. The problem is that for aerial photography is usual to take many pictures, and having to set waypoints after each DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL is very time consuming.

            Thanks

            • Phill Simpson > Randall Esquivel September 26, 2014 at 6:43pm

              Also, if you are considering using a Pixhawk for CHDK be sure to read all the posts in this thread: http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/using-aux-pins-as-relays-for-chdk...

              You will need to build Marco's circuit or one of the variations that are discussed. 

              • Randall Esquivel > Phill Simpson September 29, 2014 at 8:44am

                Phil,

                I'll need to buy one of those step-up circuit in order to use the pixhawk in a near future. For now I'll try to carefully edit the planned mission to add the required extra waypoints.

                Many thanks.

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