Grid with DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL in Mission Planner configuration

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.

The Beta version of 3.2 is available and is fairly stable. I'm using it in my hexacopter with a Pixhawk. There are a few constraints using it on APM, the 3.2 Beta thread lists them. Waypoints with Lat=0 and Lon=0 now work correctly in 3.2 and I'm pretty sure you still need them after any "DO" commands.

At the end of this page (http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-camera-shutter-with-servo/) on the APM/Copter WIKI is the comment "Please note that like all other DO_x commands it cannot appear right at the beginning or end of a mission, it must be appear between two waypoints.".

I don't think it's a simple bug, I think the software architecture is designed that way, unfortunately.

It is time consuming I agree. I do spherical panoramas from my hex and it requires over 200 commands just to do a 40 image pano covering a 4 by 10 mosaic. Randy just fixed the Condition-Yaw Relative command so I'll be able to reduce that to about 20 commands by using the Do-Jump command to repeat the column commands 10 times.

I just played around with the Grid Survey feature and it seems like you could start out with that, then insert the 3 commands necessary to capture a specific image where ever you want a specific photo (a Waypoint with at least 1 second delay and zero for Lat, Lon, and Alt, then a DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL, and another Waypoint with at least 1 second delay and zero for Lat, Lon, and Alt).

If the mission has lots of commands, you can use Excel to edit them in text mode.

Replies

- - - - Phill Simpson > Randall Esquivel September 29, 2014 at 1:13pm
        
        Those of us who bought a step up circuit board from sparkfun that relies on stepping up the PWM signal from the Pixhawk without the extra 5 volt supply have failed. That's why we had to make our own. If you find someone who is selling them we would all like to know about it.
        
        Randall Esquivel > Phill Simpson September 29, 2014 at 5:35pm
        
        Ok, it seems that I'll have to build my own too. I was planning to buy the sparkfun board but now you have saved me from some headaches with that board.
        
        Thanks.
        
        Phill Simpson > Randall Esquivel September 26, 2014 at 6:23pm
        
        The Beta version of 3.2 is available and is fairly stable. I'm using it in my hexacopter with a Pixhawk. There are a few constraints using it on APM, the 3.2 Beta thread lists them. Waypoints with Lat=0 and Lon=0 now work correctly in 3.2 and I'm pretty sure you still need them after any "DO" commands.
        
        At the end of this page (http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-camera-shutter-with-servo/) on the APM/Copter WIKI is the comment "Please note that like all other DO_x commands it cannot appear right at the beginning or end of a mission, it must be appear between two waypoints.".
        
        I don't think it's a simple bug, I think the software architecture is designed that way, unfortunately.
        
        It is time consuming I agree. I do spherical panoramas from my hex and it requires over 200 commands just to do a 40 image pano covering a 4 by 10 mosaic. Randy just fixed the Condition-Yaw Relative command so I'll be able to reduce that to about 20 commands by using the Do-Jump command to repeat the column commands 10 times.
        
        I just played around with the Grid Survey feature and it seems like you could start out with that, then insert the 3 commands necessary to capture a specific image where ever you want a specific photo (a Waypoint with at least 1 second delay and zero for Lat, Lon, and Alt, then a DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL, and another Waypoint with at least 1 second delay and zero for Lat, Lon, and Alt).
        
        If the mission has lots of commands, you can use Excel to edit them in text mode.

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Grid with DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL in Mission Planner configuration

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