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A few tips for the APM Mission Planner

Posted by Chris Lovett on January 21, 2013 at 12:00am

Having learned the hard way on a few things, I thought I'd put together a little video that shows some tips and tricks with the APM mission planner.
The first time I tried mission planning some things were a mystery, like how do you actually get into auto mode to fly a mission? I found something that looked like a way to do it from the APM software flight data tab, but that turned out to be a disaster because there was no way to get it out of auto mode and my quad went crazy and crashed into my house. Second fun one was when the mission started but didn't finish, so I had to trudge across 60 acres of mud to retrieve my quad. Lastly I almost lost my quad on a mission that went awry, for some unknown reason it did 2 way points, then took off in the wrong direction, into the fog.  I tried to take back control, but I couldn't see it in the fog, then soon after I couldn't hear it either.  Then the sinking feeling came over me, $600 down the tubes! But fortunately I remembered to setup a safety switch that would return to home. I flipped  the switch and waited for what seemed like forever, then that wonderful sound of buzzing bees emerged out of the fog and my quad flew itself back home.  Phew!!  Learn these tips and tricks by watching this video, it could save you some money.

Tags: apm, arduino, auto, diy, drones, mission, mode, planner, quadrocopter
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Comments

  • Doug April 8, 2016 at 6:50pm

    Setting up my flight mode switches, the very first thing I did was set a panic switch with RTL because my very first (non-autonomous) drone resulted in me having to ask my 18 year old neighbor "Please can you help me get my drone out of that tree" ha ha ha ha

  • Reynier January 18, 2014 at 8:59am

    thank you it is very good and also would love more of these helps

  • Rob Burrows August 3, 2013 at 5:47pm

    Weird!  Never mind I just reconnected to the APM and now those options are there.

  • Rob Burrows August 3, 2013 at 5:45pm

    I just updated to MP v.1.2.65 and there is nothing in the drop down menus for flight modes or CH6, 7, and 8 options.  What gives?!  This is pretty annoying!

  • Chris Lovett March 26, 2013 at 1:48am

    Ha, ha, gotta luv that google cache eh?  I posted a shorter version on my blog at http://www.lovettsoftware.com

  • T3
    Richard Boyhan March 5, 2013 at 9:15am
    Altitude is measure by barometer and GPS. Mostly barometer. You can test yours via CLI, under test and then pressure. It's also important to cover your barometer, so wind does not get to it. Remember its measuring air pressure and you don't want wind or prop wash affecting it.
  • Jim Wittstruck March 5, 2013 at 6:42am

    (I really am not "wetting" up my APM.... How about SETTING up...)

  • Jim Wittstruck March 5, 2013 at 6:40am

    What's the answer to the flyaway?

    I have been getting weird altitude readings in my flight data tab. I am almost at sea level, and when wetting up my APM 2.5 It shows my altitude at anything from zero to 30 M. When I go in to Flight Planner, it shows a correct altitude (does it get alt from apm or Google Maps?). 

    Do I have a faulty altitude meter?

    Does anyone monitor this any more? (my last post with question was Feb 7.....)

  • Jim Wittstruck February 7, 2013 at 7:02pm

    When flying missions with a plane rather than a multirotor, should my waypoint radius be greater? Any suggestions on what they should be for an FPV Raptor? (Bixler II size)

  • james sowell January 29, 2013 at 6:31pm

    yes very helpful thank you, they should have one on all procedures whould help everyone  and free up discussions and moderators time to work on outher things  

This reply was deleted.