Apologies for partly jittery video due to unbalanced props and only 1 axis of the camera gimbal was working.
Custom frame Hexacopter (APM 2.5 and ArduCopter v2.9.1b) flying a pre-planned mission autonomously over water, with full auto mode from takeoff to landing. Flight was performed flawlessly! Kudos to 3DRobotics!
Using FatShark (Attitude SD) Goggles I was able to follow the entire flight with live video streaming. Head-up-display (HUD) via MinimOSD also works perfectly.
NB. Any fellow dutch flyers interesting in setting up a get-together sometime?
Comments
I chewed my fingernails down to the stumps watching the water section...:-)
Oliver, it sounds like you have already the necessary hardware to do just that! Although telemetry is a usefull addition in case you don't have that. Just start small, with manual takeoff and landing and set one waypoint 10-20 meters away (keep it close so you can intervene if needed) and let it go there on Auto and then return home. If that works, you can build on that. I've had certainly learned by doing (and figuring out what was the cause if something did not work as expected). BTW, next to 3DR, thanks to all the developers for making this possible!!
One of my quads is running apm1, I have mag and gps installed but still need to setup for autonomous flight.. would love to eventually do what you did Stefan, complete a full course hands off while monitoring the entire flight.
I am sure all the members agree with me that this is the manifestation of DIYDRONES to see videos like this. great achievement. thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you! Excellent video. The last time I flew. Auto Takeoff and RTL worked perfectly. A car landed I try what I'm afraid. Put RTL 2 meters later planting. Land use'm afraid I can not see where it lands. And RTL 0 too much sense not, I have it hang around the house for 2 meters and I had black, as in the alt holde. Just throttle stick to zero refuse.
Also, it was reassuring to be able to follow the entire flight through the video feed and to be able to see the exact distance from waypoint to waypoint on the HUD (otherwise you start thinking: "aren't we there yet? Shouldn't it have turned already?"
I make sure to check the magnetic declination before every flight as well as doing the compass calibration dance before every flight and even then I take off and immediately try out RTL to see if it reacts correctly and lands at the right place.
I did the same tests on the spot before taking off for this flight.
how do you feel flying over water like that, I cannot help but get a little anxious as I'm sure most people do, really enjoyed your video!
Great flight! Thanks for posting.