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Now that DataPilot is released

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Now that DataPilot is released and we have had time to play with it, break it and use it, what are your thoughts on the software system?

My two cents, DataPilot as it sits right now is a very easy to use (with some practice) flight control system. With the ability to quickly put down a survey grid, select a few parameters, copy the flight plan to the airframe and go. Waypoints take a little more finesse, but after a few flights becomes easier as well.

With the release of the CGO-ET for the H520, and the software capabilities implemented for the three systems (camera, ST16s and H520) to be able to quickly change the camera settings and parameters, is easy as well.
 
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Bob, I haven't heard it before but it seems there are people who are updating the Android version of the ST16S. Is that convenient?
 
I've found it a bit disconcerting when after several attempts, the survey mission has not uploaded from the ST16s to the H520. This can happen when trying to load for the first flight in the survey and after changing a battery when continuing the survey. On the other hand, waypoint missions load very quickly. I wonder if an explanation why the mission didn't load could be given on-screen. DataPilot is very easy to programme and the H520 will carry out a mission reliably.
Here's a seasonal waypoint flight I made.Xmastree Post-flight scrrenshot .png
 
Now that DataPilot is released and we have had time to play with it, break it and use it, what are your thoughts on the software system?

My two cents, DataPilot as it sits right now is a very easy to use (with some practice) flight control system. With the ability to quickly put down a survey grid, select a few parameters, copy the flight plan to the airframe and go. Waypoints take a little more finesse, but after a few flights becomes easier as well.

With the release of the CGO-ET for the H520, and the software capabilities implemented for the three systems (camera, ST16s and H520) to be able to quickly change the camera settings and parameters, is easy as well.
@Bob520 I think the software itself is straight forward and generally reliable from the dozen or so automated flights I've now done with it.

For me, it is features that seem to be missing that makes it less usable, such as:
  • managing camera transitions for smooth video (such as setting points that are the start/end of a transition in, say, yaw or tilt, not an absolute and immediate change in camera as with waypoints right now)
  • cable-cam style smooth turns (setting bezier curve style options via curve handles)
  • cable-cam style smooth changes in speed and height (setting accelerations and gradients via start/end points as described for camera, so that you could have, for example, a 'height change' start point and a 'height change' end point, with respective values for start and end, transition parameters, etc allowing for how the drone accelerates between the values, with standard options, such as slow in/out and linear gradient between, say, etc)
  • POI (with options on height, angles, speed, helix, etc) along with setting it at any point on a flight path to lock the camera to that vector
  • obliques (that work with the existing 'survey' so that it is an automated addition, such as repeat at 70deg, 45deg, etc)
  • land/gradient following for fixed height AGL surveys
  • vertical / tower mapping (all existing features and above, but in vertical plane)
Not sure if that's the sort of stuff you're looking for, but hope it helps.

Thanks.
 
What happens when say ground control or battery failsafe kicks in? Is there an option to continue mission if the flight was programmed?
 
What happens when say ground control or battery failsafe kicks in? Is there an option to continue mission if the flight was programmed?
It. Asks if you want to resume the mission from the last used position.
 
@Bob520 I think the software itself is straight forward and generally reliable from the dozen or so automated flights I've now done with it.

For me, it is features that seem to be missing that makes it less usable, such as:
  • managing camera transitions for smooth video (such as setting points that are the start/end of a transition in, say, yaw or tilt, not an absolute and immediate change in camera as with waypoints right now)
  • cable-cam style smooth turns (setting bezier curve style options via curve handles)
  • cable-cam style smooth changes in speed and height (setting accelerations and gradients via start/end points as described for camera, so that you could have, for example, a 'height change' start point and a 'height change' end point, with respective values for start and end, transition parameters, etc allowing for how the drone accelerates between the values, with standard options, such as slow in/out and linear gradient between, say, etc)
  • POI (with options on height, angles, speed, helix, etc) along with setting it at any point on a flight path to lock the camera to that vector
  • obliques (that work with the existing 'survey' so that it is an automated addition, such as repeat at 70deg, 45deg, etc)
  • land/gradient following for fixed height AGL surveys
  • vertical / tower mapping (all existing features and above, but in vertical plane)
Not sure if that's the sort of stuff you're looking for, but hope it helps.

Thanks.
Ditto
 
I think we can all dream and I think Yunnec has promised in his advertising things that we will never have because these features have never been put into the PX4 system. We end up with a device that can only make straight lines.
No Poi, no orbit, no turns etc.
Here are some summary tables of drone functions.
it's heartbreaking, unless Yuneec rolls up his sleeves fast enough because the H520 will go to the rubbish.

A Comand execution.jpg B Mission action.jpg C Wpts turn Types.jpg 1 Command .jpg 2 Actions.jpg 3 Turn Types.jpg
 
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@claudius62 that's intriguing. Thanks for the info.
Hopefully Yuneec fill in the gaps left in the platform, otherwise it'll be the first and last Yuneec product I buy.
 
Thanks.
Since they have two IMU (internal and external) it may be possible that the second IMU will control the other features.
 
Thanks.
Since they have two IMU (internal and external) it may be possible that the second IMU will control the other features.
Haydn, apologies for being ignorant, but can you expand upon your point. I'm naively grasping onto any hope that this product can match the DJI crowd.
 
Well I was hoping also that it meant that there was disk controllers in there... But upon further reading it is just dual sensors.
An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) will contain an accelerometer and a rate gyroscope.

I was hoping that the original Yuneec controller was still sort of in there. And that they talked to each other.
That is an incorrect assumption.
 
And the most distressing, months of warranty that jump because you can not use a device that can not afford to do what others do.
I am always obsessed with using the Inspire for tracking and orbit missions.
This one serves me only stationary, it's frustrating.
I was hoping from Yuneec something more serious than DJI (for updates).
Admittedly, for the update it's good.
But for functions, we end up with a kid's toy that just had his first Christmas ......
For me, an unusable object that remains for the moment in the closet, thank you Yuneec.
 
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I think we can all dream and I think Yunnec has promised in his advertising things that we will never have because these features have never been put into the PX4 system. We end up with a device that can only make straight lines.
No Poi, no orbit, no turns etc.
Here are some summary tables of drone functions.
it's heartbreaking, unless Yuneec rolls up his sleeves fast enough because the H520 will go to the rubbish.

View attachment 8040 View attachment 8041 View attachment 8042 View attachment 8037 View attachment 8038 View attachment 8039

Wow. No continue mission option, and now not even spline waypoints? Why didn't Yuneec just go with Ardupilot?

There are errors in those lists about 3DR/APM. One is 'Banked Turning' (DJI nomenclature). It's DJI's "new" flight mode. Arducopter has had that for years. It's called 'Drift Mode' and allows for one stick flying like a plane; nothing novel about it. Yes there is a 'Takeoff' command and can 'stop and turn' as well. Sheesh, where did that list come from, the DJI ministry of disinformation (sorry couldn't help it)?
 
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I looked at the table more closely after Glider's comments.
Yes, the mission can be interrupted while in flight by use of sticks and to change the battery. DataPilot does have camera options to take photos by time and distance intervals.
I wonder if options for curved flight and other functions were omitted for simpicity on the ST16S?
 
It would be interesting to know when those boards were made. I have seen several things that in their day would be good but with the evolution of the firmwares are no longer fulfilled. Anyway they are characteristic of the PX4 and not of what we have in the H520 which is an adaptation.
 
Arruntus,
The tables I given are from the latest UCGS version 2.13 beta which now takes into account the H520. But there are no additional features compared to what we have in AutoPilot. So no evolution in this software compared to the autopilot. No POI, no orbit etc ...
 

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