SENSEFLY GMEBEE Remote of Drone User Manual 2

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Planning and simulating a flight
Toolbar
Flight Parameters tab
Camera tab
Mission Waypoints tab
Mission Planning tab
Setup Phase tab
Flight Monitoring tab
Control
Bar
Status
Panel
Map Area
Sidebar
current altitude (both Above the Take-off Altitude, marked as ATO, and Above
Mean Sea Level, marked as AMSL), battery level, flight time, and status. The
Status Panel can be hidden by clicking on the drone. Moving around the
map is done by clicking and dragging at any place not occupied by a symbol (such as a waypoint or the drone symbol).
• Control Bar: The Control Bar is used to issue various commands to the eBee
while it is in flight, such as starting the mission phase or holding position.
21
Quick start guide
It is also used to display and acknowledge warnings that may occur either
before or during a flight.
• Toolbar: The Toolbar contains buttons to control the layers, sources or map
information and other display options related to the Map Area. eMotion can
use many sources of mapping information.
• Sidebar: The Sidebar is split into several tabs, each with a particular function. The Flight Monitoring tab is used for monitoring the drone while in
flight. The Setup Phase tab controls the take-off and landing portions of
a flight plan (referred to as the ‘setup phase’) whereas the Mission Planning tab defines the image acquisition portion of the flight plan (referred
to as the ‘mission phase’). The last three tabs are used for advanced waypoint planning and parameter setting. You can hide the Sidebar by clicking
on its left edge. The Sidebar also contains controls for the simulator when
connected to a simulated drone.
1.3
Creating a new flight plan
Every mapping flight requires a flight plan, which is a path defined by a set of
waypoints, or points in 3D space, and a set of actions that can be performed at or
in between waypoints, such as taking images, proceeding to the next waypoint
or landing. A flight plan is shown in the Map Area using circles to represent waypoints, lines to represent the flight path and arrows to show the direction of flight.
The large circle with a thick border illustrates the working area boundaries within
which the eBee will always remain. See the eBee Extended User Manual for more
information on waypoints and the various symbols presented in the Map Area.
A complete flight plan for an eBee is divided into two separate phases: the setup
phase and the mission phase. The mission phase includes waypoints and actions
related to mapping and capturing images. The setup phase includes waypoints
and actions related to take-off and landing. This phase is usually planned directly
in the field and is explained in detail in section ‘The setup phase of a flight’ on
page 38.
22
Planning and simulating a flight
1.4
The mission phase of a flight
The easiest way to create a mapping flight for the systematic coverage of an area is
to use the automatic mission planning feature of eMotion. By simply positioning a
rectangle around the area you would like to cover, eMotion will generate a mission
plan optimised for the ground resolution that you desire.
Step 5: check in Google Earth
mission
area
Step 2:
rotate,
resize,
move
Step 1: open tab and select
correct camera
Step 3:
choose
params
Step 4:
upload
Note: For more complex terrain and missions, eMotion has the ability to set polygonal mission areas of any size and shape, and to automatically adjust waypoint altitudes based on elevation data. These
powerful features are described in more detail in the eBee Extended
User Manual.
Follow these steps to automatically setup waypoints for a mapping mission:
1. Select the Mission Planning tab from the Sidebar. A grey zone will appear
in the Map Area to designate the mission area to cover. Information such
as size and position is overlaid on the area. A mission plan, including the
required waypoints, is automatically calculated and displayed to preview
the mission plan that will be created.
23
Quick start guide
2. Adjust the location, size, and shape of the mission area. The area can be
relocated by dragging the gray zone. The four square handles on the edges
of the area can be used to resize it and the round handles on the corners of
the area can be used to rotate it. As you adjust the area the mission plan
preview is continuously updated.
3. Adjust the mapping and mission parameters in the Mission Planning tab to
suit your terrain and quality requirements². As a first step, eMotion provides
two predefined set of parameters; ‘Easy terrain’ are the default parameters
designed for simpler terrain, such as mines or agriculture, whereas ‘Difficult
terrain’ is designed for complex areas, such as forests, and provides higher
image overlap at the cost of a lower resolution. Be sure to include an estimated wind speed and direction, as this has an effect on the area that can
be covered in a single flight. Once again, the mission plan preview will be
continuously updated as you modify the parameters.
4. Check the resulting flight characteristics in the tab. Once you are satisfied,
upload the mission plan to the simulated drone by clicking the ‘Upload’
button.
5. Click the button in the Toolbar to open the flight plan in Google EarthTM ³.
Review the flight plan to ensure that there is sufficient clearance between
the flight plan and the ground. Any updates to the flight plan that you
make within eMotion will be reflected directly in Google EarthTM .
² see the eBee Extended User Manual for a complete description of available parameters
³ see the eBee Extended User Manual
24
Planning and simulating a flight
Caution: eMotion as well as the automatic mission planning tool are
not aware of any obstacles that may exist in the area. In addition,
when not using elevation data, the mission planning tool assumes
that the mission area is flat and at the same altitude than the take-off
location. It is also not aware of any legal restriction (such as minimum
or maximum altitude) that may exist in your region. The resulting
flight plan should be carefully reviewed in order to avoid any collision
with uneven terrain or tall objects such as buildings, and to comply
with local regulations.
The final step after you have prepared a flight plan is to save it to a file that you
can load into the eBee when you are in the field. Select the Setup Phase tab from
the Sidebar, click on ‘Save flight plan to file...’, choose a filename and location and
click ‘Save’.
1.5
Simulating your flight
Simulating your flight gives you an idea of the position and size of images that
will be taken during the flight. In addition, it allows you to learn to use advanced
functions, such as in-flight waypoint editing and camera control, without putting
your eBee at risk⁴. When eMotion is connected to a simulated drone an extra set
of buttons appear in the Sidebar:
fast-forward
play
pause
re-position take-off location
initiate take-off
instant recharge of battery
You can set the take-off location of the eBee by clicking on the icon and placing
the point on the map. This simulates the action of switching on the real drone
⁴ see the eBee Extended User Manual for a complete description of the simulator
25
Quick start guide
and letting it acquire GPS signals. You can test your flight plan by clicking the
icon, simulating a take-off manoeuvre. The eBee will then go through its flight
plan in the same way it would in the field. You can pause, play or speed up the
simulation by clicking the corresponding buttons in the Toolbar. You can monitor
the state of the drone while in flight using the Flight Monitoring tab and the Status
Panel⁵. You may also monitor the flight in 3D in Google EarthTM by clicking on the
button in the Toolbar.
Caution: The simulator is a tool designed to aid with flight planning
and to familiarise you with the advanced functions of your eBee. The
simulated physics, however, are basic and do not always accurately
reflect the true behaviour of the drone in flight. In particular, estimates of battery level and reactions to wind are difficult to simulate
with high accuracy. You should in no case depend on behaviours
seen with a simulated drone to be reproduced exactly in real flight.
1.6
Getting ready for a mission
Before leaving for the field to perform a flight, be sure to fully charge all your eBee
batteries⁶. When delivered, the eBee battery may not be fully charged.
power cable
LiPo Balance
Charger
Status
balance LEDs
eBee battery pack
status LEDs
(not to scale)
To charge an eBee battery pack, connect it to the battery charger as illustrated
above. During charge, the status LED on the charger is solid red. Charging is complete when the status LED turns green.
The charger provided independently balances the voltage of each of the 3 cells
contained in the battery pack to ensures optimal performance and battery life.
⁵ see the eBee Extended User Manual
⁶ Consult your payload user manual to know if the payload battery is necessary for the flight
26
Planning and simulating a flight
If any of the cells is unbalanced, its associated LED will flash red during charging
until it is re-balanced. Charging can take up to an hour, depending on the charge
level of the battery and the required cell balancing work. See the eBee Extended
User Manual for more information on maintaining your drone’s batteries.
If you plan on performing a flight away from an Internet connection it is useful to
File menu. More
preload map tiles by selecting ‘Download maps...’ from the
details on how to take advantage of the various map sources available in eMotion
can be found in the eBee Extended User Manual.
27
Quick start guide
Executing a flight
Goal of this section: This section describes how to prepare your eBee
for flight, launch, monitor and control from the air, and initiate an
autonomous landing.
Note: We recommend that you perform your first flight in a large
obstacle-free area and limit the length of the mission in order to familiarise yourself with the eBee in flight.
2.1
Weather check
Before each flight, you should be aware of the weather conditions. The eBee is
a small drone that cannot fly in heavy rain or strong wind conditions. In case of
doubt, make sure to check a weather bulletin including wind estimations in the
flight area. Note that wind is often stronger at higher altitudes and that the wind
perceived at the surface is not always a good reference to estimate the wind at
flight altitude. Cloud velocity or tall tree movements can help you to estimate the
wind speed once you are out in the field.
Weather forecasts may use various units to measure wind speed. As a reference,
1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.24 mph = 1.94 kts.
28
Executing a flight
Caution: The eBee should not be launched if the wind speed exceeds
12 m/s (in other units: 43.2 km/h, 26.8 mph, 23.3 kts).
Caution: The eBee is not designed to fly in temperatures above 35◦ C.
Avoid exposing the drone to high temperature for prolonged periods
of time. In particular, leaving the drone exposed to the sun or in a car
should be avoided.
2.2
Preparing the eBee for flight
The eBee’s simple design means it can go from the box to being ready for flight
in minutes. We recommend that you perform the following 6 steps before every
flight to ensure that the platform is best prepared for flight.
Note: Remove the red warning sticker from the motor before your
first flight.
Central body
top view
Central body
bottom view
Wing - detached
29
Quick start guide
Step 1: Perform a general inspection
Visually inspect the drone for damage or wear using the following steps:
1. Check the foam central body and wings for cracks or other damage.
2. Verify that the pitot probe is properly attached to the airframe and that the
holes in the probe are free of obstructions.
3. Verify that the ground sensor is free of obstructions and that the sensor’s
lens is clean.
4. Verify that the wing struts are not split or damaged in any way.
5. Verify that the tubes within the Central Body that hold the wing struts are
not cracked or damaged in any way.
Caution: It is vital to carefully inspect the wing struts and tubes
within the Central Body before every flight, as they may cause a crash
if they are damaged in any way. This is particularly important if the
wings were found separated from the Central Body after a previous
flight.
6. Verify that the power cables within the battery compartment are well insulated and not damaged.
Note: A general inspection should be performed before every flight.
It is also good practice to perform a full airframe check regularly to
keep your eBee in good shape. See the eBee Extended User Manual
for more details.
30
Executing a flight
motor
motor
propeller
propeller
attachment
rubber bands
Step 2: Install the propeller
Mount the propeller on the motor axis. Secure the propeller using two attachment rubber bands as illustrated above. Ensure that the propeller is lying flat
against the motor mount, and that the rubber bands do not show cracks or any
other sign of aging.
Caution: Failure to use two rubber bands may result in the loss of the
propeller in flight!
Note: After extensive use, the rubber bands may develop cracks. This
is normal and is caused by the ageing of the rubber material. For maximum security, inspect the rubber bands regularly and discard them
if they show cracks. 10 spare rubber bands are included in the package.
31
Quick start guide
insert camera into
compartment
plug in camera connector to camera plug
close camera
compartment lid
Step 3: Install the camera
Install the camera into the payload bay⁷ within the eBee and close the camera
compartment lid. If the camera connector is not already connected, plug it into
the connector with the
icon on the eBee.
Caution: The eBee has not been designed to fly without the camera.
Attempting to fly without the camera may render the drone unstable,
which may eventually lead to a crash.
⁷ Some payloads may require a separate battery or SD card to operate properly. Please refer to the
User Manual of the camera or other payload for proper installation instructions.
32
Executing a flight
insert wing struts into central
body
ensure servo
connection
mechanism is
aligned
and engaged
Step 4: Attach the wings
Attach the wings to the central body by inserting the wing struts into the receptacles in the central body. Ensure that the ailerons are properly aligned with
the servo connection mechanism before pushing the wings fully into the central
body.
Caution: Flying with damaged wing struts or a badly engaged servo
connection mechanism may cause erratic flight and ultimately a
crash. Be sure to properly inspect and attach the wings before flight.
33
Quick start guide
connect battery and
insert into
compartment
close battery
compartment
connect battery
Startup
process:
status LED:
blue
pulse
disconnect battery
preflight checks failed
status LED:
red
blink
ready for startup
status LED:
green
solid
Step 5: Install and connect the battery
Lay the eBee horizontally on the ground outside in the vicinity of the take-off location, with the top face up. To install the battery, begin by connecting the power
cables to the battery. Insert the connectors firmly to the end in order to avoid undesired disconnection when in flight. Once connected, insert the battery into its
compartment and close the compartment lid.
Caution: Take care to keep the propeller area clear, in case it suddenly starts spinning.
34
Executing a flight
Note: Only connect the battery cables to the drone when you are
ready for start-up. Do not leave the battery connected for extended
periods of time when the drone is on the ground, as this may discharge the batteries and cause irreparable damage. When connected
and not in flight, the eBee will briefly move its ailerons up and down
every minute as a reminder that it is switched on.
As soon as the battery is connected the eBee will perform an automatic self-check
of its sensors and acquire GPS signals. Be sure not to move the drone during these
tests. It is important that the drone is not inclined more than 10 degrees in order to
start up properly. Pre-flight checks may last from a few seconds to several minutes
in the case of poor GPS signal reception. As these satellite signals are required for
the checks to complete, be sure to place the eBee outside with a clear view of the
sky.
During the pre-flight checks the status LED will pulse blue. Once the pre-flight
checks are complete the eBee will flip its ailerons up and down and the status LED
will turn solid green to indicate it is ready. You may already connect the drone to
eMotion (Step 6) before pre-flight checks are complete to get a better idea of the
status of the checks.
Note: If there was any problem during the pre-flight checks performed by the drone this will be indicated by a Pre-flight error in eMotion as well as a by the status LED blinking red. See the eBee Extended
User Manual for a description of possible Pre-flight errors and how to
handle them.
35
Quick start guide
/ eBee Ag
Step 6: Connect to eMotion
Start by connecting the USB ground modem to your computer. Then launch eMotion, which will display the Connection window. Select the eBee connection profile, choose the corresponding FTDI port and click ‘OK’.
Note: Every eBee is paired with the ground modem it is delivered
with, and will only work with that particular modem. The name of the
FTDI port corresponding to the ground modem is labelled as ‘eBeeSERIAL’, where SERIAL is the serial number of the drone it is paired
with.
When a connection is established eMotion will display a map and the Status Panel
indicating the current state of the drone. If the eBee has not yet detected its location the Status Panel will appear in the top right corner of the Map Area with the
text ‘GPS: Waiting for signals...’. During this time the status LED on the drone will
pulse blue.
Once your drone has set its position using GPS signals, an icon of the drone will
appear at its location on the map. If the drone’s location is not on the map you can
click the button from the Toolbar to centre the map on the drone. The drone’s
status on eMotion will be displayed as ‘Idle, Ready to take-off’ and the status LED
will become solid green.
36
Executing a flight
You can now load a flight plan you prepared earlier by selecting the Setup Phase
tab from the Sidebar, clicking on ‘Load flight plan from file...’ and selecting your
flight plan file. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission in the field, following
the same process outlined in section ‘Planning and simulating a flight’ on page 19.
37
Quick start guide
2.3
The setup phase of a flight
The setup phase of a flight includes the waypoints and actions related to the takeoff and landing of the eBee and includes the following locations:
• Take-off location: The point from which the drone is launched, automatically set to the location calculated from GPS signals by the drone when
it is launched. This location defines the altitude of 0 m/ATO (ATO stands
for above take-off); the altitudes of all other waypoints, when defined in
m/ATO, are referenced to the altitude of this location.
• Start waypoint: The first point that the drone flies towards when launched
(once it reaches the take-off transition altitude).
• Home waypoint: The safe point for the drone to circle in case of emergency, as well as its landing position at the end of a flight for both Linear
and Circular landings.
Home
waypoint
Approach
sector
60m
Take-off
location
10m
40m
Start
waypoint
38
take-off
transition
altitude reached
obstaclefree zones
wind
direction
Executing a flight
It is important to carefully select the take-off location, the Start waypoint and the
Home waypoint to ensure your drone remains at a safe distance from obstacles.
The eBee should always be launched against the wind. Select a take-off location
clear of obstacles (buildings, rocks, power lines, hills, trees, etc.) within a distance
of at least 40 m in the upwind direction. Immediately after takeoff it will keep
its wings level and climb in the general direction it was launched until it reaches
the take-off transition altitude⁸, at which point it will start flying towards the Start
waypoint.
By default, the Start waypoint is set to a distance of 80 m West of the initial position of the drone and an altitude of 75 m/ATO. It is good practice to move the Start
waypoint close to and upwind from the take-off location to allow a smooth transition between take-off and waypoint-directed flight. You can move waypoints by
clicking on them and dragging them within the Map Area⁹.
The Home waypoint is used both as the landing location and as a safety position
in case of an In-flight warning. The eBee can perform either a Linear or a Circular
landing. Linear landing is the default and recommended landing type, especially
in high winds. To prepare a Linear landing, place the Home waypoint centre at
a location that is at the same altitude as the take-off location and is clear of obstacles in a 10 m radius. Choose one or several approach sectors that are free of
obstacles for at least 60 m from the Home waypoint centre. You can drag the approach sector around the Home waypoint and change its width directly in the Map
Area or from within the Setup Phase tab. Make the approach sector(s) as wide as
possible to maximize the chance that the drone can subsequently land against
the direction of the wind. Ensure that the terrain within the approach sector is
flat and contains visual contrast to allow the ground sensor to function properly
during landing.
When a Linear landing is initiated (either automatically or by pressing the ‘Go
Land’ button in the control bar) the drone will fly towards the Home waypoint,
circle the waypoint (at 75 m/ATO by default) to measure the direction of the wind
⁸ By default the take-off transition altitude is set to 20 m. In difficult launch conditions you can set
both the take-off heading and the take-off transition altitude in the Setup Phase tab, as described
in the eBee Extended User Manual.
⁹ see the eBee Extended User Manual for a more detailed explanation on waypoints and how to modify
them
39
Quick start guide
at the landing location and choose an approach direction as much against the direction of the wind as possible. It will then fly downwind in the opposite direction
of the approach direction, turn 180◦ and begin descending in the approach direction until it lands on the ground underneath the centre of the Home waypoint.
The approach angle is around 20° and the drone will reverse its thrust if needed
to maintain a suitable airspeed during this phase.
Note: There are a number of requirements that must be fulfilled to
ensure a successful Linear landing. The eBee Extended User Manual
describes in more detail the Linear landing process and how to properly define approach sectors in more complex terrain. In particular, in
the case of strong-wind conditions, low light or low-contrast terrain,
the precision of the final landing location around the Home waypoint
is reduced. Therefore, it is safer to plan for more clearance, especially
along the possible landing axes.
If there are no suitable approach sectors to perform a Linear landing the drone
can also perform a Circular landing around the Home waypoint. When initiating
a Circular landing around the Home waypoint the drone will switch off its motor
and glide down while circling around the Home waypoint at the waypoint’s radius. During the Circular landing procedure the drone uses its ground sensor to
measure the height above the ground, if the ground is well textured and there is
enough light. When it reaches an altitude of 25 m above the ground the drone
will level out, estimate the direction of the wing and resume its descent so as to
touch down against the wind while remaining on the circle defined by the Home
waypoint.
Caution: The ground sensor can only provide usable feedback in
daylight conditions above flat terrain that contains enough visual texture. If these conditions are not met the drone cannot ensure a touchdown against the direction of the wind. Landing in the direction
of the wind in strong-wind conditions may result in a high landing
speed and damage to the eBee.
40
Executing a flight
To prepare a Circular landing, place the Home waypoint in a location that has no
obstacles within a radius of 50 m (or 20 m more than the Home waypoint radius)
to give the drone enough space to land. Ensure that the entire landing area is
flat to allow the ground sensor to function properly. By default, the radius of the
Home waypoint is 30 m. In high-wind conditions it is recommended to increase
this diameter¹⁰.
Caution: The radius of the Home waypoint, and thus of a Circular
landing, can be reduced to 20 m but should only be done in low wind
conditions (<3 m/s). Reducing the radius of the Home waypoint below 30 m in moderate- or high-wind conditions can result in damage
to the drone when it contacts the ground during a landing. As indicative values, the Home waypoint radius should be set to 30 m for wind
speeds below 5 m/s, 40 m for wind speeds between 5-8 m/s, and to
50 m for wind speeds above 8 m/s.
Note: In case of strong-wind conditions, the drone may drift even
further than 50 m away from the center of the Home waypoint when
performing a Circular landing. Therefore, it is safer to plan for even
more clearance in the downwind direction.
By default, the Home waypoint is set to an altitude of 75 m/ATO. In case a Go to
Home Waypoint procedure is triggered during flight¹¹ the drone will, by default,
determine the highest altitude between its current altitude and the Home waypoint’s altitude, and climb in a circle towards that highest altitude (if required).
Once it reaches this highest altitude it will then fly towards the Home waypoint.
Due to this behaviour, the altitude of the Home waypoint should be selected with
care; it should be at least 20 m higher than the surrounding obstacles to avoid the
risk of a crash, but should not be set too high to reduce the effect of potentially
high winds and altitude and to prevent the drone from getting lost. Alternatively,
you can change the altitude transition behaviour within the Setup Phase tab. See
the eBee Extended User Manual for more information on altitude transition be¹⁰ see the eBee Extended User Manual
¹¹ either automatically due to an In-flight warning or manually using eMotion
41
Quick start guide
haviours and how to modify them.
2.4
Take-off
Once you’ve planned your mission and the eBee status LED is solid green you can
launch it using the procedure on the following pages.
Caution: Make sure to keep the propeller area free of all obstructions
at all times during the launch procedure.
Not horizontal!
no holdin
one
gz
d an
ge
status LED:
r zo n e
green
solid
status LED:
blue
pulse
Step 1: Orient horizontally and against the wind
Orient yourself against the direction of the wind, and confirm that the take-off
direction in front of you is free of obstacles. Firmly grasp the drone with both
hands, one hand on the front of each wing as shown in the figure. Hold the drone
horizontally with the nose pointed against the wind and level wings.
42
Executing a flight
Note: If the drone detects a condition that prevents correct take-off a
Take-off veto will be displayed in eMotion and the status LED will start
pulsing blue. The eBee Extended User Manual describes the possible
Take-off veto messages and the user action that should be taken to
remove them. For example, if the drone is not oriented horizontally
the status LED will start pulsing blue until you re-orient it horizontally,
at which point the status LED turns solid green again.
Caution: It is imperative to launch the drone directly against the
wind, otherwise it will be unable to gain enough speed during takeoff and likely crash. Likewise, launching the drone in high winds
above the specified safe wind speed of 12 m/s is dangerous and can
result in a crash.
no hold
ing
zon
d an
ge
shake 3x
status LED:
green
solid
shake 3x
r zo n e
motor startup begin
status LED:
blue
pulse
Step 2: Switch the motor on
Shake the eBee back and forth 3 times longitudinally (within approx. 3 seconds)
to begin the motor power-up sequence. The status LED will pulse blue until the
motor is at full power and ready for take-off.
Note: You do not need to hurry to launch the drone. In case you want
to shut off the motor, just repeat the back and forth action three times
and the motor will stop.
43
Quick start guide
status LED:
blue
pulse
10°
motor ready for take-off
status LED:
da
ng
green
blink
place nose up 10°
e r zo n e
Caution: always orient the eBee
against the wind for take-off!
status LED:
green
solid
step forward and release
Step 3: Launch the eBee
Once the motor is at full power the status LED will blink green. Orient the drone
with approximately 10 degrees nose up and level wings. When the angle is correct
the status LED will turn solid green, indicating that the drone is ready for take-off.
Launch the drone with a gentle push by walking 1-2 steps forward while releasing
it with both hands in a purely forward motion.
After take-off, the drone tries to maintain its initial direction, or follow the directional take-off heading you set, by keeping its wings level with full thrust until
reaching the take-off transition altitude, by default 20 m¹². At this point, it will
switch into waypoint navigation mode and fly towards the Start waypoint. Once
it reaches the Start waypoint location and altitude the drone will circle around the
waypoint 1-2 times to estimate the wind and calibrate its sensors before starting
the mapping mission¹³.
¹² see the eBee Extended User Manual to change this parameter
¹³ The eBee may also be programmed to wait at the Start waypoint for a command before starting its
mapping mission. See the eBee Extended User Manual for more information.
44
Executing a flight
Control Bar
Status
Panel
Flight Monitoring Tab
Estimated
Picture
Footprint
Wind speed and direction
2.5
In-flight monitoring and control
You can monitor and control your drone while in-flight through eMotion using the
Map Area and the Flight Monitoring tab in the Sidebar.
The Map Area displays the current position of your drone, updated live as the
drone executes its flight. A small arrow and infobox show the speed and direction
of the wind as measured by the eBee. The Status Panel that follows the position of
the drone displays basic flight information including battery charge, flight time
and altitude, both above the take-off location (ATO) and above mean sea-level
(AMSL). This same information is reproduced in the Flight Monitoring tab, along
with other useful flight data .
45
Quick start guide
Note: All waypoints, image locations and flight paths displayed in
eMotion are a reflection of the data contained within the drone autopilot. If at any point the connection between eMotion and the
drone is lost, the drone will by default continue its planned flight,
including the imaging mission and the selected automatic landing,
fully autonomously. If you would like the drone to return to the Home
waypoint instead of continuing its mission when it detects a loss of
connection you may set the appropriate parameter in the Flight Parameters tab, as described in the eBee Extended User Manual.
During the Mission phase of the flight the eBee will automatically take pictures at
pre-defined moments based on the parameters that were defined during mission
planning. The estimated area captured on the ground is displayed in the form of
a continuously-updating polygon in the Map Area.
Note: The eBee will not take a picture unless it is in the correct location and altitude. Some reasons for not taking an image are strong
head wind, large off-track distance or incorrect altitude. A corresponding message is displayed in the Status Panel if a picture is not
taken.
At the top of the Map Area is the Control Bar, which can be used at any time to send
commands to your drone as well as to acknowledge warning and failure messages
if they occur. During a fully autonomous flight the eBee will control its flight autonomously from take-off to landing and you do not need to use any of the control buttons. They can however be useful in unexpected situations to temporarily
hold position by pressing the ‘HOLD POSITION’ button or to send the drone to
the Home or Start waypoints with the ‘GO TO HOME WPT’ or ‘GO TO START WPT’
buttons, respectively. Alternatively, you can direct your drone to any location by
right-clicking in the Map Area and using the contextual menu. We recommend
you use the simulator to learn the effects of the buttons on the drone. Detailed
descriptions of the buttons and their effects on the drone are described in the
eBee Extended User Manual.
46
Executing a flight
2.6
Landing
After finishing a mapping mission the drone will, by default¹⁴, return to the Home
waypoint and automatically initiate a landing sequence. During a Linear landing,
the drone will land in a straight line according to the process described in the eBee
Extended User Manual. In case of a Circular landing the drone will land in a circle
according to the process described in the eBee Extended User Manual.
Disconnect the battery from the drone before picking it up. We recommend you
immediately import the images and flight data after each flight (see section ‘Importing images and flight data’ on page 49) before putting the eBee back in its
case for storage. When disconnecting the wings, be sure to pull gently in the axis
of the wing struts to prevent damage to the wing struts. Check the wing struts for
any damage before putting them into the storage case. Remove the propeller if
you don’t plan on using the eBee for an extended period of time.
2.7
Potential in-flight errors
The drone can encounter two types of error messages while flying: In-flight warnings and Critical failures. In-flight warnings typically indicate a dangerous situation such as a low battery or strong winds and typically result in a Security action
such as a return to the Home waypoint. In-flight warnings appear in blue or yellow
in the Flight Monitoring tab. Critical failures occur only when the drone’s ability to
fly is severely compromised, such as a loss of GPS signals or an empty battery. The
situation will be displayed in red in the Status section of the Flight Monitoring tab.
When a critical failure arises, the drone will immediately perform an emergency
landing.
Caution: We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the possible in-flight errors to have a better understanding of what happens
if they occur in the field. A full list of possible In-flight warnings and
Critical failures and the drone’s reaction to them is described in the
eBee Extended User Manual.
¹⁴ see the eBee Extended User Manual for information on changing the default behaviours of the drone
47
Quick start guide
Note: It is important to keep track of the location of the drone during
a Critical failure until the moment it reaches the ground. Its position’s
coordinates can aid in finding it afterwards. Instructions on how to
find a lost drone can be found in the eBee Extended User Manual.
48
Processing image data
Processing image data
Goal of this section: In this section you will learn how to import images and flight data from your eBee and create basic mapping products directly in the field to gauge the quality of the images that you
gathered.
3.1
Importing images and flight data
The next step to creating mapping products, after completing a flight, is to import
the raw images and log files to a computer. The eBee records flight data onboard in
a special Drone Flight Log file. The Drone Flight Log tracks important information
throughout a flight, such as sensor data, location and control inputs. The file is
required for assigning location information (geotags) to the images taken by the
drone. The file is also required and must be sent to senseFly Ltd in case an issue
occurred during the flight¹⁵. A similar eMotion Flight Log file is created within
eMotion during a flight and serves as a backup in case the Drone Flight Log file
cannot be recovered.
eMotion features a Flight Data Manager to help you transfer and consolidate all
the data related to a mapping mission. Open the Flight Data Manager by clicking
on the Flight Data Manager icon when you load eMotion. Alternatively, click on
the
button in the Toolbar and select ‘Flight Data Manager...’.
¹⁵ see the eBee Extended User Manual
49
Quick start guide
select Flight
Data Manager
click OK
Follow these steps to import data from the drone:
• Step 1 - Select a flight: If the flight was monitored from the computer
you are using to import images then the flight is saved within the local
database. Select the date that the flight took place. A list of flights (including number of images taken) from that date will appear in the combo
box, select the one you wish to import.
• Step 2 - Create a directory: Choose a directory name that uniquely identifies your flight (e.g. the date, the name of the area, etc.).
50
Processing image data
connect USB cable
to autopilot
• Step 3 - Prepare data for import: To import the Drone Flight Log, connect
the supplied USB cable to the eBee’s autopilot, marked with a icon. Connect the battery to the drone if it is not already connected. The status LED
will become white and a new storage drive will appear on your computer.
To import images, remove the SD card from the camera, insert it into the
SD card reader of your computer and select ‘Import from SD-card reader’.
Alternatively, transfer the images from the camera by lifting it out of its
compartment just enough to connect a USB cable to it and turn the camera
on. Copy all the images into a temporary folder on your computer. Select
‘Import from a specific folder’ and choose the temporary folder.
• Step 4 - Import flight logs: Confirm that the Drone and eMotion Flight
Logs found by the Flight Data Manager are correct. You may select logs
manually if they are not correctly detected.
• Step 5 - Import images: Confirm that the images corresponding to your
flight were found and matched to the Drone Flight Log correctly.
51
Quick start guide
• Step 6 - Select outputs: Choose the output actions to execute and files to
create. Geotagging images is necessary to create geoinfo, KML and Postflight Terra 3D files.
• Step 7: You may now disconnect the drone. Eject the SD-card drive and the
drone drive before removing the SD-card and the USB cable, respectively.
Disconnect the battery and USB cable from the drone. Insert the SD-card
back into the camera, put it back properly into its compartment and ensure
that it is turned off. You can now open the KML file in Google EarthTM or the
project in Postflight Terra 3D for further processing.
3.2
In-field image quality check
Postflight Terra 3D software¹⁶, available as a free download with the eBee package,
can be used to rapidly create a Quality Report directly in the field. The Quality
Report that is automatically generated as well as the orthomosaic provide immediate feedback on the quality of the images gathered during your mission.
You can open a project for processing in Postflight Terra 3D directly from the Flight
Data Manager after importing your data by clicking the ‘Open project in Terra’
button. You will now see the main Postflight Terra 3D window. The position of
your images will appear as red dots in the Map Area of Postflight Terra 3D.
¹⁶ powered by Pix4D; see section ‘Installing eMotion, Postflight Terra 3D, and the ground modem
drivers’ on page 19 for installation instructions
52

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