Solo and Tower

erikgraham · Jul 20, 2015

David Weston said:
What's the farthest mission that has been flown? What distance is the fence?

I don't even remember what the default horizontal fence is. I think maybe 30 or 400 meters. The default altitude should be around 100 meters.

Anyway, the Horizontal fence is pretty tiny and limiting by default. Furthest flight ever? With a Solo not far. With an Iris+ (the predecessor to the Solo), I regularly fly .5 to .6 miles. I've flown more than a mile quite often. With the batteries on the Solo, I expect to be able to run 2 mile missions.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

erikgraham said:
, I expect to be able to run 2 mile missions.

I hope to get closer to 5 miles. My vision + has been that far.

erikgraham · Jul 20, 2015

rrmccabe said:
I hope to get closer to 5 miles. My vision + has been that far.

Well, it depends on your speed I guess. I'm filming so I've usually got it set to a pretty slow speed. I also like to land with 40% battery left.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

Yea this would be a distance run. Just video running and no messing around with waypoints, etc.

I know they will go 5 miles round trip based on DBS flying it out 2.5 and back.

Do you have issues with the DIYdrones site? I cant bring it up most the time. You just replied to the tower speed thing. In my case it was a bug they are now aware of. Setting the speed early in the mission was being ignored. It was flying full speed regardless.

erikgraham · Jul 20, 2015

No. DIYdrones.com almost always works for me. The pace of discussion is slower there. You might get a reply days after you post a question. But it's the best resource for info. It's also more geared for Do it yourselfers and moders.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

Thanks. Well there is some good tower info there. I made a post but most the time when I try to open he link I get a page can not be displayed.

David Weston · Jul 20, 2015

On a TOWER mission, lost controller connection at 1500'. RTH. That's all I know at this point

KRVer · Jul 20, 2015

erikgraham said:
I would be careful with this. I've experienced some wonky behavior after re-ordering waypoints. That was a few app updates ago so it might be working now, but be careful, especially if you are trying to add in non-navigational way points (e.g. ROI, circle) after the fact.

Thanks for the heads-up on this.

I've only rearranged regular waypoints (have not inserted speed changes, ROI, or circle) and have not experienced anything unexpected. I've ONLY been using the version of Tower currently available so have no experience with any prior releases, FWIW.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

erikgraham said:
If you disable the Fence (aka the "Geo Fence), which can be done with one parameter (FENCE_ENABLE=0), then you can plan missions that extend beyond your geo fence. Its obviously smart to plan the mission so it ends within range of your controller, allowing you to take back control during the landing.

Erik, was just checking this out. I think my fence radius was set at 900' but my FENCE_ENABLE was already at zero. Has anyone else noticed that the fence appears to be off by default? FENCE_ENABLE=0 is off right?

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Erik, was just checking this out. I think my fence radius was set at 900' but my FENCE_ENABLE was already at zero. Has anyone else noticed that the fence appears to be off by default? FENCE_ENABLE=0 is off right?

yes, was just looking at it as you typed. Here it is,
http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/configuration/arducopter-parameters/#fence_type_fence_type

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

Yea my fence enable is set to 0. Can someone else with a virgin Solo check theirs?

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

With fence radius 0? Valid numbers for that parameter are 30 to 10000.

Fence_enable 0 is fence disabled.

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

Fence action 0
Fence alt max 94
Fence enable 1
Fence margin 0
Fence radius 300
Fence type 1

This is mine. I haven't changed anything.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

Sorry Ray, meant Fence_enable=0

Going to fix my post. Appears I have no fence by default.

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Sorry Ray, meant Fence_enable=0

Going to fix my post. Appears I have no fence by default.

Did you see my parameters?
Are they only valid when using tower?

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

Yea I saw yours. Yours is enabled at about 900' radius. Out of curiosity do you know what your autopilot version is if you look in the app?

And I dont think they are valid just in tower as you can change RTH height and it works without any app. Unless there is a different fence for non tower flight.

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Yea I saw yours. Yours is enabled at about 900' radius. Out of curiosity do you know what your autopilot version is if you look in the app?

And I dont think they are valid just in tower as you can change RTH height and it works without any app. Unless there is a different fence for non tower flight.

Autopilot 1.09
The only thing I have changed was the RTH height, back when it was being discussed on this forum.

rrmccabe · Jul 20, 2015

OK, well mine is 1.09 as well. Wonder if that is what that other thread is about. Firmware 1.0.9....

Mine came from 3DR with all updates last week. Solo #2. My fence is off !

Wonder what @David Weston is set at. He said above he got to 1500' out with tower. So wondering if his is off as well.

Raybro · Jul 20, 2015

Was just looking at mine and according to the parameter fence type 1, it is only using altitude as the fence.

Jubalr · Jul 20, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Yea I saw yours. Yours is enabled at about 900' radius. Out of curiosity do you know what your autopilot version is if you look in the app?

And I dont think they are valid just in tower as you can change RTH height and it works without any app. Unless there is a different fence for non tower flight.

I believe that Parameters are always active irregardless of any app, since you can fly it without an app at all. Any parameter change will be active if valid for the mode it is flying in.