Solo Return to Home (RTH) height.

rrmccabe · Jun 25, 2015

I put together a quick "how to" on changing the RTH height on the Solo. Thanks to those on this forum for sharing how it can be done using the 3DR tower application.

As the first generation of Solos left the factory they had the RTH height set at 49'. I believe 3DR is working on a fix to change this or make it user selectable. Until then you might consider making the change yourself.

What this means is if you lose connectivity or press the RTH button the Solo (if 49' or less in altitude) will raise up to 49' and fly home. It doesn't care if there is trees in the way. It just says go to 49' and beeline straight home.

I prefer to have my UAVs raise to about 200' and head for home. In my environment this will clear most hills and trees.

The video below shows you how to change the setting from 49' to something more suitable for your location.

Thanks again to those that pointed this out.

Jubalr · Jun 25, 2015

Well Done Rich. That should get folks by until it is added to the solo app. The only thing I would add would be: Unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing, do not be tempted to adjust any other parameters! As you can see, compared to DJI there is an overwhelming amount of power and flexibility in an open source application such as this. The amount of fine tuning that can be done is incredible, but it is totally up to you to be responsible and understand the effects any changes can have. And while the RTL value is unlikely to void your warranty (unless the change is the reason it crashes) a great many other changes could.
Be Safe and Have Fun..

Dirby · Jun 25, 2015

By Doing this would it void the warenty?

GaryN · Jun 25, 2015

Hi ... so ...

Is 'Tower' an application that comes with Solo?
Will the new value you've entered for RTH be 'sticky' or do you have to re-enter it after each power up of Solo?

Thanks!
Gary

1013D · Jun 25, 2015

Dirby said:
By Doing this would it void the warenty?

Probably Will not good anything....but if you enter the wrong value, then it is your fault the thing crashed, and it won't be covered.

Remember, it's your $1000 drone so you can do with it what you like.

1013D · Jun 25, 2015

GaryN said:
Hi ... so ...

Is 'Tower' an application that comes with Solo?
Will the new value you've entered for RTH be 'sticky' or do you have to re-enter it after each power up of Solo?

Thanks!
Gary

Sticky...

And no app comes with solo. They are all free to download

Raybro · Jun 25, 2015

rrmccabe said:
I put together a quick "how to" on changing the RTH height on the Solo. Thanks to those on this forum for sharing how it can be done using the 3DR tower application.

As the first generation of Solos left the factory they had the RTH height set at 49'. I believe 3DR is working on a fix to change this or make it user selectable. Until then you might consider making the change yourself.

What this means is if you lose connectivity or press the RTH button the Solo (if 49' or less in altitude) will raise up to 49' and fly home. It doesn't care if there is trees in the way. It just says go to 49' and beeline straight home.

I prefer to have my UAVs raise to about 200' and head for home. In my environment this will clear most hills and trees.

The video below shows you how to change the setting from 49' to something more suitable for your location.

Thanks again to those that pointed this out.

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Great! Thanks for sharing!

Dirby · Jun 25, 2015

Probably Will not good anything
would you explain this please?
i do not understand.
thc D

erikgraham · Jun 26, 2015

If you are interested in dabbling with the Params, I'd first make sure you know how to use Tower, how to take back control at any time, that sort of thing.

Then start by fiddling with Way Point Params. They start "WP_" and are way down at the bottom of the list. Then look into disabling the Geo Fence if you want (long story, but it can be safer in certain situations without it). You can find help on this under Tower Support and/or Iris+ support on 3DRs website.

You also might want to check out the droneshare website where all your missions will be uploaded. There is a cool 3D google earth type visualization of each mission.

Jubalr · Jun 26, 2015

David Weston said:
Looks like us iOS users will still have trees to contend with. That would be disappointing to lose a connection and through no fault of my own fly into a tree while my Android brother pops up and flys over the tree and safely home. Need this fixed pretty quick I think.

Hey David, Yes that would be a bummer! I think if it were me I would ask a friend with an android phone or tablet to DL the app. Make the change then they can delete the app if they want. Just a suggestion..

rrmccabe · Jun 26, 2015

@Jubalr I agree. He just needs to connect, make the setting and then can go back to the iOS stuff.

David Weston · Jun 26, 2015

I thought of that right after I posted,,lol,, should have deleted. I will now

Dirby · Jun 26, 2015

1013D said:
Probably Will not good anything....but if you enter the wrong value, then it is your fault the thing crashed, and it won't be covered.

Remember, it's your $1000 drone so you can do with it what you like.

i talked to 3DR today and asked them about this.
he told me that if you did go into tower and make this altitude change that it WOULD NOT void the warenty.
he also said that there would be a change in the rth altitude coming in a couple of weeks.
he also said that he didn't think the change in tower would work on rth.

rrmccabe · Jun 26, 2015

Well if it stops raining I will verify if it kicks in

I have heard the same about 3DR changing this. They have scheduled some store of interview with me next Wednesday to talk about the Solo and during this email conversation the fact they were changing the RTH did in fact come up.

rrmccabe · Jun 26, 2015

Dirby said:
he also said that he didn't think the change in tower would work on rth.

Hey Dirby, the change does work. I just fired up solo, went out to about 100' away and hit RTH. It went straight up to 200' came back to home and straight down.

GoodnNuff · Jun 26, 2015

"Remember, it's your $1000 drone so you can do with it what you like."

Yes, you can.
But you may find you've voided the warranty.

When I talked to the 3DR tech last week I was told I could change the RTL height on tower without voiding the warranty, but if I programmed an autonomous flight using Tower and it crashed while flying those set way points, it would not be covered by the warranty.

Dirby · Jun 26, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Hey Dirby, the change does work. I just fired up solo, went out to about 100' away and hit RTH. It went straight up to 200' came back to home and straight down.

Glad to see this.
looks like the guy at 3DR dosen't know what he is talking about.
Did you ever get your phantom 3?
thx D

rrmccabe · Jun 26, 2015

Phantom shipped today. I expect it Monday as the dealer said in stock and they are in MN and I am in Iowa.

Dirby · Jun 26, 2015

rrmccabe said:
Phantom shipped today. I expect it Monday as the dealer said in stock and they are in MN and I am in Iowa.

i will be looking forward to what you have to say about the phantom3

rrmccabe · Jun 26, 2015

One more thing that is important to add. I have not totally checked this out.

But be advised that when it does a RTH it does not come back and hover. It tries to complete the auto land process.

It appears to me that it COMES down really fast. I don't know if this is because of the higher RTH point or just how it is. You can feather it out by pushing up on the left stick as it lands and slow it down or take control.