Fly manual conundrum

[so low still grounded]

Something doesn't add up.

When I select fly manual for preset A, I have to enable
Advanced flight modes. This gives me a warning that implies that GPS function is now disabled. So my normal
Flight modes for smart shots won't work because they use GPS and home function uses GPS.

So when crap hits the props and solo loses GPS during smart shots it can behave like a disturbed teenager and crash into whatever is closest to it, right. So to prevent this I enable fly manual and the GPS problem goes away because it's not activated.

So GPS is for safety but also causes problems when solo
Loses it. So ultimately for a newbe like me enabling fly manual is not a good option and I should take my chances as is. Until I develop flight skills to fly without it. Or am I missing something?

 

[andrew.baker.142]

If you were an airplane pilot would you only want to learn to fly with the autopilot? A stock GPS should be reliable but sometimes we all do stupid things like fly near tall trees or buildings that mask GPS satellites. Learning to fly in "manual" mode on the Solo is just the right thing to do if you want to have a long and fruitful relationship with your new quad.

 

[so low still grounded]

I see your point so I can't have both at the same time? Is this correct? the GPS is training wheels. So I need to practice without it as much as I can. But If I need smart shots
Then enable GPS but when done go back to fly manual

 

[so low still grounded]

So also if fly manual is enabled preset A why would selecting
it stop a flyaway because a flyaway is caused by a faulty GPS signal and if your application is setup this way then GPS is not enabled anyway...so what's the point of selecting it.

 

[just_bruce]

Slow. Down. Breathe.

You have not understood. GPS is only removed from the equation when FLY:MANUAL mode is *active* (as in when you push the button). Having the A button set to enable FLY:MANUAL does not affect the use of GPS in any of the modes where it would be utilized.

Pressing A (or B if that is how one has it set) during a "flyaway" causes the bird to *only respond to stick inputs* not to a GPS position or other input which is faulty. That is how it can stop a "flyaway" or other error situation.

 

[so low still grounded]

OK. ..that explains it. makes sense. Thanks Jb. So let's say I have the bird back under control but want to fly back on GPS as the situation is back to normal. ..how do I do this

 

[Solo_Maverick]

Just to clarify the manual fly. Before taking off Solo requires us to wait until it acquires enough sat signal.

Once ready and I press Fly it takes off and hovers at a fixed location.

If I move it around up and down manually it still has a GPS lock even though I am flying manual.

If I release the sticks Solo simply stops where it is.

What flight mode is this?

 

[DJMc]

One way it might be helpful to think of it is that in FLY, what you're really doing is 'flying' an imaginary spot in space. You move it left right up down etc. The Pixhawk is the brain in Solo controlling motor speeds using GPS fixes to fly Solo to the imaginary spot in 'plan' and maintain it correcting for drift on the wind. Solo also reponds to the left stick altitude selection you make, using inputs from the barometer to maintain and correct height.

In FLY:MANUAL you're the brain! You are controlling motor speeds to adjust position in plan. The barometer readings still allow Solo to mainain altitude for you.
Motor speeds are also limited so that Solo won't pitch or roll past certain limits.

Each advanced mode removes some of this assistance. ACRO for example removes the pitch and roll limits, allowing rolls and flips and loops.

GPS is clearly the most important assistance you have to fly Solo.

Do you need to learn all the advanced modes? It's not essential at all and depends if you want to learn all the necessary skills to carry out the advanced manoeuvres.

But given GPS loss through environmental factors is the most likely cause of loss of control assistance, as a minimum most people aim to learn to competently FLY:MANUAL.

Many (but not all) of what are described as 'flyaways' here are actually drift aways after loss of GPS.

 

[DJMc]

OK. ..that explains it. makes sense. Thanks Jb. So let's say I have the bird back under control but want to fly back on GPS as the situation is back to normal. ..how do I do this

If you've mean you've lost GPS signal and hear a 'Fly manual' annunciation then get GPS back, press the controller FLY button and you're back to GPS assisted steering the imaginary dot. If not, you're still flying in FLY:MANUAL correcting for wind drift yourself with Solo maintaining heading and altitude around your stick inputs.

 

[just_bruce]

Just to clarify the manual fly. Before taking off Solo requires us to wait until it acquires enough sat signal.

Once ready and I press Fly it takes off and hovers at a fixed location.

If I move it around up and down manually it still has a GPS lock even though I am flying manual.

If I release the sticks Solo simply stops where it is.

What flight mode is this?

To be ultra clear what you are describing is FLY mode, otherwise known as GPS to DJI folk, or LOITER if you're speaking ArduPilot.

FLY:MANUAL does not require you to wait for GPS lock. I use this mode when flying in canyons for waterfall videos because I would *never* get GPS lock. It utilizes the compass and barometer only. I believe it is AltHold mode in ArduPilot speak, or ATTI mode to DJI folk.

 

[jimloss]

Also: when practicing Fly:Manual in an open field where GPS lock is still a possibility, the RTL/Home and Pause/Brake buttons still work.

It's only when GPS is lost and Solo switches over to Fly:Manual automatically that those features won't work.

 

[Maddog]

Just to clarify the manual fly. Before taking off Solo requires us to wait until it acquires enough sat signal.

Once ready and I press Fly it takes off and hovers at a fixed location.

If I move it around up and down manually it still has a GPS lock even though I am flying manual.

If I release the sticks Solo simply stops where it is.

What flight mode is this?

You are in FLY which is the fully automated mode. When you move the sticks you are temporarily overriding the autopilot. When you release them, the autopilot takes over and hovers at its current location.

 

[Maddog]

OK. ..that explains it. makes sense. Thanks Jb. So let's say I have the bird back under control but want to fly back on GPS as the situation is back to normal. ..how do I do this

Press "FLY" if you want to fly yourself or the "HOME" (little house icon) button if you want Solo to return on its own.

 

[so low still grounded]

thanks folks. and maddog/djmc that is exactly what i wanted to know. the heads stopped hurting but the confusion may linger a while

 

[ZoomDavidson]

Slow. Down. Breathe.

You have not understood. GPS is only removed from the equation when FLY:MANUAL mode is *active* (as in when you push the button). Having the A button set to enable FLY:MANUAL does not affect the use of GPS in any of the modes where it would be utilized.

Pressing A (or B if that is how one has it set) during a "flyaway" causes the bird to *only respond to stick inputs* not to a GPS position or other input which is faulty. That is how it can stop a "flyaway" or other error situation.

This definitely cleared things up. Thanks, just_bruce!

 

[EZL]

If you were an airplane pilot would you only want to learn to fly with the autopilot? A stock GPS should be reliable but sometimes we all do stupid things like fly near tall trees or buildings that mask GPS satellites. Learning to fly in "manual" mode on the Solo is just the right thing to do if you want to have a long and fruitful relationship with your new quad.

LOLs, but sometimes the quadcopter does STUPID THINGS against your will as a Pilot. The Solo was well thought out with it's engineering just in case
GPS has a GREMLIN running amok. The Solo can be switched to manual giving you control of the craft so you can safely land it. I had a quadcopter that
relied on GPS and if that fails you have no control since it doesn't have the "manual" control function built into the hardware and electronics. You have a
quadcopter flying itself and the outcome is disaster depending on where you are flying it which leaves you with NO control from the controller. The fellas
at Solo thought this out pretty well.

 

[dorniiif]

Something doesn't add up.

When I select fly manual for preset A, I have to enable
Advanced flight modes. This gives me a warning that implies that GPS function is now disabled. So my normal
Flight modes for smart shots won't work because they use GPS and home function uses GPS.

So when crap hits the props and solo loses GPS during smart shots it can behave like a disturbed teenager and crash into whatever is closest to it, right. So to prevent this I enable fly manual and the GPS problem goes away because it's not activated.

So GPS is for safety but also causes problems when solo
Loses it. So ultimately for a newbe like me enabling fly manual is not a good option and I should take my chances as is. Until I develop flight skills to fly without it. Or am I missing something?

SAVE!

 

[dorniiif]

You are in FLY which is the fully automated mode. When you move the sticks you are temporarily overriding the autopilot. When you release them, the autopilot takes over and hovers at its current location.

SAVE!

 

[just_bruce]

What.
A.
Toolbag.

 

[Deleted member 12003]

This is a great thread, very useful. I plan to practice Fly:Manual mode my next opportunity, and program preset A to go to this mode. One critical piece of information is you need to Enable Advanced Flight Modes in Advanced Settings in the Solo app to be able to assign this mode to the preset. I've created my own guide to using the drone, along with Tower for mapping, and one important page is where I've inserted answers to a series of questions I found posted elsewhere on this forum:

1. What happens when the aircraft loses GPS position?
2. What happens when the aircraft loses controller connection?
3. What happens when battery fail-safe triggers?
4. What is the responsibility of the pilot when the above happens?
5. What are all the options for return to home and how are they set/used?
6. What are the characteristics of the aircraft's flight modes?

And I review this page before flights, especially if it's been a while and I'm a bit rusty. It's important to have this fresh so you can respond quickly and accurately to situations that arise.