iOS Update with Multi Point Cable Cam, Save & Load Cables, Time Lapse & Free Look

[mcneely19]

Google play says the app isn't compatible with my lg g3?? Anyone have this issue?

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Maddog]

I also am using the Hero4 Black firmware 3.00 and I have to manually turn the GoPro on. If I land and power down the Solo before I stop recording the GoPro does not properly close the file, and it is unusable. To fix the file I turn the GoPro on, and a Band-Aid icon shows while it repairs the file structure. I am going to switch to a Hero 4 Silver and see whether this issue is only with the Black model.

I have the silver and it does the same thing. Gotta stop recording before powering GoPro off.

 

[Maddog]

I was out flying today with the update installed. There should have been some explanation with the update as to how these new modes work. Cable cam works (trial and error learning) by hitting A to turn it on, then A at each point along the path. The endpoint gets a B, and then control passes to the smart shot. It remembers the altitude, Yaw angle, and camera angle. If you just keep the right stick steady (this is important if you want usable video) it will traverse the cable, rotating the Solo as need. The moves are steady and smooth, so long as the wind is not too strong and the GPS is strong. I found that altitude was at least +/- 10 feet, so if you are flying over a roof set the points at least 20 to 30 feet above the roof, or you will really get your heart pumping. Remember that to climb during a cable run you will have to stop the smart shot (hit FLY or the X on lower right of the screen) before you try to gain altitude. ORBIT seems to be the same as before, but I am not getting the satellite maps. I have to explore why. The most important consideration for orbit is that the center of the circle has to be set close, with a short radius, or the craft is going to seem to be flying away as it traverses the circle. Very scary.

Why do you have to stop before climbing? Is this new with the MPCC?
I've never had to do that before.

 

[Ed Beck]

Remember that to climb during a cable run you will have to stop the smart shot (hit FLY or the X on lower right of the screen) before you try to gain altitude.

Is this a change? I've changed altitude while running a cable shot several times. I typically fly to the point I want the shot to end and hit "A". Then I fly to the place I want it to start and hit "B". Point A is usually over a roof and B is a point with the house framed and at a lower altitude.

When I fly between B and A solo will climb as it moves along the cable.

 

[Maddog]

Lots of questions about MPCC.
Is it just me or does anybody else think 3DR should publish some instructions on how to use new functions so these questions are addressed in advance?

 

[SurfnSkate81]

I agree.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bran]

Yes I agree. I just downloaded it, but it will be too cold to play with it for the next few days. I'm hoping my Hero 4 Silver will do the "Auto on" thing though when Solo powers up.

 

[erikgraham]

Why do you have to stop before climbing? Is this new with the MPCC?
I've never had to do that before.

He's just saying that if you need to suddenly gain altitude (in an emergency) while in a cable cam shot, you have to exit the shot by hitting the fly button. In an orbit this isn't necsisary because orbit allows you to adjust altitude. This is the same in the new cable cam as it was in the old.

 

[Maddog]

Yes I agree. I just downloaded it, but it will be too cold to play with it for the next few days. I'm hoping my Hero 4 Silver will do the "Auto on" thing though when Solo powers up.

You can always power it up indoors and check the functions- I do!

 

[Maddog]

He's just saying that if you need to suddenly gain altitude (in an emergency) while in a cable cam shot, you have to exit the shot by hitting the fly button. In an orbit this isn't necsisary because orbit allows you to adjust altitude. This is the same in the new cable cam as it was in the old.

Oh- thanks!

 

[brunoferreiro]

Ever since I have the SOLO, I had the problem of flip During landing reported for lot of you. Always land without problems, but never use the AUTO land, always manual. Why do they happen?

 

[pyrate]

have you ever submitted a hep ticket to 3DR?

 

[ibrew]

Ever since I have the SOLO, I had the problem of flip During landing reported for lot of you. Always land without problems, but never use the AUTO land, always manual. Why do they happen?

I've started a new thread on this topic, we should probably discuss over there and keep this thread on topic.

 

[Ed Beck]

Tested multi-point cable cam on baseball diamond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1M_FFxeso&feature=youtu.be
In this video I started at second base, manually flew to third base, then to home plate where I ascended. I then flew to first base, descended and flew to the pitcher's mound. After arriving at each point and repositioning the camera to the pitcher's mound. I defined that position by pressing the "A" button. After arriving at the pitcher's mound I positioned the camera to point to second base and exited the cable cam programming by pressing "B".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1M_FFxeso&feature=youtu.be
I found that the camera stays smoothly pointed at the pitcher's mound while the Solo moves and changes altitude. When it flew from 1st base to the pitcher's mound the camera smoothly pointed towards 2nd base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1M_FFxeso&feature=youtu.be
I found that I had to position Solo within some distance of the starting point in order to activate the cable cam shot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1M_FFxeso&feature=youtu.be
Times are approximate.

3DR Solo Update 2.0 Multi Point Cable Cam on Baseball Field

00:00 Takeoff from 2nd base and position camera to pitcher's “mound”. Enter Cable cam, set position A.
00:16 Manually fly to 3rd base while maintaining altitude.
00:40 Arrived at 3rd base, position camera to pitcher's mound. Set second position A
00:52 Manually fly to home plate.
01:10 Arrive at home plate, reposition camera to pitcher's mound, climb, reposition camera to pitcher's mound.
01:45 Set next position A and manually fly to 1st base.
02:10 Arrive at 1st base, descend, reposition camera to pitcher's mound.
02:38 Set next position A, manually fly to pitcher's mound while maintaining altitude.
02:47 Arrive at pitcher's mound, reposition camera to point to second base.
03:00 Set position B.
https://youtu.be/gQ1M_FFxeso
At this point I exited Cable Cam and flew past 2nd base to center field. I entered cable cam, selected the series I just saved and found that I had to manually fly inside of the blue circle in order to activate the cable.
https://youtu.be/gQ1M_FFxeso
03:24 Screen shot telling me to move inside the blue circle.
03:30 Manually flying back to second base.
04:00 Selected the cable cam shot I just saved and flying it using the right control stick.

As you can see, the camera stays smoothly pointed at the pitcher's mound while the Solo moves and changes altitude.
https://youtu.be/gQ1M_FFxeso
04:55 Exited the cable cam shot and flew back to second base.

I edited out some video of my repositioning over second base.

05:05 Entering the cable cam shot again and hitting "play". Solo flies the course without any further input from me.

At this point I turned everything off, including exiting from the Solo app, repositioned to the middle of center field, turned Solo on and lifted off. I entered the cable cam screen and selected the program I just created. Solo wanted me to fly inside the blue circle before it would fly the course. So I guess it's using absolute positioning.
https://youtu.be/gQ1M_FFxeso

 

[Robert Rose]

I realize that you're probably referring to the fact that there is no control tower to contact so the Airmap is telling you to do something that isn't possible, I want to point out that FAA regulations prohibit operation within 5 nm of any airfield without first contacting the airport manager. If you have a Section 333 exemption with the accompanying COA there are other limits that allow closer operations.

See the Airport/Facilities Directory for an official list.

The Section 333 exemptions that issue now provide that:
"The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on the current FAA-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

The blanket COA that typically comes with the new Section 333 exemptions specifies no fly:
5 nautical miles (NM) from an airport having an operational control tower; or
3 NM from an airport with a published instrument flight procedure, but not an operational tower; or
2 NM from an airport without a published instrument flight procedure or an operational tower; or
2 NM from a heliport with a published instrument flight procedure.

So, let's examine a case in point. The new Solo App flight planner shows a 5 mile orange circle over my flight area from "Lake Wohlford Resort." That airstrip is not in the AFD. Information at airnav.com tells me that the airport is 3 NM away and privately owned without a published instrument flight procedure or an operational tower.

So my judgment is to treat the app circle as a warning only. Do I have to track down the manager, get him to answer a phone, and then what?

Clearly we have some bugs to work out.

 

[Jubalr]

Tested multi-point cable cam on baseball diamond.
In this video I started at second base, manually flew to third base, then to home plate where I ascended. I then flew to first base, descended and flew to the pitcher's mound. After arriving at each point and repositioning the camera to the pitcher's mound. I defined that position by pressing the "A" button. After arriving at the pitcher's mound I positioned the camera to point to second base and exited the cable cam programming by pressing "B".
I found that the camera stays smoothly pointed at the pitcher's mound while the Solo moves and changes altitude. When it flew from 1st base to the pitcher's mound the camera smoothly pointed towards 2nd base.
I found that I had to position Solo within some distance of the starting point in order to activate the cable cam shot.
Times are approximate.

3DR Solo Update 2.0 Multi Point Cable Cam on Baseball Field

00:00 Takeoff from 2nd base and position camera to pitcher's “mound”. Enter Cable cam, set position A.
00:16 Manually fly to 3rd base while maintaining altitude.
00:40 Arrived at 3rd base, position camera to pitcher's mound. Set second position A
00:52 Manually fly to home plate.
01:10 Arrive at home plate, reposition camera to pitcher's mound, climb, reposition camera to pitcher's mound.
01:45 Set next position A and manually fly to 1st base.
02:10 Arrive at 1st base, descend, reposition camera to pitcher's mound.
02:38 Set next position A, manually fly to pitcher's mound while maintaining altitude.
02:47 Arrive at pitcher's mound, reposition camera to point to second base.
03:00 Set position B.
At this point I exited Cable Cam and flew past 2nd base to center field. I entered cable cam, selected the series I just saved and found that I had to manually fly inside of the blue circle in order to activate the cable.
03:24 Screen shot telling me to move inside the blue circle.
03:30 Manually flying back to second base.
04:00 Selected the cable cam shot I just saved and flying it using the right control stick.

As you can see, the camera stays smoothly pointed at the pitcher's mound while the Solo moves and changes altitude.
04:55 Exited the cable cam shot and flew back to second base.

I edited out some video of my repositioning over second base.

05:05 Entering the cable cam shot again and hitting "play". Solo flies the course without any further input from me.

At this point I turned everything off, including exiting from the Solo app, repositioned to the middle of center field, turned Solo on and lifted off. I entered the cable cam screen and selected the program I just created. Solo wanted me to fly inside the blue circle before it would fly the course. So I guess it's using absolute positioning.

Great review of the new feature. Thanks Ed

 

[Ed Beck]

So my judgment is to treat the app circle as a warning only. Do I have to track down the manager, get him to answer a phone, and then what?

Clearly we have some bugs to work out.

I've been talking with the FAA about this. My reason is that there's a lot of business in side of the areas described in the COA. My local FAA rep referred me to Section D of the COA:

Notice to Airmen (NOT AM).
A distant (D) NOTAM must be issued when unmanned aircraft operations are being
conducted. This requirement may be accomplished:

a. Through the operator· s local base operations or NOT AM issuing authority, or
b. By contacting the NOTAM Flight Service Station at 1-877-4-US-NTMS (1-877-487-
6867) not more than 72 hours in advance, but not less than 24 hours prior to the
operation. unless otherwise authorized as a special provision. The issuing agency will
require the:

(1) Name and address of the pilot filing the NOTAM request
(2) Location, altitude. or operating area
(3) Time and nature of the activity.
(4) Number of UAS flying in the operating area.​

His interpretation of this is that if I'm operating in the areas covered by my COA (5, 3, 2 nm) then I don't have to do anything. If I'm inside of those ranges then I file a NOTAM between 72 and 24 hours before operations and I'm good to go. He also said that it would be a good idea to have a hand held in case I wanted to fly inside of class C and D airspace.

 

[Ed Beck]

Lots of questions about MPCC.
Is it just me or does anybody else think 3DR should publish some instructions on how to use new functions so these questions are addressed in advance?

I'd love to see a real operations manual describing the how and the why of what Solo does.

 

[PdxSteve]

I thought these instructions were pretty clear describing the new features. It was posted to their blog (you should subscribe) the same day as the new release: Releasing Solo 2.0, Our Biggest Update Yet: Multipoint Cable cam; Free Look; airspace information | 3DR | Drone & UAV Technology

 

[Ed Beck]

I thought these instructions were pretty clear describing the new features. It was posted to their blog (you should subscribe) the same day as the new release: Releasing Solo 2.0, Our Biggest Update Yet: Multipoint Cable cam; Free Look; airspace information | 3DR | Drone & UAV Technology

I read that and wanted more information. My biggest question is if it used absolute or relative positioning. I assumed absolute and went out to test it (yup, absolute).

Yes, I do subscribe to the blog. I just want more detail than the marketing material.