Solo newbie, Tower, Solex, and maybe headless?

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Just got my Solo a couple weeks ago. I'm coming from a Yuneec Typhoon G(which I still have). I'm a former broadcast photog/reporter, and I work in politics full time now but do video work as part of that and on the side.
I bought the solo for autonomous flight modes and range (better than Typhoon). So far everything I've done has been in the 3dr app (Android). I've watched some tutorials on tower and have it downloaded. Should I just be using tower instead of the stock app? Anything I'll miss? With updates to tower and 3dr app, do I need to consider Solex?

I'm primarily doing video and still work with this. I've done one commercial job with it so far, photos of a house for sale on a large lake. Worked great.

So far the only thing I missed vs the Typhoon was headless mode (smart mode on Typhoon). I don't use it much, but here and there it's great for one or two video shots. I believe from previous posts I can fly totally in simple mode with tower which is similar? But is there a way to be able to toggle it in flight? On the Typhoon there is switch on top of the transmitter that toggles between angle(normal), smart(headless), and RTH. Again, I have never used it for a whole flight, but just a shot or two so I would like to be able to switch back and forth in flight. I think an entire flight in headless mode would mess with my head. Any help is greatly appreciated.

This forum is a great resource, I've learned a lot already and made my decision to buy it based largely on what I've read here.

 

[Maddog]

Welcome!

Tower is intended to program and fly totally autonomous flights. (Basically takeoff to landing with no intervention from you). It's easier to set up smart shots in the 3dr app or Solex for "normal" use.

Solex has more features than the 3dr app and is approaching the level of Tower also. I only use Solex now.

One feature I like is the ability to automatically track a ground target like a person or vehicle. DJI had something like that but it didn't work very well.

I don't know any way you could perform headless mode with Solo. Why would you want to?

 

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When I first heard of headless mode I thought it sounded like some dumb feature for someone who can't fly a drone. (and that's probably where the idea came from) But once you've used it on the right video shot, you appreciate it.

Imagine you want to fly down the road, perfectly over and following one of the lines (center, side, etc, doesn't matter) and the whole time you are slowly rotating the drone one direction. The whole time you are rotating the left stick you are compensating on the right to keep your path straight. A little practice and you could nail it... Until you try it on a different road or different wind, etc... Hard to nail on the first shot under commercial conditions.

Now let's say the local hot rod builder wants you to video a slow cruise in his new Deuce Coupe. Overtake from behind, pass, all the while keeping the car in the shot, then slowly pass and look back but let the shot eventually loose the car to set up the next shot. Now you have more variables such as a car in which the speed might not be dependable over multiple takes and which you can't control. Plus now it's not simply about rotating and flying straight, it's about aiming a camera and framing and getting a good shot (maybe you also want to adjust altitude here and there which affects the other two controls) while trying to fly straight and compensate for rotation. How much gas and how many batteries do you want to burn to get it right?

Now imagine you have say a Typhoon H or Tornado which has a gimbal that rotates. Now you can fly the drone straight while simply turning the camera to get the shot. Much easier. Well I don't have a Typhoon H or Tornado or Inspire (not sure if it has gimbal that rotates) nor the desire to spend that much. But with my Typhoon G, I can put it in headless mode. In my mind, for the shot, I just pretend that I'm flying straight and the left stick simply rotates the camera. Easy to focus on the shot while keeping the drone on the path I need. That's the kind of shooting that makes headless mode seem great. A rotating gimbal would be better and smoother, but headless mode gets it done. For fixed objects like buildings I can program an autonomous flight path and do a great job, but moving objects...

But other than a shot or two, I don't like flying in headless mode because it screws with my mind. But here and there, it would be awesome to kick it in for a shot, thus my desire to be able to toggle it. I doubt my Typhoon G is worth that much at this point, so I may just need to keep it for these types of shots.

 

[andrew.baker.142]

I believe the Smart Shot called Cable Cam can do as you described.
I also use Solex exclusively. If you want the capability to do auto missions it is an extra $20, making it cost a total of $50.
You should also consider Mission Planner. It is a free PC program more powerful than Tower, and you can use it in conjunction with the stock 3DR app or Solex.

 

[pyrate]

Solex is my main flyer now. And its the only one I know of where the developer is active in the community and working directly with the engineers of solos next gen hardware

 

[Maxheadspace]

So far the only thing I missed vs the Typhoon was headless mode (smart mode on Typhoon). I don't use it much, but here and there it's great for one or two video shots. I believe from previous posts I can fly totally in simple mode with tower which is similar?

Yeah, the Solo is capable of doing headless (simple or super-simple), the problem as you note is switching over to it. Don't know of any app that has it now, but maybe someone's modded an app to access simple or super-simple mode. As mentioned, cable cam is great for that kind of videography, but you have to set up the shot.

 

[BRBpromotions]

Yeah, the Solo is capable of doing headless (simple or super-simple), the problem as you note is switching over to it. Don't know of any app that has it now, but maybe someone's modded an app to access simple or super-simple mode. As mentioned, cable cam is great for that kind of videography, but you have to set up the shot.

So would the idea in cable cam be to set up a path, probably a little longer than needed, and then manually control or adjust pan and forward speed while flying?

 

[BRBpromotions]

Solex is my main flyer now. And its the only one I know of where the developer is active in the community and working directly with the engineers of solos next gen hardware

Thanks. What do you mean by next generation hardware? New hardware coming out for Solo?

Also, as a Solex only pilot, what is it that Solex gets you that tower and 3dr app don't? $30 or $50 isn't much but I don't want to waste it if I don't gain anything that I need. I have seen bits here an there, but I wish there was like a comparison list between the apps showing exactly what each one does, including mission planner as well. Maybe there is a list like that and I just haven't found it yet.

 

[DJMc]

The new hardware is an updated Pixhawk 2.1 made for Solo to run the main branch of Arducopter, rather than the one 3DR created specifically for Solo.

The details is here https://3drpilots.com/index.php?threads/10997/

It opens up a while range of possibilities for continuing development of hardware...Solex will support it and expand itself as hardware capabilities grow. The 3DR app will remain as is.

 

[andrew.baker.142]

So would the idea in cable cam be to set up a path, probably a little longer than needed, and then manually control or adjust pan and forward speed while flying?

Cable Cam is exactly what you are looking for. Once started the copter will fly along a straight path allowing the operator to vary speed and camera heading. No real setup required. The flight path is defined by the heading of the copter when the smart shot is enabled.
The stock 3DR has this functionality also. You don't need Solex (but I still recommend you get it).

 

[just_bruce]

You're describing Zipline, not Cable Cam, methinks.

 

[andrew.baker.142]

I stand corrected.
I thought I checked in Solex for the terminology.
Either way, it is the functionality the OP was looking for

 

[Bombadillo]

So what would be the point of somebody using the solex program versus the Stock 3dr Program? What benefits would it be to a strict hobbyist and nothing else in the game? Is there any real benefit to me spending 30 bucks for a program if I'm flying my solo successfully at this point without issue?

 

[just_bruce]

Depends on you. SOLEX has some additional smart shots, battery management functions, and other convenience features. If you're happy with what you've got, I say stick with it.

 

[andrew.baker.142]

So what would be the point of somebody using the solex program versus the Stock 3dr Program? What benefits would it be to a strict hobbyist and nothing else in the game? Is there any real benefit to me spending 30 bucks for a program if I'm flying my solo successfully at this point without issue?

No real benefit for you unless you like to customize the copter. If you are happy with the stock app, then just go fly.

 

[holditnowfilms]

The shot described would be most doable via the free look mode of follow function.

In that mode the Solo will follow either the chase vehicle or the subject vehicle depending on where you put the controller / app running device. You can then adjust speed of solo to get out in front, next to, or behind the subject vehicle all while controlling the direction of the camera and framing. So it is better than headless mode since even if the road curves Solo will still follow at the same distance and orientation you are in. I just did this exact thing last week. Insanely powerful feature.

You can come down low and in front of the subject in what will appear to be a gimbal or Russian arm shot from a chase vehicle (except no dust from camera car) then accelerat the car toward Solo as you climb Solo out of the way allowing the car to pass under Solo. Spin the camera around to see car pulling away as camera now chases the car from behind. You can slow down or speed up depending on the type of shot you're after. It really looks like a shot using a $250,000 Russian arm rig. Except where I used it on a dirt road through corn fields there is no way a Russian arm chase car could get next to the subject car without hitting the corn making the Solo shot much more impressive.

 

[BRBpromotions]

The new hardware is an updated Pixhawk 2.1 made for Solo to run the main branch of Arducopter, rather than the one 3DR created specifically for Solo.

The details is here https://3drpilots.com/index.php?threads/10997/

It opens up a while range of possibilities for continuing development of hardware...Solex will support it and expand itself as hardware capabilities grow. The 3DR app will remain as is.

Thanks everyone for all the info.

Any chance the new features from Pixhawk 2.1 will include support for other camera controls, including the Hero 5?

 

[andrew.baker.142]

No. Not until someone develops a new gimbal. The problem is GoPro keeps the interface to the camera a secret, so unless you have an arrangement with GoPro you are out of luck.
As long as Karma is alive I don't expect GoPro to be willing to do another deal like they had with 3DR back when Solo was designed.