Tower 101

[Raybro]

Hey Jerry,

Tower is an incredible piece of software with excellent features. It is also updated pretty regularly, which is also nice. Unfortunately documentation is pretty thin. Here are a couple of links to get you started..
Tower | 3DR | Drone & UAV Technology
ardupilot.com - View forum - Droidplanner

Would he need the Beta version to get video in Tower?

 

[J R]

Thanks Ray! No manuals or detailed set-up videos?

Jerry

 

[Raybro]

Thanks Ray! No manuals or detailed set-up videos?

Jerry

Not really. Just experimentation. I haven't crashed yet....knock on wood.

 

[Raybro]

Jubal is probably one of the best resources for the arducopter and pixhawk stuff. It'll take a little while getting familiar with all the parameters and settings.

 

[LDH]

I found similar results to previous posters. I actually tried to take off in Auto mode and that was a big mistake...my solo started "hopping up and down" like a frog, haha...but luckily I had assigned the "B" button to fly manual. It works great, much to my relief. Switching the B button to fly manual is something you should do in the event of a gps failure of some kind. That way you can just take control and bring your solo out of harms way. It is a good safeguard. Just be aware that if there is any wind, it will push your copter around more than you realise when the GPS is holding position. My last few missions I have let the autopilot even land for completing the mission. It has come back to within 2-3 feet every time so far..once in pretty heavy winds too. I am impressed!

 

[richkphoto]

I've used Tower a fair amount and I've taken off using the fly button , then hitting auto once in the air and I've used Tower to take off and land. I've never had any problems with either one. If I have to land in a very precise spot I'll use the Solo buttons as it's very accurate though you can direct in as it lands in Tower

 

[Maddog]

No, not at this time. Some have talked about iOS development, but the original team apparently said not interested.

So, what exactly is Mission Planner? I thought it was similar but ran on iOS, no?

 

[Jubalr]

So, what exactly is Mission Planner? I thought it was similar but ran on iOS, no?

Mission Planner has similar features as Tower but also more powerful diagnostics, but is designed to run on Windows and OSX. Nothing for iOS that I know of. I heard that the issue with coming out with an iOS version has to do with specific access to some iPhone hardware that would require rooting. A symptom of developing on a closed system.

 

[Maddog]

Mission Planner has similar features as Tower but also more powerful diagnostics, but is designed to run on Windows and OSX. Nothing for iOS that I know of. I heard that the issue with coming out with an iOS version has to do with specific access to some iPhone hardware that would require rooting. A symptom of developing on a closed system.

So, can you create a mission in Mission Planner on a desktop PC, download it to Solo (how?), and then go fly the mission?

If not, I don't see the usefulness of Planner. I'm probably missing something here- just don't know what.

 

[Jubalr]

So, can you create a mission in Mission Planner on a desktop PC, download it to Solo (how?), and then go fly the mission?

If not, I don't see the usefulness of Planner. I'm probably missing something here- just don't know what.

Yes. You can create the mission and upload it at home and initiate it at the field. However, you would need Tower to start it, as there is no 'Auto' mode in the Solo app.

 

[KRVer]

The difficulty is planning the various waypoints through out a timeline or attempt to re-order the waypoint or actions. Still a little buggie in the GUI re-order function, i.e. click and drag the timeline items to a new order.

Hey Rich - The reorder seems to work well in Tower. Just long press on a waypoint event at the bottom of the screen and then drag to wherever you want to move that in your mission sequence - the other events ripple into place and renumber themselves.

 

[Jubalr]

Hey Rich - The reorder seems to work well in Tower. Just long press on a waypoint event at the bottom of the screen and then drag to wherever you want to move that in your mission sequence - the other events ripple into place and renumber themselves.

I tried this on a mission yesterday and it worked well. I was putting in multiple ROIs and changing sequence to determine when it re-oriented it's heading. Pretty interesting.

 

[timzee]

Hey Rich - The reorder seems to work well in Tower. Just long press on a waypoint event at the bottom of the screen and then drag to wherever you want to move that in your mission sequence - the other events ripple into place and renumber themselves.

Cool-- nice tip. Had not though of long pressing the bottom waypoint list.

 

[RichWest]

Hey Rich - The reorder seems to work well in Tower. Just long press on a waypoint event at the bottom of the screen and then drag to wherever you want to move that in your mission sequence - the other events ripple into place and renumber themselves.

Thanks for confirming it's working for you, it's a great feature. FWIW, I was trying to use the feature with over 40 waypoints and/or actions. This mis-step was the re-ordering that would happen when adding a last-in action/waypoint and when moved would scramble the other item's order. Will test later this afternoon...

 

[KRVer]

Thanks for confirming it's working for you, it's a great feature. FWIW, I was trying to use the feature with over 40 waypoints and/or actions. This mis-step was the re-ordering that would happen when adding a last-in action/waypoint and when moved would scramble the other item's order. Will test later this afternoon...

It does renumber the waypoints which is confusing and I've only worked with about 15 waypoints total, FWIW.

 

[RichWest]

Just did a short circular splined layout (8WP) and then added a ROI. Moving the ROI between 1 and 2, again using the timeline, made several of the WPs flip with neighbor. Basically end up with a spiral of WPs rather than a circle as intended.

This could be a function of my inability to click and drag directly to the new location quickly. Causing the app to interpret the movement as otherwise. I'm sure this is my fault...will keep working at it.

 

[Maddog]

Yes. You can create the mission and upload it at home and initiate it at the field. However, you would need Tower to start it, as there is no 'Auto' mode in the Solo app.

Ok, thanks. Looks like an android is in my future..

 

[Jubalr]

Just did a short circular splined layout (8WP) and then added a ROI. Moving the ROI between 1 and 2, again using the timeline, made several of the WPs flip with neighbor. Basically end up with a spiral of WPs rather than a circle as intended.

This could be a function of my inability to click and drag directly to the new location quickly. Causing the app to interpret the movement as otherwise. I'm sure this is my fault...will keep working at it.

Hey Rich, I found re-ordering easier by making sure nothing was highlighted. After setting the last WP I would tap on the WP icon at the top. I would then long press the WP at the bottom and drag where I wanted it. Re-flew the mission to be sure and all worked well.

 

[RichWest]

Hey Rich, I found re-ordering easier by making sure nothing was highlighted. After setting the last WP I would tap on the WP icon at the top. I would then long press the WP at the bottom and drag where I wanted it. Re-flew the mission to be sure and all worked well.

Worked like a champ, thank you! To confirm... I highlighted the last/new WP on the SAT image and then dragged that WP's Timeline item to a new order in the Timeline.

I knew it was my fault....