Hi, I'd like to get some info on flying the ALTA indoors (in large industrial spaces). As I understand it, there shouldn't be any issues in general if I'm flying only in Height Hold mode or full manual. Is that correct? Or does ALTA need the GPS at all times, even when in Manual mode? The thing is, our ALTA won't boot up succesfully indoors at all, probably because of the GPS signal being so weak. That makes me concerned, because I've previously flown some Phantoms and they boot up just fine indoors (when not in GPS mode). So in a nutshell: can I fly our ALTA indoors, and if yes what settings/specifications do I need to know about? Thank you!
Greetings Aleksi. I recently flew a day inside an extremely large and seriously steel laden building. Starting, flying and landing in manual mode were not a problem. I required no setting changes and was able to intermix external and internal flights. The Alta never knew it was inside or outside as long as I stayed totally in manual.
we filmed in a big church here in Germany without any problems. manual and height mode are super smooth inside. you will love the ALTA flying inside be sure to let all the doors closed when flying in height mode (barometer).
Hi Aleski... I think the Synapse don´t like to boot in extremely magnetic interference area... I have the same problem to boot it near a High voltage tower... at last it did not boot at all, and I have to finish the job with and S900 + GH4... maybe the factory have large equipment that use a lot of electricity... that may be the problem not the GPS...
Thanks for the replies, everybody! So it seems that everyhting should be fine when booting and flying indoors in manual mode. I'll have to examine the booting issues closer and see what's up... I just got an error when booting and thought it was the GPS since it booted fine outside.
Hello, I was in a sound stage and the ALTA wouldn't boot until I propped it up on a Pelican case. Pretty sure it was a compass issue from steel in the floor. Also turn GPS Height Assist to off when indoors and flying in height hold. Best, Jeff
Jeff: if it was a plenum floor, (that is raised tiles), it probably had numerous cables underneath too, all messin' with Mother Earth's magnetic field. Andy.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you should have gps height assist off at all times pending a firmware update.
Hi, can anyone advise how/where to toggle on & off the GPS height assist please on Alta please? I can't find anything in the app. Thanks
Neil: Check out the left hand image at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/freefly-alta/id992259653?mt=8 Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
How on earth did I miss that!?? I started looking into the GPS when I tried taking off the other day in manual & it wouldn't let me arm, looked on here & found that the Alta won't boot properly if the airframe is turning on the movi in the wind or such, but updated firmware & there was a fix for that anyway (best fix is the prop foam wedged between Movi & Alta during boot, in my opinion - as mentioned here on the forum), so that is sorted, I had thought at first that the Alta would refuse to take off without a certain amount of sats/GPS fix. Something else I'm concerned about is the altitude reading, on the ground recently it displayed -161 when I was in fact at 390 amsl, I was unable to abandon the takeoff as it was an exam, unfortunately I had to preform a RTH which obviously worried me (given the altitude error), it didn't find a height then come back, it made a diagonal, slight ascent then began landing at which point I was allowed to take back Manual control. Am going to try manual compass calibration etc & see if anything changes but if anyone else has experienced strange altitude readings & has any advice... Many thanks Andy, can't believe I missed that
No sweat, Neil. Personally I have never, ever missed anything when it was hidden in full view! Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
Hmm. That's curious. Are you sure that you went to Configurations -> Aircraft Dynamics -> Height? EDIT: Sorry....I looked at my copy of the app before I looked at your screen capture. I see it there on my iPhone app. v. 1.5. Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
Just updated android device to App version 1.5 & it's missing from there too, will open a ticket with Freefly I guess
I just uploaded a screen grab (above) from my app. (not connected to ALTA at the time). ...mine's an iPhone 6 running iOS 9.3.2 by the way, should that be relevant (and I'd be surprised if it is). That's sufficiently odd to warrant an email to support@freeflysystems.com to ask. Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
I'd be very surprised, I think it would either install or not install the app, my ipad is up do date also. I'll see what they're saying & relay back what I find
Incidentally, the GPS height assist tab appears in my apps height configuration when the app is not connected to the Alta. It then disappears when connected to the Alta, I've tested this with & without a GPS fix, anyone else experiencing anything similar?
Oh....that's interesting. I was not connected to the ALTA at the time I looked either. Andy Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. The Ground Is The Limit™ ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert