With this new system of detecting obstacles, DJI included lots of the extremely sought-after options and capabilities of its bigger prosumer drones. Certainly one of these options could be waypoints.
Quick ahead to the 2023 launch of the Mini 4 Professional and its new omnidirectional impediment avoidance system, and flying waypoint missions has gotten even higher.
On this article, I’ll cowl what waypoint missions are, and how one can arrange and save waypoints on the DJI Mini 4 Professional.
If you’re fascinated by flying waypoint missions, this step-by-step information ought to provide help to get effectively in your method.
What are Waypoints?
When talking of flying drones, waypoints are a perform that permits the DJI Mini 4 Professional to mechanically fly a pre-planned route whereas performing varied digicam actions.
These actions embrace mechanically taking images and movies alongside the route of areas pre-designated by the drone operator.
The built-in DJI waypoint function for client drones was beforehand solely out there for the Mavic 3 Collection.
As DJI’s direct competitor, Autel has had waypoint modes on lots of its client drones for a number of years. It’s a much-needed transfer for DJI so as to add waypoint missions to their light-weight collection of drones just like the Mini 4 Professional.
Previous to DJI including waypoint performance for his or her drones, the one option to get waypoints could be via third social gathering flight app builders.
This oftentimes took fairly some time, as builders have to attend for DJI to launch the SDK (software program improvement package) for the actual drone.
After this, the third social gathering firm would want time to construct within the assist for mentioned drone mannequin.
Utilizing third social gathering software program may be inconvenient for these proudly owning both DJI RC’s or RC 2’s solely. It is because third social gathering applications can’t run on these DJI all-in-one distant controllers.
This created one other inconvenience as now the homeowners of the drones that run these distant controllers would want to buy further DJI RC-N1, RC-N2, and even DJI RC Professional distant controllers.
After all, utilizing high quality third social gathering flight management software program is just not low-cost. For instance, Litchi is at present between $24 and $26 for both iOS or Android units.
If you’re utilizing each, you’d realistically spend over $40.
By comparability, the DJI Waypoint function is free and included within the DJI Fly app for varied makes of DJI drones and distant controllers.
» MORE: DJI Waypoints (Defined for Novices)
Use Circumstances for Waypoints
With waypoints being an autonomous function, any waypoint mission might be saved and reused over and over, working with the very same parameters each time, if wanted.
Due to this function, you possibly can go to a saved waypoint location and run a beforehand saved mission over and over, precisely the identical each time.
With the flexibility for saved waypoints to be reused, they’re excellent for:
- Building development images and movies
- Earlier than and after pictures
- Seasonal development images and movies
- Day-to-night actual property movies
» MORE: Does DJI Air 2S Have Waypoints? (Defined)
How one can Set Up and Run Waypoint Missions
Observe: Waypoint missions are solely out there when in video mode.
Fundamental waypoint setup:
Step 1: Whereas in Video Mode, fly to the placement the place you’d like to begin your waypoint and faucet the Waypoints icon on the left of your display.
Step 2: Press both the C1 button or the + image so as to add a waypoint.
After including your first waypoint, you will notice it on the mini-map to the left, in addition to on the waypoint checklist.
Step 3: Proceed flying across the space, including as many waypoints as you want. Face the course you desire to the drone oriented when flying (though this may be modified later, as we’ll see).
When you’ve completed your whole waypoints, you will notice the ultimate period, distance, and waypoint rely (in parentheses) of the mission.
» MORE: Does Mavic 3 Have Waypoints and How one can Use It (Step-by-Step Information)
Modifying the Waypoints within the Present Mission
After the waypoint mission has been mapped out, there are lots of totally different choices to customise each waypoint within the mission.
To switch a waypoint motion, merely click on on the waypoint quantity you’d like to change and modify the parameters, as seen beneath:
| Digital camera Motion | Altitude | Pace | Heading | Gimbal Tilt | Zoom | Hover (Length) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Slider adjusts | International Settings | Slider adjusts | Customized, Slider adjusts |
1 – 3x | Slider adjusts |
| Take a Picture | 3 – 9x | |||||
| Begin Recording | ||||||
| Cease Recording |
Moreover, all choices might be modified at any time, after the mission has been saved, as we’ll quickly focus on.
If it’s essential delete waypoints, merely choose the specified waypoint. You’ll enter the modification display to your chosen waypoint. From there, press the delete icon.
To view your present waypoints, faucet the mini-map within the backside left-hand nook. To return to the dwell view/digicam view, faucet that space once more.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional Waypoints (Defined for Novices)
Working the Waypoint Mission
In any case particular person waypoint choices have been adjusted to your liking there are a couple of steps concerned with really working the mission.
Earlier than working the mission, there are world mission-based settings that may likewise be set. We’ll have a look at these as effectively.
Step 1: Press the again arrow on the waypoint modification display. In case you made no modifications to any of the waypoints, see Step 2.
Step 2: Press subsequent on the right-hand aspect of the waypoint part.
Step 3: You possibly can both press GO on this subsequent display or change the ultimate total flight settings first after which press go.
The flight settings are beneath the following image.
Remaining Flight Settings:
| International Pace | Digital camera | Finish of Flight | On Sign Misplaced | Begin Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slider adjusts | 1 – 3x | Hover | RTH | Select any Waypoint |
| 3 – 9x | RTH | Hover | ||
| Land | Land | |||
| Again to Begin | Proceed |
After urgent GO, wherever the drone is within the air, it’ll then proceed to the primary waypoint, modify the peak, heading, and gimbal tilt, after which proceed to run the mission.
» MORE: DJI Air 3 Waypoints (All You Have to Know)
Saving the Waypoint Mission
Any waypoint mission might be saved upon completion.
The automated method of doing so could be by exiting the Waypoint perform totally.
At this level, upon exit, you’ll be prompted to both save the mission and exit or exit with out saving.
You can even manually save your waypoint mission.
To manually save your mission:
Step 1: Press the Save icon, which appears to be like like a sheet of paper.
Step 2: You’ll be delivered to the Waypoint Historical past display, along with your present waypoint mission on the highest. Press SAVE.
Step 3: Select between both Save, which is able to save the mission as a generic file identify, or Save As, which is able to permit you to save the mission as one thing recognizable.
Your newly saved waypoint mission will now present up with the date the mission was saved.
» MORE: DJI Mini 4 Professional – How one can Use Energetic Monitor 360 (With Video)
Creating Distant Waypoint Missions
One of many nice issues concerning the waypoint mission planner is that you just shouldn’t have to be on the location the place you wish to fly to create waypoints.
For this text, I created a mission miles from the place I subsequently ran the waypoints for this text.
I created the mission early within the day, then drove half-hour to the placement the place the mission would run later within the day and ran the mission.
This might show to be very helpful for individuals who must plan shopper or industrial missions previous to getting on location.
Moreover, with the flexibility to change waypoints within the mission planner, any peak and motion changes might be made as soon as on location and surveying the mission website.
To remotely create a waypoint mission:
Step 1: Whereas each the Mini 4 Professional and distant controller are on, faucet on the realm map within the decrease left-hand nook of the display. Then increase the realm map within the digicam view display.
Step 2: Open the waypoint mode by urgent the waypoint icon.
Step 3: Find the realm on the map you wish to place your first waypoint. Faucet the realm along with your finger to set the waypoint. Proceed to do that for all of the waypoints wanted.
Step 4: Save the waypoint mission by tapping on the save icon.
Step 5: Both Save the mission or do a Save As and identify the mission one thing customized.
Step 6: Exit the waypoint mission planner.
As a short reminder, these are the most important issues to know earlier than setting waypoints remotely:
- The Mini 4 Professional and distant controller have to be powered on and linked to the web. That is wanted for the waypoints to make use of the map function.
- As a substitute of utilizing the C1 button or + image, faucet the display on the designated waypoint location so as to add the waypoint.
- Any waypoints might be modified at any time after the mission is saved. Even remotely.