Aero-M Operation Manual Thank you for purchasing an Aero-M! This manual contains important information about your aerial mapping platform. Please read these instructions before your first flight. 1 Plan 1 2 Fly 20 3 Process 37 Appendix 41 Online information portal: 3DR.com/Aero-M 3DR support: help@3DR.com Terms and conditions: 3DR.com/terms Pix4D instructions: support.Pix4D.com V.
1 Plan Parts 2 Flight Battery 3 Charging 3 Safety 3 Powering the Aero 4 Mission Planning 8 Operating Parameters 8 Load Maps 9 Draw Polygon 10 Configure Survey 11 Save and Write Mission 19 Camera Setup 5 3DR EAI 5 Charging 5 Starting a Mission 5 Mounting 6 Ground Station Setup 7 Download Software 7 Connect to Radio 7 1
Parts RC controller and accessories Aero ground station radio batteries (2) micro-USB cable camera charger and accessories wing spar battery guard bag horizontal stabilizer wing rubber bands (4 plus 2 spare) wings propellers (1 plus 1 spare) hex keys (?) propeller wrench registration card and Pix4D license key spare control horns (2) spare servo rods (2) FPV/OSD System If you selected to receive a FPV/OSD system, those components will be included with the Aero’s accessories.
Flight Battery The Aero is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. Charge the battery before your first flight. Charging Safety 1 Connect the charger to the power adapter cable and a wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the + port and the black cable to the - port. 2 Set the charger to LiPo and 3A. ! Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged battery.
Powering the Aero 1 Turn on the controller. To avoid triggering the controller’s startup alarm, ensure that all switches are set back (away from you) and the throttle stick is set fully down. 2 Open the battery compartment by sliding the knob on the orange switch forward and lifting out the lid. ! It is important to establish communication before powering on the Aero. Always turn on the controller before connecting the battery.
Camera Setup The Aero includes a Canon PowerShot SX260 HS running the 3DR EAI script. 3DR EAI (Exposure-Aperture-ISO) Charging 3DR EAI runs on the Canon Hacker Development Kit (CHDK), a powerful opensource tool that expands the functionality of Canon point-and-shoot cameras. 3DR EAI optimizes image exposure and integrates with the Pixhawk autopilot to enable distance-based imaging. Charge the camera battery before your first flight. Once fully charged, insert the battery into the camera.
Mounting The camera mounts to the Aero inside the battery compartment and connects to the autopilot using the mini-USB cable. When the camera is ready to start the mission, insert the camera into the mount inside the battery compartment as shown below, connect the mini-USB cable to the camera, and secure the camera in place using the velcro strap. The camera mount includes a lens cap that protects the filter during travel.
Ground Station Setup Mission Planner allows you to turn a Windows laptop into a full-featured ground station for configuring and monitoring autonomous missions. You will need to take this laptop into the field when you fly the mission. As part of the mission procedure, you will use the Pix4D Rapid Check to verify the quality of the image set before leaving the field.
Mission Planning Operating Parameters The Aero is a complete solution for creating high-resolution visual-spectrum aerial maps.
Load Maps Mission Planner allows you to plan the mission away from the mapping location; however, it is important to assess the environmental conditions on site at the time of the mission and adjust the flight plan if necessary. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission at the mapping location. To create or alter the mission, Mission Planner requires an Internet connection to access the maps.
Draw Polygon To begin planning the mapping mission, select the area you want to map using the Polygon tool. You’ll be able to adjust the size and shape of the polygon later in the mission configuration process. 1 Select Flight Plan, and zoom to your mapping location. 2 Right click on the map. Select Draw Polygon and Add Polygon Point. Click and drag to add points around the area you want to map. 3 Right click on the polygon. Select Auto WP and Survey (Grid) to open the Survey Tool.
Configure Survey: Set Default Parameters The Survey tool allows you to configure a mapping mission according to the Aero’s operating parameters and the current environmental conditions at the mapping location. First, set the default values for the Aero. Set Camera Canon SX260-SX280 Set Camera Orientation Uncheck the option for Camera top facing forward. Set Default Speed 15 m/s Apply Survey Speed Check the option for Use speed for this mission.
Configure Survey: Set Angle Next configure the angle of the flight path for the current wind conditions. Set Angle Wind Direction In environments with winds of less than 6 m/s, set the angle so that the Aero flies into the wind. In winds from 7-10 m/s, configure the flight path to travel perpendicular to the wind so the Aero flies crosswind. wind Mission Planner Survey tool No. of Strips Adjust the angle so that the Aero makes as few turns as possible to complete its course. The No.
Configure Survey: Set Altitude The survey altitude determines the duration of the mission and the ground resolution of the final map. Adjust altitude to balance flight time and power consumption with the current environmental conditions. Set Altitude Standard operating altitude: 100 m Operating altitude range: 80-120 m Increasing altitude decreases flight time, allowing you to cover more area per minute. Decreasing altitude improves ground resolution.
Configure Survey: Check Photo Interval With the basic parameters in place, verify that the photo interval calculated from the altitude and speed complies with the operating parameters for the camera. Mission Planner Survey tool Check Photo Interval Photo Every must be longer than 2 seconds for the SX260 camera. Altitude Increasing altitude increases photo interval. ! Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is appropriate for your flying area and local regulations.
Configure Survey: Set Takeoff and Landing Now select a takeoff and landing pattern, either manual or automatic. Takeoff and Land WP’s For automatic takeoff and landing Check the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option. Uncheck the Use RTL option. This will create a takeoff waypoint and a placeholder waypoint for the landing pattern. After accepting the survey, configure the automatic landing pattern by following the instructions on page 20.
Configure Survey: Advanced Options The Survey tool includes the following advanced configuration options. These options allow you to customize the mission to comply with best operating practices. Check Advanced Options to view the Survey Tool’s advanced configuration options. Select Grid Options Set OverShoot The Aero has a minimum turning radius of 90 degrees.
Configure Survey: Accept Survey Before accepting the survey, verify that the mission complies with the Aero’s operating parameters. Operating Parameters Camera Canon SX260-SX280 Altitude 80-120 m Camera top facing forward unchecked Flying speed 9-15 m/s Use speed for this mission checked (optional if speed set to default speed of 15 m/s) Photo Every greater than 2 s Flight time under 40 min depending on environmental conditions Mission Planner Survey tool Accept Select Accept to create this mission.
Configuring Automatic Takeoff and Landing If you selected automatic landing in the Survey Tool by checking the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option and unchecking the Use RTL option, you will need to configure the landing waypoint pattern manually at this step in the mission planning process. To begin, determine the direction of the wind and select an unobstructed area 200-500 m in length leading to the launch point, into the wind.
Save and Write Mission For the Aero to run the mission, write the waypoint file to the autopilot. Don’t forget to save the waypoint file to your ground station for future use. Select Save WP File to save the mission file to your computer. To repeat this mapping mission, load the saved WP file from your computer. Select Write WPs to save the mission to the Aero.
2 Fly Safety 21 Aircraft Operation 22 Components 22 Assembly 23 Controls 26 Modes 27 Arming and Disarming 28 LED Indicators and Tones 28 GPS Lock 28 Preflight Checks 29 Manual and Automatic Takeoff 32 Manual and Automatic Landing 33 FPV System Operation 34 Flying Mapping Missions 35 Takeoff Checklist 35 Initiating 35 Monitoring 35 Failsafes 36 20
Safety To ensure safe and successful flying, familiarize yourself with the safety information on this page. Always fly in accordance with your location regulations and these best operating practices. visual line moves Before you fly, determine the boundaries of your safe flying area. If the Aero of sight outside the designated area or exhibits instability in flight, switch to fly-by-wire mode and land the plane manually.
Aircraft Operation Components nose rudder body left wing elevator right wing motor tail boom Aero tail tail airspeed sensor battery compartment video system compartment (above battery compartment) electronics compartment (under wings) left aileron right aileron Aero (top) ground station radio controller If the terms above are unfamiliar to you, visit 3DR.com/Aero-M, and dive into the exciting world of planes with our Introduction to Flying Fixed-Wing Aircraft.
Assembly Tail Slide the horizontal stabilizer into the vertical stabilizer along the orange groove. Make sure not to stress any of the components on the tail. Turn the plane over and insert the provided tail screw into the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. Horizontal stabilizer Tail screw Tail assembly (underside) Vertical stabilizer Complete tail assembly On the top of the horizontal stabilizer, open the blue clasp at the end of the servo rod.
Wings Attach a wing onto each side of the spar. Do not twist the wing or the spar so as not to stress the foam. Locate the two cables inside the electronics compartment marked AILE. Connect these cables to the two cables on the wings marked AILE. (Either of the wing cables can connect to either of the plane cables; the order doesn’t matter.) Place the wings over the body of the Aero with the foam squares fitted into the matching space in the electronics compartment. Make sure not to pinch the AILE cables.
Propeller Locate the rings inside the propeller package. Remove the ring with the second-largest internal diameter, and insert it into the back of the propeller hub. Remove the nut and the washer from the motor, add the propeller with the writing on the propeller facing towards the nose of the plane, add the washer and the nut over the propeller, and tighten the nut.
Controls yaw left Turn left. Fly the Aero manually using the RC controller. throttle pitch yaw right Turn right. yaw roll roll left Roll left. Throttle: Move the left stick forward and backward to control the motor. Yaw: Move the left stick horizontally to turn left and right using the rudder. Pitch: Move the right stick up to pitch down and down to pitch up. Roll: Move the right stick left and right to control the bank angle. roll right Roll right.
Modes Auto - fly a mission Fly an autonomous mission. This is the mode that the Aero will use to create the map. To select a flight mode: First, set the GEAR/MIX switch to select a set of modes. Then use the FLAP/GYRO switch to 0, 1, or 2 to select a specific mode. Fly by Wire - assisted manual control Let the autopilot manage the control surfaces, and navigate based on where you want the Aero to fly. Fly-by-wire mode* (FBW) is the easiest way to fly and is the recommended mode for new operators.
Arming & Disarming LED Indicators Arming and disarming are important steps that must be completed before takeoff and after landing to activate and deactivate the motor, respectively. Initializing, please wait Acquiring GPS, please wait Before arming, check the status LED. The LED will flash blue while the Aero acquires GPS; this can take a few minutes. Once you see the green LED, the autopilot has acquired GPS lock. Armed, GPS locked Loss of RC signal, automatic landing Initializing, please wait.
Preflight Checks Before each flight, perform a physical component check, center of gravity check, and control checks in both manual and stabilize modes. If any of the components or assemblies in these checks are not secure, tighten the screws or use CA glue (super glue) to secure the components to the foam. 1 Examine the Aero to ensure that all components are secured in flight configuration. »» Check that the wings, tail, and tail boom are fully assembled and securely attached.
Preflight Checks: Manual Control Check Before flying, power and arm the Aero on the ground and complete these checks to verify that the control surfaces respond correctly to the control inputs. Place the plane on the ground, and set the mode switches to select manual mode. Move each of the sticks as shown, and check for the corresponding movement of the motor or control surfaces. 1 Raise the throttle slightly until the motor spins, then immediately set the throttle back to fully down position.
Preflight Checks: Stabilize Control Check Set the mode switches to stabilize, and hold the plane in front of you. Move the plane as shown, and check for the stabilization response from the control surfaces. 1 Test: Tilt the plane left. 2 Test: Tilt the plane down. Result: Left aileron tilts down, right aileron tilts up. Result: Elevator tilts up. Test: Tilt the plane right. Result: Left aileron tilts up, right aileron tilts down. Test: Tilt the plane up. Result: Elevator tilts down.
Automatic Takeoff Manual Takeoff Auto-takeoff works by sensing the movement of the plane and launching it in that direction. Set the Aero to autonomous mode when you’re ready to launch. If you’re new to planes, we recommend having a friend help you launch the Aero. Have your friend throw the Aero while you control the controller. Find a launching area with at least 100 feet of clear space in front of you. Face into the wind, and hold the body of the Aero in one hand under the center of gravity.
Manual Landing Automatic Landing When you’re ready to end your flight, follow these steps to land: To land automatically at the end of the mission, the Aero requires the mission to be configured with a specific pattern of landing waypoints that gradually decreases the altitude so that the Aero can land safely. For instructions on configuring automatic landing, see page 18. »» Fly a circle pattern above your landing area.
FPV System Operation If you selected to receive an optional FPV/OSD system, the components are pre-installed into the Aero to transmit on-board video. 2 Wire and power receiver Parts Transmitter AV receiver Battery connector Camera Attach an antenna to the receiver. Connect the AV output cable to either receiver AV OUT port. Connect the RC power cable to the receiver DC IN port, and attach a battery to the red connector.
Flying Mapping Missions Takeoff Checklist Initiating Before flying the mission, check the following: For automatic takeoff, set the Aero to auto mode and launch according to the instructions in the Automatic Takeoff section of these instructions (page 33). »» Camera is on with mission script ready and is secured into the mount with the mini-USB cable connected and the cap removed. »» Aero is powered and connected to the ground station with all pre-flight checks passed.
al line ght 00 ft (30 m) Failsafes The Aero is programmed with a set of failsafe behaviors to prevent a crash in the event of a loss of one of the data or communication channels required for autonomous flight. Although certain failsafe have assigned LED indicators and tones, it is unlikely that you will be able to see these at a distance. Monitor the Flight Data screen for failsafe indications. If a failsafe is triggered, the assigned behavior will activate.
3 Process On-Site Quality Check 38 Spot Check 38 Download Images 38 Download Log File 39 Pix4D Rapid Check 40 Full Processing 40 37
On-Site Quality Check Before leaving the survey site, check the images using Pix4D to ensure sufficient quality for mapping by downloading the images from the SD card, downloading the log file from the Aero, and completing Rapid Check Initial Processing in Pix4D. If you observe poor image quality or the quality report returns errors, see the Image Quality Troubleshooting section on page 45 and repeat the mission.
Download Log File Pix4D uses the GPS data from the Aero’s log file to georeference the images. To download the Aero’s dataflash log, power the Aero and connect to Mission Planner. The download process will be faster if you connect the micro-USB cable directly to Pixhawk’s micro-USB port instead of connecting using the ground station radio. (When connecting directly to the Aero, set the rate to 115200.
Pix4Dmapper Rapid Check: Create Project 1 Open Pix4D Mapper, and create a new project. 2 Select Aerial Nadir as the project type. 3 After adding the images, select From File to add the geolocation data from the Aero’s log file. In the pop-up window, select 3D Robotics Flight Log as the file format, and upload the dataflash log file downloaded from Mission Planner. Pix4Dmapper Rapid Check: Initial Processing After creating the project, select the Local Processing screen (Process menu).
Appendix Aerial Imaging Concepts 42 3DR EAI 43 Image Quality Troubleshooting 45 Operational Troubleshooting 46 41
Aerial Imaging Concepts Understanding key concepts in aerial images can help you understand the mission planning process and create better maps. Distance-Based Imaging By default, the Aero captures only the images required to create the map. The autopilot monitors the distance traveled by the Aero and sends a command to the camera to capture an image at the distance interval specified by the camera trigger distance parameter (CAM_ TRIGG_DIST).
3DR EAI 3DR EAI is based on KAP UAV Exposure Control Script v3.1: a great opensource project for kite and UAV aerial photography. Start and Stop Script Ensure the camera is set to P (program) mode before powering the camera. Upon startup, 3DR EAI starts automatically and listens for commands from the autopilot, indicated by waiting for USB signal. To stop (and re-start) the script, press the shutter button. The script will display INTERRUPTED when stopped.
Updating the Script 3DR EAI is an open-source project and continuously improving. To download the latest script, visit 3DR.com/Aero-M and select 3DR EAI Source. You will be redirected to the GitHubt repository where you can right-click on Raw and select Save Link to download the latest script labeled 3DR_EAI_SX260. lua. Memory Reset If the battery is left out of the camera for too long, the camera will reset its memory. To re-configure the camera in this case, visit 3DR.com/Aero-M for instructions.
Image Quality Troubleshooting If you observe poor image quality during the spot check or if you receive error messages during processing, use the settings below to troubleshoot the image quality. Blurry Images To correct motion blur, adjust the shutter speed using the Target Tv parameter in the script menu. Target Tv (shutter speed) default: To correct moderate motion blur: To correct severe motion blur: 1/1250 Set to 1/1600. Set to 1/2000.
Operational Troubleshooting No Images Captured 1 If the camera did not capture any images during the mission, first perform a physical inspection on the Aero. Is the mini-USB cable connected to the camera’s USB port? 2 Take a distance-triggered test image on the ground by manually setting the camera trigger distance parameter to 1 m. Power the Aero and connect to Mission Planner. Select Config/Tuning and Full Parameter List. Change the CAM_TRIGG_DIST parameter to 1, and select Write Params.
