Learning to fly with precision and confidence - Part 4 - ATTI Mode

[CP Anson]

This is part 4 of a 4 part article I wrote for photofocus.com. The article is based upon my own experience and an approach I use with friends and clients who are learning to fly drones.

Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot – Learning To Fly With Precision & Confidence Part 4 – ATTI Mode

Here are parts 1-3 for your convenience:
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot, Part 2
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot Part 3 – Learning To Fly With Precision & Confidence

Chris

 

[Charles R.]

This is part 4 of a 4 part article I wrote for photofocus.com. The article is based upon my own experience and an approach I use with friends and clients who are learning to fly drones.

Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot – Learning To Fly With Precision & Confidence Part 4 – ATTI Mode

Here are parts 1-3 for your convenience:
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot, Part 2
Photofocus | Becoming A Better Drone Pilot Part 3 – Learning To Fly With Precision & Confidence

Chris

HI Chris I enjoyed the articles! I had a similar experience with ATTI mode last weekend during a 1 battery flight where i had to recover my inspire 1 until it popped back into GPS mode. Luckily i was not out far. I also received compass errors and wireless interference errors. The strange this about this was that I was not near any large metal or magnetic structures just in an open field park per say. Where there is little to no interference. After a second recalibration of the compass, it happens again. Any thoughts.

 

[CP Anson]

HI Chris I enjoyed the articles! I had a similar experience with ATTI mode last weekend during a 1 battery flight where i had to recover my inspire 1 until it popped back into GPS mode. Luckily i was not out far. I also received compass errors and wireless interference errors. The strange this about this was that I was not near any large metal or magnetic structures just in an open field park per say. Where there is little to no interference. After a second recalibration of the compass, it happens again. Any thoughts.

Thanks Charles! That is strange. i have not had that happen in open conditions like that. In my article Knowing How To Fly In ATTI Mode Might Save Your Drone, @The Editor and @NickU and a few others had this valuable feedback. Perhaps they will have some insights for us.

The presence of metal itself wouldn't cause gps signal loss, but you depending on the number and position of the satellites you might have encountered some gps multipath/reflection caused by the water and/or the tall structures reflecting or refracting the satellite signals. If part of the satellite constellation was out of use or a number of satellites where close to the horizon with fewer higher/overhead then again signal could be degraded. Couple that with some minor magnetic disturbance from the iron if flying nearby and the flight controller might have had a headache deciding what was going on.

 

[Charles R.]

Thanks Charles! That is strange. i have not had that happen in open conditions like that. In my article Knowing How To Fly In ATTI Mode Might Save Your Drone, @The Editor and @NickU and a few others had this valuable feedback. Perhaps they will have some insights for us.

The presence of metal itself wouldn't cause gps signal loss, but you depending on the number and position of the satellites you might have encountered some gps multipath/reflection caused by the water and/or the tall structures reflecting or refracting the satellite signals. If part of the satellite constellation was out of use or a number of satellites where close to the horizon with fewer higher/overhead then again signal could be degraded. Couple that with some minor magnetic disturbance from the iron if flying nearby and the flight controller might have had a headache deciding what was going on.

One of the things I did do that day was calibrated the compass on-site at the location I was flying. I tend to always do this before a flight but as they mentioned this may tend to get you in trouble.

 

[CP Anson]

One of the things I did do that day was calibrated the compass on-site at the location I was flying. I tend to always do this before a flight but as they mentioned this may tend to get you in trouble.

Yes, it is possible that calibrating there caused problems. It might be an interesting test to calibrate somewhere you don't get any interference and then go back and fly that same location and see if you get problems. Although that doesn't really explain why the GPS was acting up.

 

[Scoobywrx05]

HI Chris I enjoyed the articles! I had a similar experience with ATTI mode last weekend during a 1 battery flight where i had to recover my inspire 1 until it popped back into GPS mode. Luckily i was not out far. I also received compass errors and wireless interference errors. The strange this about this was that I was not near any large metal or magnetic structures just in an open field park per say. Where there is little to no interference. After a second recalibration of the compass, it happens again. Any thoughts.

What app and firmware are you running?

 

[Charles R.]

What app and firmware are you running?

Version:
app DJI go 3.1.23
Aircraft: 1.11.01.50
Remote 1.7.80
Camera 1.11.01.50+
Fly safe database 01.00.01.05

 

[CP Anson]

Thanks Charles! That is strange. i have not had that happen in open conditions like that. In my article Knowing How To Fly In ATTI Mode Might Save Your Drone, @The Editor and @NickU and a few others had this valuable feedback. Perhaps they will have some insights for us.

The presence of metal itself wouldn't cause gps signal loss, but you depending on the number and position of the satellites you might have encountered some gps multipath/reflection caused by the water and/or the tall structures reflecting or refracting the satellite signals. If part of the satellite constellation was out of use or a number of satellites where close to the horizon with fewer higher/overhead then again signal could be degraded. Couple that with some minor magnetic disturbance from the iron if flying nearby and the flight controller might have had a headache deciding what was going on.

The other thing that I have found helpful when troubleshooting something like this is using the Assistant app on my desktop, is the reset to defaults and then refresh the current firmware.

 

[Scoobywrx05]

Version:
app DJI go 3.1.23
Aircraft: 1.11.01.50
Remote 1.7.80
Camera 1.11.01.50+
Fly safe database 01.00.01.05

Delegate go app and install new version. Then log out and back in at dji and give that a try.

 

[CP Anson]

Delegate go app and install new version. Then log out and back in at dji and give that a try.

Great suggestion! I have had that solve problems with the app as well.

 

[Charles R.]

Delegate go app and install new version. Then log out and back in at dji and give that a try.

Hi, so you are saying delete/uninstall the app or just update and log out back in.

 

[Scoobywrx05]

Hi, so you are saying delete/uninstall the app or just update and log out back in.

Delete/uninstall app then download again. After new one is on your tablet or phone log out and back in.

 

[Raymondo]

Chris, a great article as usual, but may I add something at the start?

ATTI mode is scary at first. So that pilots are prepared for it, I describe it as pushing a brick around on the ice. It goes in the direction you push it - until you stop it or push it in another direction.

Or to be more modern, think of an astronaut in space with a jet pack.

After you start moving, your drone will keep going and have to be actively slowed by gently reversing direction.

Unless you are flying into wind. The wind will slow it, but eventually start pushing it back again.

With that in mind, begin Chris's exercises.

Very satisfying when you get it right.

Good luck.

 

[CP Anson]

Thanks @Raymondo for your additional comments and kind words regarding ATTI mode. These are great things to keep in mind when you are learning to fly in ATTI mode. It is very important to realize you have to slow it down yourself.

 

[Donnie Frank]

Version:
app DJI go 3.1.23
Aircraft: 1.11.01.50
Remote 1.7.80
Camera 1.11.01.50+
Fly safe database 01.00.01.05

App: 3.1.1
App database: 00.00.01.04
Aircraft/X3: 1.08.xx
Remote: 1.6