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Astro Public

Astro

Astro is the next generation of Freefly aircraft. Astro emphasizes expandability and customization to make sure it can stand up to all challenges thrown its way, while still being the reliable workhorse drone that Freefly pilots know and love.

If you aren't sure where to begin with Astro, start here!

The Pilot's Operating Handbook describes the complete operation of aircraft and flight control systems. Read and understand this manual before operating Astro.

This handbook is not a substitute for adequate flight training. Training requirements can vary when operating in different countries or under different flight conditions. Always consult local regulations before flying Astro. In areas where there are no flight training requirements, it is the sole determination of the pilot-in-command as to whether he or she has the appropriate level of training or experience for a given flight. Always set and adhere to personal minimums and fly within your own capabilities.

Describes the maintenance schedule and various maintenance procedures.

Lists the (official and unofficial) payloads that are compatible with Astro, as well as their operational and maintenance instructions.

Performance specs along with all the resources needed to build accessories and payloads that work with Astro.

This is a menu of Astro building blocks that enable various customer workflows.

Formatting

Throughout this wiki, Warnings, Cautions, and Notes are used to highlight various important points. These are defined as follows:

‌Warnings are used to highlight procedures that, if not strictly observed, may result in personal injury.

Cautions are used to highlight procedures that, if not strictly observed, may cause damage to equipment.

Notes are used to highlight specific operating conditions, usability tips and tricks, or steps of a procedure.

Support

If you have questions about Astro, please contact Freefly Support.

Pilot's Operating Handbook

The Pilot's Operating Handbook describes complete operation of aircraft and flight control systems. Read and understand this manual before operating Astro.

Getting Started

How to get set up for a successful and safe first flight!

1. Unboxing and powering on your Astro

Open up the Astro case and you will see the Astro, a quick start guide, and the controller.
Remove the controller from the case, peel off the sticker from the controller screen, and press the power button. Once powered on, select the AMC app to open the mission application.
Pull the Astro out of the case- the landing gear is already extended!
1. If you bought an Astro Map, the Mapping Payload will be connected to the Dovetail on the bottom of Astro.
Remove the card insert from the top of your Astro- you likely scanned the QR code or followed the URL to get to this page.
Insert 1 SL8 battery into the Astro until you hear two clicks- this means that the battery is electrically connected to the Astro.
Press the button on the battery twice and the Astro will turn on.

Note: Power Astro with only 1 battery if you need the drone powered but are not flying. The Astro has a safety mechanism where it will prevent arming with only 1 battery, making it much safer to have powered on while the propellers are installed.

2. Connecting your Astro to the Internet

Connecting the Astro to the internet allows you to connect to the Auterion Suite, load maps, download software updates, and communicate with your drone

Some Astros ship with a trial T-Mobile LTE SIM card enabled that will allow the Astro to connect to the Internet right out of the box!

To ensure your drone always is connected to the Suite after a day of flying, connect your aircraft to a wifi network. To connect your Astro to the wifi:

Open AMC Herelink or PC. If using a PC, connect to Astro with a USB-C cable.
Power Astro.
Tap the icon in the top-left of AMC. Navigate to Vehicle Setup > WiFi
Select Station mode, which allows Astro to connect to another wifi network.
Enter the login credentials for your wifi access point.

3. Registering your Astro in the Auterion Suite

In order to get the best Freefly customer support, the Freefly Astro comes with the Auterion Enterprise Suite which is an online fleet management tool that unlocks the superpowers of Astro.
1. The Suite is where the data of your fleet is collected, analyzed, and presented. You get insights on vehicles, assets, and operations to keep control over your robotics program.
2. Using the Suite is the quickest and easiest way to get the best Freefly support for your aircraft- you can easily share aircraft logs directly with Freefly customer support in case of issues with just two clicks.
To get started, ensure Astro is powered on
Using a web browser, go to the following address to connect to the Astro: http://astro.local (If you have issues, you can also navigate to 10.41.1.1in your browser)
Connect a USB-C cable from your computer to the IO panel on the underside of the Freefly Astro. Refresh the web page if the Astro dashboard does not appear
1. If you don't already have an Astro fleet registered in your Auterion Suite, you will need to make a Suite Account before registering the aircraft. Just follow the online prompts from the Suite to make your account.
2. Once you make your account, then you can claim the aircraft and it will show up in your Suite account
Ensure that you go to the settings for the aircraft and enable the data permissions to allow the Astro to communicate to the Suite
Once complete with the signup process, you should see the Astro unit listed under the "Vehicles" Section on the main dashboard of the Auterion Suite.

The USB C physical connection to the Astro for the initial registration is required for security reasons as the Suite enables location data, live streaming, etc. You can sign up for the Suite and register an Astro in the Suite with just the Serial Number, but you will not be able to enable any data sharing without making a physical connection to the drone.

4. Getting Hardware charged and ready

You should have received an Astro in a case and a separate shipment of batteries (We have to ship separately due to Dangerous Goods shipping requirements.) The chargers are going to be located in the Astro travel case under the battery foam insert.
Connect the Astro batteries to the charger and charge until complete.
Plug in the Herelink controller into a Micro USB cable and charge until complete.
Check that the Astro firmware and Herelink firmware are up to date.

5. Go Flying

Read the Flight section of this wiki, and learn how to control Astro.
Watch the First Flight Guide instructional video below.

Go Flying! To ensure that the Pilot is using best practices, there is a quick checklist card included in the Astro case.
If you have the Mapping Payload, then review how to produce high-quality maps using Astro Map in the Mapping Payload wiki section.
Once you have performed your first flights, you can review your flights in the Auterion Suite and if there are any issues, you can easily share the flight logs with our support team straight from the Suite.
Now that you have completed your first flight, dive in, learn the details, and put Astro to work!

Pilot skill with Manual Mode is required for Emergency Procedures.

Overview

Astro is a compact professional multi-rotor aircraft designed for enterprise, industrial, and cinematic applications. Astro is built on the success of the Alta family of aircraft and includes new technologies like Auterion Skynode and Freefly SuperLight Batteries.

Astro is the next generation of Freefly aircraft, which emphasizes expandability and customization to make sure it can stand up to all challenges thrown its way while still being the reliable workhorse drone that Freefly pilots know and love.

Key Components

Astro Aircraft Layout

Herelink Controller

Astro ships with the Herelink controller as the pilot headset. It runs a custom version of Auterion Mission Control as its flight software.

SuperLight Battery

SuperLight Lithium-ion batteries are designed and manufactured by Freefly. You can find more information on the battery in the SuperLight Battery section of the wiki.

Status Indicator LED

There are 5 total status LEDs on the Astro. The 4 LEDs at the end of each boom show constant lights in most circumstances. By default, the rear two boom LEDs are red, and the front two boom LEDs are green. These LEDs will blink as the battery gets low, and blink quickly if there is an error.

The aircraft status indicator uses a multi-color LED to communicate aircraft status on the ground. It is located on the front-left boom of the aircraft, as pictured below in blue. See the table for complete information.

Flight Part 1 - Flight Modes

Flight Modes

Astro offers several flight modes with varying levels of assistance to the pilot.

Flight mode can be changed via the pilot's handset and the AMC app on Herelink or PC. See the documentation for the equipment you're using to become familiar with the buttons/switches involved.

Manual Mode may be necessary to react to emergency situations. Pilots should be proficient in Manual Mode. Position, Altitude, and Return Mode are assistive only and are not a replacement for pilot skill and preparedness.

Always neutralize the control input sticks on the pilot handset when switching between control modes to prevent unexpected aircraft movement.

Pilot-controlled Modes

In Position Mode, when the sticks are centered, the aircraft will maintain its position over a point on the ground and maintain altitude, correcting for disturbances.

In Position Mode, the pitch/roll stick commands the speed of the drone relative to the ground. The further upward the pitch/roll stick, the faster Astro will fly forward. When the pitch/roll stick is pulled downward, Astro will fly backward. Similarly, the pitch/roll stick will move the drone in the left and right directions when moved to the left and right.

The throttle stick commands vertical speed. The further upward the throttle stick, the faster Astro will climb. Conversely, the lower the throttle stick position, the faster Astro will descend. Deflecting the throttle stick left and right controls the yaw rate, with the speed of rotation proportional to stick deflection.

Position Mode requires a strong GPS signal. If a weak signal is present, Astro will not enter Position Mode.

If the signal deteriorates, such as near buildings or under dense tree cover, the aircraft will automatically revert to Altitude mode.

Flight using Position Mode in areas of degraded GPS signal, such as near buildings or under dense tree cover, is not recommended. The automatic reversion to Altitude Mode can cause unexpected, abrupt changes in flight behavior.

Similarly to Position mode, the pitch/roll stick moves Astro laterally relative to the ground and the throttle stick commands vertical speed and yaw. However, while the drone is able to hold its vertical position using the barometer and GPS, lateral speed is not controlled by the autopilot in Altitude mode. Astro will drift with the wind, will not stop immediately after lateral movement, and will probably not hold a single point above the ground without pilot input.

The aircraft holds altitude above Mean Sea Level (MSL) by default. It is not aware of terrain height changes or obstacles without additional configuration and equipment.

In Manual Mode, when the pitch and roll stick is centered, the aircraft will attempt to remain level, and will drift with the wind. The aircraft will require constant throttle adjustment to hold altitude.

In Manual Mode, the pitch and roll stick controls aircraft angle. The further upward the pitch stick, the further Astro will tilt forward. When the pitch stick is pulled downward, Astro will tilt backward. Similarly for roll in the left and right directions. Lateral speed is not controlled by the autopilot.

The throttle stick controls motor speed directly. Deflecting the throttle stick left and right controls yaw rate. The speed of yaw rotation is proportional to stick deflection.

Manual Mode Settings

The hover throttle setting controls the amount of thrust Astro produces when the throttle stick is centered. The default setting of 34% will hover the aircraft with no payload. A setting of approximately 40% will hover with 1500 grams of payload.

Adjust this setting in AMC Herelink or PC:

Enable Advanced Mode (tap logo top left many times)
Vehicle Setup > Tuning

Learn Manual Mode

Autonomous Modes

Return Mode commands Astro to climb to the Return Altitude, fly back to the Home Point in a straight line, and land. Return Mode requires GPS.

Return Altitude is set by the pilot at AMC > Vehicle Setup > Safety. Please note that if Astro is above the Return Altitude when Return Mode is initiated, it will maintain altitude instead of dropping to the return altitude.

The Home Point is set to the GPS coordinates where Astro is armed. Home Point is reset every time Astro is armed.

Before every flight, think through the path the aircraft will take if Return Mode is activated, and adjust settings to arrange for safe behavior.

For example, activating Return Mode while flying under an obstacle lower than the Return Altitude will cause a collision when the aircraft attempts to climb to Return Altitude. In some cases, it may be possible to set a lower Return Altitude, and in other cases, it may not be possible to use Return Mode.

It is possible to change from Return to Position Mode by moving the sticks, except if Return Mode was activated by the low battery failsafe. In that case, press another flight mode button to change out of Return Mode.

Takeoff Mode can be engaged via the button in the AMC app Fly view, optionally changing Takeoff Altitude via the slider, then holding/sliding to confirm. Takeoff Mode can also be engaged during a mission, for example as the first command.

Takeoff Mode requires GPS lock.

Moving the sticks while in Hold Mode (i.e. after the aircraft has finished climbing) will cause a change to Position Mode. This makes it easy to take control without pressing the Position Mode button.

Landing Mode

Landing Mode causes Astro to descend and land directly below the position where Land Mode is engaged. Once on the ground, Astro will disarm.

Landing mode can be engaged via the button on the AMC app Fly screen. You'll need to hold the button down to confirm the switch.

Landing Mode is often the last command in a mission. It can also be engaged by a failsafe, such as low battery level, or loss of signal.

Land Mode requires GPS when engaged manually.

When Land Mode is engaged by a failsafe, and GPS is not available, the autopilot behavior will be similar to Altitude Mode and the aircraft may drift horizontally as it descends.

When activated by a low battery failsafe, Return and Landing Mode cannot be overridden by stick movement. They can be overridden by pressing a flight mode button (e.g. Position).

Mission Mode allows Astro to execute a predefined autonomous waypoint mission that has been uploaded to the flight controller via AMC. For more information on all the different options and abilities built into the Mission Mode, see the AMC docs, sections such as:

Starting a mission can cause the aircraft to arm itself and take off without any further pilot input. Before starting a mission, ensure that the aircraft is clear of obstacles in the propeller arc and flight path.

Moving the sticks will cause a change to Position Mode. This makes it easy for the pilot to take control if needed.

Astro must have a GPS lock before takeoff to set a valid home position in order to start a mission. Mission mode will be unavailable if the aircraft took off before a GPS lock was achieved. The pilot must land and rearm with GPS lock to enable it.

Flight part 2 - Operation

Make sure you understand Astro's and understand how to operate the drone in before taking flight.

Astro Checklist

Below is our recommended Astro flight checklist, which covers the main considerations you need to be aware of before, during, and after operation.

We also offer this checklist as a to allow for a more customized experience. For example, you might want to add specific items to better reflect your company's safety procedures, workflow, payload, or region.

Before Flight

Powering On and Checking Battery Level

To power on the Astro, connect at least one SL8 battery by sliding it along the rails on top of the aircraft until you hear two clicks. Press the button on the battery twice.

To power the Herelink, press and hold the power button below the screen until you see the Herelink logo appear. In the AMC app, the Herelink Controller indicates Astro's battery level and the battery level of the handset in the top menu bar.

Issues Preventing Arming

You may occasionally encounter issues that will prevent Astro from arming

Compass Cal

Everything else

Arming and Disarming

Astro's propulsion system has two fundamental states: Disarmed and Armed.

Astro can be armed with or without GPS.

Pro Tip: Wait for GPS lock even if you don't plan to use Position Mode because Return Mode relies on GPS.

Before arming, ensure people and other obstacles are clear of the propellers. Be prepared for Astro to take off.

It is not possible to disarm via the normal method while in flight.

Use only the throttle stick to Arm & Disarm. Astro will not respond to two-stick input (i.e. DJI arming gesture).

Missions may Arm and Disarm the aircraft automatically. For example, if a mission is started while the aircraft is disarmed on the ground, the aircraft will arm and take off.

Automatic Disarm Methods

Under these conditions, Astro will automatically disarm.

Taking off

Position Mode is best for taking off in most cases, as it offers the most stabilization. However, it is certainly possible to take off in Altitude, Manual, and Mission modes as well.

For 5 seconds after takeoff, the maximum pitch and roll angles are reduced to 12 degrees.

After takeoff, promptly climb out of ground effect (i.e. to 3 feet / 12 meters of altitude) to avoid snagging landing gear on the ground.

After arming, allow the throttle stick to return to the center. The propellers will remain idle. When ready to take off, raise the throttle stick. The propellers will spin up and the aircraft will take off.

After arming, hold the throttle stick straight down with no Yaw input. When ready to take off, raise the throttle stick slowly. The propellers will accelerate as soon as the throttle stick moves. As the throttle approaches the mid-point, there will be enough thrust to take off. Continue raising the throttle to achieve a brisk takeoff.

Landing

Position Mode is best for landing in most cases, as it offers the most stabilization. However, it is certainly possible to land in Altitude and Manual modes as well. The aircraft behaves a little differently in each mode.

Do not hand catch Astro. The aircraft is designed to be landed on hard flat surfaces. Hand catching can result in serious injury or death.

In Position and Altitude Modes, at altitudes below 7 meters, the maximum vertical speed is reduced to 0.7 m/s (from the normal value of 2 m/s).

Astro will disarm automatically after the autopilot detects a landing. Landing detection brings together input from several sensors to determine when it is safe to disarm.

Bring the aircraft to a hover > 2 meters over the spot where landing is desired. Pull the throttle stick straight down as far as it goes, without any pitch, roll, or yaw commands. Astro's landing sensor will manage the speed of your descent. After touchdown, hold the throttle stick down until Astro disarms and the propellers stop.

At altitudes below 2 meters, the maximum pitch/roll angle is reduced to 12 degrees. This prevents abrupt maneuvers that might cause a tip-over.

Pitch, Roll, or Yaw commands very near the ground can cause crashes or tip-overs.

Landing in Altitude Mode is different than Position Mode because the pilot is responsible for managing lateral velocity. The autopilot will control the throttle to manage the descent rate.

Bring the aircraft to a hover > 2 meters over the spot where landing is desired. Give minimal pitch and roll commands to minimize both lateral speed and minimize pitch/roll angle. Pull the throttle stick down. After touchdown, hold the throttle stick down until Astro disarms and the propellers stop.

At altitudes below 2 meters, pitch/roll angle limits are reduced to 12 degrees. This reduces the likelihood of abrupt maneuvers that might cause a tip-over.

Landing in Manual Mode is different than Position or Altitude Mode because the pilot is responsible for managing vertical and lateral velocity.

Bring the aircraft to a hover > 2 meters over the spot where landing is desired. Give minimal pitch and roll commands necessary to minimize both lateral speed and minimize pitch/roll angle. Reduce throttle to allow the aircraft to descend slowly.

As Astro nears the ground and enters ground effect, the pilot will often need to reduce the throttle to keep the aircraft descending. Once the aircraft has touched down, the operator should reduce the throttle to zero promptly so that it settles on the ground instead of possibly bouncing or dragging the landing gear. Hold the throttle stick down until Astro disarms and the propellers stop

Battery Changes / Hotswaps

While Astro will recognize that the battery is low and perform a failsafe action (return to launch by default), the aircraft has no context of situations that might prevent a safe landing before the battery is exhausted. For instance, if the aircraft is several miles away from the RTL point when the failsafe is triggered, there is a chance that there won't be enough battery life to return. It is the pilot's responsibility to determine the appropriate time for a battery change and to ensure the aircraft is safely grounded.

Hotswap

The pilot may activate Return Mode or manually fly the aircraft to a place where a fresh set of batteries can be hotswapped in. To hotswap batteries, remove one discharged pack from the drone and replace it with a charged pack. Enable the pack by pressing the power button twice, then replace the other discharged pack. Enable the second charged pack if it does not show "Hotswap" on the battery display screen.

Upon landing, AMC will offer an option to "Resume Mission from Waypoint #". This will modify the mission by removing the waypoints already visited.

Flight part 3 - Emergency/Advanced

General Guidance

Human safety must be the top priority. Aircraft can be replaced. People cannot. Always prioritize the safety of yourself and others over the preservation of aircraft or equipment.

Emergency situations are dynamic events, that will not often conform perfectly to the categories listed below. A thorough understanding of aircraft systems, proficiency in piloting the aircraft, and sound judgment will allow you to bring about the best possible outcome in an emergency.

The likelihood of an emergency can be reduced substantially through proper aircraft maintenance, the use of checklists for normal procedures, and careful pre-flight planning. The likelihood of a safe flight often depends on the diligence of the pilot, both before taking off and during operation.

In general, if an emergency occurs, three basic actions can be applied to most situations:

Maintain aircraft control — Small emergencies can quickly escalate if the pilot is distracted attempting to troubleshoot the problem. Always maintain visual contact with the aircraft during an emergency to reduce the likelihood of losing orientation.
Analyze the situation — Once the aircraft is stabilized, assess the cause of the emergency.
Take appropriate action — In many cases, the appropriate action will be to land the aircraft as soon as possible. Aircraft can be replaced.

Return Mode

Do not be over-reliant on Return Mode in emergency situations. The cause of the emergency may degrade performance or disable Return Mode. For example, loss of GPS disables Return Mode.

Emergency Stop

As a last resort, if it is not possible to land or control the aircraft, perform an Emergency Stop. If performed while flying, this will cause the aircraft to crash. Perform the Emergency Stop as far away from people as possible.

Emergency Stop - AMC

In AMC Herelink or PC, tap the "Armed" button at the top center of the screen to display the Emergency Stop dialogue. Hold the Emergency Stop button for 4 seconds. This works on Herelink or PC.

Emergency Stop - Manual Override

In Manual Mode, hold the throttle stick down and left for 10 seconds.

Advanced Arming Methods

Arming via the AMC app in Manual Mode is not recommended. In Manual Mode, the aircraft should be armed while the throttle stick is held at the minimum position. This is difficult to achieve while using an app GIU.

Error and Warning Indication

The aircraft communicates the presence of errors and warnings primarily through Auterion Mission Control (AMC) status indicators on Herelink or PC. Many messages are accompanied by an audible message (e.g. "Return Flight Mode"). Additionally, Astro boom LEDs will flash when the battery level is low.

Status messages, including errors and warnings, are stored in Flight Logs. After any emergency, review the log to determine the source of the problem.

If the meaning of an error or warning is not clear, please contact Freefly Support. Share as much detail as possible, including sharing the flight log.

Emergency Procedure Checklists

The Astro checklists contain concise instructions to follow to mitigate risk in the event of a hardware, connection, or pilot error. Some of these situations are discussed in more detail below.

Loss of Orientation

If orientation is lost, neutralize inputs and activate position mode. Then work to identify the front of the aircraft.

We recommend identifying the front of the aircraft via a "guess and check" method of small roll right inputs alternating with yawing the aircraft 90 degrees at a time. We recommend a roll input rather than pitch because at a distance it is easier to see lateral motion than fore/aft motion.

If it is not possible to identify orientation, and it is safe to activate Return Mode, do so. By default in Return Mode, after climbing, the aircraft will yaw to put the front toward the direction of flight.

Resume flying or land as necessary.

Unexpected Aircraft Behavior

If Astro behaves unexpectedly, do the following: neutralize inputs, activate Position Mode, and observe the aircraft. If it is still flying in an uncommanded manner in Position or Altitude Mode, switch to Manual Mode.

In some cases, unexpected behavior is due to degraded GPS signal or erroneous sensor readings (e.g. compass error). In such cases, Return Mode may not behave reliably. Manual Mode does not rely on these sensors.

Land as soon as possible.

Landing Detector Failure

If the aircraft touches down, but hops back up into the air several times, or sits on the ground with the props continuing to spin, the autopilot may not have detected a landing. Climb and retry landing with a greater downward velocity.

Landing the aircraft firmly will give the accelerometers and gyroscopes a sufficient contrast between flight and landing.

If an attempted landing is unsuccessful in Position and Altitude mode, land in Manual Mode.

If an attempted landing is unsuccessful in Manual Mode, perform an Emergency Stop with the aircraft on the ground or as close as possible.

Loss of GPS

If GPS is lost, flight modes that rely on GPS (Position, Return, Mission, etc) will not be available. If the aircraft is in one of these modes when GPS is lost, the autopilot will switch to Altitude Mode.

It is the pilot's responsibility to be proficient with Altitude and Manual Mode and to have the aircraft configured to behave safely if GPS is lost.

Examples of behavior without GPS:

If GPS is not available upon arming, no Home Point is set, and Return Mode is not available. Even if GPS becomes available while flying, Return Mode will not be available.
If the pilot commands Return Mode, the aircraft will remain in Altitude or Manual Mode, and an error will be displayed on the pilot handset.
If Land Mode is activated (e.g. by a failsafe), the aircraft will descend as though in Altitude mode, maintaining a consistent attitude but drifting with the wind. (Land mode cannot be activated by the pilot because Land Mode requires GPS).
If GPS is lost during a mission, the aircraft will display a warning and switch flight mode to either Altitude Mode or Manual Mode, depending on the degradation of the signal.
If GPS is providing altitude information (e.g. while using RTK GPS), and GPS is lost, the ability of Altitude Mode to accurately maintain altitude may be affected.

RC Loss of Signal (LOS)

RC Loss of Signal (LOS) can occur if the pilot handset signal is degraded or stops, or if Astro does not receive the signal due to distance or interference (e.g. from obstacles or other radio signals).

If the signal is lost longer than the RC Timeout, a failsafe action will be triggered. The RC Timeout is quite short by default: 0.5 seconds. The pilot may not have time to react before the failsafe action is activated. By default, the failsafe action is Return Mode.

If the signal is lost, check the pilot's handset power and antenna orientation. Antenna orientation is especially important when Astro is far from the pilot.

If the signal is recovered, the pilot will be able to take control via moving the sticks or pressing a flight mode button.

RC Loss of Signal (LOS) is differentiated from Data Link Loss. LOS refers to the stream of SBUS data containing the pilot's inputs. Data Link refers to the stream of MavLINK messages. Astro routes both data streams through a single radio system. Please note that the AMC app needs to be in the foreground on the Herelink during operation; Data Link will fail after 30 seconds and trigger a failsafe if the AMC app is closed or running in the background.

Loss of Video Signal

Loss of Video Signal can occur if the aircraft flies out of range or if it flies behind an object that interrupts the signal. Maintaining visual contact is the preferred method to re-establish control of the aircraft, either with the pilot seeing the aircraft or by the use of a visual observer.

Yawing the aircraft can help signal reception if the body of the aircraft is blocking the line of sight between the transmitter and receiver antennas.

If video signal or visual contact cannot be re-established, enable Return Mode to bring the aircraft back to signal reception range.

It is the responsibility of the pilot to see and avoid other aircraft, people, or obstacles. Always maintain a direct line of sight with Astro during flight, use visual observers as operations require, and follow local regulations regarding see-and-avoid requirements.

Failsafes

Failsafe behavior and settings are configured in AMC. The AMC documentation covers each failsafe and related settings in detail.

Some failsafes are discussed briefly below.

We strongly recommend using the default settings, changing only Return Altitude, unless you are an expert user and have tested the effect of changes thoroughly.

Low Battery

Battery level is evaluated from the State of Charge (SoC, e.g. 72%), not voltage (e.g. 23 Volts).

As the battery level becomes low, the autopilot can take action. The default settings do not interfere until the battery becomes quite low. Additionally, low battery failsafes have no knowledge of the aircraft's position or distance from the Home Point. This means it is the pilot's responsibility to be aware of the battery level and ensure the aircraft is on the ground.

When activated by a low battery failsafe, Return and Land Mode cannot be overridden by stick movement. They can be overridden by pressing a flight mode button (e.g. Position).

Pro Tips and Limitations

It is possible to operate Astro close to the limits of performance by maintaining awareness of the performance envelope, how the aircraft behaves if the limits are exceeded, and best practices for operating in harsh environments.

This page reflects the limitations of the most current version. As the Astro platform matures, limitations are likely to change. For major changes that may affect these limitations, check the .

Troubleshooting

Visit our to look into additional solutions if you aren't finding what you're looking for on the wiki.

Flight Control

For all flight modes except Manual, at altitudes below 2 meters, the tilt angle is reduced to 12 degrees and vertical speed is reduced to 0.7 m/s.

The purpose is to prevent tip-overs while landing but has the side effect of reducing speed if flying below the takeoff point (e.g. surveying from a high vantage point). We are working to correct this behavior.

Continuous Flight

If you have 8 SL8 batteries, 6 SL8 chargers, and electricity at the location of your flight, you can continuously charge 6 batteries at a time while flying Astro, allowing for uninterrupted flight for as long as you need. If you are flying without a payload, you will only need 6 batteries and 4 chargers.

In hot conditions, you will likely need an additional 2 batteries, as it may take some time to cool the recently flown batteries to an acceptable charging temperature (50°C).

Voltage Mismatch

If the two batteries powering Astro have a voltage difference of more than 2.0V, a voltage mismatch error will occur. 2V is roughly a 25% difference in the batteries' states of charge.

Environment

Temperature

Astro can operate between -20 and 50 C. Position mode and survey flying are normal throughout the range. However, care is needed to operate at low and high temperatures.

Yellow region: Hovering and aggressive flights may give overtemp warnings. Follow the warning instructions.

Blue region: If batteries become too cold, state of charge will decline quickly and aircraft will enter Return or Land mode. Keep batteries warm, above 10 °C at takeoff, then self-heating will keep them warm.

At high temperatures, the limiting factors are motor and battery temperatures. AMC will display a warning if the motors or batteries become too hot. Heed the warnings! Astro operates normally in forward flight up to 15 m/s with a full payload of 1500 grams.

Cooling air is your friend. The motors get much more cooling air in forward flight than in a hover. Overheat errors may occur when hovering because there is less airflow, or when flying aggressively because heating increases with current.

Batteries may require cooling before charging. Bring an extra set of batteries and chargers to enable continuous flying. If you connect batteries to the charger while cooling, they will automatically begin charging as soon as they have cooled sufficiently.

Keep the equipment out of prolonged direct sunlight, especially the Herelink. Herelink will shut down if it overheats, and it does not give a warning.

These failsafes can be overridden by selecting another flight mode (override by moving the sticks is not available during a failsafe). The battery will not cut off power output in the air, however low temperatures generally reduce capacity which will reduce flight time.

If the batteries are 10 °C or warmer at the start of a flight, heating from discharge will keep them warm enough to fly.

To keep batteries warm, charge them in a heated environment and store them in an insulated container (a cooler works well)In rare cases propellers can experience icing, this occurs when ice begins to form on the tips and underside of the blades due to temperature and humidity. This will cause the props to become unbalanced, increasing drag and reducing lift. Flying with iced blades can be dangerous and is not advised.

Keep the Herelink handset out of direct sunlight. It can operate at up to 50C ambient if its plugged in for charging and in the shade. For the best performance in hot or cold weather, we recommend charging the Herelink during use. Under very hot or cold weather Herelink's battery performance can drop quickly and can cause it to shutdown.

Herelink will shut down if the internal temperature increases over 55C, and it does not give a warning. Direct sunlight can increase the temperature of the Herelink beyond this limit very quickly.

Wind

Operating Astro at winds greater than 8-10m/s can be dangerous. Keep in mind that the wind speed at higher altitudes is typically much higher. In high wind, AMC will show a warning.

When Astro is not flying, fold the props and install the propeller protectors. If the wind blows through open props, it can cause them to spin up dangerously.

Rain and Dust

Battery connectors cannot be mated while wet or containing debris. We recommend compressed air to clean the connectors.

Tips for operating in Rainy and Dusty environments.

Rain in particular increases the risk of electrical malfunction because it can lead to short circuits

Dust carries a risk of mechanical malfunction because it can enter the motors and obstruct rotation.

Both of these conditions carry an increased risk of malfunction and danger. It is difficult to judge the exact amount of precipitation, and the amount can vary without warning during the course of a flight. Therefore, we recommend avoiding situations that endanger people.

Radio Interference

Operating with a weak signal, whether due to interference or long range, can cause loss of link with the aircraft, which will engage failsafes. If you anticipate a weak signal situation, double-check that failsafes are set appropriately.

Range

The range of Herelink is approximately 2 km in ideal conditions, assuming there is no interference and the Herelink patch antenna is pointed toward Astro.

Additionally, range can be reduced by radio interference from other sources like wifi networks. Obstacles like trees and buildings in close proximity to the Herelink or Astro, as well as directly between the two, can dramatically reduce range.

Multiple Aircraft

The Herelink controller as configured for Astro permits 4 aircraft to fly simultaneously in close proximity. If more aircraft are present, interference can cause loss of radio link and control.

High Power Radio Interference

Testing

Software

Auterion Mission Control

Auterion Mission Control (AMC) is a ground control station application for pilots. It can be used to fly aircraft, to plan missions, fly missions, and to configure the aircraft. It can run on Herelink and PC.

Auterion's complete documentation is here: .

AMC - Fly

The fly screen shows a live feed of either the camera feed or an overhead map view.

Camera View

This screen includes a live camera feed, telemetry, and camera/gimbal control. You can also launch uploaded missions or take off using the touch screen.

Map View

This screen shows the nearby satellite map, as well as the currently uploaded mission when applicable.

Pre-Flight Checklist

An optional checklist to assess the requirements of flying a safe mission or manual flight. This checklist can be accessed by tapping the Vehicle box near the top-left corner of the screen. Tapping the yellow boxes turns them green, allowing you to manually verify each item before takeoff.

Red items represent warnings or errors. Some items will prevent takeoff if there is an associated warning or error, such as insufficient battery power. Others will allow for takeoff with some limited usage. In the example below, there is no GPS signal, so the aircraft will only be capable of taking off in Manual mode.

AMC - Plan

Example Mission

Front Overlap

Definition: The amount that each image overlaps with the previous sequential image; effectively, you are taking pictures more frequently on each straightaway of your mission. Benefit: The higher the front overlap, the more consistent your resulting map will likely be, as the stitching software will have an easier time connecting the discreet images together.

Tradeoff: You will be taking more pictures, many of which are redundant to an extent. This takes up more storage and takes more time to process. When changing this value, keep in mind that your photo interval needs to be greater than or equal to 2.0 seconds. The USB drive cannot save large images any faster. Recommended value: 70%

Side Overlap

Definition

The amount that each image overlaps with the adjacent images in a parallel leg of the mission. The higher the value, the closer each swath of the mission will be to its neighboring swath.

Benefit

Like front overlap, higher side overlap increases the consistency of your stitching software by introducing more redundant landmarks that help combine the two photos together.

Tradeoff

Due to the increased number of passes over the same area, increasing side overlap will also increase the duration of your mission. Unlike front overlap, increasing your side overlap percentage does not increase your photo interval, though it will still increase the total number of pictures taken.

Recommended value: 70%

Altitude vs. Ground Resolution

The Survey options ask you to select one: Altitude or Grnd Res. These two options are directly proportional and can be selected based on the mission area and your requirements.

Grnd Res, or Ground Resolution, is a general approximation of the fidelity of each image when compared to real-world measurements. For example, a ground resolution of 1 cm/px posits that every single pixel in the resulting map will be approximately 1 centimeter in length. This measurement can be calculated using the camera's resolution and the distance from the object being photographed. It stands to reason that if we have the desired ground resolution and the camera's resolution as known variables, the distance (or altitude of the aircraft) can be calculated as well!

Notice how changing the altitude or Grnd Res sliders will also change the other option automatically. If you are using Grnd Res, make sure that the resulting altitude is still clear of any obstacles.

Pattern Options

Transfer Mission Plan and KML Files

Options for importing/exporting plans

Mission import/export: AMC’s .plan files can be imported and exported. This is useful for creating missions on a computer, then importing all of them to Herelink at the same time
KML import: KML files can be imported to AMC. This is useful for creating mission shape definitions in some software, then importing all of them to Herelink at the same time.
Important Note on importing:
- Zoom in to maximum level, then create a random survey shape. If you don’t zoom in, survey shape could be very large and could crash AMC
- Then click “import KML” on the right toolbar
- Survey shape will automatically change to the data defined in the KML import
KML export: This is useful for exporting waypoints outside AMC. You won’t be able to import them back as KML, since these are waypoints, and not a shape definition.

Procedures for transferring files to/from Herelink

Method 1: Micro USB port

This method may not work as expected on Mac. We recommend using Method 2 on Apple computers.

1) Connect the Herelink via the Micro USB port to a computer.

2) Turn on the Herelink.

3) Drag down from the top to open the drop-down menu. Select “USB Charging this device”.

4) Select “Transfer files”.

5) The Herelink will appear on your computer as a device named “Optimus”.

6) Upload flight plans into the following folder: Optimus > Internal shared storage > Documents > Auterion Mission Control > Missions

If you aren't seeing the files you're expecting on the Herelink or computer, restart the Herelink.

Method 2: Micro SD card (supports maximum 64GB)

1) Upload flight plans onto the MicroSD card.

2) Insert Micro SD card into the Herelink’s Micro SD Card slot.

3) Drag down from the top to open the drop-down menu and select the Micro SD card device.

4) Select the desired flight plan and select “Copy to…” or “Move to…”

5) Select Optimus > Documents > Auterion Mission Control > Missions.

6) Select “Copy” or “Move” to complete transferring.

AMC - Vehicle Setup

Summary

Provides a brief overview of the main vehicle setup bullet-points that pilots should consider before takeoff. If there is an issue with the sensors or radio, the green dots seen below will instead be red.

Joystick

Currently, the only functionality of this screen is to change and test the functionality of the physical button on the top-right corner of the Herelink controller.

Use the dropdown to select the functionality of the button. Watch the box with the 0 in it while pressing the button to verify that it is working.

Sensors

Select Compass, Gyroscope, or Accelerometer to recalibrate. Calibration is recommended for any sensors marked with a red dot.

Radio

Displays a live view of the radio inputs. Allows you to switch between Mode 1 and Mode 2 control schemes (Mode 2 recommended).

Safety

This screen is essential to operating Astro safely. Ensure that the altitude under Return To Launch Settings is higher than the tallest obstructing obstacle. For instance, if your mission takes place near a 65m tree, a return altitude of 60m is insufficient. If an RTL triggers while the aircraft and the landing point are on opposite sides of this tree and you are unable to regain control, it is unlikely that the aircraft will return to the ground safely in this scenario.

Cellular

WiFi

Advanced Vehicle Setup

Changing these settings requires Advanced Mode, which is not recommended for most pilots. Key safety features and parameters that keep Astro airborne can be disabled if changes are made without understanding their purpose. Keep in mind that changing settings in this mode poses an increased risk to property and safety if not done with careful consideration and care.

Activating Advanced Mode

To switch to Advanced Mode and see many of these options, repeatedly tap on the AMC icon in the top-left-hand corner of the app. After tapping about 6 times, a popup menu will appear asking if you would like to switch to Advanced Mode. The icon will change once Advanced Mode is active. You can return to Standard Mode by repeating the process of tapping the icon until the menu appears and selecting the option to switch to Standard Mode.

Advanced Summary

Advanced Airframe

Advanced Sensors

Be very careful about the Autopilot Orientation setting when calibrating sensors in Advanced Mode. It should not be changed from the default value of ROTATION_YAW_270.

Advanced Motors

Advanced Safety

Advanced Tuning

Advanced Camera

Parameters

Advanced Parameters

AMC - Photos

AMC - User Account

AMC - Settings

General

Comm Links

Offline Maps

Silvus

Advanced Mode

MavLink

Console

Auterion Suite/Flight Logs

Unlock the superpowers of Astro and build your fleet

Manage your enterprise robotics program with Auterion Suite. The Suite is where the data of your fleet is collected, analyzed and presented. Get insights on vehicles, assets and operations to keep control over your robotics program. With Auterion-powered vehicles data is delivered automatically and in real-time from the fleet to the Suite – while the drones are flying and without any manual intervention. Learn more about the Auterion Suite here on Auterion's website.

Astro is built to easily integrate into the Auterion Suite and many of Astro's features are enabled through this platform

Manage your aircraft fleet
Access detailed flight logs, check vehicle status
Direct Freefly customer support with integrated flight log sharing and review
Get software updates
Astro live video sharing capabilities
Auterion's documentation covers the Suite in depth.

Watch this Quick Start video showing how to sign up and unlock the powers of your Astro in the Auterion Suite

Using a computer, connect a USB-C cable from your computer to the IO panel on the underside of the Freefly Astro.
- Power on the the Astro with one SL8 battery (NOTE: Using only one battery prevents the danger of accidentally arming the aircraft).
- This physical connection to the Astro is required for security reasons as the Suite enables location data, live streaming, etc.
Using a web browser, go to the following address to connect to the Astro: http://astro.local
This page will allow the user to sign up for the suite as well as automatically register and claim the aircraft. Click "Register Now" or scan QR code for mobile signup.
- Note: This requires the vehicle to be online to generate a signup QR code otherwise it’ll say “internet required” for the registration prompt.
- Connect the Astro to the internet using these instructions to connect to either a WIFI or LTE network.
- If Astro is connected to the internet and plugged into the computer and http://astro.local does not show the Register Now button, try refreshing your browser.
Once complete, you should see the Astro unit listed under the "Vehicles" Section on the main dashboard of the Auterion Suite.
Go Fly!

Alternate Signup Methods

Another signup method is to sign up for the Auterion Suite directly from Auterion's website.
If you use this method, you won't have any vehicles registered for your Suite account unless you add them manually!
You can add an aircraft using the Aircraft serial number under the Vehicles page, but note that data sharing will be limited until you physically connect your aircraft to a laptop and validate you have physical access to the drone.
To physically register an aircraft that was added by serial number, you'll need to connect the aircraft to a wifi network as described here, then connect physically to a computer and visit http://astro.local in your browser. Click the large Register button on this screen and sign in to Auterion Suite to complete the process.

Getting Data into the Suite

Astro will automatically upload flight log files to the Suite with built-in wifi or LTE connections.

Flight Logs

Astro's autopilot automatically creates log files that record the aircraft's flight path, inputs received, outputs sent, and more.

Log files are stored to the onboard SD card. If the aircraft is registered in the Auterion Suite, Astro will automatically upload flight log files to the Suite when a wifi or LTE connection is available. Logs can also be downloaded to a PC.

Flight logging starts when Astro is armed, and ends when Astro is disarmed.

Logs in the Suite

The easiest way to view the logs is with an Auterion Suite account (Basic version is free).

Navigate to a particular flight to see many plots showing data such as angles, position, speed, GPS quality, vibration, etc. It will also show the build information, parameter values, and any errors detected in the flight.

The suite allows sharing log files with the Freefly Support Team.

To ask Freefly about a problem with a particular flight, use the "Share with Manufacturer" toggle.

Logs without the Suite

If you're not able to use the suite, it's possible to download log files from Astro to a PC via USB.

Downloading

Logs are stored in the onboard SD card in “ulog” format. Use this procedure to download them. Requirements: Astro, 1 SL8 battery, USB-C cable, AMC PC, and an Auterion Suite account (you can create a free account here; an account is required to download AMC PC).

QGroundControl (QGC) can be used in place of AMC PC for this procedure. However, QGC should not be used for any other purpose with Astro as it may not accurately represent the state of the aircraft and can corrupt Astro's parameters.

If AMC/QGC does not connect to Astro, check that Astro is communicating with your computer by opening a web browser and navigating to http://10.41.1.1. The aircraft's information page should load. If not, try rebooting Astro, remating the cable, and restarting AMC/QGC.

Downloading logs via USB is faster and more reliable. While it is possible download flight logs over a wifi connection between Astro and a PC, it is considerably slower.

Viewing and Analysis

The easiest tool to use is http://logs.px4.io. Simply upload a ulog file. It will present thorough analysis via plots showing data such as angles, position, speed, GPS quality, vibration, etc. It will also show software build information, parameter values, and any errors detected in the flight.

For other purposes, there are a variety of other flight log analysis tools.

Using the Auterion Suite to share aircraft logs with Freefly Support (by clicking on the "Share with manufacturer" button) is the easiest and quickest way to get Freefly support and get your Astro back in the air after an issue.

Freefly and Auterion think of data generated by Astro, including flight logs, as your property. We think it's important that you are in control of your data, are confident in the measures taken to ensure security, and agree with how the data is used.

The Auterion Privacy Policy gives a layperson's description of how data can flow from Astro, through the Suite, and to partners you choose.

Briefly, when Astro is registered with a Suite account, you can choose to have flight logs automatically uploaded from the aircraft to Auterion servers when an internet connection is available. You can review this data in your Suite account. Auterion employees do not have access to your data. You may choose to share individual flight logs with Freefly Support via the Suite, for example to troubleshoot details of a specific flight.

Freefly and Auterion understand the need for full data control and user privacy so we have built this platform for maximum user control.
The Astro comes with hardware to support WIFI and LTE connections to the internet or other devices.
- If you do not want the LTE to connect, do not install a SIM card for data connection
- If you do not want the Astro to connect to WIFI, do not select any networks or present any passwords. Also on the Herelink controller you can disable WIFI.
For security purposes the user needs to have physical access/connection to the Astro in order to register the aircraft to the Auterion Suite because the Auterion Suite enables log uploads, live unit status tracking, live video streaming etc.

Learn more about the Astro's internet connections: wifi and LTE.

Network and Connectivity

WiFi

This section describes the connection process for Astro's built-in wifi chip. This functionality is useful while the aircraft is on the ground, for admin and setup tasks. Connecting the Astro to wifi is required to complete the initial Auterion Suite setup process.

Connect to the aircraft while in flight with the Herelink's wifi hotspot.

Connect the Astro aircraft to a wifi network

Open AMC Herelink or PC. If using a PC, connect to Astro with a USB-C cable.
Power Astro.
Tap the icon in the top-left of AMC. Navigate to Vehicle Setup > WiFi
Select Hotspot mode, which allows Astro to connect to another wifi network.
Enter the login credentials for your wifi access point.

Unlike the Herelink wifi, which is restricted to the 5GHz band, Astro's wifi chip is compatible with 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands.

Connect to the Astro hotspot via wifi

Open AMC Herelink or PC. If using a PC, connect to Astro with a USB-C cable
Power Astro.
Tap the icon in the top-left of AMC. Navigate to Vehicle Setup > WiFi.
Select Station mode, which allows Astro to broadcast a wifi network that other devices can connect to.

LTE

If your Astro has an LTE sim card installed, you can utilize online features such as live video, real-time aircraft status, and flight logs through Auterion Suite.

Currently, Astro is only available with an LTE radio suitable for North American markets. Additional LTE compatibility will be available in the future.

Configure and Enable / Disable

Install a SIM card into Astro. Make sure to write down the SIM card number found on the card if you don't have it recorded elsewhere.
Open AMC Herelink or PC
Navigate to Vehicle Setup > Cellular
If you need to access the IMEI number for the vehicle to enable the SIM cards, connect to the Astro with a laptop and USB cable
1. Power on Astro with one battery only.
2. Connect the laptop and the Astro by plugging in a USB-C cable to the IO panel on the underside of the aircraft.
3. Using a web browser, navigate to http://10.41.1.1/ to connect to your Astro aircraft
4. On the bottom of the page, expand the "details" bar and scroll until you find the listed IMEI information

Hardware Disable

You can assure that LTE is not being used by removing the SIM card from Astro.

Frequencies and Compatibility

Currently, Astro is only available with an LTE radio suitable for North American markets. Additional LTE compatibility will be available in the future.

Changing SIM / Service Provider

When switching SIM cards, try leaving the APN field blank. It should be automatically detected. If not, here are a few suggestions.

In most cases, check the "Allow Roaming" box.

After changing the SIM, reboot both the aircraft and AMC.

Travel and Shipping

Astro Case

Case Dimensions: 31x24x15 inches

Weight Table

Item

Weight

For more information on Astro Map payload weights, see the

Batteries

Airline Travel

Please consult local regulations.

Detailed FAA regulations here:

Maintenance Manual

Maintenance for Other Key Components

Astro Mapping Payload

SL8 Battery

Contacting Support

Getting Technical Support

Here is a guide to get your issues resolved faster:

Reach out to support by emailing us at support@freeflysystems.com or via our website. Texting or sending social messages will take longer.
Share your flight logs from the Auterion Suite.

Include photos or videos in your contact in order to get us up to speed as quickly as possible.

Pre-flight Planning

Weather

Weather is a big driver of how good the resulting maps will be. Because of lens limits and the requirement for high shutter speeds to reduce motion blur, maps are best when taken with bright light. The best results are around noon when the sun is directly overhead and casting few shadows; a bright, overcast day also works well for similar reasons.

When ambient light is low due to heavy clouds or in the evenings, the camera will expose the scene but will have to increase ISO to get reasonable exposure. Beyond ISO 1000, noise and blur from the denoising filter in the camera will start to impact photo quality.

If light conditions are low, the shutter speed can be reduced. However, the drone will need to fly slower to ensure no motion blur. The camera lens is sharpest above f/5, but the aperture can be opened up to provide more light. Some lens artifacts and blurring around the edges may be present with a wider aperture/lower f-stop.

Additionally, flying over wet surfaces may cause problems for photogrammetry workflows. It tends to make asphalt very dark, which can cause stitching software to have a hard time, and reflective surfaces can't be used to stitch photos.

Download Maps for Offline Use

AMC caches recent maps. To make certain that maps for a specific location are stored on your Herelink before you go to a site with no internet, download them while the Herelink is connected to wifi.

Tap the Herelink icon in the top-left corner of AMC, select Settings, and select Offline Maps. Select "Add New Set".

Offline maps gather satellite data from the selected source (in this case, Bing Hybrid maps) and download tiles to make up the map in up to two different zoom levels. The higher the zoom level, the better the quality of the image and the more tiles it will take to cover the area framed by your screen.

As such, high zoom levels of large areas can lead to very large file sizes. Lower zoom levels are recommended for large areas, and higher zoom levels will result in better offline maps for smaller areas. After adjusting the map to your preferences, you can select Download.

After the map is downloaded, you can view it from the Offline Maps page. Any missions in the area on this map will show the satellite images even if you are not connected to the internet, and if the "Fetch elevation data" option was selected you will also have the option to view the terrain height while planning your mission.

Plan a Mission

1. Figure out the minimum safe flying altitude at your site (i.e. above obstacles and giving a good line of sight). Enter this value in AMC > Vehicle Setup > Safety > Return Altitude.

3. Open AMC Plan view, and select "Pattern" in the left sidebar (creates flight path that covers the site and automatically triggers photos). Choose a pattern type and shape and it'll appear on the map. Don't detail the shape yet- We'll come back to that.

4. In the Pattern/Survey waypoint settings, open the Camera tab, and select Preset: Sony ɑ7R IV - 24 mm SIGMA.

5. Set Altitude. Start in Pattern waypoint settings and enter the minimum safe value from step 1. Check the Ground Sample Distance (GSD) value at the bottom of Pattern Waypoint settings. If GSD is smaller than your needs, increase altitude to increase GSD. Then go to Mission Waypoint settings and enter the same altitude.

6. Turn on Terrain Display by selecting the square T button in the bottom-left corner. Check the heightmap to make sure the flight path clears the terrain by a comfortable margin.

7. Set speed. Check the Photo Interval value at the bottom of Survey settings along the right. This interval needs to be 2 seconds or more. If it's less, decrease the mission flight speed or increase forward overlap (if this is acceptable for your mission). If the photo interval is larger than 2 seconds, you can optionally increase your flight speed.

8. Adjust the Pattern area. Make sure the green area (the area to be flown and photographed) is larger than the map you need. Make the green area larger on every side by at least the width between flight passes. Note the estimated flight duration at the top of the screen. If the duration is longer than 23 minutes, it's likely to require a second flight.

9. Add a Return waypoint command if you want the aircraft to come home and land when finished. This is optional but recommended. If the mission's last command is a Pattern or Waypoint, AMC will not notify you that the mission has ended. The aircraft will hover at the last waypoint, likely until the battery failsafe is triggered and Astro returns home automatically.

If these instructions are unclear or if you have any additional questions, you can learn more about planning in the AMC docs or contact us at support@freeflysystems.com.

Coverage

To get high-quality results, every area of interest in the map should appear in 5 or 6 overlapping photos. Obtaining this much coverage along edges or in corners requires that the area to be flown is larger than the area to be mapped. Also consider that if the gimbal is not pointing straight down (for crosshatch surveys and such), the drone will need to fly PAST areas that need to be seen in images because the image is looking in front of the drone.

USB Setup

The USB flash drive included will be formatted to work with Astro. In the event that you encounter issues or would like to use a different USB flash drive with Astro, follow the instructions in the USB Formatting section. Be sure enough space is available; you will need at least 16GB for a single mission.

Included USB Flash Drive

Astro Map and the mapping payload both include a Samsung 64GB flash drive. If you want to replace or purchase additional flash drives, we recommend trying to get the same model as we have tested this drive thoroughly. It will also help our support team troubleshoot any issues you might encounter.

Camera Setup

Camera body and 24 mm lens settings

Body Exposure Compensation Dial: 0, and the lock button engaged
Lens Aperture ring: A
Lens Focus switch: AF

AMC camera settings (tap slider icon below on-screen shutter button)

Focus: Auto (infinity does work as well)
Exposure Mode: Manual
ISO: Auto
Aperture: f/5 - f/11 depending on lighting conditions
Shutter: 1/1000 or greater (can go as low as 1/500 but aircraft needs to slow down to prevent blur.
Storage: USB Drive

When light is low (e.g. dark cloudy day), we need to adjust the shutter speed and aperture to avoid an excessive increase in the ISO sensitivity. The first step is to open the aperture. If an aperture of f/5 is still not bright enough, the second step is to decrease shutter speed. Working in this order keeps shutter speed as high as possible to minimize motion blur. If shutter speed must be reduced and motion blur is seen, reduce flight speed. Wider apertures than f/5 can be used, but the photos will lose sharpness, so be sure to test if the quality of the resulting images will satisfy the needs of your mission.

PPK Software

These free applications make it easy and simple to improve the accuracy of your survey through their use of Post Processed Kinematic corrections.

General Steps Before PPK Process:

If you are not able to follow these steps exactly, there is more guidance below.

Set up your base station (list of tested stations are below) and get it recording
Fly your mission with Astro, then wait for it to finish processing photos after landing
1. Shutoff Astro
Pull USB-C stick, and insert into iPad (if accessing base-station data from iPad)
Go to Files app, browse to USB drive, and determine which folder has the files from this scan. i.e. folder 58
If using EMLID REACH:
1. Open EMLID app:
  1. Stop logging all 3 logs (position, raw data, base correction)
  2. After they are zipped, download all 3 files to the usb stick in the same directory as the scan

Freefly PPK

Freefly PPK Desktop Application takes photos and GPS data generated by Astro during a Mapping mission, as well as data from a GNSS base station, and applies the Post-Processing Kinematics (PPK) algorithm to tag photos with highly accurate geotags.

Download the software from

Current Version: v0.0.3-beta - Released 06/06/2022

Table of Contents:

Compatible Devices, Download Links
Input, Output, Workflow
Debugging tips if you encounter errors

Compatible Devices

Operating Systems

Windows PC - Tested on Windows 10
macOS - Tested on x86_64 and M1

GNSS Base Stations

Trimble R2,10,12
Emlid RS2
Generally, any device that can output RINEX (Observation and Navigation data files)

Input

Important Tip: PPK process and upload to mapping software is 10x faster if you have the files in your local storage instead of thumb drive

Output folder from High Res Mapping Payload.
RINEX files (OBS and Nav Data files) from GNSS base station (that was actively recording GNSS data for the full duration of the time that the Astro mission was running).
GNSS base station coordinate
- Using pre-surveyed point as reference coordinate
- Using Reference Network calculation (i.e. NOAA's CORS, Washington state's WSRN)
- For very basic results, averaged value from base station rinex file

Output

Photos in PPK_Photos folder with corrected geotags.

Workflow

Updated 2022-06-01

PRE-PPK CHECKS

As summarized above, to start PPK-ing your photos to get centimeter level geotag accuracy, you need to:
- Complete an Astro Map mapping mission that writes photos, imagelog.json, *capture.obs, and *capture.json file into a mission folder (see Fig 1 below) into the USB-C thumb-drive. This is a simple and streamlined process, and you will generate this folder if you follow with the instructions in Astro Mapping Payload: Quick Map Workflow.

Fig 1. Here is what the mission folder generated by an Astro Map mission might look like:

Have a GNSS base-station running and recording satellite data throughout the duration of the flight that can produce (Observation and Navigation data files). Grab the RINEX data files (usually ends with .<##>O - for OBS or .<##>P for NAV, sometimes just .RNX for both file types). If the file names are ambiguous, you can inspect the files and look at the first few lines to see if they contain the keywords Observation (for obs file) or Navigation (for nav file) data file. IMPORTANT - Ensure that the NAV data file is a "MIXED NAV" data file that contains nav data for all constellations.

Grab the Observation and Navigation data files (either individually) or the folder that contains them and place it into the Astro Map mission folder that contains the photos and the other mapping mission artifacts (imagelog.json, *capture.obs, and *capture.json).

Placing base station file into the folder shown below:

Fig 2. Placing base-station files into the folder shown above. The file types might be different

Pre-PPK Notes:

Do not close any pop-up cmd prompt or terminal windows (this is due to the application running a subprocess necessary for PPK-ing)
It's a good habit to check to ensure that the original geotags on a couple of the photos somewhat correspond to the image location.
- To do this: Use an exif inspection tool, grab the geotag from an image, search up coordinates on Google Earth, compare to see if the photo content somewhat matches up with coordinates on Google earth
- If the images do not align, it might be a good idea to get the flight log (.ulog) file from the mission and use the Use ULOG workflow in the Freefly PPK app to get proper alignment.

Freefly PPK Processing:

Open FreeflyPPK application.
Click on browse at the top to choose the Astro Map mission and select the folder.
The application should browse the folder and search for the requirements and automatically fill in all of the requirements.

4. If you know where the base station ground coordinate was, then enter it. This can be done using a GNSS reference network processing provider (i.e. in Washington state you can use Washington State Reference Network, in the U.S. you can use NOAA CORS and upload your base RINEX files) You can use either DMS or Decimal coordinates (Click the DMS Coordinates check-box.)

5. If you don't know the base station coordinate, by changing from MANUAL on the drop down to AVERAGE FROM OBS you can get a very rough estimate of the base station. It applies single point positioning to the base station RINEX files. The averaged postion will be displayed on the status bar once the project processing begins.

6. Go ahead and select how high you placed the receiver from the ground (usually your base station tripod pole will have a marking to let you know). The application will take care of antenna phase center variation based on the base-station type detected from the base-station OBS file.

7. If you are rerunning the same mapping mission folder, checking the Overwrite Output check-box will overwrite the output folder with the current processing output. It is set to overwrite on default since the application can otherwise keep on making copy of the photos and take a lot of space on your computer. If the Overwrite Output check-box is not checked, then the application will rename the previous folder and save the output of the current processing to PPK_Photos. *TIP: you want to explore output with multiple settings (i.e. different base station coordinates or base station files), it might be beneficial to rename the PPK_Photos folder to something more useful*

8. Once all of the project requirements are met, you will be able to click the Process button and the application will correct the geotags on your photos after it conducts PPK on them. It will output them into the PPK_Photos folder and keep your original images untouched. Monitor the output and ensure all or most of the photos are tagged with Q=1 quality. The Q value corresponds to the quality of the corrected geotag. Q=1 is great. Q=2 is ok. Anything higher is not accurate.

9. Once your images are PPK-ed, you can use a map generation provider like ESRI Sitescan (which is recommended and we have tested on) and upload the images from the PPK_Photos folder. In the Advanced Processing Settings:

If you completed the PPK process with a surveyed point or reference network, use the +/- margin of error they provided to you in the base station location for the geolocation accuracy.
If you use the AVERAGE OBS FILE option in the FreeflyPPK app, use +/- 100 cm. Note that it is not recommended to run AVERAGE OBS if you want high fidelity maps.

Debugging Tips:

Known Issue: If drone is flying below sealevel or drone is flying at negative altitude in the chosen base-station coordinate system, then the application will fail the geotagging process (status list error). This will be fixed in a future release.
If you entered base station coordinates in Degrees, Minute, Second format, make sure you use the correct sign. i.e. If the coordinate you are entering is 122° 09' 7.93789" W, on Freefly PPK, you should enter -122 09 7.93789
If the correct base station file is not be detected correctly, remove all of the base files from inside of the project path folder. Then, individually go into modify the selected base and rinex files using the modify buttons below the status box. Check content inside the base files for "Observation" and "Navigation" to ensure you are choosing the correct files.
One of the first debugging things you can do is to close the application and reopen it. More advanced users can go in and delete the .ppk_history file in their home directory to remove application cache file.
Check to see if the rtkdata_events.pos in the working directory has been generated properly. If everything looks good there, but there is an issue with photo tagging. (i.e. "Issue with abc.jpg tagging" alert, then there is likely an error with your filesystems (see common file systems error).
Common file systems errors: Not enough space on your hard drive. Make sure the project path has plenty of space. A bunch of 25MP images can fill up your storage device quickly. Again, as previously mentioned, you will get much better performance if your project folder is in your local hard-drive instead of an extenal drive.
If you have any issues with Freefly PPK and have questions for Freefly Support team, it would help if you sent as many of your files as you are able to (i.e content of working directory, capture.obs, sequence.json, and base-directory folder). It helps to include a screenshot of the application during an error, but ensure you expand the status list so that the whole error is visible in the photo. Since this is our first release of Freefly PPK software, we are actively working to improve the user experience based on feedback.

Precise Flight

Precise Flight by Auterion is an alternative option for the PPK workflow. It can be downloaded from the App Store.

Compatible Devices:

iOS devices - primarily useful with iPad

Precise Flight by Auterion Workflow

Set up base station and get it recording
Fly mission with astro, wait for it to finish processing photos after landing
1. Shutoff astro
Pull usb stick, and place into ipad
Go to files app, browse to usb stick, and determine which folder has the files from this scan. I.e. folder 58
Open emlid app
1. Stop logging all 3 logs (position, raw data, base correction)
2. After they are zipped
3. Download all 3 files to the usb stick in the same directory as the scan
Extract data
1. Go to files app
2. Browse to the folder with the photos in them
3. Click once on the zip file with the emlid raw RINEX data in it to unzip
4. It will create a folder in that directory
Delete old data?
Go to preciseflight app
1. Select base station folder, will be the RINEX directory inside of the flight folder
2. Select the vehicle folder- it is the folder with your mission number such as “58” that has the photos in it
3. Decide if you want to set base position manually, enter as desired
4. Enable compensate camera offset
5. Hit process, wait the 30-60 seconds for processing
6. When processing is complete, the files will be located in the Auterion Precise Flight app on the ipad (not on the USB stick).
7. When working properly, Sitescan app can be pointed at that folder to upload the photos
8. I’ve been using files app to copy the PPK’d photos into a new folder on the usb drive and then transferring to computer.