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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.
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.
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
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.
By default, Return Mode is activated automatically by some Failsafes. Learn more about Failsafes.
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 arms the aircraft, automatically climbs to the Takeoff Altitude, and enters Hold Mode (a.k.a. loiter or hover).
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 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.
Moving the sticks will cause a change to Position Mode unless Landing Mode is engaged by a Failsafe (e.g. critical battery level). See Safety and Failsafes section for more detail.
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.
If a mission is interrupted (for example, by the pilot switching to Position mode), the Fly view will prompt to resume the mission. If a prompt is not shown, open the Action Menu and select "Resume Mission".
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.
The Pilot's Operating Handbook describes complete operation of aircraft and flight control systems. Read and understand this manual before operating Astro.
This handbook is not a substitute for adequate . 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.
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 , the use of , 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.
Do not be over-reliant on in emergency situations. The cause of the emergency may degrade performance or disable Return Mode. For example, loss of GPS disables Return Mode.
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.
In Manual Mode, hold the throttle stick down and left for 10 seconds.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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) 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 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 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.
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.
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).
The aircraft communicates the presence of errors and warnings primarily through Auterion Mission Control (AMC) 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.
If the meaning of an error or warning is not clear, please . Share as much detail as possible, including .
The 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.
If an attempted landing is unsuccessful in Manual Mode, perform an with the aircraft on the ground or as close as possible.
If the signal is lost, check the pilot's handset power and . Antenna orientation is especially important when Astro is far from the pilot.
Failsafe behavior and settings are configured in AMC. The covers each failsafe and related settings in detail.
| State | SoC (default) | Action (default) |
|---|
Method | Input |
AMC App, Herelink | Tap the Arm button (top center) and hold to confirm. |
Mission | If a mission starts with the takeoff command, and the aircraft is disarmed, the aircraft will arm itself when the mission is initiated. |
Warning | 20% | Warning: Flash boom LEDs |
Critical | 15% | Return Mode |
Emergency | 6% | Land Mode |
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: https://docs.auterion.com/operators/getting-started/readme.
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 release notes.
Visit our Troubleshooting Spreadsheet to look into additional solutions if you aren't finding what you're looking for on the wiki.
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.
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).
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.
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.
At low temperatures, the battery cell temperature is the key limiting factor. When the cells themselves are below 10 °C (ambient air can be down to -20 °C), the built-in battery management system's (BMS) state of charge (SoC) algorithm has reduced accuracy. The SoC may decrease to zero suddenly. If this happens, low battery failsafes (RTL and Land) will be triggered, causing the aircraft to climb or descend suddenly.
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.
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.
Flying Astro is high wind is not advised. If the wind speed is a significant fraction of Astro's top speed, control authority will be diminished in all flight modes.
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.
Astro can operate in moderate rain (approximately 3 mm per hour). USGS has a guide (scroll to bottom) to help translate between forecasts like "shower" or "drizzle" to accumulation amount.
Battery connectors cannot be mated while wet or containing debris. We recommend compressed air to clean the connectors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Avoid using high-power, low-frequency radio transmitters (such as the RFD 900) mounted to Astro, as it can disrupt the normal function of the aircraft. For more information, see this service bulletin.
How to get set up for a successful and safe first flight!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Now that you have completed your first flight, dive in, learn the details, and put Astro to work!
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.
Astro ships with the Herelink controller as the pilot headset. It runs a custom version of Auterion Mission Control as its flight software.
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.
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.
Make sure you understand Astro's Emergency Procedures and understand how to operate the drone in Manual Mode before taking flight.
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 Google Sheet template 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.
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.
You may occasionally encounter issues that will prevent Astro from arming
If AMC asks you to calibrate the compass and won't allow you to take off, follow the instuctions to recalibrate sensors in an area without significant magnetic interference (far from large metal structures or magnetic/electric installations).
Check if the AMC message you're encountering is on our Error/Warning Spreadsheet and follow the associated instructions. If you're still experiencing the issue, please reach out to support@freeflysystems.com for further troubleshooting.
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.
The manual method of transitioning between armed and disarmed states is via the pilot handset throttle stick. (The pilot's handset default configuration is Mode 2.)
It is not possible to disarm via the normal method while in flight.
To disarm during flight, perform an Emergency Stop.
If Astro does not arm, check Auterion Mission Control (AMC) for errors or warnings.
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.
Under these conditions, Astro will automatically disarm.
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.
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.
If the landing is not detected (i.e. the props do not stop after touchdown), perform the Emergency Procedure for Landing Detector Failure.
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
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.
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.
The pilot may also adjust the Low Battery Failsafe settings to activate Return Mode automatically at a level appropriate for the mission.
Upon landing, AMC will offer an option to "Resume Mission from Waypoint #". This will modify the mission by removing the waypoints already visited.
The fly screen shows a live feed of either the camera feed or an overhead map 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.
This screen shows the nearby satellite map, as well as the currently uploaded mission when applicable.
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.
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.
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.
Select Compass, Gyroscope, or Accelerometer to recalibrate. Calibration is recommended for any sensors marked with a red dot.
Displays a live view of the radio inputs. Allows you to switch between Mode 1 and Mode 2 control schemes (Mode 2 recommended).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In order to get the best Freefly customer support, the Freefly Astro comes with the which is an online fleet management tool that unlocks the superpowers of Astro.
Check that the and are up to date.
Read the , and learn how to control Astro.
If you have the Mapping Payload, then review how to produce high-quality maps using Astro Map in the .
Once you have performed your first flights, you can review your flights and if there are any issues, you can easily share the flight logs with our support team straight from the Suite.
Pilot skill with is required for .
| State | Input |
|---|---|
Color
Meaning
Detail
Solid Blue
Armed, No GPS Lock
Indicates vehicle has been armed and has no position lock from the GPS. Position, Mission and Return flight modes are not available.
Pulsing Blue
Disarmed, No GPS Lock
Indicates vehicle is disarmed and has no position lock from the GPS. Position, Mission and RTL flight modes will not be available until GPS lock is acquired.
Solid Green
Armed, GPS Lock
Indicates vehicle has been armed and has position lock from the GPS. All flight modes are available.
Pulsing Green
Disarmed, GPS Lock
Indicates vehicle is disarmed and has position lock from the GPS. All flight modes will be available.
Solid Purple
Failsafe Mode
Indicates an error has been encountered during flight and the vehicle will activate the Failsafe Action (Return To Launch by default).
Solid Amber
Low Battery Warning
Indicates a battery voltage below threshold.
Flashing Red
Error / Setup Required
Indicates an error, typically an issue with sensor calibration or autopilot configuration.
State
Definition
Indication
Disarmed
Safe mode, no spinning propellers
Boom LEDS dim
Armed
Aircraft will spin propellers, ready to fly
Boom LEDs bright (100% or user specified level)
Arming (Mode 2)
Hold the throttle stick down and right for 2 seconds.
Disarming
When the aircraft has landed, continue holding the throttle stick down for 2 seconds.
Method
Astro behavior
Ground timeout before taking off
If Astro sits on the ground at idle throttle for 10 seconds, it will automatically disarm.
Land mode
If Astro is in Land Mode, and detects a landing, it will disarm after 2 second. For example, this applies if the last command in a mission is "Land".
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%
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.
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.
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%
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Power on Astro with one battery only.
Connect the laptop and the Astro by plugging in a USB-C cable to the IO panel on the underside of the aircraft.
Using a web browser, navigate to http://10.41.1.1/ to connect to your Astro aircraft
On the bottom of the page, expand the "details" bar and scroll until you find the listed IMEI information
You can assure that LTE is not being used by removing the SIM card from Astro.
Currently, Astro is only available with an LTE radio suitable for North American markets. Additional LTE compatibility will be available in the future.
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.
Region
4G LTE Bands
Radio Spec Sheet
North America
B2, B4, B5, B13, B17
EMEA/Australia
Cat-4: B1, B3, B7, B8, B20, B28
Carrier
APN
T-mobile
iot.tmowholesale, fast.t-mobile.com
Orange
orange.m2m.spec
Verizon
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
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.
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.
Astro will automatically upload flight log files to the Suite with built-in wifi or LTE connections.
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.
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.
If you're not able to use the suite, it's possible to download log files from Astro to a PC via USB.
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.
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.
Case Dimensions: 31x24x15 inches
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
For more information on Astro Map payload weights, see the Astro Map technical specs page.
We’ve found that FedEx provides the easiest path to ship batteries. Their website has a search tool to find FedEx locations that can accept batteries can be found good shipments, go to https://www.fedex.com/locate > More... > Dangerous Goods Shipping > and Search in your area.
Please consult local regulations.
If you’d like to pack the batteries yourself, guidelines can be found in the UPS guide to safely packing batteries. Refer to the Lithium batteries section (SL batteries are classified UN3481). These guidelines are universal across shipping providers.
Detailed FAA regulations here:
Astro Base in case (no batteries)
56 lbs / 25kg
Astro Base (no batteries)
3.23kg
Astro Map (no batteries)
4.72kg
Herelink Controller
550g
SL8 Battery (1)
1030g
Charger (1)
800g
Other Accessories
~350g
1.
Connect a USB cable from Astro's IO panel to a PC
2.
Install one battery and power up Astro
3.
Open AMC PC and activate Advanced mode
4.
Navigate to "Analyze" menu, select "Log Download"
5.
Click "Refresh" to load the logs
6.
Select desired files and click "Download"
