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Astro Public

Pilot's Operating Handbook

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.

The payload is not hot swappable. Ensure that the Astro is powered off when connecting or removing payloads

2. Connecting your Astro to the Internet (Optional)

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 connect your Astro to the WiFi:

Open AMC on your Pilot Pro, Herelink Controller, or PC. If using a PC, connect to Astro with a USB-C cable.
Tap the icon in the top-left of AMC. Navigate to Vehicle Overview > Connectivity

Enable WiFi (do not enable hotspot mode), provide your network name and password, and click "Connect"

3. Registering your Astro in the Auterion Suite (Optional)

To get started, ensure Astro is powered on.
Connect a USB cable from your computer to the USB-C port on the I/O panel located on the underside of the Freefly Astro.

Refresh the web page if the Astro dashboard does not appear. (Note that NDAA/Blue variants of Astro need the admin to enable features)
Once you make your account, then you can claim the aircraft and it will show up in your Suite account.

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 Astro 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 Pilot Pro (or Herelink controller) and charge until complete.

5. Go Flying

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!

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 buttons on the Pilot Pro/Herelink or the AMC app on the handset/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.

Similar 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 can hold its vertical position using the barometer, 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 the 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 the 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 on the pilot handset or PC:

Vehicle Setup > Tuning

Learn Manual Mode

Position Slow acts just like regular Position Mode, but helps to give your flying more control over speed of movement. With the dials on the top of the Pilot Pro, you can now adjust velocity rates on the fly! Whether flying for tower inspections or a cinematic sweep, Position Slow helps give finesse to the pilot to achieve this with ease.

The gimbal's dial on the left is always active regardless of mode

Position Slow was added in Astro v1.4.6 when the Pilot Pro was introduced and has not been tested on the Herelink controller. While it may be accessible depending on software version, you will not have options to change speeds dynamically that you do on the Pilot Pro. To map Position Slow to the D button, open AMC and under Advanced > Flight Modes, set Flight Mode 5 to Position (Slow). Next, enter the Herelink settings by swiping down from the top of the screen and clicking the Herelink stats. Go to the "BUTTONS" tab and change "D short press" from channel 10 to 14, then hit save.

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.

By default, Return Mode is activated automatically by some 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.

In most cases, RTL mode will travel to the predetermined RTL altitude, travel over the home point, and automatically descend to land. However, if the aircraft is close to the home point, the behavior will be slightly different in order to save time and reduce the amount of distance Astro will need to move.

If Astro is directly over the home point at the time of RTL, it will land without gaining altitude regardless of its current altitude.
If Astro is within a few meters of the home point, it will move directly above the home point and begin landing.
If Astro is within 20m altitude and less than 20m ground distance from the home point, it will go to 20m altitude, move over the home point, and land.
If Astro is between 20-35m altitude and less than 20m ground distance from the home point, it will maintain altitude, move over home point, and land.
If Astro is more than 35m altitude or more than 20m ground distance from the home point, it will go to the set RTL altitude, move over the home point, and land.

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 a 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.

Moving the sticks will cause a change to Position Mode unless Landing Mode is engaged by a Failsafe (e.g. critical battery level). See the Safety and Failsafes section for more details.

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.

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

Depending on what Astro firmware version you're on, you may or may not be able to move sticks to interrupt Return Mode

Before Astro version 1.4.6, moving the flight sticks on the controller will interrupt Return and Mission mode.

For Astro version 1.4.6-1.5.18, moving the flight sticks will not interrupt these modes.

In 1.6.14 and later this setting was re-introduced as an op-in setting that's disabled by default, and by default stick movements will not interrupt Return Mode

These changes were made as a response to feedback that accidental stick movements were interrupting these flight modes erroneously along with a userbase that wanted this behavior back.

Flight Part 2 - Operation

Astro Flight Checklist

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

Before Flight

Powering On the Transmitter

If you have a Tab 3 (red button on the tablet) press and hold the small black button on the edge of the tablet to turn it on

If you have a Tab 5 (green button on the tablet) press the power button on the Pilot Pro twice

Pilot Pro will automatically open the Pilot Pro App. Once the Astro is running and everything shows as connected, switch over to the AMC app

Press and hold the power button below the screen until you see the Herelink logo appear

Powering On the Astro

The Astro can be powered with either one or two batteries. One battery will put the Astro into Bench Mode to prevent arm for benchtop operations, and two batteries will allow for flight

Bench Mode: Astro will only arm (i.e. spin the motors) if 2 batteries are installed. When powering Astro for non-flying purposes (e.g. benchtop testing), connect only one battery.

Bench mode is not a substitute for the absolute safety of removing propellers.

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. Once connected, press the button on the battery twice to turn it on. If you have two batteries connected, they will both automatically power on when you turn on one of them.

Checking Battery Levels

Once the transmitter and Astro are connected, the AMC app indicates Astro's battery level and the battery level of the handset in the status 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. These states are displayed on the Astro through the LED's on the boom arms.

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)

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.

State

Input

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.

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.

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 seconds. For example, this applies if the last command in a mission is "Land".

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 meters / 12 feet of altitude) to avoid snagging landing gear on the ground.

Takeoff best practices:

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.

Landing best practices:

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.

Battery Changes

The Astro's batteries can be removed by pushing up on the grey tab on the back of the battery. This will unlock the battery, and allow you to slide it out.

Astro's SL8 batteries do not need to be powered off before removal

Hotswap

During some longer missions, you may find hotswapping batteries easier, which will keep the Astro powered on during the battery changing process. 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

Depending on what Astro firmware version you're on, you may or may not be able to move sticks to interrupt Return Mode

Before Astro version 1.4.6, moving the flight sticks on the controller will interrupt Return and Mission mode.

For Astro version 1.4.6-1.5.18, moving the flight sticks will not interrupt these modes.

In 1.6.14 and later this setting was re-introduced as an op-in setting that's disabled by default, and by default stick movements will not interrupt Return Mode

Emergency Procedure Checklists

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.

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 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 pilot handset 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.

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 on the pilot handset 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 the pilot handset or PC.

Emergency Stop - Manual Override

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

Failsafes

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 are only able to estimate how long it will take the aircraft to return to 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.

State

SoC (default)

Action (default)

Warning

20%

Warning: Flash boom LEDs

Critical (>200m)

17-15%

Return Mode

Critical (<200m)

10%

Return Mode

Emergency

Land Mode

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).

Error and Warning Indication

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

Advanced Arming Methods

Method

Input

AMC App, pilot handset

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.

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 GUI.

Essential Software

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 (GSD)

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

GSD, 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 GSD sliders will also change the other option automatically. If you are using GSD, make sure that the resulting altitude is still clear of any obstacles.

Pattern Options

Transfer Mission Plan and KML Files with Herelink

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.

Offline Maps

Using Offline Maps on the Ground Control Station (GCS) allows operators to access detailed maps and navigate effectively without requiring an active internet connection. This feature is particularly useful in remote areas where a stable internet connection may not be available. By pre-downloading map data, operators can continue to plan and monitor missions, ensuring continuous situational awareness and flight control. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and using offline maps on the GCS, helping you maintain reliable navigation capabilities in areas with limited connectivity.

Downloading Offline Maps

Offline maps can be downloaded through the 'Offline Maps' section in the AMC settings. The vehicle will not need to be turned on to download maps, but the tablet will need to be connected to the internet. After maps are downloaded, they will be available without a network connection on the tablet. If terrain data is needed, make sure the elevation provider is selected when downloading maps.

Deleting Offline Maps

To delete an offline map, tap on the map's tile set, and you can delete or rename the map set

Select the tileset you want to remove. We will be removing tile set 003

When the tile set is selected, you will have the options to rename or delete the tile set

Elevation tile sets are separate from elevation tile sets and will need to be removed separately

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

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

Accessing Advanced Parameters

Please exercise extreme caution before changing parameters. Do not operate Astro with edited parameters unless you are certain you know what you're doing or have been instructed to do so by a Freefly employee.

Advanced Parameter Commands

Resetting Parameters to Factory Defaults

On occasion you may need to reset the parameters to the vehicle's default. To do this, once you navigate to parameters, click on Tools > Reset to vehicle's configuration defaults

Loading Parameter Files

Especially in support situations, we may ask you to load a parameter file. To do this, the file will need to be copied into AMC's visible folder so that it can load the file. AMC will be looking for parameters under Documents > Auterion Mission Control > Parameters

To load the parameter file, go to the parameter page and go to Tools > Load from file. As long as the file is in the right location, it should show up and be selectable to import the parameter changes

AMC - User Account

AMC - Settings

General

Comm Links

Offline Maps

Silvus

Advanced Mode

MavLink

Console

Network and Connectivity

WiFi

Connect the Astro aircraft to a wifi network

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 on the pilot handset 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.
Set Wifi Mode to Hotspot, which allows Astro to broadcast a wifi network that other devices can connect to.

LTE

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

Open AMC on the pilot handset 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.
4. On the bottom of the page, expand the "details" bar and scroll until you find the listed IMEI information

Hardware Disable

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.

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.

Troubleshooting

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).

Radio Range and Interferences

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 and the Doodle radios on Astro is approximately 2 km in ideal conditions, assuming there are no interferences and the antennas are positioned correctly.

Antenna Positioning

This is one of the simplest to miss and impact the range of the flight

Pilot Pro

Both the Doodle and Herelink radio modules on Pilot Pro use two blade antennas that are omni directional. It is important to follow these basic guidelines:

Antennas should both point in the same direction.
Antennas should point towards ground or sky
Minimize how much the antennas are getting blocked in close proximity. For instance, if you are using the Pilot Pro with the tablet in the open configuration, then pointing antennas towards ground instead of sky is usually better.

Herelink GCS (Legacy):

Herelink GCS has two types of antennas.

Patch antenna (with a circular disk on top) is a directional antenna and should be pointed toward the aircraft
Other antenna is omni-directional and it should be positioned pointing towards the ground or sky

Interferences

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

Multiple Aircraft

Astro's Doodle radio configuration runs on dedicated peer to peer channels. In order to fly multiple Astros in the same airspace, make sure to scan channels and then set each Astro Doodle to a different channel.
Astro's Herelink radios are channel hopping by default. 4 aircraft can fly simultaneously in the same airspace in practice. If more aircraft are present, interference can cause loss of radio link and control.
- If using the legacy Herelink GCS, you can set each Herelink to be on a dedicated channel
- If using the Pilot Pro with the Herelink radio, this feature is not yet available.

High Power Radio Interference

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.

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.

Magnetic Interference

In a situation where there is a magnetic interference that is preventing the aircraft to figure out its heading before takeoff, you are presented with options:

Move away from any potential sources of magnetic interference, like metal or water. In most cases, moving the Astro a few feet away will allow it to get a better magnetic reading to figure out the heading, and position mode will become available for takeoff.
Take off in altitude mode. Shortly after flying in altitude mode, GPS heading will be locked and you can then switch to position mode.

Be aware that flying in Altitude Mode does introduce additional risk. If the aircraft loses connection with the controller, it will not hold its horizontal position which may result in a crash if control is not re-established quickly.

Travel and Shipping

Astro Case

Case Dimensions: 31x24x15 inches

Weight Table

Item

Weight

Astro Base in case (no batteries)

56 lbs / 25kg

Astro Base (no batteries)

3.23kg

Astro Map (no batteries)

4.72kg

Pilot Pro Controller

1920g

Herelink Controller

550g

SL8 Battery (1)

1030g

Charger (1)

800g

Other Accessories

~350g

Batteries

Airline Travel

Please consult local regulations.

Detailed FAA regulations here:

Maintenance

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Known Issues and Solutions

Issue

Solution

Battery cells out of balance

Leave on the charger (under supervision) for about 8 hours

Cannot control gimbal

Astro drifts up/down while hovering

Cannot record video using the Sony a7R-IV, or "unable to write to card, check card speed"

Transfer mission from PC to Herelink

Upload to Astro using PC, download from Astro using Herelink

Can't connect laptop version of AMC to Astro

Gimbal is limp with camera on

FAQ

Question

Answer

Is there a compatible LiDAR sensor?

Yes! Several LiDAR payloads are available using our Smart Dovetail quick release or an adaptor:

-Emesent Hovermap

-GreenValley International X3C

-YellowScan Mapper, Mapper +, and Ultra

-Phoenix LiDAR Recon-A and Recon-XT

-Inertial Labs RESEPI

-ROCK Robotic R3PRO

Is there a thermal sensor for Astro?

Advanced Troubleshooting

Software Updates

#protip - Verify all Astro components have their software updated together to the latest by referencing the chart below to make sure there are no compatibility issues.

For instance, Astro software v1.6 is not fully compatible with the previous payload/gimbal firmware v1.6.

Current Firmware Version

Latest Versions

Previous Firmware Versions

Astro v1.9 Release Notes

Astro v1.9.2

Summary: Introduces Astro Max and Freefly OGI Payload
Release Date: January 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.9.2
- AMC: 1.33.11
Notes
Astro v1.7 -> v1.9
- New: Freefly OGI Payload support
- Fix: Adds GPS tagging from GPS altitude. This is a patch to improve height accuracy in RTK tagged images.
- Fix: Remove button mapping fltmode5 = -1. It was causing issues if the assigned channel was active.
- Fix (going from v1.9.1 to v1.9.2): Freefly has identified an issue in Astro Max firmware v1.9.1 where the system may fail to detect landing and thus not disarm. v1.9.2 has a parameter value update to correct this issue.
AMC v1.32.7 -> v1.33.11
- New: Freefly OGI Payload support
  - Adds custom camera actions 1-3
  - Custom camera action 1 is mapped to GEM on/off.

Astro v1.7 Release Notes

Astro v1.7.2

Summary: Introduces integration for LR1 Thermal Module [Boson 640R], and various improvements
Release Date: September 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.7.2
- AMC: 1.32.7
Notes
- New: Integrated LR1 Thermal Module [Boson 640R]. Includes spot metering and digital zoom up to 8x
- New: Digital Zoom 1.0 to 4.0x digital zoom on LR1 and A7R4 Payloads for live preview and saved images/videos.
- New: Tap to Focus for LR1 and A7R Payloads
- New: Payload zoom on Pilot Pro right side rocker. Zoom function is now mapped to the right hand rocker (below R1 button) on Pilot Pro. This works for LR1 Payload, AR4 Payload, Thermal Module for LR1, Wiris Pro Payload
- Fixes and Improvements:
  - LR1 Payload - Fixed an overheat condition on bootup
  - LR1 Payload - Fixed soft focus in infinity focus mode
  - A7R4 Payload - Removed incorrect 50mm infinity focus setting
  - AMC - Removed Structure Scan
  - AMC - LR1 and Thermal Module appear as EO/IR toggle when both connected
  - Distance Sensor Module - can now select between ft. and meters
  - Distance Sensor Module - displays +99m when max range is reached
  - Added support for up to 3 cameras on Astro

Known Issues:
- Slow Mode's zoom rate scaling requires reinstallation. To enable it again, go to 10.41.1.1 Astro settings, find installed applications, and press the settings button on the Slow Mode app to initialize it.
- Currently, video can only be recorded on LR1 and one additional camera (ex: LR1 and Thermal) simultaneously. Wiris Pro is treated in the software as one camera

Astro v1.6 Release Notes

Astro v1.6.14

Summary: Support for Astro Prime, Blue, and LR1 Payload
Release Date: July 2024
Package version number: v1.6

What's New

Integration with Freefly’s Doodle radio modules, an NDAA and Blue approved radio module.
- Freefly built firmware with optimized configurations for real-world Astro flights.
- Pairing Manager
- Channel change settings
- Logging option
- Firmware updates
- Option to enable RJ45

- Ability to enable/disable individual security features.
- • Ability to add multi-user authentication for admins.
- Stealth logging option that removes positional information from logs. (Please note that having this mode turned on will conflict with PPK mapping workflow)

Mapping and Mission
- Metadata updates:
  - Added coordinate system to JPEG XMP metadata.
  - Added use of UTC time for date and time in Exif metadata.
  - Added RTK accuracy tag to XMP.
  - Fixed camera attitude in XMP tags.
  - Moved from DJI to Pixhawk XMP block. This is important to note for mapping workflows
- Improved error handling when USB storage is disconnected.
- PPK processing stability improvements.
- New mission manager menu for integration with Auterion Suite Mission Sync.
- Increased Corridor Scan max width to 500m.

Payload
- Integration with Freefly’s new Sony LR1 payload
  - Advanced payload parameters in AMC
  - Automatic tuning profiles based on detected lens.
- Video recording settings for A7R and LR1 payloads.
- Added JPEG quality setting options to the menu.
- Fixed the gimbal angles display in AMC.
- AMC now displays payload gimbal firmware version number.
- Fixed gimbal tilt drift caused by AMC

Exposed the option to set COM_RC_OVERRIDE behavior in AMC safety tab. When this setting is enabled moving the RC sticks immediately gives control back to the pilot by automatically switching to Position mode and if position is unavailable, then to Altitude mode.

Known Issues

A7R4 and Wiris payloads need their gimbal firmware updated to v1.7 or above. Not doing so will result in compatibility issues in performance.
Hovermap ST-X payload requires two parameter changes to work with 1.6 FW.
- Set MAV_2_MODE = Normal
- Set COM_RC_IN_MODE = RC Transmitter Only
Hovermap is not yet compatible with Astro Blue/Doodle variant.

Astro v1.5 Compatibility Table

Astro v1.5.18

Summary: Remote ID Support, Astro FPV integration, ESRI Site Scan and other bugfixes
Release Date: March 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.5.18
- AMC (Android): v1.26.15
Notes
- ESRI Site Scan is now compatible with Astro v1.5 and above
- Mission and Surveying Fixes:
  - Fixed a bug in the execution of missions with altitude changes. There was an issue with aircraft not always following the intended vertical flight trajectory between waypoints.
  - Fixed a bug where geotagged altitudes could be wrong when using a USB camera
  - Improved the Sony A7RIV triggering consistency during surveys. The jitter between triggers is now significantly reduced
  - Improved RTK geotagging. Previously, the vehicle's location was used to geotag images onboard the vehicle. Although the PPK workflow corrects for any shift during post-processing, accurate RTK geotagging must occur onboard for optimal precision.
  - Improved the speed in generating the necessary onboard PPK files by over 3 times
  - Fixed an issue with PPK process writing the same capture event twice in the Rinex file
  - Fixed issue that would cause the PPK status in AMC to be incorrect. In some cases the processing popup would never show up while in other cases it would show up but never go away
  - Fixed the 200 feet constrain on corridor width limit
- More
  - Optimized video streaming to the GCS by reducing the number of data spikes over the radio link
  - Added VEHICLE_MANUFACTURER and MODEL for XMP metadata for easy ingestion by Trimble Business Center
  - Updated max yaw rate to 75 deg/s for more precise control
  - Added a guard to battery emergency logic. If a battery reports a sudden jump to 0% state of charge, Astro will do additional checks to see if this might be a faulty report, then it will initiate an RTL instead of a direct Land action.
  - Fixed and issue where slow mode intermittently using wrong camera for scaling
  - Improved data usage by not uploading photos to the suite that are taken while the drone is disarmed
  - Optimized photo storage on external USB stick. Depending on the usb stick write speed there could be situations where the photo storage would slow down the rest of the payload operations.
  - Fixed an issue that would cause the payload to never be detected after a brief payload disconnection
  - Added ability to center map on vehicle, on payload Center Field of View or both
  - Added software compatibility check between AMC and AuterionOS

Astro v1.4.6

Summary: Introduces the Pilot Pro integration
Release Date: November 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.4.6
Notes
- New: Pilot Pro Integration
- New: Velocity Control (aka Slow Speed Mode)
- Operational Behavior Changes
- Herelink GCS Updates
- User Interface (UI) Enhancements
- Status and Monitoring Improvements
- Photo Gallery Updates
- Mapping and Mission Planning Updates
- Auterion Suite Integration Updates
- Fixes and Improvements

Known Issues:
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS is not supported with this software bundle.

Astro v1.3.2

Summary: Astro Software release that introduces the Wiris payload integration
Release Date: June 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.3.2
  - Herelink OEM build number: FFARU01230623
Notes
- New service provider for terrain follow with v1.17.18. (AMC v1.17.17 or earlier will no longer have the terrain follow working starting July 2023)
- Bugfix for a rare issue where orbit start commands would get delayed for multiple minutes

Known Issues:
- Herelink suggests that you should update the Air unit as well. However you don't need to update the air unit.
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS soon to add support for this firmware

Astro v1.2.10

Summary: Major Astro Software release that includes new Compassless flight mode, and dozens of new features and improvements
Release Date: May 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.2.10
- Herelink OEM build number: FFSRU01230515
Known Issues:
- v1.2.10 may display itself as v1.2.9 in AMC or in the Auterion Suite
- Herelink suggests that you should update the Air unit as well. However, you don't need to update the air unit.
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS soon to add support for this firmware
- AMC Photo Gallery doesn't always load. This will be fixed soon

Astro v1.1.18

Summary: Several hotfixes that address safety critical issues
Release Date: February 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.18
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU010624

Notes

Several hotfixes that address SD Card driver and priority issues that caused an Astro to crash
- Hotfixed SD Card driver to eliminate a possible hang when the SD card is disconnected during a wait for write to complete. This was the initial cause of the crash that triggered grounding
- Removed PX4’s emergency logger priority boost mechanism which could hang the system if the logger or log_writer thread was already hung (possibly due to the above issue). This priority boost is what promoted the stuck logging thread to max priority, with the intent of capturing what was wrong, but instead caused the processor to hang in the high priority loop.
- Increase semaphore holder slots so that there is no situation where it could run out during a resource contention. This can happen during shutdown where multiple modules write parameters at the same time.
- Hotfixed px4io module to ensure DMA is properly closed and restarted in case of a transfer failure
- Hotfixed px4io module to ensure that in case of corrupted SBUS data, the input processor can’t try and process more than the valid data

Hotfix for GPS dropouts affecting Astro functionality
- Default GPS configuration now disables Beidou constellation processing on the F9P GPS. There is a suspected weakness in the GPS firmware where bad SBAS data may cause added CPU load on the GPS and it becomes overloaded, which may cause GPS lock to drop for a few seconds.

Known issue: During testing, a Freefly Engineering aircraft failed to fully complete the disarm process. The motors shutdown, but the system hung. This has happened 3 times to this specific aircraft, including on older firmware. It is still being investigated, but we don’t believe this was added in this firmware. It has only happened to one vehicle, and failed safely each time.

Testing for this release included
- Hotfix specific test plan for the new changes
- Full software validation testing
- 50+ hours of functional flight time across over 10 pilots and Astros

Astro v1.1.14

Summary: Introducting ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS integration
Release Date: September 2022
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.14
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU010624

Notes

New Feature: Integration with ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS!
- Complete solution - Freefly Astro integrated with Site Scan for ArcGIS provides a complete end-to-end drone mapping solution. From drone hardware, automated flight planning and execution, online and offline, to imagery processing on the cloud or on desktop, to advanced analysis in ArcGIS…
New Feature: ExFat support. You can now use USB drives with any memory size, and format them using a Windows computer. Simply select ExFat format.
Improvement: auterionOS and AMC now uses a global counter for the pictures taken
Bugfix: Fixed the camera pre-flight check fails

Astro v1.1.11

Summary: Astro Map initial release
Release Date: May 2022
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.11
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU01220425

Notes

Operational Behavior Changes
- New Feature - Failsafe change: Before executing critical and emergency battery failsafes, Astro now switches to “hold” mode for 10 seconds and shows an alert on the AMC. This allows the pilot to have an opportunity to take any manual action, such as aborting the RTL incase vehicle is operating below obstacles. RTL can be be cancelled by selecting any other flight mode.
- New Feature - Initial mode behavior change: Astro will now boot into PENDING mode, and will transition to Position mode when GPS accuracy requirements are met. This prevents accidentally taking off before the Position mode is available and being confused as to why position hold and RTL failsafe is unavailable. If the pilot wants to takeoff before this (without GPS), they can switch to Altitude or Manual mode.
- New Feature: Astro will now go through a 3 stage landing for a smoother touchdown. This autoland is available within 50m horizontally and 30m vertically from the takeoff location. Outside of these bounds, Astro will autoland using the 2 stage touchdown, as it did in v1.0.21.
- Improvement: Mission pause and resume actions will resume the mission from the last completed waypoint
- Improvement: Mission and cruise speed defaults are set to 10 m/s
- Improvement: Default mission altitude is set to 50m
System and Other Changes
- New Feature: Astro will now GPS geotag the photos with high accuracy and move them any attached USB storage device. High accuracy is achieved with the integration of camera hotshoe signals, and 1PPS time synchronization
- New Feature: Astro will automatically write GPS observation files to any attached USB storage device at end of flight for use in PPK processing of flight path or photos. If the aircraft is powered off before observation file writing is complete, it will be placed in a recovery folder on the USB drive at next boot.
- New Feature: Herelink runs an additional app (Skyway) to route telemetry and video to hotspot devices. This allows connection of multiple devices to Herelink hotspot and stream data and video from Astro
- Improvement: Astro prevents flashing non-Astro firmware releases to Skynode
- Improvement: Astro requires a magnetometer calibration after firmware update and parameter reset
AMC Changes
- New Feature: AMC will display estimated flight time remaining in minutes as a bar at the top of the screen
- New Feature: Herelink radio signal strength indicator in status bar
- New Feature: Support for Astro Map system
- New Feature: Progress indicator after landing to let users know when GPS observations are done processing. You can set aircraft parameter GPS_DUMP=0 to silence this notification (which will also disable writing data necessary for PPK processing).
- Improvement: AMC now runs in background. Minimizing AMC app won’t trigger datalink failsafe
- Improvement: Auterion suite pilot login
- Improvement: Terrain collision calculations are improved when planning a mission
- Improvement: UI for maximizing video window is improved
- Bugfix: Performance impact of capturing hundreds of photos during a survey is reduced
- Bugfix: Corridor scan will now trigger photos on all flight legs
Developer/advanced user Changes
- New Feature: 1PPS pulse is available on the IO board ZPD connector
- New Feature: Camera trigger and feedback is enabled
- Improvement: External serial port is renamed from TELEM4 to PPB. Baud is now configured with SER_PPB_BAUD. Default baud rate is now 921600
- Improvement: Astro now requires Smart batteries with firmware v1.9 and above (this should only impact beta testers, v1.9 was the initial public battery release firmware).
More Details
Known Issues
- Switching from photo to video mode will work, however AMC will display an incorrect warning that it failed.

Herelink v1.0.1

Summary: Herelink bugfix release
Release Date: September 2021
Versions in this package:
- Herelink OEM build number: FFSRU01210809

Notes:
- Bugfix: This version fixes an issue with the wifi hotspot intermittently stopping to work.

Astro v1.0.21

Summary: Astro hotfix release
Release Date: August 2021
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.0.21

Notes:
- Bugfix: Slew rate limits are enabled to prevent an edge case where aggressive motor commands can cause motor controller to destabilize.

Astro v1.0.18

Summary: Initial Astro release
Release Date: July 2021
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.0.18

Astro Software v2.0 - What's New

Operational Behavior Change: Astro now boots in Position Flight Mode

In previous versions of Astro firmware, the aircraft would boot up in 'Pending' flight mode while waiting for the required GPS satellites and position accuracy metrics. With 2.0 Astro firmware, the aircraft now boots up in Position mode, but displays 'No valid position estimate' until the satellite counts and position accuracy metrics are met

Operational Behavior Change: Astro can re-arm after using the kill switch

In previous versions of Astro firmware, it was not possible to re-arm the aircraft after the kill switch was used without an aircraft reboot. With the 2.0 firmware release, it is now possible to reset the kill switch position and then re-arm Astro without a reboot of the aircraft.

Make sure to update your pilot pro firmware to version 2.0.27 as well!

New: Gimbal Snap to 0, 45, 90 Degrees

In AMC 1.34 under Controller > Joystick > Button Configuration, the following actions are now functional and can be mapped to buttons or switches on the GCS:
- Gimbal Center
- Gimbal Pitch 45
- Gimbal Pitch 90

New: Gimbal Direct Control

We've pulled in some code from our Movi Pro ecosystem to improve gimbal yaw smoothness! In Astro 2.0 firmware when flying in Position Slow mode, the aircraft now follows the heading of the gimbal for more precise and cinematic shots.

This feature is available for LR1/A7R4/Wiris Pro/OGI payloads
Info on configuring gimbal expo/window/smoothness is here:

New: LR1/A7R4 Intervalometer mode

This can be toggled under the LR1/A7R4 camera settings:

Settings > Enable Interval Shooting
Set trigger interval
Press shutter button to start and stop

If you are saving images to the USB stick, we recommend a minimum trigger interval of 2.0s or greater. If you need to go faster than this, set your storage mode to SD card

New: Georeferenced PDF import in AMC

In AMC 1.34, georeferenced PDF maps can now be imported and overlayed on the primary map. To import a geo PDF map go to:

Load a geoPDF on a USB thumbdrive and plug it into Pilot Pro
In AMC, go the settings page > Maps & Terrain > GeoPDF Imagery > Import GeoPDF
Select the desired file and wait for AMC to complete the import
Go to the Plan or Fly screen to see the imported map overlay

Improvement: Clearer Thermal Module Temperature Display

New graphics overlay to clearly display the temperature readout when using spot metering

Improvement: Gimbal Version Compatibility Checks

AMC will now check if the gimbal firmware version is too old.

You can update your gimbal firmware here:

New: Safety configuration

A new param, COM_ARMABLE, has been added.

To ensure the drone cannot arm, along with safety measures like removing propellers and connecting only one battery, set the parameter COM_ARMABLE to 0 ("Disallow arming").
This setting will block arming even if the system is otherwise ready.

New: Enabled native screen mirroring in Pilot Pro from the tablet to an external display.

New: Integrated Freefly Doodle FW v1.7 in Pilot Pro App.

This allows updating v1.4 units to the latest.
Additionally, any radio pair that is on v1.7 now benefits from faster pairing and channel changes.

Other Fixes and Improvements:

Improved vertical accuracy in geotagged photos.
Improved Thermal Module Temperature Display - New graphics overlay to clearly display the temperature readout when using spot metering.
Added gimbal version compatibility checks in AMC.
Improved GPS reliability
- Reduced GPS output rate to increase reliability.
- Enabled BeiDou.
Wifi configuration
- Fixed a bug where sometimes the 'connect' button is greyed out.
- Nearby network names are now shown.
Fixed an issue where Astro could unexpectedly move when transitioning from Manual --> Position mode

Known Issues

The time until the RTL indicator bar displayed at the top of the Fly view in AMC is sometimes inaccurate.
Hovermap ST and ST-X require a Cortex firmware update to be compatible with Astro firmware 2.0. Emesent is working on releasing this update soon
Changing some parameters require reboots, but the reboot prompt isn't displayed.

It is best practice to always reboot after changing parameters

Astro Software v1.7 - What’s New

New: LR1 Thermal Module [Boson 640R]

- Spot temperature readout
  - Mix/max temperatures of region
  - Adjustable region size
  - Selectable Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin
- Media capture - Jpeg, Radiometric Tiff, both, video
- Zoom - digital up to 8x

New: LR1 and A7R4 Payload Features

Digital Zoom:
- 1.0 to 4.0x digital zoom for live preview and saved images/videos. This can be controlled with the on screen buttons or the right hand rocker on pilot pro.
Tap to Focus:
- A new mode under Auto Focus is exposed: Flexible Spot with size small, medium, or large.
- This can be enabled/disabled by the tap icon next to the shutter button as well

Note: A7R4 tap to focus is much slower than LR1, limited by the camera's autofocus speed

Update: Payload zoom on Pilot Pro right side rocker

Zoom function is now mapped to the right hand rocker (below R1 button) on Pilot Pro. This works for:
- LR1 Payload
- A7R4 Payload
- Thermal Module for LR1
- Wiris Pro Payload

Fixes and Improvements:

LR1 Payload - Fixed an overheat condition on bootup
LR1 Payload - Fixed soft focus in infinity focus mode
A7R4 Payload - Removed incorrect 50mm infinity focus setting
AMC - Removed Structure Scan
AMC - LR1 and Thermal Module appear as EO/IR toggle when both connected
Distance Sensor Module - can now select between ft. and meters
Distance Sensor Module - displays +99m when max range is reached
Added support for up to 3 cameras on Astro
- Currently, only video can be recorded on LR1 and one additional camera (ex: LR1 and Thermal) simultaneously. Wiris Pro is treated in the software as one camera

Standard Maintenance Procedures

Periodic Maintenance

Everything you need to know to maintain a safe and functional aircraft

Before performing any maintenance, ensure that Astro is not connected to any power source, battery or otherwise. Leaving Astro powered while performing any work on it can result in a potentially dangerous situation.

General Notes

Cleaning

Keep your aircraft clean of dust and debris after each use- this will ensure that moving parts are not damaged/warn/jammed and also helps prevent and contamination from hiding structural damage that must be identified during visual preflight inspections.

Clean Astro's exterior with a non-abrasive soft cloth, microfiber towel or similar with a plastic-safe soap or detergent. Graduate the solvent potency when removing contamination, as shown below:

Water
Soap and water
General cleaner (like Simple Green)
Isopropyl Alcohol

Avoid anything that has bleach in it, or aggressive solvents like Acetone. If operating in a salt environment, wipe down Astro after use with a clean rag wet with tap water.

Preventative Maintenance Schedule

Always follow the preflight checklist items to ensure that each flight is safe and achieves the mission goals.

Astro is rated to 1500 flight hours! If an item is not specifically listed under any preventative maintenance schedule below, then the item is rated for the lifetime of the aircraft. This does include all aircraft electronics and motors.

At any point if you are concerned about something on the aircraft you can contact Freefly Support or purchase a Preventative Maintenance Checkup.

Note- it is key to keep both your aircraft and controller firmware up to date. Review the Software Release Notes or review the software updates page in the Auterion Suite to maintain your vehicle firmware.

PM1: Every Flight

Perform a full visual inspection of the drone, controller, batteries, and payloads before each flight.
Look for any missing screws or hardware, any new damage or cracks, or anything that looks out of the ordinary or has changed.
Check that motors spin freely and with no grinding/interference
Developing this mental model of your drone is key to catching issues before they become a possible in-flight emergency.

PM2: Every 15 Flight Hours

In addition to phase PM1:

Perform a detailed visual inspection of the aircraft:

Propeller blades and fasteners
- Motor mounting fasteners are present and not loose
- Propeller blades are flight ready. Reject if chips, cracks, or deep scratches are visible. Replace as necessary with spare parts.
Vibration Isolators:
- Visually check for any cracks, gel leaks, visible stretching. Replace as necessary with spare parts
Propeller blade washers (between blade and hub):
- Visually check if they are present and not severely deformed. Replace as necessary with with spare parts
Inspect Landing Gear
- Look for: Loose hinges, Hinge pin migration, no longer latching, any visible cracks or damage

Clean aircraft

Wipe down any dust/debris from chassis
Clean any contamination from battery connectors
Ensure no debris in or around the boom motors
Clean off any debris on propellers

Check Propeller Tension

Propeller tension is within acceptable tightness range (not clamping the propeller to tight or too loose on the propeller)

Verify Boom Latch Tightness

Verify each boom fully latches
The safety hinge has a solid over-center force
The hinge latch fully seats behind the latching post
If the hinge does not have enough tension, use a driver to adjust the hinge set screw to increase the latch tension

PM3: Every 3 Months: SL8 Battery Maintenance

Visually inspect each battery:
- Verify housings are intact and have no structural damage
- Verify the battery connector has no major damage
  - Note: It is possible for the connector to get small minor chips from high force insertion on the Astro. This is OK as long as no connector metal is exposed from the damage.
  - If you have any questions, send a photo of the connector to Freefly Support
Verify that the battery does not have any errors displayed on the OLED screen

PM4: Every 250 Flight Hours

In addition to phases PM1 and PM2:

Inspect all fastener locations to verify fasteners are present, not damaged, and are not loose

To check fasteners, apply a slight tightening torque (Clockwise direction) to each fastener on the chassis using the supplied hex drivers. The fasteners should not slip. Do not try to tighten the fastener, only check if it is loose

If a fastener does slip, tighten it using the methods described in the "Replacing Components - Fastener Specifications" section. Do not apply additional thread locking compound unless the fastener has repeatedly come loose.

Items that need tightness verified (ensure they have not worked loose):

Motor mount bolts (attaches motor mount to boom)
Propeller Mount bolts (attaches props to motor)
Top and bottom chassis bolts
Payload Isolation Mount
Compass mounting bolts
GPS antenna tightness
Landing Gear bolts
Any payload fasteners

PM5: Every 750 Flight Hours

Freefly recommends to perform this maintenance every year even if the aircraft has not hit 750 flight hours, especially if the aircraft has missed other PM intervals or if the drone operates in harsh or abusive conditions
Send Astro in for a Freefly Service Inspection and Overhaul
- Freefly drone service team will perform a full visual inspection and functional test of your aircraft with specific emphasis on:
  - Wear/fatigue items
  - Updated/improved/revised components
  - Confirm performance thresholds
    Motors
    Sensors
    Any payload stabilization metrics
  - The service will include:
    Historical flight log review for any errors or trends that need to be addressed (shared via Auterion Suite)
    Service bulletin and firmware updates.
    Full airworthiness inspection
    Full cleaning and fastener replacement (as needed)
    System level test and re-qualification

What to do if an Inspection Fails?

First step is to evaluate if the problem can be fixed- Things that can be fixed by the user typically are:

Dirty or contaminated hardware
Loose fasteners (Ensure you have the correct type of Loctite Threadlocker)
Missing fasteners (If you have the correct replacement parts)
Any replacement parts that you bought from the store or have specific directions from Freefly Customer Support

Other User Manuals

Software Updates

#protip - Verify all Astro components have their software updated together to the latest by referencing the chart below to make sure there are no compatibility issues.

For instance, Astro software v1.6 is not fully compatible with the previous payload/gimbal firmware v1.6.

Current Firmware Version

Latest Versions

Previous Firmware Versions

Astro v1.9 Release Notes

Astro v1.9.2

Summary: Introduces Astro Max and Freefly OGI Payload
Release Date: January 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.9.2
- AMC: 1.33.11
Notes
Astro v1.7 -> v1.9
- New: Freefly OGI Payload support
- Fix: Adds GPS tagging from GPS altitude. This is a patch to improve height accuracy in RTK tagged images.
- Fix: Remove button mapping fltmode5 = -1. It was causing issues if the assigned channel was active.
- Fix (going from v1.9.1 to v1.9.2): Freefly has identified an issue in Astro Max firmware v1.9.1 where the system may fail to detect landing and thus not disarm. v1.9.2 has a parameter value update to correct this issue.
AMC v1.32.7 -> v1.33.11
- New: Freefly OGI Payload support
  - Adds custom camera actions 1-3
  - Custom camera action 1 is mapped to GEM on/off.

Astro v1.7 Release Notes

Astro v1.7.2

Summary: Introduces integration for LR1 Thermal Module [Boson 640R], and various improvements
Release Date: September 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.7.2
- AMC: 1.32.7
Notes
- New: Integrated LR1 Thermal Module [Boson 640R]. Includes spot metering and digital zoom up to 8x
- New: Digital Zoom 1.0 to 4.0x digital zoom on LR1 and A7R4 Payloads for live preview and saved images/videos.
- New: Tap to Focus for LR1 and A7R Payloads
- New: Payload zoom on Pilot Pro right side rocker. Zoom function is now mapped to the right hand rocker (below R1 button) on Pilot Pro. This works for LR1 Payload, AR4 Payload, Thermal Module for LR1, Wiris Pro Payload
- Fixes and Improvements:
  - LR1 Payload - Fixed an overheat condition on bootup
  - LR1 Payload - Fixed soft focus in infinity focus mode
  - A7R4 Payload - Removed incorrect 50mm infinity focus setting
  - AMC - Removed Structure Scan
  - AMC - LR1 and Thermal Module appear as EO/IR toggle when both connected
  - Distance Sensor Module - can now select between ft. and meters
  - Distance Sensor Module - displays +99m when max range is reached
  - Added support for up to 3 cameras on Astro

Known Issues:
- Slow Mode's zoom rate scaling requires reinstallation. To enable it again, go to 10.41.1.1 Astro settings, find installed applications, and press the settings button on the Slow Mode app to initialize it.
- Currently, video can only be recorded on LR1 and one additional camera (ex: LR1 and Thermal) simultaneously. Wiris Pro is treated in the software as one camera

Astro v1.6 Release Notes

Astro v1.6.14

Summary: Support for Astro Prime, Blue, and LR1 Payload
Release Date: July 2024
Package version number: v1.6

What's New

Integration with Freefly’s Doodle radio modules, an NDAA and Blue approved radio module.
- Freefly built firmware with optimized configurations for real-world Astro flights.
- Pairing Manager
- Channel change settings
- Logging option
- Firmware updates
- Option to enable RJ45

- Ability to enable/disable individual security features.
- • Ability to add multi-user authentication for admins.
- Stealth logging option that removes positional information from logs. (Please note that having this mode turned on will conflict with PPK mapping workflow)

Mapping and Mission
- Metadata updates:
  - Added coordinate system to JPEG XMP metadata.
  - Added use of UTC time for date and time in Exif metadata.
  - Added RTK accuracy tag to XMP.
  - Fixed camera attitude in XMP tags.
  - Moved from DJI to Pixhawk XMP block. This is important to note for mapping workflows
- Improved error handling when USB storage is disconnected.
- PPK processing stability improvements.
- New mission manager menu for integration with Auterion Suite Mission Sync.
- Increased Corridor Scan max width to 500m.

Payload
- Integration with Freefly’s new Sony LR1 payload
  - Advanced payload parameters in AMC
  - Automatic tuning profiles based on detected lens.
- Video recording settings for A7R and LR1 payloads.
- Added JPEG quality setting options to the menu.
- Fixed the gimbal angles display in AMC.
- AMC now displays payload gimbal firmware version number.
- Fixed gimbal tilt drift caused by AMC

Exposed the option to set COM_RC_OVERRIDE behavior in AMC safety tab. When this setting is enabled moving the RC sticks immediately gives control back to the pilot by automatically switching to Position mode and if position is unavailable, then to Altitude mode.

Known Issues

A7R4 and Wiris payloads need their gimbal firmware updated to v1.7 or above. Not doing so will result in compatibility issues in performance.
Hovermap ST-X payload requires two parameter changes to work with 1.6 FW.
- Set MAV_2_MODE = Normal
- Set COM_RC_IN_MODE = RC Transmitter Only
Hovermap is not yet compatible with Astro Blue/Doodle variant.

Astro v1.5 Compatibility Table

Astro v1.5.18

Summary: Remote ID Support, Astro FPV integration, ESRI Site Scan and other bugfixes
Release Date: March 2024
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.5.18
- AMC (Android): v1.26.15
Notes
- ESRI Site Scan is now compatible with Astro v1.5 and above
- Mission and Surveying Fixes:
  - Fixed a bug in the execution of missions with altitude changes. There was an issue with aircraft not always following the intended vertical flight trajectory between waypoints.
  - Fixed a bug where geotagged altitudes could be wrong when using a USB camera
  - Improved the Sony A7RIV triggering consistency during surveys. The jitter between triggers is now significantly reduced
  - Improved RTK geotagging. Previously, the vehicle's location was used to geotag images onboard the vehicle. Although the PPK workflow corrects for any shift during post-processing, accurate RTK geotagging must occur onboard for optimal precision.
  - Improved the speed in generating the necessary onboard PPK files by over 3 times
  - Fixed an issue with PPK process writing the same capture event twice in the Rinex file
  - Fixed issue that would cause the PPK status in AMC to be incorrect. In some cases the processing popup would never show up while in other cases it would show up but never go away
  - Fixed the 200 feet constrain on corridor width limit
- More
  - Optimized video streaming to the GCS by reducing the number of data spikes over the radio link
  - Added VEHICLE_MANUFACTURER and MODEL for XMP metadata for easy ingestion by Trimble Business Center
  - Updated max yaw rate to 75 deg/s for more precise control
  - Added a guard to battery emergency logic. If a battery reports a sudden jump to 0% state of charge, Astro will do additional checks to see if this might be a faulty report, then it will initiate an RTL instead of a direct Land action.
  - Fixed and issue where slow mode intermittently using wrong camera for scaling
  - Improved data usage by not uploading photos to the suite that are taken while the drone is disarmed
  - Optimized photo storage on external USB stick. Depending on the usb stick write speed there could be situations where the photo storage would slow down the rest of the payload operations.
  - Fixed an issue that would cause the payload to never be detected after a brief payload disconnection
  - Added ability to center map on vehicle, on payload Center Field of View or both
  - Added software compatibility check between AMC and AuterionOS

Astro v1.4.6

Summary: Introduces the Pilot Pro integration
Release Date: November 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.4.6
Notes
- New: Pilot Pro Integration
- New: Velocity Control (aka Slow Speed Mode)
- Operational Behavior Changes
- Herelink GCS Updates
- User Interface (UI) Enhancements
- Status and Monitoring Improvements
- Photo Gallery Updates
- Mapping and Mission Planning Updates
- Auterion Suite Integration Updates
- Fixes and Improvements

Known Issues:
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS is not supported with this software bundle.

Astro v1.3.2

Summary: Astro Software release that introduces the Wiris payload integration
Release Date: June 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.3.2
  - Herelink OEM build number: FFARU01230623
Notes
- New service provider for terrain follow with v1.17.18. (AMC v1.17.17 or earlier will no longer have the terrain follow working starting July 2023)
- Bugfix for a rare issue where orbit start commands would get delayed for multiple minutes

Known Issues:
- Herelink suggests that you should update the Air unit as well. However you don't need to update the air unit.
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS soon to add support for this firmware

Astro v1.2.10

Summary: Major Astro Software release that includes new Compassless flight mode, and dozens of new features and improvements
Release Date: May 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.2.10
- Herelink OEM build number: FFSRU01230515
Known Issues:
- v1.2.10 may display itself as v1.2.9 in AMC or in the Auterion Suite
- Herelink suggests that you should update the Air unit as well. However, you don't need to update the air unit.
- ESRI Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS soon to add support for this firmware
- AMC Photo Gallery doesn't always load. This will be fixed soon

Astro v1.1.18

Summary: Several hotfixes that address safety critical issues
Release Date: February 2023
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.18
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU010624

Notes

Several hotfixes that address SD Card driver and priority issues that caused an Astro to crash
- Hotfixed SD Card driver to eliminate a possible hang when the SD card is disconnected during a wait for write to complete. This was the initial cause of the crash that triggered grounding
- Removed PX4’s emergency logger priority boost mechanism which could hang the system if the logger or log_writer thread was already hung (possibly due to the above issue). This priority boost is what promoted the stuck logging thread to max priority, with the intent of capturing what was wrong, but instead caused the processor to hang in the high priority loop.
- Increase semaphore holder slots so that there is no situation where it could run out during a resource contention. This can happen during shutdown where multiple modules write parameters at the same time.
- Hotfixed px4io module to ensure DMA is properly closed and restarted in case of a transfer failure
- Hotfixed px4io module to ensure that in case of corrupted SBUS data, the input processor can’t try and process more than the valid data

Hotfix for GPS dropouts affecting Astro functionality
- Default GPS configuration now disables Beidou constellation processing on the F9P GPS. There is a suspected weakness in the GPS firmware where bad SBAS data may cause added CPU load on the GPS and it becomes overloaded, which may cause GPS lock to drop for a few seconds.

Known issue: During testing, a Freefly Engineering aircraft failed to fully complete the disarm process. The motors shutdown, but the system hung. This has happened 3 times to this specific aircraft, including on older firmware. It is still being investigated, but we don’t believe this was added in this firmware. It has only happened to one vehicle, and failed safely each time.

Testing for this release included
- Hotfix specific test plan for the new changes
- Full software validation testing
- 50+ hours of functional flight time across over 10 pilots and Astros

Astro v1.1.14

Summary: Introducting ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS integration
Release Date: September 2022
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.14
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU010624

Notes

New Feature: Integration with ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS!
- Complete solution - Freefly Astro integrated with Site Scan for ArcGIS provides a complete end-to-end drone mapping solution. From drone hardware, automated flight planning and execution, online and offline, to imagery processing on the cloud or on desktop, to advanced analysis in ArcGIS…
New Feature: ExFat support. You can now use USB drives with any memory size, and format them using a Windows computer. Simply select ExFat format.
Improvement: auterionOS and AMC now uses a global counter for the pictures taken
Bugfix: Fixed the camera pre-flight check fails

Astro v1.1.11

Summary: Astro Map initial release
Release Date: May 2022
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.1.11
- Herelink OEM build number: FFARU01220425

Notes

Operational Behavior Changes
- New Feature - Failsafe change: Before executing critical and emergency battery failsafes, Astro now switches to “hold” mode for 10 seconds and shows an alert on the AMC. This allows the pilot to have an opportunity to take any manual action, such as aborting the RTL incase vehicle is operating below obstacles. RTL can be be cancelled by selecting any other flight mode.
- New Feature - Initial mode behavior change: Astro will now boot into PENDING mode, and will transition to Position mode when GPS accuracy requirements are met. This prevents accidentally taking off before the Position mode is available and being confused as to why position hold and RTL failsafe is unavailable. If the pilot wants to takeoff before this (without GPS), they can switch to Altitude or Manual mode.
- New Feature: Astro will now go through a 3 stage landing for a smoother touchdown. This autoland is available within 50m horizontally and 30m vertically from the takeoff location. Outside of these bounds, Astro will autoland using the 2 stage touchdown, as it did in v1.0.21.
- Improvement: Mission pause and resume actions will resume the mission from the last completed waypoint
- Improvement: Mission and cruise speed defaults are set to 10 m/s
- Improvement: Default mission altitude is set to 50m
System and Other Changes
- New Feature: Astro will now GPS geotag the photos with high accuracy and move them any attached USB storage device. High accuracy is achieved with the integration of camera hotshoe signals, and 1PPS time synchronization
- New Feature: Astro will automatically write GPS observation files to any attached USB storage device at end of flight for use in PPK processing of flight path or photos. If the aircraft is powered off before observation file writing is complete, it will be placed in a recovery folder on the USB drive at next boot.
- New Feature: Herelink runs an additional app (Skyway) to route telemetry and video to hotspot devices. This allows connection of multiple devices to Herelink hotspot and stream data and video from Astro
- Improvement: Astro prevents flashing non-Astro firmware releases to Skynode
- Improvement: Astro requires a magnetometer calibration after firmware update and parameter reset
AMC Changes
- New Feature: AMC will display estimated flight time remaining in minutes as a bar at the top of the screen
- New Feature: Herelink radio signal strength indicator in status bar
- New Feature: Support for Astro Map system
- New Feature: Progress indicator after landing to let users know when GPS observations are done processing. You can set aircraft parameter GPS_DUMP=0 to silence this notification (which will also disable writing data necessary for PPK processing).
- Improvement: AMC now runs in background. Minimizing AMC app won’t trigger datalink failsafe
- Improvement: Auterion suite pilot login
- Improvement: Terrain collision calculations are improved when planning a mission
- Improvement: UI for maximizing video window is improved
- Bugfix: Performance impact of capturing hundreds of photos during a survey is reduced
- Bugfix: Corridor scan will now trigger photos on all flight legs
Developer/advanced user Changes
- New Feature: 1PPS pulse is available on the IO board ZPD connector
- New Feature: Camera trigger and feedback is enabled
- Improvement: External serial port is renamed from TELEM4 to PPB. Baud is now configured with SER_PPB_BAUD. Default baud rate is now 921600
- Improvement: Astro now requires Smart batteries with firmware v1.9 and above (this should only impact beta testers, v1.9 was the initial public battery release firmware).
More Details
Known Issues
- Switching from photo to video mode will work, however AMC will display an incorrect warning that it failed.

Herelink v1.0.1

Summary: Herelink bugfix release
Release Date: September 2021
Versions in this package:
- Herelink OEM build number: FFSRU01210809

Notes:
- Bugfix: This version fixes an issue with the wifi hotspot intermittently stopping to work.

Astro v1.0.21

Summary: Astro hotfix release
Release Date: August 2021
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.0.21

Notes:
- Bugfix: Slew rate limits are enabled to prevent an edge case where aggressive motor commands can cause motor controller to destabilize.

Astro v1.0.18

Summary: Initial Astro release
Release Date: July 2021
Versions in this package:
- Astro Skynode: v1.0.18