Add live distance readouts up to 100m away to your Astro!
1
Loosen the thumbscrews and slide the LR1 all the way back. This will make it easier to plug in the cable
2
Mount the counterweight to the bottom of the LR1 using the flathead screws and a 2.0mm hex driver
3
Mount the Distance Sensor Module to the side of the LR1 using the button head screw. Then attach the socket head screw to the top of the camera. Ensure the module is snug against the camera and do not pinch the cable.
4
Plug the cable into the expansion port. You may need to temporarily unplug the LR1 cable to run the distance sensor cable behind it
5
Balance the tilt axis of the gimbal by shifting the payload forward and back, then tighten the thumbscrews
If you are adding multiple modules to the LR1 Payload at the same time, a combined counterweight is required, available here.
Install the Distance Sensor App on your Astro, which can be found here. Version 1.0.1 is needed to work with the Distance Sensor Module
For NDAA/Blue Astros, you will need to enable Cloud Services before Astro will connect to the Auterion Suite for app download
Power on Astro and connect to a PC via a USB-C cable, then open 10.41.1.1 in a web browser. Under 'Settings', turn on the 'Cloud Services' toggle and reboot the aircraft.
To install the app:
1
2
Click on your Astro in the Suite
3
Under Software, install the 'Precise Distance LRF' app
Turn on Astro with LR1 and the Distance Sensor module. Once connected, in AMC > Settings > Enable 'Show Distance Sensor App Output'. The distance readout should now be displayed on the Fly screen in AMC
For NDAA/Blue versions of Astro, you will need to enable 'Mavlink USB-C Connectivity' for the distance sensor to work.
Power on Astro and connect to a PC via a USB-C cable, then open 10.41.1.1 in a web browser. Under 'Settings', turn on the 'Mavlink USB-C Connectivity' toggle and reboot the aircraft.
Live distance readout (in meters) in AMC at ~5Hz
Range up to 100m on objects with >70% reflectivity at +/-10cm
Below 10m, we have found the error to be within +/-4cm
When mounted, the front of the LRF is 44mm forward the LR1 sensor, which should be accounted for when sizing objects in frame based on the distance sensor data.
Distance sensor value saved in LR1 image metadata (in meters)
The Distance Sensor Module does not adjust the LR1 focus settings at this time
Freefly supported add-on modules for the LR1 Payload
To add additional functionality in a small package, Freefly has worked to develop a Thermal Module and a Distance Sensor module that can be attached to the LR1 payload to supercharge your workflow
Have another module you want to see added? Reach out to us at support@freeflysystems.com
Add LWIR thermal imaging to your LR1 payload on Astro!
1
Loosen the thumbscrews and slide the LR1 all the way back. This will make it easier to plug in the cable
2
Mount the counterweight to the bottom of the LR1 using the M3 x 5 FHCS screws and a 2.0mm hex driver
3
Mount the Thermal Module to the top of the LR1 using the M3 x 10 SHCS screws and a 2.5mm hex driver. Ensure the module is snug against the camera. Do not pinch the cable.
4
Plug the cable into the expansion port. Gently push the cable into the cable guide hook.
5
Balance the tilt axis of the gimbal by shifting the payload forward and back, then tighten the thumbscrews. Torque the screws up to 0.3Nm to prevent the adjustment from slipping.
If you are adding multiple modules to the LR1 Payload at the same time, a combined counterweight is required, available here.
Ensure your Astro and controller are up to date! The Thermal Module is compatible with Astro firmware 1.7 and later
Switching between cameras views can be done by tapping the camera name, or by mapping 'Next Camera' to a button on the controller
Contrast - Auto, Custom
Color pallet selection - White hot, Black hot, Ironbow, Rainbow, Rainbow HC, Lava, Arctic, Glowbow, Graded Fire, Hottest
Zoom - digital up to 8x
Image capture - Jpeg, Radiometric Tiff, both
Spot temperature readout
Mix/max temperatures of region
Adjustable region size
Selectable Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin
Togglable settings - Radiometric settings, Spot Metering, Isotherms
Auto and manual Flat-Field-Correction (FFC)
Geotagged photos
Currently, thermal mapping with the Thermal Module is not supported
We have shipped two variants of the thermal module. Despite the difference in lens markings, the field of view of the lenses are the same and the image quality/sensor performance is also the same. The mass is different between the two variants, which means a matching counterweight should be used to ensure good gimbal balance and stabilization.
