Negative altitude POIs - successful workaround

[Zamzara]

To make a flightplan with a POI lower than the launch altitude, I have got this method working. I have only tried this on Android. Obviously I can't guarantee this is 100% safe but I have tried it successfully.

1. In the internal storage area of your phone (where your file manager lets you see, or the area you see when you connect to a computer) create a folder named FLIGHTPLAN (it's probably case sensitive). FF6 will now start saving its flightplans in this folder instead of the default folder in the /data partition. (If you have a rooted phone you can also edit the files directly in the /data/data/com.parrot.freeflight6/.... location if you find this easier).
2. Make a flight plan in FF6 with your POI set to any altitude. Save.
3. Install a text editor such as Simple Text Editor and open your flightplan's savedPlan.json which should be inside the folder you created above.
4. Scroll down to where it says "poi:" and adjust the altitude you set above to the desired negative number relative to launch height. Save. This may also work for waypoints; I have not tested this. Be careful not to change a waypoint by mistake.
5. Load the plan in FF6. Check it looks right before flying.

If Parrot are reading this and decide to close this method off, I would be grateful if you would make this an official feature, as it's important to me.

 

[Zamzara]

Once you've set the altitude in the .json file, FF6 seems perfectly happy to load, display, and fly the plan as it finds it.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I took your work around and expanded it to work on height limitations. This is a work around for those that need it. I do not agree with breaking any rules for your country but I can see where this work around might be useful. Some commercial pilots have waivers to fly higher for the job they are doing.

There is a way to edit Alt. very easily if you are on Android.
1. In the internal storage area of your phone (where your file manager lets you see, or the area you see when you connect to a computer) create a folder named FLIGHTPLAN (it's case sensitive). FF6 will now start saving its flightplans in this folder instead of the default folder in the /data partition. (If you have a rooted phone you can also edit the files directly in the /data/data/com.parrot.freeflight6/.... location if you find this easier).
2. Make a flight plan in FF6 with your Waypoint set to any altitude. Save it.
3. Install a text editor such as Simple Text Editor and open your flightplan's saved Plan.json which should be inside the folder you created above.
4. Scroll down to where it says "Altitude:" and adjust the altitude you set above to the desired number you want to fly at. The .json file uses meters by default but will save your flightplan in your default setting (imperial or metric) Save it. Be careful not to change a waypoint by mistake.
5. Load the plan in FF6. Check it and make sure it looks right before flying.

Default height
[

After editing

Final Flight Plan in feet

 

[Zamzara]

Cool, I did get as far as loading in a high or negative waypoint too but haven't flown them so can't confirm it works.

 

[Drbgaijin]

To make a flightplan with a POI lower than the launch altitude, I have got this method working. I have only tried this on Android. Obviously I can't guarantee this is 100% safe but I have tried it successfully.

Thank you, Tom
This is just what I was about to ask for on the forum.
I will be launching the Anafi from a high seaside cliff and want to set a POI on some rock formations 20 metres below the take of point.
Regards
Douglas

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I had a chance to test this out today. The App would load the FlightPlan but would not let me start it. Not sure if that is because of adding the folder it got confused or something else. I know when I had loaded a old APK App file that still allowed us to punch in what ever Alt. we wanted it work on this new firmware so I am thinking something in the new App is stopping it from even starting the mission.

 

[Maxgi]

For a POI with negative height you can set up with different coordinates than the one i really want to shoot. I put the POI at zero meters with a position closer to the drone...

 

[Zamzara]

I had a chance to test this out today. The App would load the FlightPlan but would not let me start it. Not sure if that is because of adding the folder it got confused or something else. I know when I had loaded a old APK App file that still allowed us to punch in what ever Alt. we wanted it work on this new firmware so I am thinking something in the new App is stopping it from even starting the mission.

Was this a POI or waypoint?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Waypoint that I adjusted the Alt. on

 

[Zamzara]

I haven't tried launching with a high altitude, I did try a very cautious test on a slope with a waypoint at -1 metre and that did launch and appeared to work.

Maybe try changing it back to an altitude in range and see if it works? If it does that suggests the new value is being blocked rather than some other error.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I took my Android tablet that is rooted and edited the /data/data/com.parrot.freeflight6/FLIGHTPLAN.

I used 605 feet. It flew right to the waypoint height this time. Can't say I enjoyed putting it up that high as it was just a spec way up there. I also had two crows attacking it on the way down, one came within a few feet of it trying to knock it with its wings. This one went into a barrel roll and almost got me.

 

[Liger 1956]

Did it still not work when you created a FLIGHTPLAN directory in the root of the phones internal memory? I do not want to root my phone to let me access the current FLIGHTPLAN directory.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I did not have a chance to see if the phone would work. The crows coming after the Anafi really freaked me out and it was a tad cold out so I packed up and went home.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Did it still not work when you created a FLIGHTPLAN directory in the root of the phones internal memory? I do not want to root my phone to let me access the current FLIGHTPLAN directory.

Redid the one on my phone that did not work the other day and for what ever reason it now works just like the one on my tablet. So both methods described by @Zamzara work ffrom my tests.
Another test would be to use the Pix4D App to see if it would go past the limitations.

 

[Cap_Caos]

View attachment 580

i know, it's off topic... what program you are using? how for this interface? and for the garph?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

i know, it's off topic... what program you are using? how for this interface? and for the garph?

FlightData Manager

FlightData Manager for Parrot Anafi, Parrot Bebop and Parrot Disco drones

 

[Cap_Caos]

thanks a lot.

 

[Dirk_ANAFI]

First thing I do: Disable auto updates to the freeflight app and ignore any firmware updates until it is confirmed working each update. By who, someone with 2 Anafi's? lol

Is it possible to downgrade firmware? Factory reset? but then you loose features and there is no coming back to an update other than newest.

Shouldn't be hard to find old version of the app just in case either. Let's use this hack responsibly, for our drones and hoomans sake.

Can sport mode be used in flight plan? Theoretically we can "safely" fly 2 km high? Is vertical range different? Even if you tilt the controller? Is there less interference in that direction?

What is your point?
Downgrading of FW or FF6 doesn't make sense: FW of drone, SC3, battery and FF6 version are related. Using different older versions on one or more of these FW/software can cause much more trouble than always using the newest versions.

 

[davinchi2000]

Today I did my first test changing the points.
stunning images.