Parrot Disco for crop survey & forestry, any actual user experiences? Anyone tried it?

IronSky1 · Feb 4, 2019

Here is the Sequia Manual it indicates that the sunlight sensor is connected to the multispectral unit which is connected to the Disco. This would be similiar to BB2 Thermal Flir is connected to drone and FreeFLight Thermal handles all the integration which is really simple and useable. You need to find a Parrot DIsco Ag user to find out if it is the same for it as thermal. I cannot find and Parrot FreeFLight Sequoia. The Sequoia manual shows all the post software however no realtime FPV which I think is what you are looking for. The PII4d capture works with Sequoia and is free have you looked at that? You still need the Mapper which is 300 US per month.

Mmoguls · Feb 6, 2019

The manual for the Disco AG is here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...guide_en.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1Mhbo1XUvIVzz834cXyxvA

It shows the Sequoia plugging into the right side micro USB port of the CHUCK. On the sensor there is a host port, device port and SD card slot. The host port connects the sunshine sensor, the other to the CHUCK. This would appear to be it's power source.

So, using Pix4D capture to control a flight plan, the instructions do not say how the sensor is triggered. I suspect it's the same as the front cam, upon the start of flight? Anyone know? Also, calls out to choose the Parrot Disco Pro from the list of drones. Anybody know if this will fly our regular Disco?

I'm considering purchase of a Parrot bluegrass with Sequoia sensor as it is a complete package and comes with 1 year subscription to Pix4D fields. This would be twice as useful if I can switch it to the Disco for larger field flights.

Appreciate anyones further feedback and help with this project.

IronSky1 · Feb 6, 2019

I believe you are correct in connections that is the same setup for BB2 Pro Thermal. As I look at my Disco it appears Parrot had a different central
fuselage to mount the multi spectral down and sunlight sensor up. I doubt that they attached camera with that tacky mount you would louse it in crash (4K gone) the
manual you sent seems to indicate it.

Mmoguls · Feb 6, 2019

From this video

It would appear to be the same body?

IronSky1 · Feb 6, 2019

Same shape however you can see the sunlight sensor opening on top. They do not show the bottom were the
multi spectral is mounted . My best guess is it under the sunlight sensor fitted in lower part of body. This would be a
design fix I could do with making a few 3D printed mounts reinforcements so the foam body does not crack

Mmoguls · Feb 7, 2019

at around the 22 second mark in the video a clear shot of the underside is shown.

IronSky1 · Feb 7, 2019

Thanks for pointing out that is what I thought. Will take a look at designing a mount after I finish mounting and test my DJI Inspire rear camera gimbal.

Mmoguls · Feb 7, 2019

The literature for the Disco AG says it has a reinforced frame, not sure what was done to it exactly.

Jvhooser · May 4, 2019

I was able to cut a hole behind the battery, through the bottom of the fuselage and mount a GoPro Hero 5 with the lens in the Nadir position. Setting the camera to 1 second intervals allowed plenty of overlap for stitching together some nice maps. The biggest problem is that I could not find software to work with the disco to set up autonomous grid flights to such as what Drone Deploy does for DJI drones. Pix4D works with the Disco Ag model, but not with the standard Disco.

IronSky1 · May 4, 2019

I would think flight plan would work for fine I have used many times with my parrot drones. I normally just use video mode and dump into premiere to extract frames.

DJI Inspire/Parrot Disco Auxilary Gimbal:
I finished testing of my DJI Inspire 1 Rear gimbal for EVO SS works real well been selling on Ebay for a couple months now. I am working on the the same gimbal mounting on underside of Parrot Disco using EVO SS with any GoPro size camera if you want to see results dual camera stability these are some of the YouTube videos test rapid direction change .

The Disco version will have landing skids to protect camrea in take/off and landing maybe another month or so before it is in air testing. The nice feature of using the Disco over the Inspire is flight time. Hopefully it will handle payload of 400g complete.

AugerIn · May 5, 2019

I’ve used flightplan to plan, then both dronedeploy and altizure to process pictures taken just with the downward facing camera.

It’d be nice to get planning software that covers an area automatically, but it only takes a few minutes by hand to get good coverage.

Jerry Normandin · May 18, 2019

You can modify a consumer version of the Parrot Disco to get the job done. There are several methods to achieve this. Someone in the RC forums carved out a location to install a downfacing GoPro Hereo 5. A GoPro5 will geotag each photo. There is NO interface between the down facing Hero 5 and the Parrot Disco. You don't need one.
just manually start the camera shooting hires snapshots. Each picture will get tagged. You can process the photos with Pix4d or OpenDroneMap.

My Disco isn't modified, its stock. Even with the standard stock camera you can clearly see storm damage, insect infestations devastating woodlands, algae blooms..
I sent my Disco on a flight today, midway through the flight I pitch the camera down. yYu can see the damage that what I believe the Emerald Ash Borer Beetles have done to the woodlands in my area. I know they are in the area because I've seen them when hiking in the woods. All over New England you see sick and dead Ash Trees. Hopefully we find a bug or animal that eats these beetles because once the Ash trees are gone, who knows.. are Maple trees next ? Here's the video. When the camera drops and faces down you will see what I am talking about.

The primary reason of the flight was just to go out and fly, my sons were with me. After I posted the video I realized how many dead ash trees were in the woodlands.
The flight was done 100% with Flight Plan. I will make the same flight on a few weeks to compare.

Jerry Normandin · May 18, 2019

I'm looking for a place where I can launch and land my Parrot Disco on Cape Cod legally. I've got some code I'm working on that will send the GPS coordinates of active shark observations and send them to flight plan. I need a smooth grassy field. The Disco is the perfect platform to shoot video of sharks and their behavior. I don't live far from Cape Cod. That's one of the reasons why I had the camera angled as far down as it can possibly go during the flight.

IronSky1 · May 18, 2019

Very nice flight what was your average speed been carefulabout letting mine loose on half mile square area I live in(golf course)? Real shame about all these evasive species people need to be responsible with the environment.
The Ash borers are a problem on the golf course I live on in Illinois we lost about 100 Ash trees in the past 3 years. I have a 60 foot Ash in my back yard which I have clipped several times with my Anafi it is still healthy so far.

Keep sending videos (include your flight plan if you can as screen capture).

Good luck

Jerry Normandin · May 19, 2019

IronSky1 said:
Very nice flight what was your average speed been carefulabout letting mine loose on half mile square area I live in(golf course)? Real shame about all these evasive species people need to be responsible with the environment.
The Ash borers are a problem on the golf course I live on in Illinois we lost about 100 Ash trees in the past 3 years. I have a 60 foot Ash in my back yard which I have clipped several times with my Anafi it is still healthy so far.

Keep sending videos (include your flight plan if you can as screen capture).

Good luck

Hi,
According to my free flight pro logs the average speed was 33.5mph. Average altitude was 393ft.

I really like this drone. I don't use the circular landing approach because my club's airfield is surrounded by corn fields. I use a linear approach and adjust accordingly to wind direction for each flight.

My ultimate goal with the Disco is to use GPS coordinates from tagged great white sharks in my region and fly out to capture video of them . Best locations is Chatham, Falmouth, and Wellfleet.
The trouble is finding a location where I can launch and land, legally.

AugerIn · May 30, 2019

launching is no problem most places, but landing space is always a pain.

I have tried hand catching several times, it’s difficult to coordinate flying low then dropping the controller to grab the disco, and I managed to cut my hand once, just a bit, when the prop got me.

What’s needed is a carrier arrest system, like a big butterfly net or something. Maybe a deployable bungee cable, or a nose/dorsal mounted chute.

I know I’ve seen somewhere a disco modified into a quadplane, though I can’t seem to find it now. But vertical takeoff and landing with a transition to normal flight. Found guys talking about it on ardupilot, but can’t find the result anywhere. Big Oil must have found it out and squashed it...

Jerry Normandin · May 30, 2019

I get a perfect landing every time !
Use flight plan, only use a linear landing approach. Update your flight plan before takeoff to insure your Disco is landing in the wind.

IronSky1 · Jul 20, 2019

Finally began designing my EV SS mount for Disco look like total weight with GoPro Hero 5 and mounting willl be close to 400 gm. I have a couple dozen in the field on DJI Inspire 1s however disco will be more of a challenge . The entire gimbal and camera can be adjusted front to back rear of the snsor will have to find proper CG. I have Landing tackoff skids that elavate disco about 6 inchs . May need a ramp. I will keep you posted

Drone_guy · Jul 30, 2019

IronSky1 said:
Finally began designing my EV SS mount for Disco look like total weight with GoPro Hero 5 and mounting willl be close to 400 gm. I have a couple dozen in the field on DJI Inspire 1s however disco will be more of a challenge . The entire gimbal and camera can be adjusted front to back rear of the snsor will have to find proper CG. I have Landing tackoff skids that elavate disco about 6 inchs . May need a ramp. I will keep you posted

What if you used a landing net? You could just fly your Disco into the net and leave off the skids. You could use fishing net...or perhaps a hockey goal net, I've been considering a net for landing my Disco at my home...in a residential neighborhood.