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Headless / Smart mode coming soon?

rickdean

rickdean

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Coming from the Yuneec Typhoon q5004k the one feature I wish the Evo had is the "headless" mode. Simply its no matter what the orientation of the drone the controls are as normal. Forward is Forward etc.... even if the drone is reversed or at another angle. For instance I need to video a Locomotive steam engine this weekend and it would be nice to fly in front camera facing the engine as it goes away. EVO controls being reversed makes it a little difficult. Headless mode would be nice and I could control and fly as normal.

Any thought to adding "headless" mode to the next update? Yuneec calls "headless" mode "smart mode".

Comments appreciated.
 
That would be nice to be add... Why not send these thoughts that you have about the headless smart mode from Yuneec to the Evo support team? I am pretty sure they can provide your feedback to the development team.
 
macoman said:
That would be nice to be add... Why not send these thoughts that you have about the headless smart mode from Yuneec to the Evo support team? I am pretty sure they can provide your feedback to the development team.
Click to expand...
Who should I address at Autel? Got an email address? Thanks. Rick from kansas
 
The feature you are referring to was available with the X-Star before the very last firmware update. For some reason it was removed. Since the EVO's firmware is based and built from the X-Stars last firmware this might be why it was left out. Also on the ST10+ RC (Yuneec Q500) we have a 3 position switch to move to smart mode. Also on the X-Stars RC there is a 3 position switch to move to IOC mode (intelligent orientation control). The EVO's RC has no such 3 position switch so it would have to be added to the App somehow which we know takes Autel ages to make any changes. Here is a capture of the X-Stars manual explaining the mode which no longer is there. Two bad it was handy to have in some conditions.

x-star-premium-manual.pdf.png
 
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rickdean said:
Coming from the Yuneec Typhoon q5004k the one feature I wish the Evo had is the "headless" mode. Simply its no matter what the orientation of the drone the controls are as normal. Forward is Forward etc.... even if the drone is reversed or at another angle. For instance I need to video a Locomotive steam engine this weekend and it would be nice to fly in front camera facing the engine as it goes away. EVO controls being reversed makes it a little difficult. Headless mode would be nice and I could control and fly as normal.

Any thought to adding "headless" mode to the next update? Yuneec calls "headless" mode "smart mode".

Comments appreciated.
Click to expand...
rickdean, I assume you are wanting to get video of "Bigboy" am I right?
It left N Little Rock yesterday or maybe today, I forget. I worked at the NLR unit for years. It is impressive steamer, largest in the world they claim. Have fun.
butch
 
Yep. Bigboy it is. A fly in front camera facing engine when Its departing would be nice. Smart mode or whatever you want to call it would be great. I think I'll take my q500 instead. Rick
 
Agustine said:
The feature you are referring to was available with the X-Star before the very last firmware update. For some reason it was removed. Since the EVO's firmware is based and built from the X-Stars last firmware this might be why it was left out. Also on the ST10+ RC (Yuneec Q500) we have a 3 position switch to move to smart mode. Also on the X-Stars RC there is a 3 position switch to move to IOC mode (intelligent orientation control). The EVO's RC has no such 3 position switch so it would have to be added to the App somehow which we know takes Autel ages to make any changes. Here is a capture of the X-Stars manual explaining the mode which no longer is there. Two bad it was handy to have in some conditions.

Thanks. Firmware would be the easiest. Had I known the EVO didn't have a "smart" mode I'd reconsider my purchase. I find the "smart" mode on the Q500 so so so useful. Backing in and out of tight places is simple while in "smart mode". Hope Autel reconsiders.

Rick from Kansas
Click to expand...
 
rickdean said:
Yep. Bigboy it is. A fly in front camera facing engine when Its departing would be nice. Smart mode or whatever you want to call it would be great. I think I'll take my q500 instead. Rick
Click to expand...
Hmm, I was just organizing my 'game plan' for shooting one of the Alaska Railroad trains next summer and was considering some similar filming perspectives as yourself. We have a Whistle Stop on one route that drops off and loads up tourists at a glacier location. I'll be filming that glacier next summer and wanted to get something related to the train ride itself other than my camcorder sticking out the window or shooting through glass. Of course the 25 minute journey from our departure point would lend itself perfectly to having one of my GoPros attached to the front of the engine or if nothing else one suction-cupped to the side window of the cab. It can't hurt to ask!!

Back at the glacier location before the return trip the plan is to meet the train with the drone about a half mile down the tracks as it approaches the Whistle Stop platform and manually fly backwards in front of the train until it begins to slow down for the stop. Then either from the side, or more dynamically rise up and yaw/pitch the camera to then follow the engine as it arrives with the passengers waiting on the platform to board.

Fortunately we have trains running back and forth to other destinations every day so there are a number of places I can practice this "move" long before I head out to the glacier. (And that practice footage could be used in other promotional clips for those destinations.) I'll be 107 for next year and plan to approach AKRR for perhaps some future business opportunities. Tourism is big in AK and a picture is worth a thousand words as they say. A good video is priceless. But you don't need a train to practice this move. You can have a friend drive a vehicle along an isolated road and practice the same maneuvers over and over until your muscle memory has it down pat.
 
You guys might want to do some investigating as a lot of railways are either considered private property or critical infrastructure. Some have different rules then others so do your due diligence before flying.
 
The nice thing about not having to fly "backwards" to get shots on the Evo is that the rear sensors do not detect obstacles and stop except in novice mode. Of course, if you are filming a train and your drone comes to a stop - well - you might end up on the front of the train! :)
 
mmm... Don't know if you quite understand the "headless" mode. When "headless" mode is enabled drone controls are as they should be. Except the drone can be orientated any way....if its side ways the controls fly it sideways only its forward stick as you would do normal. I need to make a video on my Q500 in headless mode. Its a real useful feature.....Last week I flew into a fenced area between some big tanks. Rotated 90....it was a tight area. But I enabled "headless" and just flew out with a reverse stick. Instead of rotating and trying to shimmy out in reverse. Once you encounter and use Headless mode its like this is the greatest thing since beef jerky!
 
Flying with camera facing the front of the locomotive would be flying in reverse. Except when Headless is enabled then its flying forward....except the drone doesn't know its rotated 180. So much easier to fly when weird situations are encountered.
 
rickdean said:
Yep. Bigboy it is. A fly in front camera facing engine when Its departing would be nice. Smart mode or whatever you want to call it would be great. I think I'll take my q500 instead. Rick
Click to expand...
Make sure you post your photos for all of us to see! There are a couple of FB "drone railphotography" groups also. Would be nice if I'm not the only EVO guy on there for once....everyone else is a DJI fanboy.
 
rickdean,
Did you get to see Bigboy and get some video? Hope you did so, it's impressive.
 
Yes I got some Big Boy video. No drone footage....there were over 1000 people.
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rickdean said:
Coming from the Yuneec Typhoon q5004k the one feature I wish the Evo had is the "headless" mode. Simply its no matter what the orientation of the drone the controls are as normal. Forward is Forward etc.... even if the drone is reversed or at another angle. For instance I need to video a Locomotive steam engine this weekend and it would be nice to fly in front camera facing the engine as it goes away. EVO controls being reversed makes it a little difficult. Headless mode would be nice and I could control and fly as normal.

Any thought to adding "headless" mode to the next update? Yuneec calls "headless" mode "smart mode".

Comments appreciated.
Click to expand...
I also come from Yuneec Typhoon Q500 with headless mode. Still wondering if my new Autel Evo II has a headless mode disguised somewhere in a menu I haven't found; it's difficult to image Autel developers left out such an essential feature in a pricey quadcopter. I understand inexpensive drones of under $100 even offer this feature. Here's another plea for "headless" or "smart mode" in an Evo II software upgrade.
 

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