Controlling the vehicle

This section describes how to control your vehicle using the DeltaQuad Toughbook GCS.

Introduction

Auterion Mission Control (AMC) is pre-installed on your DeltaQuad Toughbook. This is the main application to control your UAV and the installed payload(s). For further reading, please read the chapter Executing and monitoring a mission.

Mission planning

When flying a survey mission with a mapping sensor, or using a corridor scan to surveil a border, highway, or river, a full mission with a takeoff item, intermediate waypoints, and a land item can be planned in the Plan View.

You can switch to the Plan View via the AMC menu.

The mission plan can be executed fully autonomously from takeoff to the landing. It is also possible to take control of the vehicle after the takeoff and initiate a Return command when the mission has ended. The vehicle will use the landing pattern from the mission plan to execute a return command.

Please review the chapter Planning a mission for detailed information on how to plan a mission.

Quick takeoff

For a speedy deployment during a surveillance mission, it might be practical to plan only the takeoff and landing in the Fly View. When starting AMC, the Fly View is displayed. You can choose to plan the takeoff and landing in the Fly View.

Launching your vehicle

Once your mission is uploaded, you can return to the Fly View by pressing the Fly View icon in the left-side command bar.

Once you have performed the pre-flight checks, you can start the mission by pressing and holding the Start Mission button.

If the Start Mission button is not displayed, you can press the Action button in the left-side command bar. The Mission Start button will reappear.

When pressing and holding to confirm the takeoff, your vehicle will start its motors and takeoff.

If you created a takeoff and landing in the Fly view, switching views is unnecessary. The vehicle will take off right after pressing and holding the VTOL takeoff button.

When pressing and holding to confirm the takeoff, your vehicle will start its motors and takeoff.

Operating your vehicle

Once the vehicle is launched and has transitioned to fixed-wing flight mode, you can control the flight of your vehicle through the following methods.

Repositioning the vehicle and changing altitude

While the vehicle is in flight, you can select the Orbit or Fig 8 command from the pilot controls on the left side of the screen.

Tap anywhere on the satellite map to choose the Orbit's or Fig 8's location.

When giving an Orbit or Fig 8 command, the altitude can be changed. A vertical slider will appear on the right side of the screen that allows you to select a new altitude.

After confirming the command by pressing and holding the command button, the vehicle will change course to the set location and adapt to the set altitude.

When the vehicle is following a mission path, it will always track the altitude as defined in the mission plan. When resuming a mission the vehicle will immediately change the altitude to match the currently active waypoint.

Joystick control

The vehicle can be controlled using the right-side joystick.

To activate the joystick control, switch the flight mode to ALTITUDE mode. In the Fly view, click on the Flight mode button in the upper left corner.

A menu with the available flight modes will open, choose Altitude.

In this mode, the vehicle will fly in a straight line at its current altitude until a joystick command is received.

Moving the joystick left or right will make the vehicle change direction.

Moving the joystick forward or backward controls the altitude of the vehicle. A forward (up) joystick movement moves the nose of the vehicle down and decreases altitude. A backward (down) joystick movement pulls the nose of the vehicle up and increases altitude.

If the vehicle loses connection to the DeltaQuad Controller while it is flying in Altitude mode, it will automatically return home, regardless of the Safety settings.

Flight modes explained

• Altitude mode - The DeltaQuad will automatically hold its altitude and direction until changed by the stick input. For flight stabilization and navigation, it will only rely on the IMU and not make use of the compass and GPS.

• Position mode - The DeltaQuad will automatically hold its altitude and direction until changed by the stick input. For flight stabilization and navigation, it relies on the IMU and makes use of the compass and GPS.

Under NO circumstances attempt to fly the DeltaQuad Evo in Manual Mode! We do not recommend assigning the Manual Mode to any of the available buttons on the controller.

NOTE: For inexperienced pilots, the joystick controls can seem counterintuitive. It is recommended to practice joystick operation in close proximity while flying at sufficient altitude.

Continuing a mission

When a mission plan is present, and the vehicle is in ALTITUDE, HOLD, or TARGET FOLLOWING mode, the mission can be resumed by tapping on the ACTION button on the FLY screen and selecting "Continue mission".

Please make sure to disengage the TARGET FOLLOWING mode before returning to MISSION flight mode.

Returning the vehicle

At any point in the flight, the RETURN mode can be activated by tapping on the Return button on the FLY view and holding it to confirm the command.

In RETURN mode, the vehicle will immediately fly towards the landing pattern that was defined in the mission. The landing pattern consists of a circle-to-altitude item, a direction and altitude on which to exit the circle, and a landing coordinate.

When the RETURN mode is activated, the vehicle will fly at its current altitude towards the 'circle to altitude' part of the landing pattern. When reaching this location, the vehicle will circle down to the indicated altitude, and complete the circle until it has reached the indicated exit heading of the circle. It will then proceed toward the landing coordinates, transition to multirotor flight mode, and land in the indicated position.

Controlling the vehicle in multirotor mode

The multirotor mode should not be used for more than 90 seconds as the system can overheat when utilized longer.

The most common situation where it is practical to use stick control in multirotor mode is during the landing to reposition the Evo if necessary.

This can be achieved by using the NUDGE function.

After the Evo transitioned from fixed-wing mode to multirotor mode, the vehicle will deploy the landing gear and descend to the planned landing point.

The operator can halt the descent by moving the left joystick up.

The Evo will hold its altitude and position. The RIGHT joystick controls the position of the vehicle. Moving this joystick, forward, backward, left, or right changes the position of the vehicle relative to its current heading.

The LEFT joystick controls the vehicle's altitude and heading. Moving the joystick UP will halt the descent. Moving the joystick to its middle position or down will continue the descent. Moving the joystick left or right changes the heading (yaw) of the vehicle.

It is not recommended to fly manually in multirotor mode for longer than 90 seconds.

During takeoff or landing, your vehicle is in multirotor mode. Multirotor mode means the 4 motors for Vertical takeoff and Landing are activated.

To take control of the vehicle in multirotor mode, change the flight mode switch to ALTITUDE mode. In this mode, the vehicle will hold its position and altitude until joystick commands are received.

The LEFT main joystick controls the vehicle's altitude and heading. Moving the joystick UP will increase the altitude. Moving the joystick down will decrease the altitude. Moving the joystick left or right changes the heading (yaw) of the vehicle.

The RIGHT joystick controls the position of the vehicle. Moving this joystick, forward, backward, left, or right changes the position of the vehicle relative to its current heading.