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Missions
The X8’s Pixhawk autopilot is capable of flying an autonomous mission
without operator input. Ensure that you feel comfortable operating the X8
manually before attempting an autonomous mission.
Environmental Awareness
Before you fly, assess the features of your flying area. Determine the bound-
aries of the safe flying area, and be prepared to recover the copter manually
if it goes outside this area. Be aware of any risks at your location, including
bodies of water, structures, trees, etc. Designate a few areas as safety zones
where you can safely land the copter in case of an unsafe situation.
Radio Signal Conditions
Flying behind solid objects, like buildings and trees, blocks radio signals.
Always maintain visual contact with the copter to ensure that the radio signal
is unobstructed. Radio towers, cell phone towers, and nearby WiFi signals
can also cause interference with the radio system and decrease its range.
Avoid flying in populated areas to avoid sources of interference.
Altitude
Select an appropriate altitude for your flying location and local regulations.
Remember the X8 cannot avoid obstacles during a mission; it completes the
mission as planned. Select altitudes that avoid any obstacles, such as trees,
and comply with the safety information in this manual.
Speed
By default, the X8 travels at 6.5 m/s (14.5 mph) during a mission.
Power
As the operator, it is your responsibility to ensure that all missions comply
with the X8’s operating limits, including flight time. Don’t forget to take into
account the effect of current wind conditions on power consumption.
Regaining Manual Control
During a mission, keep the controller easily accessible, and be prepared to
regain manual control at any time. To regain manual control during the
mission, switch to standard mode using the controller. If you observe
instability in the X8’s flight behavior or if the copter moves outside your
designated safe flying area, switch to RTL. Turning off the controller
automatically triggers an RTL and can be used in an emergency situation
as a hard recall command.
Failsafes
The X8’s default failsafe behaviors are optimized for manual flight. For
autonomous missions, we recommend re-configuring the failsafe settings
for your flying location. For instructions, visit
3DR.com/X8/info
.
