Extended User Manual

eBee RTK
Revision 1 / September 2014
Copyright © 2010-2014 senseFly Ltd
GENERAL INFORMATION
READ THIS USER MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE USING A SENSEFLY LTD PRODUCT.
senseFly Ltd products are intended for professional use only.

Applicable Regulations
senseFly Ltd products are subject to Civil Aviation regulations. Regulations may vary depending on the country
where you intend to operate your product.
ANY USE OF SENSEFLY LTD PRODUCTS IN BREACH OF THE LAW OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU OPERATE THE PRODUCT
IS UNDER YOUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY.
INFORM YOURSELF BEFORE USING THE PRODUCT. SOME COUNTRIES MAY HAVE LAWS THAT LIMIT THE USE OF UN-
MANNED AIRCRAFT TO ‘LINE-OF-SIGHT’ OPERATIONS AND/OR PROHIBIT THE USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT AT ALL
OR IN SPECIFIC AREAS.

Privacy
Recording and circulating an image of an individual may constitute an infringement of their image and privacy for
which you can be liable. Ask for authorization before taking pictures of an individual, particularly if you want to keep
your recordings and/or circulate images on the Web or any other medium. Do not circulate degrading images or
ones that could undermine the reputation or dignity of an individual. Check that your use of the cameras on board
senseFly Ltd products comply with the legal provision on privacy in the country where you operate your product.

Limited Warranty
SenseFly Ltd warrants that the product will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twelve
(12) months from the date of delivery. SenseFly Ltd further warrants that the product will perform substantially in
accordance with its specification. During the warranty period senseFly Ltd’s sole liability shall be at senseFly Ltd’s
sole option, either to repair or to replace the defective product with another product or a product with similar spec-
ifications, at no charge, or to reimburse the purchase price of the product, or if repair or replacement is not possible,
issue a credit note; provided however, that the defect has been confirmed by senseFly Ltd and that the defective
product is returned to senseFly Ltd in accordance with the support and repair form together with all required flight
logfiles.
Warranty does not apply, without limitation, in case: a) the products are not stored and used according to their
specifications, b) the products are damaged due to carelessness, negligence, or wrong use by the user, and c) for
defects due to normal wear and tear including, but not limited to, deterioration to the airframe after first flight,
normal degradation, misuse, moisture or liquids, proximity or exposure to heat, accidents, excessive strain, abuse,
neglect, misapplication, repairs or modifications made by third party other than senseFly Ltd, damage due to manual
operation, damage due to take-off or landing location with obstacles, damage due to low altitude flight, damage due
to loss of data radio connection, damage due to strong wind, rain or humidity, or other causes for which senseFly Ltd
has no control.
THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES ARE IN LIEU OF ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITH-
OUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND OF
ANY OTHER OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF SENSEFLY LTD.

Limitation of liability
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL SENSEFLY LTD BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF REV-
ENUE, LOSS OF PROFIT, LOSS OF DATA, OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
SENSEFLY LTD HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND WHETHER THIS LIABILITY ARISES
FROM A CLAIM BASED ON CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT OR OTHERWISE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GROSS NEGLI-
GENCE AND DEATH.
YOU SHALL AT ALL TIMES OPERATE THE PRODUCT IN AREAS OR UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES SO AS TO GUARANTY SE-
CURITY AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE, PROPERTY AND ANIMALS.

Copyrights
senseFly Ltd reserves the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions contained in this docu-
ment at any time without notice. Please consult www.sensefly.com for the latest release.
Copyright © 2014 senseFly Ltd. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION, USE OR DISCLOSURE OF ALL OR IN PART OF THIS
MANUAL TO THIRD PARTIES WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF SENSEFLY LTD IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Address
senseFly Ltd
Route de Genève 38
1033 Cheseaux-Lausanne
Switzerland

Website: http://www.sensefly.com

Technical support
If you have questions on your eBee RTK or accompanying software please consult senseFly Ltd’s Tech-
nical support website at the following address:
http://www.sensefly.com/support/
 Welcome to your eBee RTK
Congratulations on your purchase of the eBee RTK, a complex and powerful yet
intuitive autonomous mapping system. We take great care to develop and design
the best possible hardware and software tools for quick, high-quality and easy-to-
use 2D and 3D aerial mapping.

The eBee RTK is a fully autonomous survey-grade mapping drone (UAV, RPAS or
UAS). It is capable of in-flight processing of RTK corrections from most leading
brands of GNSS/RTK base stations via its supplied eMotion flight control software
and ground modem. The built-in high-performance GNSS receiver in the eBee RTK
can process GPS and GLONASS L1 and L2 signals. The RTK coordinate correction
data it receives via its ground modem enables precise navigation and the stor-
age of image metadata with RTK-level positional accuracy, without the need for
Ground Control Points (GCPs).
Note: This manual refers to version 2.4 of eMotion and version 3.2
of Postflight Terra 3D software. The eBee RTK requires eMotion 2.4. If
you installed eMotion before purchasing your drone, check the ver-
sion and upgrade if necessary. You can consult the Release Notes for
changes included in more recent versions of the software.
Package contents

user manual

eBee RTK
battery packs

spare propeller

eBee RTK
GNSS antenna, battery charger
remote control,
cables and propeller
attachment bands eBee RTK battery
charger power
adapter

ground
modem camera
charger

camera
EPP
glue

wing eBee wing

central body
The standard eBee RTK package contains the following items:

• 1x carrying case with foam protection

• 1x eBee RTK central body with built-in autopilot

• 1x pair of detachable wings

• 1x detachable GNSS antenna

• 1x spare propeller

• 10x spare propeller attachment rubber bands

• 2x Lithium-Polymer battery packs

• 1x Lithium-Polymer battery charger (including cables)

• 1x 2.4 GHz USB ground modem for radio data link (including USB cable)

• 1x 2.4 GHz remote control (including including 3 AA batteries)

• 1x modified IXUS/ELPH still camera (including memory card, battery and

charger)

• 1x USB cable for interfacing with camera and on-board autopilot

• 1x EPP glue

• 1x eBee RTK User Manual

• 1x camera User Manual

Depending on your order, your package may also include other items, such as
additional payloads. Please verify upon delivery that your package is complete.
In case of a missing item, please contact your eBee RTK reseller immediately.
Caution: The built-in GNSS receiver in the eBee RTK makes it heavier
than the standard eBee. You must therefore only fly your eBee RTK
with the IXUS/ELPH camera provided. senseFly Ltd cannot be held
responsible for any loss or damage caused by flying an eBee RTK with
a different camera installed.

Note: Some of the operating modes of the eBee RTK require

a GNSS/RTK base station or access to a subscription-based Ntrip
stream. These are not provided in the eBee RTK package.

Note: Camera user manuals are also available to download from

sensefly.com/support/download.
Hardware features

data link antenna battery compartment

pitot probe, status LED
GNSS/RTK antenna
central body
camera compartment
servo connection
mechanism
propeller
Top face of the eBee wing
aileron

winglet
ground wing
sensor struts
camera lens hole

Bottom face of Detachable

the central body wing

The eBee RTK is an autonomous flying drone comprised of the following compo-
nents:

• Central body: This is the core of the eBee RTK and includes all the electron-
ics, actuators and communications hardware on-board the drone.
• Wing: The two wings of the eBee RTK are detachable for storage and re-
placement. Each wing has two wing struts and two clips to hold it in place
within the central body.
• Winglets: These structures add aerodynamic stability to the drone while it
is in flight.
• Ailerons: Used to control the eBee RTK while in flight.
• Servo connection mechanism: The ailerons are connected to the servo-
motors within the central body of the drone through this connection mech-
anism.
• Propeller: Used to generate thrust while it is in flight.

Caution: When attached to the motor the propeller spins at high

speeds and can be potentially dangerous if it comes into contact with
exposed skin. Be sure to always keep your hands clear of the propeller
when the battery is attached to the eBee RTK.

• Battery compartment: The eBee RTK is powered by a LiPo (Lithium Poly-

mer) battery stored within the battery compartment.

Caution: Proper care of your battery is essential. Please read section

‘Proper battery care’ on page 151 before using your drone for the first
time.

• GNSS/RTK Antenna: The advanced GNSS antenna, capable of capturing

several GNSS signals, is used for navigation and to increase geo-tagging
precision.

Caution: Proper care of your GNSS antenna is essential. Please read

section ‘Proper antenna care’ on page 152 before using your eBee RTK
for the first time.

• Camera compartment: The eBee RTK features a built-in camera for taking
aerial images stored within the camera compartment.
• Data Link Antenna: Used by the drone to communicate with the eMotion
software through the USB ground modem.

• Pitot probe: This is the sensor used by the eBee RTK to detect airspeed,
wind and altitude. It must be kept clean and clear of obstructions to func-
tion properly.
• Status LED: This coloured LED displays the current state of the eBee RTK. It
is housed underneath the pitot probe and thus illuminates the entire trans-
parent probe in various colours depending on the drone’s state.

• Ground sensor: The ground sensor, composed of a high-speed optical

sensor and lens assembly, is used to detect the proximity of the ground.
Software features
The eBee RTK package allows for the download and use of eMotion * and Postflight
Terra 3D * at no extra cost.

eMotion is the integrated software package that allows you to interact with your
eBee RTK. Its easy-to-use interface allows you to plan a mapping flight intuitively
from the comfort of your office or directly in the field. Once the drone is launched,
you can use eMotion’s wireless connection with your eBee RTK to track its position,
monitor the progress of your mapping flight and send commands if desired.

Once your eBee RTK returns after an aerial mapping flight it is the turn of Postflight
Terra 3D to process the captured images fully automatically. Postflight Terra 3D is
a full-featured mapping solution: with just a few mouse clicks it can create high-
quality geo-referenced 2D and 3D orthomosaics and digital elevation/surface mod-
els (DEM/DSM). While you are still in the field Postflight Terra 3D analyses the qual-
ity of the captured images and generates an easy to understand report, letting you
know immediately if the data you captured meets your mapping requirements.

∗ Software access terms and conditions apply. Postflight Terra 3D is limited to eBee images only.
Contents

I Quick start guide 19

1 Planning and simulating a flight 20

1.1 Installing eMotion, Postflight Terra 3D, and the ground modem
drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.2 The eMotion interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.3 Creating a new flight plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.4 The mission phase of a flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.5 Simulating your flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.6 Getting ready for a mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

2 Setting up RTK 31
2.1 Base station compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.2 Setting up your GNSS/RTK base station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.3 Setting up reference points for your GNSS/RTK base station . . . 32
2.4 Setting up virtual reference broadcasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

3 Using RTK 36
3.1 Using a local base station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.2 Using your eBee RTK with a virtual reference broadcaster . . . . . 39
3.3 Using your eBee RTK in standalone mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4 Executing a flight 40
4.1 Weather check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
 4.2 Preparing the eBee RTK for flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4.3 The setup phase of a flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4.4 Take-off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
4.5 In-flight monitoring and control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4.6 Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
4.7 Potential in-flight errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

5 Processing image data 62

5.1 High precision geotagging with the eBee RTK . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5.2 Importing images and flight data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5.3 In-field image quality check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
5.4 Creating advanced mapping products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
5.5 Transforming coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

II Advanced functionalities 71

6 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK 72

6.1 Waypoints and their properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
6.2 Advanced polygonal mission area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
6.3 3D mission planning using elevation data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
TM
6.4 Flight visualization in Google Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
6.5 Autonomous controller and modes of flight . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
6.6 Linear landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
6.7 Flying multiple drones at the same time . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
6.8 Individual photo targets and oblique imagery . . . . . . . . . . 97

7 eMotion in-depth guide 99

 7.1 Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
7.2 Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
7.3 Control Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
7.4 Flight Monitoring tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
7.5 Setup Phase tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
7.6 Mission Planning tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
7.7 Mission Waypoints tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
7.8 Camera tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
7.9 Flight Parameters tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

8 Manual control of the eBee RTK 136

8.1 Enabling manual control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
8.2 Pre-flight testing of the remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
8.3 Full Manual mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
8.4 Assisted Manual mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
III Maintenance, Repair and Troubleshooting 143

9 Maintenance and repair of the eBee RTK 144

9.1 Updating the eBee RTK software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
9.2 Cleaning and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
9.3 Full airframe and sensor inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
9.4 Repairing the eBee RTK airframe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
9.5 Proper battery care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
9.6 Proper antenna care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

10 Troubleshooting 154
10.1 Pre-flight errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
10.2 Take-off vetoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
10.3 In-flight warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
10.4 Critical failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
10.5 Resetting default camera settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
10.6 Improving radio signal communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
10.7 Losing and locating your eBee RTK in the field . . . . . . . . . . . 177
10.8 Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

IV Specifications 179

1 Software requirements 180

2 Drone specifications 181

3 Onboard GNSS/RTK receiver 183

 Part I

Quick start guide

The first part of this document introduces you to the eBee RTK and contains the
basic information you will need to plan and execute a simple mapping project. A
typical mapping project can be divided into three main phases:

1. Planning and simulating a flight: Every project begins with careful plan-
ning, whether it is a quick flight over a small area or a multi-stage flight in
complex terrain. Section ‘Planning and simulating a flight’ on the following
page describes how to use the Mission Planning feature to quickly generate
a flight plan and to test it using the built-in simulator.
2. Executing a flight: Once planning is complete, it is time for the drone to
perform its flight. In section ‘Executing a flight’ on page 40 you will learn
how to prepare your drone for flight, connect it to eMotion, and to monitor
it in flight while it gathers images. Though the eBee RTK can complete a
flight fully autonomously from take-off to landing, you can also modify its
flight plan at any point during flight.

3. Processing image data: The last step in a project is converting the images
taken by your eBee RTK into usable products such as precise geo-referenced
orthomosaics or 3D terrain models. section ‘Processing image data’ on page 62
leads you through the process of transferring images from the drone to a
computer, checking if the image quality suits your needs while still in the
field and producing advanced 2D and 3D maps.
Quick start guide

1 Planning and simulating a flight

Goal of this section: This section introduces the eMotion software

used to interface with the eBee RTK. It describes the steps required
to plan, simulate, and save a simple mapping flight. A more detailed
description of eMotion and its advanced functions is presented in sec-
tion ‘eMotion in-depth guide’ on page 99.

1.1 Installing eMotion, Postflight Terra 3D, and the ground mo-
dem drivers
You can download the latest version of eMotion and Postflight Terra 3D at:

www.sensefly.com/support/download

Use the password provided with your eBee RTK to access the download section.
We recommend that you download and install Google EarthTM to take full advan-
tage of the features of eMotion. You can find more information at the following
address:

www.google.com/earth/

To install eMotion on Windows, simply execute the provided installers for eMotion
and Postflight Terra 3D and follow the on-screen instructions. The eMotion and
Postflight Terra 3D software will be available in the ‘Start’ menu. Drivers for the USB
ground station ground modem will automatically be installed along with eMotion.
In case a problem arises after connecting the ground modem to the computer for
the first time you can find the drivers in one of the following directories (depend-
ing on your version of Windows):

C:\Program Files\senseFly\eMotion 2\usb driver\

C:\Program Files (x86)\senseFly\eMotion 2\usb driver\

20
 Planning and simulating a flight

See section ‘Updating the eBee RTK software’ on page 144 if you have any difficulty
with software installation.

1.2 The eMotion interface

Thanks to the powerful tools available within eMotion, designing a mapping flight
for your eBee RTK is a simple process. To get started, launch eMotion and choose
what you would like to do...

• To run a simulation, select the simulator, choose the drone you want to
simulate and click OK.
• To fly a drone, connect your ground modem to your computer and select
Drone. If you have more than one USB device connected to your PC (for
example, you have a ground modem and GNSS base station), choose the
ground modem you want to connect to from the list and click OK. Other-
wise, just click OK.
• To process flight data you already created, select the Flight Data Manager
and click OK.

We recommend that you plan flights using a simulated drone. Once connected to
a real or simulated drone you will see the main screen of eMotion.

21
Quick start guide

Flight Parameters tab

Camera tab
Mission Waypoints tab
Mission Planning tab
Setup Phase tab
Toolbar Flight Monitoring tab

Control
Bar

Status
Panel

Map Area Sidebar

The main screen of eMotion is split into four sections:

• Map Area: The Map Area of eMotion displays a map with the drone’s cur-
rent position, indicated by the symbol. A small Status Panel floats be-
side the symbol, indicating important status information including the eBee RTK’s
current altitude (both Above the Take-off Altitude, marked as ATO, and Above
Mean Sea Level, marked as AMSL), battery level, flight time, and status. The
Status Panel can be hidden by clicking on the drone. Moving around the

22
 Planning and simulating a flight

map is done by clicking and dragging at any place not occupied by a sym-
bol (such as a waypoint or the drone symbol).

• Control Bar: The Control Bar is used to issue various commands to the
eBee RTK while it is in flight, such as starting the mission phase or hold-
ing position. It is also used to display and acknowledge warnings that may
occur either before or during a flight.

• Toolbar: The Toolbar contains buttons to control the layers, sources or map
information and other display options related to the Map Area. eMotion can
use many sources of mapping information. You can also choose your RTK
source from the pulldown menu and click to Set Up RTK.

• Sidebar: The Sidebar is split into several tabs, each with a particular func-
tion. The Flight Monitoring tab is used for monitoring the drone while in
flight. The Setup Phase tab controls the take-off and landing portions of
a flight plan (referred to as the ‘setup phase’) whereas the Mission Plan-
ning tab defines the image acquisition portion of the flight plan (referred
to as the ‘mission phase’). The last three tabs are used for advanced way-
point planning and parameter setting. You can hide the Sidebar by clicking
on its left edge. The Sidebar also contains controls for the simulator when
connected to a simulated drone.

Your eBee RTK’s operating modes

Your eBee RTK can operate in several different modes:

Local Base, Precisely Known Coordinates

Create DSMs and orthomosaics with high absolute coordinate accuracy using your
precisely measured base station position as a GCP. Useful when a survey has al-
ready been done and reference points are already marked out. No post-processing
is needed to achieve RTK-level geo-tag accuracy.

• Place your base station on a known reference point.

23
Quick start guide

• In eMotion, select the base station, set the reference point and base station
height.

• eMotion streams correction data to the drone through the ground modem.

Local Base, Unknown or Imprecise Coordinates

Create DSMs and orthomosaics with geo-tagging relative to an approximate base
station position, then post-process GNSS data to reach high absolute coordinate
accuracy. Useful for green-field surveying when no GCPs have been set, when
in-field time is limited or it is impractical to survey beforehand.

• Position your base station in a convenient location.

• Have eMotion obtain, or set your base station’s approximate position.

• eMotion streams correction data to the drone through the ground modem.

• Your base station’s position is corrected to a high level of absolute accuracy

in post-processing, using raw GNSS/RTK base station and reference station
files.

Virtual Reference Station

Create DSMs and orthomosaics using reference station networks to achieve very
high precision absolute geo-tags. Used when you want to benefit from the high
absolute precision achievable from sophisticated Ntrip networks, or when survey-
ing equipment is unavailable or inconvenient.

• Configure your drone’s eMotion software to receive VRS/Ntrip correction

data (Internet connection and VRS/Ntrip subscription required).

• Correction data is streamed to the drone via its eMotion flight control soft-
ware and ground modem.

24
 Planning and simulating a flight

Standalone
Use to create maps and DSMs when high relative precision is enough or when
RTK corrections are unnecessary or unavailable. Take only the eBee RTK, ground
modem and computer and come back with high-quality DSMs and orthomosaics.

• You can operate the eBee RTK without RTK corrections. In this standalone
mode you can still expect a higher level of absolute coordinate accuracy
than a senseFly drone equipped with a standard GPS antenna. See section
‘Onboard GNSS/RTK receiver’ on page 183 for details.

Note: If you select one of the modes that requires a real or virtual
base station, and a connection to that base station is unavailable, a
take-off veto will be displayed in eMotion and the status LED on your
drone will start pulsing blue. Section ‘Take-off vetoes’ on page 158
describes the possible messages and the user action that should be
taken to remove them.

1.3 Creating a new flight plan

Every mapping flight requires a flight plan, which is a path defined by a set of
waypoints, or points in 3D space, and a set of actions that can be performed at or
in between waypoints, such as taking images, proceeding to the next waypoint
or landing. A flight plan is shown in the Map Area using circles to represent way-
points, lines to represent the flight path and arrows to show the direction of flight.
The large circle with a thick border illustrates the working area boundaries within
which the eBee RTK will always remain. See section ‘Waypoints and their prop-
erties’ on page 72 for more information on waypoints and the various symbols
presented in the Map Area.
A complete flight plan for an eBee RTK is divided into two separate phases: the
setup phase and the mission phase. The mission phase includes waypoints and
actions related to mapping and capturing images. The setup phase includes way-
points and actions related to take-off and landing. This phase is usually planned

25
Quick start guide

directly in the field and is explained in detail in section ‘The setup phase of a flight’
on page 51.

1.4 The mission phase of a flight

The easiest way to create a mapping flight for the systematic coverage of an area is
to use the automatic mission planning feature of eMotion. By simply positioning a
rectangle around the area you would like to cover, eMotion will generate a mission
plan optimised for the ground resolution that you desire.

Step 1: open tab and select

Step 5: check in Google Earth correct camera

Step 3:
mission
choose
area
params

Step 4:
Step 2: upload
rotate,
resize,
move

Note: For more complex terrain and missions, eMotion has the abil-
ity to set polygonal mission areas of any size and shape, and to au-
tomatically adjust waypoint altitudes based on elevation data. These
powerful features are described in more detail in section ‘Advanced
polygonal mission area’ on page 77and section ‘3D mission planning
using elevation data’ on page 78, respectively.

Follow these steps to automatically setup waypoints for a mapping mission:

1. Select the Mission Planning tab from the Sidebar. A grey zone will appear
in the Map Area to designate the mission area to cover. Information such

26
 Planning and simulating a flight

as size and position is overlaid on the area. A mission plan, including the
required waypoints, is automatically calculated and displayed to preview
the mission plan that will be created.

2. Adjust the location, size, and shape of the mission area. The area can be
relocated by dragging the gray zone. The four square handles on the edges
of the area can be used to resize it and the round handles on the corners of
the area can be used to rotate it. As you adjust the area the mission plan
preview is continuously updated.

3. Adjust the mapping and mission parameters in the Mission Planning tab to
suit your terrain and quality requirements¹. As a first step, eMotion provides
two predefined set of parameters; ‘Easy terrain’ are the default parameters
designed for simpler terrain, such as mines or agriculture, whereas ‘Difficult
terrain’ is designed for complex areas, such as forests, and provides higher
image overlap at the cost of a lower resolution. Be sure to include an esti-
mated wind speed and direction, as this has an effect on the area that can
be covered in a single flight. Once again, the mission plan preview will be
continuously updated as you modify the parameters.

4. Check the resulting flight characteristics in the tab. Once you are satisfied,
upload the mission plan to the simulated drone by clicking the ‘Upload’
button.

5. Click the button in the Toolbar to open the flight plan in Google EarthTM ².
Review the flight plan to ensure that there is sufficient clearance between
the flight plan and the ground. Any updates to the flight plan that you
make within eMotion will be reflected directly in Google EarthTM .

¹ see section ‘Mission Planning tab’ on page 116 for a complete description of available parameters
² see section ‘Flight visualization in Google EarthTM ’ on page 80

27
Quick start guide

Caution: eMotion as well as the automatic mission planning tool are

not aware of any obstacles that may exist in the area. In addition,
when not using elevation data, the mission planning tool assumes
that the mission area is flat and at the same altitude than the take-off
location. It is also not aware of any legal restriction (such as minimum
or maximum altitude) that may exist in your region. The resulting
flight plan should be carefully reviewed in order to avoid any collision
with uneven terrain or tall objects such as buildings, and to comply
with local regulations.

The final step after you have prepared a flight plan is to save it to a file that you
can load into the eBee RTK when you are in the field. Select the Setup Phase tab
from the Sidebar, click on ‘Save flight plan to file...’, choose a filename and location
and click ‘Save’.

1.5 Simulating your flight

Simulating your flight gives you an idea of the position and size of images that
will be taken during the flight. In addition, it allows you to learn to use advanced
functions, such as in-flight waypoint editing and camera control, without putting
your eBee RTK at risk³. When eMotion is connected to a simulated drone an extra
set of buttons appear in the Sidebar:

fast-forward re-position take-off location

play initiate take-off
pause instant recharge of battery

You can set the take-off location of the eBee RTK by clicking on the icon and
placing the point on the map. This simulates the action of switching on the real
³ see section ‘Simulator’ on page 103 for a complete description of the simulator

28
 Planning and simulating a flight

drone and letting it acquire GPS/GLONASS signals. You can test your flight plan by
clicking the icon, simulating a take-off manoeuvre. The eBee RTK will then go
through its flight plan in the same way it would in the field. You can pause, play
or speed up the simulation by clicking the corresponding buttons in the Toolbar.
You can monitor the state of the drone while in flight using the Flight Monitoring
tab and the Status Panel⁴. You may also monitor the flight in 3D in Google EarthTM
by clicking on the button in the Toolbar.

Caution: The simulator is a tool designed to aid with flight planning

and to familiarise you with the advanced functions of your eBee RTK.
The simulated physics, however, are basic and do not always accu-
rately reflect the true behaviour of the drone in flight. In particular,
estimates of battery level and reactions to wind are difficult to simu-
late with high accuracy. You should in no case depend on behaviours
seen with a simulated drone to be reproduced exactly in real flight.

1.6 Getting ready for a mission

Before leaving for the field to perform a flight, be sure to fully charge all your
eBee RTK batteries⁵. When delivered, the eBee RTK battery may not be fully charged.

3 balance LEDs
power cable 2
LiPo Balance
1 eBee battery pack
Charger
Status
status LEDs (not to scale)

To charge an eBee RTK battery pack, connect it to the battery charger as illustrated
above. During charge, the status LED on the charger is solid red. Charging is com-
plete when the status LED turns green.
The charger provided independently balances the voltage of each of the 3 cells
contained in the battery pack to ensures optimal performance and battery life. If
⁴ see section ‘In-flight monitoring and control’ on page 58
⁵ Consult your payload user manual to know if the payload battery is necessary for the flight

29
Quick start guide

any of the cells is unbalanced, its associated LED will be solid red during charging
until it is re-balanced. Charging can take up to an hour, depending on the charge
level of the battery and the required cell balancing work. See section ‘Proper bat-
tery care’ on page 151 for more information on maintaining your drone’s batteries.
If you plan on performing a flight away from an Internet connection it is useful to
preload map tiles by selecting ‘Download maps...’ from the File menu. More
details on how to take advantage of the various map sources available in eMotion
can be found in section ‘Toolbar’ on page 100.

30
 Setting up RTK

2 Setting up RTK

2.1 Base station compatibility

Standard compatibility - receive only
With built-in support for standard RTK data transmission protocols (see section
‘Onboard GNSS/RTK receiver’ on page 183), the eBee RTK with eMotion can receive
and process corrections from a wide range of base stations. In standard compat-
ibility mode, your GNSS data logger manages the base station position and data
stream and eMotion looks after streaming the corrections to the drone.
Enhanced compatibility - send and receive
eMotion also provides drivers that enable enhanced compatibility with a series of
popular base stations from leading manufacturers. With this enhanced compat-
ibility, eMotion can get and set base station position, display its position on the
map and get raw GNSS data files directly from the base station. eMotion there-
fore takes on the role of a data logger and a separate data logger is not necessary.
senseFly is constantly working on new drivers and the list of base stations with
enhanced compatibility will continue to grow.

2.2 Setting up your GNSS/RTK base station

To enable high-precision navigation and geo-tagging, connect eMotion to an RTK-
capable base station (not provided in the eBee RTK package). Corrections will
be sent through the ground modem, and precise geo-tags will be automatically
stored alongside your photos in the automatically generated flight logs.
You can set up several base stations in eMotion. Once in the field you can then
quickly change base station using the Choose RTK Source menu on the eMotion
toolbar.

Step 1 Connect your base station to the computer on which you installed eMo-
tion following your base station manufacturer’s instructions. The way you
connect depends on your base station make and model. eMotion will ac-

31
Quick start guide

cept, for example, serial, Bluetooth and USB connections.

Step 2 Click RTK Setup on the eMotion toolbar.
Step 3 In the Local Bases tab, click Add Base.
Step 4 Enter the Base Name.
Step 5 Choose your base station’s manufacturer.
Step 6 From the Connection Type menu, choose the way in which you have con-
nected your base station to your computer (serial, USB or Bluetooth).

Note: If you have several drones connected to eMotion using several

USB ground modems, they can all take correction data from the same
GNSS/RTK base station.

Step 7 From the USB menu, choose the USB Ground Modem connection over
which you want to send your base station’s RTK corrections.
Step 8 Click OK to add the base station.

2.3 Setting up reference points for your GNSS/RTK base sta-

tion

Note: All coordinates displayed in eMotion are in the global WGS 84

reference frame. This is the reference frame used by GPS satellites.
eMotion assumes that any coordinate you enter is in the WGS 84 refer-
ence frame. If you are using a local or national geoid (MSL) or geode-
tic coordinate system, you must convert coordinates into WGS 84 be-
fore entering them into eMotion. The way you do this depends on the
geoid and the tools available to you. Online or downloadable conver-
sion tools may be available from your base station’s manufacturer or
a national geodetic society.
Note that the eBee RTK internal GNSS receiver transforms the
GLONASS ellipsoid (PZ-90) into WGS 84.

32
 Setting up RTK

You can set up several reference points in eMotion. Once in the field you can then
quickly change base station position using the Choose RTK Source menu.

Step 8 Click RTK Setup on the eMotion toolbar.

Step 9 In the Reference Points panel, click Add Point.

Step 10 Enter the name of the reference point.

Step 11 Enter the Latitude, Longitude and Altitude of the reference point and
click OK.

Note: To remove a base station or reference point from the list, click
for the item you want to remove

Note: If you have access to reference station files, it is not essential to

have the precise coordinates of your base station. Your eBee RTK logs
its position relative to the base station with a high degree of preci-
sion (using RTK corrections). Once your flight is complete, eMotion
can calculate your base station’s precise position using the raw data
stored on your base and reference stations. It can then apply a cor-
rection to your drone’s position to obtain precise absolute geo-tags
for your images. eMotion accepts reference station files in RINEX for-
mat. See section ‘Importing images and flight data’ on page 62 for
instructions.

2.4 Setting up virtual reference broadcasters

Note: eMotion also allows you to configure a series of connections

to Ntrip streams from public or subscription-based broadcasters and
set up virtual reference stations (VRSs).

33
Quick start guide

Note: A pre-configured set of Ntrip broadcasters is available for use

in eMotion, and you can configure a connection to your own broad-
caster. Before using a subscription-based Ntrip stream, or an Ntrip
stream that requires registration, you must first register or subscribe
through the stream provider, for example, on their website or by con-
tacting them directly. You cannot register or subscribe using eMotion.

Step 1 Find a suitable Ntrip broadcaster and register or subscribe if necessary

before adding the VRS to eMotion.
Step 2 Click RTK Setup on the eMotion toolbar.
Step 3 In the Virtual Reference tab, click Add Virtual Reference.
Step 4 To use a pre-configured stream, choose the broadcaster’s server domain
from the Server menu. To set up a custom stream, enter the broadcaster’s
domain in the Server menu.
Step 5 Enter the port number on which the broadcaster is streaming. This is of-
ten port 2101 (set by default), however, the caster device may be stream-
ing on a different port. Check with the broadcaster to confirm.
Step 6 If you are connecting to a stream that requires registration or subscrip-
tion, enter your user name and password.

Note: As you enter the broadcaster’s domain, the streaming port,

your user ID and password, eMotion will try and connect to the server.
As long as these details are incorrect or incomplete you will see an er-
ror message on the dialog. The list of remote streams only appears
when you have entered enough correct details to successfully con-
nect to the broadcaster.

Step 7 Scroll through the list of streams. Click on a stream to view its details.
Step 8 Click . The stream will be added to the list in the Choose RTK Source
menu on the toolbar. If you entered a user name and password, these
are stored in eMotion and will be submitted to the broadcaster when you
connect.

34
 Setting up RTK

Note: To remove a virtual reference, click for the item you want
to remove.

35
Quick start guide

3 Using RTK

Choose the source of your RTK corrections using the menu on the eMotion toolbar.
The message RTK Source Not Defined appears until you either choose a source or
choose to fly standalone.

Set Up RTK

Choose RTK Source RTK Status

The status of your connection, directly to your base station, or indirectly to a ref-
erence station network, is displayed on the toolbar:

Not sufficient eMotion was not sent the data it needs (position and correc-
tion vector)
Timeout eMotion was getting position and correction data, but is no
longer
OK All is well; eMotion is getting position and correction data as
expected

3.1 Using a local base station

Step 1 Connect your base station to the computer on which you installed eMo-
tion following your base station manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 2 Choose your base station from the Choose RTK Source menu on the tool-
bar.

36
 Using RTK

If your Base Station’s Position is Known:

Step 3 Choose Above known reference point.

Step 4 Enter the height above ground of your base station.

Step 5 Select the reference point.

Step 6 Click Finish. A base station icon ( ) appears on your map at the reference
point coordinates.

37
Quick start guide

If your Base Station’s Position is Unknown or Imprecise:

Step 3 Choose Above unknown point.

Step 4 Click Update position to take coordinates from the connected base sta-
tion.

Step 5 If you wish to, adjust the coordinates.

Step 6 Click Finish. A base station icon ( ) appears on your map at the base
station’s coordinates.

Note: The absolute precision of the coordinates obtained from your

base station will be greatly improved in post processing.

38
 Using RTK

3.2 Using your eBee RTK with a virtual reference broadcaster

Step 1 From the eMotion Choose RTK Source menu, select the VRS/Ntrip service
you want to connect to for your flight.
Step 2 If a VRS is created, a base station icon ( ) appears on your map at its
coordinates.

3.3 Using your eBee RTK in standalone mode

If you do not need high-precision absolute image geo-tags, or RTK corrections
from a GNSS/RTK base station or Ntrip broadcaster are not available, you can fly
your eBee RTK in standalone mode.

• From the eMotion Choose RTK Source, choose Standalone.

Now that you have chosen your RTK source, or chosen to fly standalone, you can
plan your mission and launch your real or simulated drone. See section ‘Creating
a new flight plan’ on page 25 to get started).

39
Quick start guide

4 Executing a flight

Goal of this section: This section describes how to prepare your

eBee RTK for flight, launch, monitor and control from the air, and ini-
tiate an autonomous landing.

Note: We recommend that you perform your first flight in a large

obstacle-free area and limit the length of the mission in order to fa-
miliarise yourself with the eBee RTK in flight.

4.1 Weather check

Before each flight, you should be aware of the weather conditions. The eBee RTK
is a small drone that cannot fly in heavy rain or strong wind conditions. In case of
doubt, make sure to check a weather bulletin including wind estimations in the
flight area. Note that wind is often stronger at higher altitudes and that the wind
perceived at the surface is not always a good reference to estimate the wind at
flight altitude. Cloud velocity or tall tree movements can help you to estimate the
wind speed once you are out in the field.
Weather forecasts may use various units to measure wind speed. As a reference,

1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.24 mph = 1.94 kts.

Caution: The eBee RTK should not be launched if the wind speed ex-
ceeds 12 m/s (in other units: 43.2 km/h, 26.8 mph, 23.3 kts).

Caution: The eBee RTK is not designed to fly in temperatures above

35◦ C. Avoid exposing the drone to high temperature for prolonged
periods of time. In particular, leaving the drone exposed to the sun
or in a car should be avoided.

40
 Executing a flight

4.2 Preparing the eBee RTK for flight

The eBee RTK’s simple design means it can go from the box to being ready for flight
in minutes. We recommend that you perform the following 6 steps before every
flight to ensure that the platform is best prepared for flight.

Note: Remove the red warning sticker from the motor before your
first flight.

4
6
2

3
5

Central body Central body

top view bottom view Wing - detached

Step 1: Perform a general inspection

Visually inspect the drone for damage or wear using the following steps:

1. Check the foam central body and wings for cracks or other damage.
2. Verify that the pitot probe is properly attached to the airframe and that the
holes in the probe are free of obstructions.
3. Verify that the ground sensor is free of obstructions and that the sensor’s
lens is clean.

41
Quick start guide

4. Verify that the wing struts are not split or damaged in any way.
5. Verify that the tubes within the Central Body that hold the wing struts are
not cracked or damaged in any way.

Caution: It is vital to carefully inspect the wing struts and tubes

within the Central Body before every flight, as they may cause a crash
if they are damaged in any way. This is particularly important if the
wings were found separated from the Central Body after a previous
flight.

6. Verify that the power cables within the battery compartment are well insu-
lated and not damaged.

Note: A general inspection should be performed before every flight.

It is also good practice to perform a full airframe check regularly to
keep your eBee RTK in good shape. See section ‘Full airframe and sen-
sor inspection’ on page 147 for more details.

42
 Executing a flight

motor motor

propeller
propeller
attachment
rubber bands

Step 2: Install the propeller

Mount the propeller on the motor axis. Secure the propeller using two attach-
ment rubber bands as illustrated above. Ensure that the propeller is lying flat
against the motor mount, and that the rubber bands do not show cracks or any
other sign of aging.

Caution: Failure to use two rubber bands may result in the loss of the
propeller in flight!

Note: After extensive use, the rubber bands may develop cracks. This
is normal and is caused by the ageing of the rubber material. For max-
imum security, inspect the rubber bands regularly and discard them
if they show cracks. 10 spare rubber bands are included in the pack-
age.

43
Quick start guide

insert camera into plug in camera connector to camera plug

compartment

close camera
compartment lid

Step 3: Install the camera

Install the camera into the payload bay⁶ within the eBee RTK and close the camera
compartment lid. If the camera connector is not already connected, plug it into
the connector with the icon on the eBee RTK.
Caution: The eBee RTK has not been designed to fly without the cam-
era. Attempting to fly without the camera may render the drone un-
stable, which may eventually lead to a crash.

⁶ Some payloads may require a separate battery or SD card to operate properly. Please refer to the
User Manual of the camera or other payload for proper installation instructions.

44
 Executing a flight

insert wing struts into central

body

ensure servo
connection
mechanism is
aligned
and engaged

Step 4: Attach the wings

Attach the wings to the central body by inserting the wing struts into the re-
ceptacles in the central body. Ensure that the ailerons are properly aligned with
the servo connection mechanism before pushing the wings fully into the central
body.

Caution: Flying with damaged wing struts or a badly engaged servo

connection mechanism may cause erratic flight and ultimately a
crash. Be sure to properly inspect and attach the wings before flight.

45
Quick start guide

Step 5: Attach the GNSS/RTK Antenna

Make sure the screw threads on the antenna and on your eBee RTK are both un-
damaged and free of liquid, grit, dust and dirt.
Screw the GNSS antenna onto its connector. Take care not to cross the screw
thread. Screw the antenna on firmly with finger force. Do not overtighten.
Once screwed on correctly, the initials RTK will be in line with the word eBee.

Note: Your drone will raise a take-off veto and refuse to start its mo-
tor if the antenna is not attached. The Section ‘Take-off vetoes’ on
page 158 describes the possible messages and the user action that
should be taken to remove them.

Caution: Do not forget to remove the GNSS/RTK antenna before

putting the eBee RTK back into its case.

46
 Executing a flight

connect battery and

insert into close battery
compartment compartment

connect battery disconnect battery

status LED:
blue preflight checks failed
Startup pulse
red
process: status LED: blink

ready for startup

green
status LED: solid

Step 6: Install and connect the battery

Lay the eBee RTK horizontally on the ground outside in the vicinity of the take-
off location, with the top face up. To install the battery, begin by connecting the
power cables to the battery. Insert the connectors firmly to the end in order to
avoid undesired disconnection when in flight. Once connected, insert the battery
into its compartment and close the compartment lid.

Caution: Take care to keep the propeller area clear, in case it sud-
denly starts spinning.

47
Quick start guide

Note: Only connect the battery cables to the drone when you are
ready for start-up. Do not leave the battery connected for extended
periods of time when the drone is on the ground, as this may dis-
charge the batteries and cause irreparable damage. When connected
and not in flight, the eBee RTK will briefly move its ailerons up and
down every minute as a reminder that it is switched on.

As soon as the battery is connected the eBee RTK will perform an automatic self-
check of its sensors and acquire GPS/GLONASS signals. Be sure not to move the
drone during these tests. It is important that the drone is not inclined more than
10 degrees in order to start up properly. Pre-flight checks may last from a few
seconds to several minutes in the case of poor GPS/GLONASS signal reception. As
these satellite signals are required for the checks to complete, be sure to place the
eBee RTK outside with a clear view of the sky.
During the pre-flight checks the status LED will pulse blue. Once the pre-flight
checks are complete the eBee RTK will flip its ailerons up and down and the status
LED will turn solid green to indicate it is ready. You may already connect the drone
to eMotion (Step 6) before pre-flight checks are complete to get a better idea of
the status of the checks.
Note: If there was any problem during the pre-flight checks per-
formed by the drone this will be indicated by a Pre-flight error in eMo-
tion as well as a by the status LED blinking red. See section ‘Pre-flight
errors’ on page 155 for a description of possible Pre-flight errors and
how to handle them.

48
 Executing a flight

RTK

Step 7: Connect to eMotion

Start by connecting the USB ground modem to your computer. Then launch eMo-
tion, which will display the Connection window. Select the eBee RTK connection
profile, choose the corresponding FTDI port and click ‘OK’.

Note: Every eBee RTK is paired with the ground modem it is deliv-
ered with, and will only work with that particular modem. The name
of the FTDI port corresponding to the ground modem is labelled as
‘eBee RTK-SERIAL’, where SERIAL is the serial number of the drone it is
paired with.

When a connection is established eMotion will display a map and the Status Panel
indicating the current state of the drone. If the eBee RTK has not yet detected its
location the Status Panel will appear in the top right corner of the Map Area with
the text ‘GPS/GLONASS: Waiting for signals...’. During this time the status LED on
the drone will pulse blue.
Once your drone has set its position using GPS/GLONASS signals, an icon of the
drone will appear at its location on the map. If the drone’s location is not on the
map you can click the button from the Toolbar to centre the map on the drone.
The drone’s status on eMotion will be displayed as ‘Idle, Ready to take-off’ and the
status LED will become solid green.

49
Quick start guide

You can now load a flight plan you prepared earlier by selecting the Setup Phase
tab from the Sidebar, clicking on ‘Load flight plan from file...’ and selecting your
flight plan file. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission in the field, following
the same process outlined in section ‘Planning and simulating a flight’ on page 20.

50
 Executing a flight

4.3 The setup phase of a flight

The setup phase of a flight includes the waypoints and actions related to the take-
off and landing of the eBee RTK and includes the following locations:

• Take-off location: The point from which the drone is launched, automati-
cally set to the location calculated from GPS/GLONASS signals by the drone
when it is launched. This location defines the altitude of 0 m/ATO (ATO
stands for above take-off); the altitudes of all other waypoints, when de-
fined in m/ATO, are referenced to the altitude of this location.

• Start waypoint: The first point that the drone flies towards when launched
(once it reaches the take-off transition altitude).

• Home waypoint: The safe point for the drone to circle in case of emer-
gency, as well as its landing position at the end of a flight for both Linear
and Circular landings.

Approach
sector
Home 60m
waypoint

10m Take-off
location
40m

obstacle-
Start take-off free zones
waypoint transition
wind
altitude reached
direction

51
Quick start guide

It is important to carefully select the take-off location, the Start waypoint and the
Home waypoint to ensure your drone remains at a safe distance from obstacles.
The eBee RTK should always be launched against the wind. Select a take-off lo-
cation clear of obstacles (buildings, rocks, power lines, hills, trees, etc.) within
a distance of at least 40 m in the upwind direction. Immediately after takeoff it
will keep its wings level and climb in the general direction it was launched until it
reaches the take-off transition altitude⁷, at which point it will start flying towards
the Start waypoint.
By default, the Start waypoint is set to a distance of 80 m West of the initial posi-
tion of the drone and an altitude of 75 m/ATO. It is good practice to move the Start
waypoint close to and upwind from the take-off location to allow a smooth transi-
tion between take-off and waypoint-directed flight. You can move waypoints by
clicking on them and dragging them within the Map Area⁸.
The Home waypoint is used both as the landing location and as a safety position in
case of an In-flight warning. The eBee RTK can perform either a Linear or a Circular
landing. Linear landing is the default and recommended landing type, especially
in high winds. To prepare a Linear landing, place the Home waypoint centre at
a location that is at the same altitude as the take-off location and is clear of ob-
stacles in a 10 m radius. Choose one or several approach sectors that are free of
obstacles for at least 60 m from the Home waypoint centre. You can drag the ap-
proach sector around the Home waypoint and change its width directly in the Map
Area or from within the Setup Phase tab. Make the approach sector(s) as wide as
possible to maximize the chance that the drone can subsequently land against
the direction of the wind. Ensure that the terrain within the approach sector is
flat and contains visual contrast to allow the ground sensor to function properly
during landing.
When a Linear landing is initiated (either automatically or by pressing the ‘Go
Land’ button in the control bar) the drone will fly towards the Home waypoint,
circle the waypoint (at 75 m/ATO by default) to measure the direction of the wind
⁷ By default the take-off transition altitude is set to 20 m. In difficult launch conditions you can set
both the take-off heading and the take-off transition altitude in the Setup Phase tab, as described
in section ‘Setup Phase tab’ on page 112.
⁸ see section ‘Waypoints and their properties’ on page 72 for a more detailed explanation on way-
points and how to modify them

52
 Executing a flight

at the landing location and choose an approach direction as much against the di-
rection of the wind as possible. It will then fly downwind in the opposite direction
of the approach direction, turn 180◦ and begin descending in the approach direc-
tion until it lands on the ground underneath the centre of the Home waypoint.
The approach angle is around 20° and the drone will reverse its thrust if needed
to maintain a suitable airspeed during this phase.

Note: There are a number of requirements that must be fulfilled

to ensure a successful Linear landing. Section ‘Linear landing’ on
page 86 describes in more detail the Linear landing process and how
to properly define approach sectors in more complex terrain. In
particular, in the case of strong-wind conditions, low light or low-
contrast terrain, the precision of the final landing location around
the Home waypoint is reduced. Therefore, it is safer to plan for more
clearance, especially along the possible landing axes.

If there are no suitable approach sectors to perform a Linear landing the drone
can also perform a Circular landing around the Home waypoint. When initiating
a Circular landing around the Home waypoint the drone will switch off its motor
and glide down while circling around the Home waypoint at the waypoint’s ra-
dius. During the Circular landing procedure the drone uses its ground sensor to
measure the height above the ground, if the ground is well textured and there is
enough light. When it reaches an altitude of 25 m above the ground the drone
will level out, estimate the direction of the wing and resume its descent so as to
touch down against the wind while remaining on the circle defined by the Home
waypoint.

Caution: The ground sensor can only provide usable feedback in

daylight conditions above flat terrain that contains enough visual tex-
ture. If these conditions are not met the drone cannot ensure a touch-
down against the direction of the wind. Landing in the direction
of the wind in strong-wind conditions may result in a high landing
speed and damage to the eBee RTK.

53
Quick start guide

To prepare a Circular landing, place the Home waypoint in a location that has no
obstacles within a radius of 50 m (or 20 m more than the Home waypoint radius)
to give the drone enough space to land. Ensure that the entire landing area is
flat to allow the ground sensor to function properly. By default, the radius of the
Home waypoint is 30 m. In high-wind conditions it is recommended to increase
this diameter⁹.
Caution: The radius of the Home waypoint, and thus of a Circular
landing, can be reduced to 20 m but should only be done in low wind
conditions (<3 m/s). Reducing the radius of the Home waypoint be-
low 30 m in moderate- or high-wind conditions can result in damage
to the drone when it contacts the ground during a landing. As indica-
tive values, the Home waypoint radius should be set to 30 m for wind
speeds below 5 m/s, 40 m for wind speeds between 5-8 m/s, and to
50 m for wind speeds above 8 m/s.

Note: In case of strong-wind conditions, the drone may drift even

further than 50 m away from the center of the Home waypoint when
performing a Circular landing. Therefore, it is safer to plan for even
more clearance in the downwind direction.

By default, the Home waypoint is set to an altitude of 75 m/ATO. In case a Go to

Home Waypoint procedure is triggered during flight¹⁰ the drone will, by default,
determine the highest altitude between its current altitude and the Home way-
point’s altitude, and climb in a circle towards that highest altitude (if required).
Once it reaches this highest altitude it will then fly towards the Home waypoint.
Due to this behaviour, the altitude of the Home waypoint should be selected with
care; it should be at least 20 m higher than the surrounding obstacles to avoid the
risk of a crash, but should not be set too high to reduce the effect of potentially
high winds and altitude and to prevent the drone from getting lost. Alternatively,
you can change the altitude transition behaviour within the Setup Phase tab. See
section ‘Waypoints and their properties’ on page 72 for more information on alti-

⁹ see section ‘Setup Phase tab’ on page 112

¹⁰ either automatically due to an In-flight warning or manually using eMotion

54
 Executing a flight

tude transition behaviours and how to modify them.

4.4 Take-off

Once you’ve planned your mission and the eBee RTK status LED is solid green you
can launch it using the procedure on the following pages.

Caution: Make sure to keep the propeller area free of all obstructions
at all times during the launch procedure.

no holdin Not horizontal!

gz
one
d an

ge
r zo n e

green blue
status LED: solid
status LED: pulse

Step 1: Orient horizontally and against the wind

Orient yourself against the direction of the wind, and confirm that the take-off
direction in front of you is free of obstacles. Firmly grasp the drone with both
hands, one hand on the front of each wing as shown in the figure. Hold the drone
horizontally with the nose pointed against the wind and level wings.

55
Quick start guide

Note: If the drone detects a condition that prevents correct take-off

a Take-off veto will be displayed in eMotion and the status LED will
start pulsing blue. Section ‘Take-off vetoes’ on page 158 describes
the possible Take-off veto messages and the user action that should
be taken to remove them. For example, if the drone is not oriented
horizontally the status LED will start pulsing blue until you re-orient
it horizontally, at which point the status LED turns solid green again.

Caution: It is imperative to launch the drone directly against the

wind, otherwise it will be unable to gain enough speed during take-
off and likely crash. Likewise, launching the drone in high winds
above the specified safe wind speed of 12 m/s is dangerous and can
result in a crash.

no hold
ing status LED: green
solid
shake 3x
zon
e

shake 3x
d an

ge
r zo n e
motor startup begin
blue
status LED: pulse

Step 2: Switch the motor on

Shake the eBee RTK back and forth 3 times longitudinally (within approx. 3 sec-
onds) to begin the motor power-up sequence. The status LED will pulse blue until
the motor is at full power and ready for take-off.

Note: You do not need to hurry to launch the drone. In case you want
to shut off the motor, just repeat the back and forth action three times
and the motor will stop.

56
 Executing a flight

blue
status LED: pulse

10°
motor ready for take-off
green
status LED: blink

place nose up 10°

da

ng green
e r zo n e status LED: solid
Caution: always orient the eBee
against the wind for take-off!
step forward and release

Step 3: Launch the eBee RTK

Once the motor is at full power the status LED will blink green. Orient the drone
with approximately 10 degrees nose up and level wings. When the angle is correct
the status LED will turn solid green, indicating that the drone is ready for take-off.
Launch the drone with a gentle push by walking 1-2 steps forward while releasing
it with both hands in a purely forward motion.
After take-off, the drone tries to maintain its initial direction, or follow the direc-
tional take-off heading you set, by keeping its wings level with full thrust until
reaching the take-off transition altitude, by default 20 m¹¹. At this point, it will
switch into waypoint navigation mode and fly towards the Start waypoint. Once
it reaches the Start waypoint location and altitude the drone will circle around the
waypoint 1-2 times to estimate the wind and calibrate its sensors before starting
the mapping mission¹².

¹¹ see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 to change this parameter
¹² The eBee RTK may also be programmed to wait at the Start waypoint for a command before starting
its mapping mission. See section ‘Setup Phase tab’ on page 112 for more information.

57
Quick start guide

Control Bar Flight Monitoring Tab

Status
Panel
Estimated
Picture
Footprint

GNSS
Status

Wind speed and direction

4.5 In-flight monitoring and control

You can monitor and control your drone while in-flight through eMotion using the
Map Area and the Flight Monitoring tab in the Sidebar.
The Map Area displays the current position of your drone, updated live as the
drone executes its flight. A small arrow and infobox show the speed and direc-
tion of the wind as measured by the eBee RTK. The Status Panel that follows the
position of the drone displays basic flight information including battery charge,
flight time and altitude, both above the take-off location (ATO) and above mean
sea-level (AMSL). This same information is reproduced in the Flight Monitoring
tab, along with other useful flight data You can find GNSS status, level of accuracy
and the number of visible satellites in the Advanced instruments section at the
bottom of this panel.

58
 Executing a flight

Note: All waypoints, image locations and flight paths displayed in

eMotion are a reflection of the data contained within the drone au-
topilot. If at any point the connection between eMotion and the
drone is lost, the drone will by default continue its planned flight,
including the imaging mission and the selected automatic landing,
fully autonomously. If you would like the drone to return to the
Home waypoint instead of continuing its mission when it detects
a loss of connection you may set the appropriate parameter in the
Flight Parameters tab, as described in section ‘Flight Parameters tab’
on page 132.

During the Mission phase of the flight the eBee RTK will automatically take pic-
tures at pre-defined moments based on the parameters that were defined during
mission planning. The estimated area captured on the ground is displayed in the
form of a continuously-updating polygon in the Map Area.

Note: The eBee RTK will not take a picture unless it is in the cor-
rect location and altitude. Some reasons for not taking an image are
strong head wind, large off-track distance or incorrect altitude. A cor-
responding message is displayed in the Status Panel if a picture is not
taken.

At the top of the Map Area is the Control Bar, which can be used at any time to send
commands to your drone as well as to acknowledge warning and failure messages
if they occur. During a fully autonomous flight the eBee RTK will control its flight
autonomously from take-off to landing and you do not need to use any of the con-
trol buttons. They can however be useful in unexpected situations to temporarily
hold position by pressing the ‘HOLD POSITION’ button or to send the drone to
the Home or Start waypoints with the ‘GO TO HOME WPT’ or ‘GO TO START WPT’
buttons, respectively. Alternatively, you can direct your drone to any location by
right-clicking in the Map Area and using the contextual menu. We recommend
you use the simulator to learn the effects of the buttons on the drone. Detailed
descriptions of the buttons and their effects on the drone are described in section
‘Control Bar’ on page 105.

59
Quick start guide

4.6 Landing

After finishing a mapping mission the drone will, by default¹³, return to the Home
waypoint and automatically initiate a landing sequence. During a Linear landing,
the drone will land in a straight line according to the process described in section
‘Linear landing’ on page 86. In case of a Circular landing the drone will land in a
circle according to the process described in section ‘The setup phase of a flight’
on page 51.
Disconnect the battery from the drone before picking it up. We recommend you
immediately import the images and flight data after each flight (see section ‘Im-
porting images and flight data’ on page 62) before putting the eBee RTK back in its
case for storage. When disconnecting the wings, be sure to pull gently in the axis
of the wing struts to prevent damage to the wing struts. Check the wing struts for
any damage before putting them into the storage case. Remove the propeller if
you don’t plan on using the eBee RTK for an extended period of time. Remove the
GNSS/RTK antenna before putting the central body back into its transport case.

4.7 Potential in-flight errors

The drone can encounter two types of error messages while flying: In-flight warn-
ings and Critical failures. In-flight warnings typically indicate a dangerous situa-
tion such as a low battery or strong winds and typically result in a Security action
such as a return to the Home waypoint. In-flight warnings appear in blue or yellow
in the Flight Monitoring tab. Critical failures occur only when the drone’s ability to
fly is severely compromised, such as a loss of GPS/GLONASS signals or an empty
battery. The situation will be displayed in red in the Status section of the Flight
Monitoring tab. When a critical failure arises, the drone will immediately perform
an emergency landing.

¹³ see section ‘Setup Phase tab’ on page 112 for information on changing the default behaviours of
the drone

60
 Executing a flight

Caution: We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the pos-

sible in-flight errors to have a better understanding of what happens
if they occur in the field. A full list of possible In-flight warnings and
Critical failures and the drone’s reaction to them is described in sec-
tion ‘In-flight warnings’ on page 160 and section ‘Critical failures’ on
page 173.

Note: It is important to keep track of the location of the drone during

a Critical failure until the moment it reaches the ground. Its position’s
coordinates can aid in finding it afterwards. Instructions on how to
find a lost drone can be found in section ‘Losing and locating your
eBee RTK in the field’ on page 177.

61
Quick start guide

5 Processing image data

Goal of this section: In this section you will learn how to import
images and flight data from your eBee RTK and create basic mapping
products directly in the field to gauge the quality of the images that
you gathered.

5.1 High precision geotagging with the eBee RTK

Both your eBee RTK and eMotion work exclusively in the WGS 84 reference frame:

• Images taken by your eBee RTK are geotagged with the precise position
of the drone when the image was taken. Geotags derived from GPS and
GLONASS signals are recorded in the WGS 84 coordinate system.
• Throughout eMotion, coordinates are displayed using the global WGS 84
reference frame. When you enter coordinates in eMotion, as latitude, lon-
gitude and elevation, they are assumed to be in WGS 84.

In order to create mapping products (for example, DSMs, orthomosaics) in Post-

flight Terra 3D that have their correct absolute positions with respect to your co-
ordinate system, you must carry out a coordinate transformation:

• Latitude and longitude are converted to x,y coordinates in your coordinate

system.
• Elevation (height above ellipsoid) is converted to absolute z coordinate by
applying a vertical displacement constant, the Geoid-Ellipsoid Separation.

5.2 Importing images and flight data

The next step to creating mapping products, after completing a flight, is to im-
port the raw images and log files to a computer. The eBee RTK records flight data

62
 Processing image data

onboard in a special Drone Flight Log file. The Drone Flight Log tracks impor-
tant information throughout a flight, such as sensor data, location and control
inputs. The file is required for assigning location information (geotags) to the im-
ages taken by the drone. The file is also required and must be sent to senseFly Ltd
in case an issue occurred during the flight¹⁴. A similar eMotion Flight Log file is
created within eMotion during a flight and serves as a backup in case the Drone
Flight Log file cannot be recovered.
If you are using a GNSS/RTK base station, you may also need to import files from
the base station and reference stations.
eMotion features a Flight Data Manager to help you transfer and consolidate all
the data related to a mapping mission. Open the Flight Data Manager by clicking
on the Flight Data Manager icon when you load eMotion. Alternatively, click on
the button in the Toolbar and select ‘Flight Data Manager...’.

select Flight
Data Manager

click OK

The way that eMotion processes RTK correction data depends on the way you set
up your flight.
If you used a local base station and entered its position into eMotion, as your
eBee RTK was flying, eMotion was sending RTK corrections from the base station
to the drone through the ground modem. Your drone was logging the precise
coordinates of each image it took.
¹⁴ see section ‘Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK’ on page 178

63
Quick start guide

If you used a local base station and didn’t have its precise position, you have
an extra post-flight processing step to do. eMotion will calculate the precise ab-
solute position of your base station using the raw logs from your base station
and the raw navigation and observation logs from your reference station. The
precisely-measured position of your eBee RTK relative to your base station will
then be corrected using this calculated absolute base station position to obtain
high-precision absolute geo-tags for your images.
If you used a virtual reference, your Ntrip stream provider will have automati-
cally provided eMotion with precise virtual base station coordinates or linked eMo-
tion to a fixed reference station. As your eBee RTK was flying, eMotion was sending
RTK corrections, gathered from the Ntrip broadcast, to your drone and your drone
was logging the precise coordinates of each image it took.
If you flew your eBee RTK in standalone mode, you do not have any RTK cor-
rections; all the flight data you need is stored onboard your drone.
Follow these steps to import data from the drone:

• Step 1 - Select a flight: If the flight was monitored from the computer
you are using to import images then the flight is saved within the local
database. Select the date that the flight took place. A list of flights (in-
cluding number of images taken) from that date will appear in the combo
box, select the one you wish to import.

• Step 2 - Create a directory: Choose a directory name that uniquely iden-

tifies your flight (e.g. the date, the name of the area, etc.).

64
 Processing image data

connect USB cable

to autopilot

• Step 3 - Prepare data for import: To import the Drone Flight Log, connect
the supplied USB cable to the eBee RTK’s autopilot, marked with a icon.
Connect the battery to the drone if it is not already connected. The status
LED will become white and a new storage drive will appear on your com-
puter.
To import images, remove the SD card from the camera, insert it into the
SD card reader of your computer and select ‘Import from SD-card reader’.
Alternatively, transfer the images from the camera by lifting it out of its
compartment just enough to connect a USB cable to it and turn the camera
on. Copy all the images into a temporary folder on your computer. Select
‘Import from a specific folder’ and choose the temporary folder.

• Step 4 - Import flight logs: Confirm that the Drone and eMotion Flight
Logs found by the Flight Data Manager are correct. You may select logs
manually if they are not correctly detected.

• Step 5 - Import images: Confirm that the images corresponding to your

flight were found and matched to the Drone Flight Log correctly.

• Step 6 - import RTK correction files:

65
Quick start guide

Note: You will only see this step if you used a local base station.

If you used a base station with a known position

• Choose The base was placed over a known point. Click Next to continue.

If your base station’s position was unknown, you must import the raw GNSS
data from your base station and the raw observation and navigation data from at
least one reference station:
Note: If you have a Topcon base station you can import its raw GNSS
data through the connection to eMotion. Connect your Topcon base
station to your computer and choose Import files from base. eMotion
will look for the raw data files in the default location on the Topcon
base station. Once complete, go to step 4 (import reference station
files).

Note: Check your base station manufacturer’s documentation to

make sure that your occupation time is sufficient for the base line
length and manufacturer model you are working with.

1. Export the raw GNSS data from your base station to your computer or suit-
able file server following your base station manufacturer’s instructions.

2. In eMotion, choose The base station was placed on an unknown location

and Import files from local folder.

3. Choose the file format and enter the path to the file, or click Browse and
locate the files.

4. Enter the paths to your reference station RINEX observation and navigation
files, or click Browse to locate the file on your computer.

66
 Processing image data

Once complete, click Next to continue.

eMotion will process any raw GNSS data you provided and show the result on the
next screen. If you don’t need to make any modifications to the results of post-
processing, click Next. If you do need to make modifications (for example, you
have calculated base station parameters outside eMotion) you can change them
here and click Next.

• Step 7 - Select outputs: Choose the output actions to execute and files to
create. Geotagging images is necessary to create geoinfo, KML and Post-
flight Terra 3D files.

• Step 8: You may now disconnect the drone. Eject the SD-card drive and the
drone drive before removing the SD-card and the USB cable, respectively.
Disconnect the battery and USB cable from the drone. Insert the SD-card
back into the camera, put it back properly into its compartment and ensure
that it is turned off. You can now open the KML file in Google EarthTM or the
project in Postflight Terra 3D for further processing.

5.3 In-field image quality check

Postflight Terra 3D software¹⁵, available as a free download with the eBee RTK pack-
age, can be used to rapidly create a Quality Report directly in the field. The Quality
Report that is automatically generated as well as the orthomosaic provide imme-
diate feedback on the quality of the images gathered during your mission.
You can open a project for processing in Postflight Terra 3D directly from the Flight
Data Manager after importing your data by clicking the ‘Open project in Terra’
button. You will now see the main Postflight Terra 3D window. The position of
your images will appear as red dots in the Map Area of Postflight Terra 3D.

¹⁵ powered by Pix4D, see section ‘Installing eMotion, Postflight Terra 3D, and the ground modem
drivers’ on page 20 for installation instructions

67
Quick start guide

Automatic Reconstruction Report generation

Top Toolbar

Project
Summary

Layers

Local
Processing
panel
Map Area
Step 1: select 1. Initial Processing,
Rapid Check Step 2: click ‘Start’

To create a Quality Report while in the field bring up the local processing panel by
selecting ‘Local processing’ from the ‘Process’ menu or by clicking the icon in
the Toolbar. Select only the ‘Initial project processing’ checkbox and the ‘Rapid’
button. If you wish to create a low-resolution orthomosaic while generating the
report, check the ‘Orthomosaic and DSM generation’ checkbox. Click ‘Start’ to
begin rapid processing.
Postflight Terra 3D will now process the data and produce a report that includes
the overall completeness and georeference quality of the images taken during
your last mission. You may use this information to decide whether further imag-
ing flights are required while you are still in the field. The quality report will be
displayed in a new window (click the icon in the Toolbar if it does not appear).

68
 Processing image data

5.4 Creating advanced mapping products

Beyond Quality Reports and low-resolution orthomosaics, Postflight Terra 3D can
generate geo-referenced high-resolution 2D orthomosaics, 3D point clouds, tri-
angle models and DSMs or export to common third-party photogrammetry soft-
ware such as Bingo, Orima or Inpho. Postflight Terra 3D also includes a mosaic and
a rayCloud editor, giving you more control on the quality of your final mapping
products, as well as measurement tools.
The resulting orthomosaic and DSM may then be imported as custom background
map and elevation data layers in eMotion¹⁶. This data can be used for advanced
flight planning in complex or uneven terrain.

Note: You need to either enable tile set generation OR choose Gen-
erate Google Maps Tiles and KML from the Process menu before you
can push the tileset into eMotion by choosing Send Map to eMotion
from the Process menu. Alternatively, this data can be imported into
eMotion; choose Import custom map from eMotion’s File menu.

Note: The best way to learn how to use the various features of Post-
flight Terra 3D is to look at the comprehensive online Knowledge Base
at my.sensefly.com

5.5 Transforming coordinates

First, set up the latitude/longitude to x/y transformation...

If you are using a established coordinate system:

Step 1 Choose Select Output Coordinate System from the Postflight Terra 3D Project
menu.
¹⁶ see section ‘Toolbar’ on page 100 for more information on importing layers into eMotion

69
Quick start guide

Step 2 If you know the coordinate system name, click From List and choose the
one you want.
If you know the EPSG code of your coordinate system, click From EPSG
and choose the code you want.
If you have the .prj coordinate system syntax file, click From .prj, browse
to the location of your file, select the file and click Open.
Step 3 Click OK on the Select Output Coordinate System dialog.
Step 4 Postflight Terra 3D will create mapping products in the established coor-
dinate system you chose.

To use a custom local coordinate system:

Step 1 Obtain or create a coordinate system syntax file (with extension .prj).
See senseFly Ltd Knowledge Base article number 73776018 for help with
.prj file creation.
Step 2 Choose Select Output Coordinate System from the Postflight Terra 3D Project
menu.
Step 3 Click From .prj, browse to the location of your .prj file, select the file and
click Open.
Step 4 In the Select Output Coordinate System dialog, click OK.
Step 5 Postflight Terra 3D will create mapping products in your custom coordi-
nate system.

Next, convert height above ellipsoid to altitude (z)...

Step 1 Choose Image Properties Editor from the Postflight Terra 3D Project menu.
Step 2 In the Image Coordinate System section, enter the Geoid-Ellipsoid Sepa-
ration and click OK.
Step 3 Postflight Terra 3D will create mapping products with a vertical displace-
ment to match your coordinate system’s altitude.

70
 Part II

Advanced functionalities
Advanced functionalities

6 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

Goal of this section: Aerial mapping using the eBee RTK is designed
to be simple and fully automatic, requiring very little input from the
user. Understanding the basics of aerial navigation, however, can
help you map more complex terrain and yield higher quality results.
This section explains the basics of waypoint-based navigation and
the control strategies used by the drone for flight.

6.1 Waypoints and their properties

The eBee RTK uses a flight plan consisting of a list of waypoints to navigate. A
waypoint essentially consists of a circle about a given position and information
that defines how the drone should behave when reaching them. The entire list
of waypoints is stored in the drone autopilot and can be remotely edited using
eMotion.

Rad to next
ius waypoin
t
us Directio
re vio n
p oint
rf om ayp Altitude:
w Above Take-off location (m/ATO)
OR
Above Mean Sea Level (m/AMSL)

Position (GPS coordinates)

In eMotion every waypoint is defined by the following parameters:

• ID: Every mission waypoint has a unique ID, beginning at 1. The eBee RTK

72
 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

can store up to 50 mission waypoints. Setup phase waypoints (Start and

Home) do not have an ID.

• Active: Indicates whether the waypoint is active or not. Deactivating a

waypoint by clicking the checkbox beside its ID will remove it from the cur-
rent flight plan. Setup phase waypoints (Start and Home) cannot be deac-
tivated.

• Current: A status that indicates if the waypoint is currently being circled

or navigated toward (indicated by > < around the waypoint’s ID). Only one
waypoint is marked Current at a time.

• Change altitude: This parameter defines the way the drone transitions to
the altitude of the current waypoint.

– During transit: The drone will fly in the direction of the current way-
point while simultaneously changing altitude by climbing or descend-
ing in a linear fashion. If the required climb or descent rate is be-
yond physical limits, the drone will reach the destination and keep
climbing/descending around the destination waypoint. This is typi-
cally used to achieve the best efficiency when the altitude between
waypoints is not constrained.
– Before transit: The drone will first climb or descend at its current
position until it reaches the altitude of the current waypoint, and then
fly in the direction of the waypoint at its altitude. This is typically used
for 3D mapping.
– Keep highest: The drone will first determine whether its current al-
titude or the current waypoint’s altitude is highest. If the drone’s cur-
rent altitude is highest, it will first fly towards the waypoint and then
descent to the waypoint’s altitude in a circular fashion. If the current
waypoint’s altitude is highest, the drone will begin by climbing at its
current position until it reaches the waypoint’s altitude and then fly
towards the waypoint. This is typically useful to avoid hitting the ter-
rain in mountainous landscapes and, in particular, for the Home way-
point when the mission altitude is below the take-off location.

73
Advanced functionalities

• Altitude: The altitude of the waypoint above the altitude reference. The
waypoint is considered ‘reached’ only when the drone starts circling about
it at the waypoint’s altitude.

• Altitude reference: The reference point of the Altitude value. When set to
m/ATO, the Altitude value is an Above Take-off (ATO) altitude. When set to
m/AMSL, the Altitude value is a Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL). The altitudes
of Setup phase waypoints (Start and Home) are always set to m/ATO.

• Turn direction: The direction with which the drone circles around the way-
point (clockwise or counter-clockwise).

• Radius: The distance at which the drone circles around the waypoint.

Note: The eBee RTK has a limited turning radius. Setting this parame-
ter lower than 20 m may cause the drone to significantly deviate from
its desired flight path.

• Auto-next: Indicates whether the drone should remain on the waypoint

upon reaching it (until a new command is received) or automatically con-
tinue to the next active waypoint.

• Action: The action (if any) to be performed upon reaching the waypoint.
Supported actions include starting and stopping Continuous photo mode¹⁷.
Setup phase parameters (Start and Home) do not have associated Actions.

• Position (coordinates): The precise latitude and longitude of the centre

of the waypoint.

Waypoints are represented in the Map Area as circles with their actual radius and
an arrow to indicate their direction. The flight path of the drone around and in
between waypoints is drawn as a line of varying opacity; the path ahead of the
drone’s current position is dark, becoming lighter the further it is from the current
position in the flight plan. The path already traversed is a uniform light colour.
¹⁷ see section ‘Camera tab’ on page 127

74
 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

If a waypoint’s Auto-next parameter is disabled, the path directly after it will be

dashed, indicating that a command must be sent for the flight to continue.
Clicking a waypoint in the Map Area will display its characteristics (waypoint ID
for mission waypoints or name for setup waypoints, altitude, radius and action)
and will select it for modification. It will also activate the Mission Waypoints tab
and highlight the selected waypoint.

Future Flight path Inactive Selected

flight path altitude flight path waypoint

Current
waypoint

Current status Traversed flight path

You can modify the waypoint’s parameters directly in the Map Area using your
mouse using the following actions:

• Position: Change the position by left-clicking on the waypoint and drag-

ging it around on the map. By default the waypoint snaps to a position in-
line with the current flight lines before and after the waypoint. Hold down
the ‘Alt’ button while dragging to disable the snapping feature.
• Turn direction: Hold down the ‘Shift’ button while left-clicking on a way-
point to toggle its turn direction.
• Radius: Modify the radius by left-clicking on the waypoint’s perimeter and
dragging it.

75
Advanced functionalities

• Altitude: Hold down the ‘Ctrl’ button while left-clicking on the waypoint
and moving the mouse up or down to increase or decrease the altitude of
the waypoint, respectively.

• Create new waypoint: Right-click anywhere in the Map Area that does not
contain a symbol to bring up the context menu, then select ‘Add waypoint
here’ to add a new waypoint.

• Context menu: Right-click on a waypoint to bring up the context menu.

You can then select the following options:

– Go to: Select while the drone is in flight to make this the current des-
tination waypoint.
– Auto-next: Toggle the Auto-next parameter of the waypoint.
– Reverse turn direction: Toggle the Turn direction parameter of the
waypoint.
– Change altitude: Set the transition behaviour of the drone when
flying towards the selected waypoint.
– Remove waypoint: Remove the selected waypoint.

Any modification will be sent directly to the drone to update its onboard waypoint
list. If the message is not acknowledged by the drone (for example due to a tem-
porary loss of communication link), the waypoint will move back to its previous
position on the map to accurately reflect the current waypoint list status within
the drone’s autopilot.

Note: Modification of flight plan parameters can cause the drone to

react in unexpected ways. In particular, the drone may have trouble
following its flight path when the radius is set very low or if there
is high wind. We highly encourage you to test your entire flight plan
using the simulator to get familiar with the drone’s behaviours before
going out into the field.

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

6.2 Advanced polygonal mission area

The mission area defines the area of interest where the eBee RTK will take pho-
tos. It appears as a grey rectangle when you select the ‘Mission planning’ tab and
to calculate the flight plan of the drone. For many cases the rectangular-shaped
mission area provides the simplest way to quickly create a flight plan. It can be
modified as described in section ‘The mission phase of a flight’ on page 26.
For more complex areas eMotion has the option of using polygonal-shaped mis-
sions areas. Begin by converting a rectangular area into a polygonal area by set-
ting the ‘Mission area’ type to ‘Polygonal’ in the ‘Mission planning’ tab or by right-
clicking on the area and selecting ‘Convert to polygon’.
A polygonal mission area is set slightly differently than a rectangular mission area:

• The edges of the rectangle now become vertices of the polygon. Left-click
on a vertex to drag and reposition the vertex.

• Left-click and drag anywhere on the edge of the polygon to create a new
vertex and reposition it.

• Right-click on vertex and select ‘Remove vertex’ to remove a vertex. Alter-

natively, hold down the ‘Ctrl’ button and left-click on a vertex to remove
it.

• Left-click and drag on the dark-grey area within the polygon to reposition
the entire polygon.

• Left-click and drag the circle on the corner of the light-grey rectangle sur-
rounding the polygon to rotate the direction of the resulting flight lines.

You may also set a polygonal mission area directly from a KML file containing a
polygon, such as those created by Google EarthTM . Simply click on the icon in
the ‘Mission planning’ tab, select ‘Load mission area from KML file’ and choose a
KML file that contains the desired polygon.

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6.3 3D mission planning using elevation data

eMotion has the ability to take into account elevation data to set the altitude of
mission waypoints and the resulting flight lines of a mapping mission. This not
only improves the resulting ground resolution but also increases mission safety
(particularly in uneven terrain) by keeping a more even height between the drone
and the ground.
You can display elevation data by clicking on the button in the Toolbar. eMo-
tion’s default Improved SRTM elevation data will be downloaded as tiles from
senseFly Ltd servers and overlaid above the map as a colourmap¹⁸. You can ad-
just the scale and opacity of the colourmap by using the associated buttons in
the bottom-right corner of the Map Area.

Auto-adjust colormap Elevation colourmap Change opacity

Caution: eMotion’s default Improved SRTM elevation data uses a 3

arc-second (approx. 90 m resolution) digital elevation model derived
from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) dataset version
2.1 combined with other data sources (ASTER GDEM, SRTM30, carto-
graphic data, etc.). This data covers nearly all emerged land except
the territories below 56◦ S latitude and the territory of the Russian
Federation above 60◦ N latitude. This data may contain inaccuracies
of several meters, and does not contain data on obstacles such as
buildings or trees. We highly recommend that you check your flight
plan thoroughly in Google EarthTM and ensure sufficient clearance be-
tween the flight plan and the ground. SenseFly Ltd provides no guar-
antee regarding the accuracy of the elevation data and it is the oper-
ator’s sole responsibility to ensure a safe flight trajectory and altitude.

¹⁸ eMotion must be connected to the internet. Once downloaded, elevation tiles are cached and can
then be used off-line.

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

Activate the 3D mission planning feature by selecting the ‘Use elevation data to
set absolute waypoint altitudes’ parameter in the ‘Mission Planning’ tab. Elevation
data is used to adjust every mission waypoint altitude as follows:

1. The flight planner uses elevation data to find the maximal terrain elevation
under the current waypoint, the previous waypoint and the flight line that
connects the two.

2. This maximum value is increased by the target altitude value, and the result
is set as the altitude of the current waypoint.

The altitude of every waypoint can always be manually adjusted in the Mission
Waypoints tab. By default, the ‘Change altitude’ parameter for the first mission
waypoint is set to ‘Keep highest’. For all other mission waypoints the ‘Change al-
titude’ parameter is set to ‘Before transit’ so that the drone climbs or descends to
the altitude of the next waypoint (and thus the next flight line) before transiting
and taking pictures.
It is important to understand that even if each flight line can have a different al-
titude, the altitude is constant along a given flight line. If the terrain altitude is
uneven along a flight line, the resulting imagery will have varying ground resolu-
tion and overlap. When the mission planner computes the altitudes of flight lines
it tries to ensure that the required amount of overlap is achieved, possibly lead-
ing to a lower ground resolution in some areas. During flight planning the range
of ground resolution computed by the mission planner is displayed. For optimal
results, it is best to set the orientation of the flight lines as parallel as possible to
the terrain’s contour lines.
One way to increase the resolution and accuracy of the elevation data is to fly a
first mission at high altitude and then create a dataset using Postflight Terra 3D.
You can then automatically import the data into eMotion by selecting ‘Send DSM
to eMotion’ from the ‘Process’ menu within Postflight Terra 3D. The dataset can
then be enabled using the menu in the Toolbar. eMotion will use this custom
dataset (wherever it is available) to set waypoint altitudes instead of its default
Improved SRTM elevation data.

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Note: It is recommended to visually compare imported elevation

datasets with the default Improved SRTM elevation layer of eMotion
in order to detect possible mismatches. This comparison should be
done with a colourmap opacity value of 100%.

More advanced controls of imported datasets are available in the ‘Elevation data’
panel of the Preferences pane of the menu. From this panel you can add,
remove, activate/deactivate or reorder overlays. eMotion uses the top-most el-
evation data layer to calculate altitude for each waypoint and flight line, with
eMotion’s default Improved SRTM elevation dataset always considered the bot-
tom layer.

Custom elevation
data

Network cache

6.4 Flight visualization in Google EarthTM

eMotion includes an interface with Google EarthTM to help with flight plan verifi-
cation and visualization, particularly in uneven terrain. Clicking on the button
in the Toolbar will open Google EarthTM and zoom to the current position of the
drone. The current position of drone, its planned trajectory, the working area cir-
cle and all waypoints currently uploaded to the drone (including Take-Off, Start

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

and Home) are displayed within Google EarthTM . Any changes to waypoints or
flight parameters within eMotion are updated accordingly within Google EarthTM .
The interface with Google EarthTM is particularly useful to check the drone’s trajec-
tory with respect to obstacles in the area¹⁹. The flight plan is projected onto the
ground in a darker colour, giving you an idea of the distance between the flight
path and the ground. If you connect to a simulated drone you can simulate the
entire flight and follow the drone within Google EarthTM .

Note: To use this feature Google EarthTM has to be installed on the

ground station PC, as described in section ‘Installing eMotion, Post-
flight Terra 3D, and the ground modem drivers’ on page 20. We rec-
ommend to use the latest version of the Google EarthTM software.

Caution: A flight trajectory visualized in Google EarthTM represents

the planned trajectory. The real flight trajectory can be different from
the planned due to flight conditions such as strong wind.

Caution: The terrain data within Google EarthTM , including hills and
buildings, may contain significant errors. When planning flights over
uneven terrain be sure to keep sufficient distance between the flight
plan and the terrain.

¹⁹ While checking flight plans in Google EarthTM is a good safety practice, senseFly Ltd provides no
guarantee regarding the accuracy and completeness of the Google EarthTM terrain model.

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6.5 Autonomous controller and modes of flight

Autonomous operation modes

Idle shake 3x Take-off

Switch On
(on ground) and release
plug in battery if ‘Wait on Start
after climbing waypoint after
after a few seconds to take-off take-off’ is
on ground transition height enabled

Circular Linear Circle

Landing Landing Start Waypoint
if ‘Go to start waypoint
if Linear after mission’ is enabled
landing automatically after
if Circular selected 2 complete circles
landing selected
Circle Perform if ‘Restart mission
Home Waypoint Mission after mission’
is enabled
when mission is completed

Manual and emergency modes

Assisted Full Hold Emergency
Manual Manual Position Landing

During a typical flight the autonomous controller on the eBee RTK will switch be-
tween various modes depending on its flight plan and the commands that it re-
ceives from the Control Bar²⁰. The controller changes between modes during a
typical mission as shown in the figure above, and as described in more detail in
the following list:

• After being switched on and running pre-flight checks the drone will enter
Idle mode until it is ready to be launched. Shaking the drone back and forth
²⁰ see section ‘Control Bar’ on page 105 for details on the Control Bar

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three times initiates the take-off procedure²¹ and changes to the Take-off
mode.
• After take-off the drone climbs with level wings²², gaining altitude until it
reaches the take-off transition altitude, by default 20 m²³ above the take-off
location. At this point the drone heads for the Start waypoint and changes
to Circle Start Waypoint mode.
• Once it reaches the Start waypoint, the drone circles the waypoint several
times to estimate the strength of the wind. Once it calculates the estimated
wind the drone either:
– heads towards the first mission waypoint, if ‘Start mission’ is selected
in the ‘After take-off’ panel of the Setup Phase tab, and changes to
Perform Mission mode.
– continues circling the Start waypoint until a command is received
from the Control Bar (typically a ‘START MISSION’ command that is
sent once a flight plan is finalized).
• While in Perform Mission mode the drone flies between all enabled mission
waypoints, taking images of the ground below. Once it reaches the final
mission waypoint the drone either:
– heads towards the Home waypoint, if ‘Land’ or ‘Go to Home way-
point’ is selected in the ‘After mission’ panel of the Setup Phase tab,
and changes to Circle Home Waypoint mode.
– heads towards the Start waypoint, if ‘Go to Start waypoint’ is selected
in the ‘After mission’ panel of the Setup Phase tab, and changes to
Circle Start Waypoint mode.
– heads towards the first mission waypoint, if ‘Restart mission’ is se-
lected in the ‘After mission’ panel of the Setup Phase tab, and remains
in Perform Mission mode.
²¹ as described in section ‘Take-off’ on page 55
²² or in a given direction when using the Directional take-off feature described in section ‘Setup Phase
tab’ on page 112
²³ see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 for details on changing this altitude

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Advanced functionalities

• Once it reaches the Home waypoint (if in Circle Home Waypoint mode) the
drone will either:

– begin a Linear landing procedure (as described in section ‘Linear land-

ing’ on page 86) and change to Linear Landing mode, if ‘Land’ is se-
lected in the ‘After mission’ list and ‘Linear landing’ is selected in the
Landing type list of the Setup Phase tab.
– begin a Circular landing procedure and change to Circular Landing
mode, if ‘Land’ is selected in the ‘After mission’ list and ‘Circular land-
ing’ is selected in the Landing type list of the Setup Phase tab.
– circles the Home waypoint and remains in Circle Home Waypoint mode
until a command is sent.

• After completing a landing procedure and detecting that it has successfully

landed, the drone changes to Idle mode.

• Turning on the remote control will cause the drone to enter either Assisted
Manual or Full Manual mode, depending on the setting in the Flight Pa-
rameters tab²⁴. Turning off the remote control will return the drone to its
previous mode.

• Clicking the ‘HOLD POSITION’ button in the Control Bar at any time will
cause the drone to start circling its current position and change to Hold
Position mode until it receives a new command from the Control Bar. Alter-
natively, right-clicking in the Map Area and selecting ‘Hold here’ will direct
the drone towards the selected position and then circle around that posi-
tion in Hold Position mode. This mode is also enabled automatically after
certain In-flight warning or Critical failure conditions²⁵.

• Clicking the ‘LAND NOW’ button in the Control Bar three times in quick suc-
cession will cause the drone to initiate a Circular landing procedure at its
²⁴ see section ‘Manual control of the eBee RTK’ on page 136 for information on the various manual
control modes
²⁵ see section ‘Troubleshooting’ on page 154 for a full list of In-flight warning and Critical failure con-
ditions and the subsequent reactions of the drone

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

current location with its motor disabled and change to Emergency Land-
ing mode.

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6.6 Linear landing

A typical Linear landing follows these steps:

1. The eBee RTK flies towards the Home waypoint (defined by the user within
eMotion; default altitude is 75 m above the landing altitude). The altitude
change behaviour between the current location and the Home waypoint
depends on the ‘Altitude change’ parameter of the Home waypoint. By de-
fault, it is defined as ‘Keep highest’, which means that the drone will fly at
the highest altitude between its current altitude and the Home waypoint’s
altitude, climbing in a spiral first if needed.

2. Once the Home waypoint is reached the drone circles the waypoint and
descends to a fixed altitude of 75 m above the landing altitude.

3. The drone circles to estimate the wind speed and direction. An approach di-
rection is then calculated as close to the upwind direction as possible within
the allowable approach sectors (defined by the user within eMotion).

4. The drone flies downwind against the approach direction. After flying for
a sufficient distance it turns around to align itself with the approach direc-
tion.

5. The drone glides down in the approach direction at a controlled speed and
descent angle of approximately 20◦ , braking by spinning its propeller in
reverse if necessary.

6. When the drone detects a height of around 20 m to the ground it begins to

level out its descent.

7. When the drone detects a height of around 3 m to the ground it performs

a final brake to reduce its speed and lifts its nose.

8. The drone then glides for the final few metres in a deep stall until it lands.

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

Linear landing procedure, seen from the side

Home
1. Aproach Home
waypoint
waypoint

2. Descend to 75m
4. Fly in calculated direction above landing
altitude
3. Circle to
measure wind
5. Glide with controlled 75m above
angle and speed landing altitude

6. Start level Landing location

out at 20m below Home waypoint
26.8m 7. Final brake
at 3m
13.4m 8. Deep stall
15˚ 20˚ to ground

50m 50m 60m 10m

Linear landing procedure, seen from above within eMotion 2

estimated wind
direction
approach sectors
calculated downwind
direction

Home
calculated upwind waypoint
approach direction

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Advanced functionalities

The Linear landing process uses an optical-based sensor to detect the proximity
of the ground. A number of conditions on the environment and the positions of
the Home waypoint and approach sectors must be met in order for the ground
sensor to function correctly and ensure the accuracy of the Linear landing:

• If the Linear landing location is not at the same altitude as the Take-off lo-
cation you must adjust the Landing altitude parameter in the ‘Setup Phase’
tab, as the drone uses this altitude to level out and slow down before land-
ing (Steps 6-8). Enable the ‘Land at a different altitude than take-off’ check-
box and set the altitude as an absolute value in AMSL.

Note: When ‘Land at a different altitude than take-off’ is enabled the

Home waypoint’s altitude will be converted to AMSL instead of ATO
(by default 75m above the landing location).

Caution: Incorrectly setting the altitude of the Linear landing loca-

tion will decrease the accuracy of the Linear landing and may result
in damage to the eBee RTK.

• A Linear landing can only be performed over flat terrain. Ensure that the
ground is flat and at the same altitude as the Linear landing location for
a distance of at least 100 m from the Linear landing location within every
approach sector. It is also recommended to have flat terrain in the opposite
direction of every approach sector in case a Linear landing is aborted in its
final stages.

Caution: Attempting a Linear landing on sloped terrain, the top of

a roof or the edge of a cliff or any other terrain that is not flat will
likely result in false detection of the height above the ground during
the approach and may result in damage to the eBee RTK. In particular,
landing downhill may cause a large overshoot and should always be
avoided.

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

• Ensure that there are no obstacles within 60 m of the Linear landing lo-
cation within all approach sectors and within a radius of 10 m around the
Linear landing location. If there are some obstacles in the distance, ensure
that the top of the obstacles is at no more than a 15◦ angle from the point
60 m from the Linear landing location, as indicated in the figure on page 87.
It is also recommended to not have any obstacles in the opposite direction
of all approach sectors, in case the Linear landing is aborted before com-
pletion.

Caution: It is not recommended to perform Linear landings between

tall obstacles, as they may disturb the GPS/GLONASS signals your
eBee RTK needs to be able to navigate.

• In order to limit the ground speed when landing and to achieve the best
landing accuracy, the eBee RTK should only perform a Linear landing against
the direction of the wind. Approach sectors should be as large as possible
and in as many directions as possible to allow the drone to select the opti-
mal approach direction based on its estimate of the wind. If all of the avail-
able approach sectors are in the direction of the wind an In-flight warning²⁶
will appear in eMotion when the drone calculates its trajectory (Step 3).

Caution: If the drone performs a Linear landing in the direction of the

wind during strong wind conditions or with certain In-flight warnings
or Critical failures it may not be able to slow enough during its de-
scent. It will likely overshoot the Home waypoint location and land
at a high speed, potentially resulting in damage.

• The ground sensor must have sufficient light and texture to accurately de-
tect the height above the ground. Ensure that the ground sensor lens is
clear of dirt or other obstructions. Only attempt Linear landings in full day-
light conditions. Ensure that there is high-contrast surfaces in all the ap-
²⁶ see section ‘In-flight warnings’ on page 160

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Advanced functionalities

proach sectors. Do not define approach sectors over low-texture surfaces

such as large bodies of water, snow or sand.

• During a Linear landing the drone requires sufficient energy to slow down
its descent and perform its final brake (Steps 5-7). If the Linear landing op-
tion is active and the battery descends below 20% an In-flight warning will
appear²⁷ in eMotion.

To enable Linear landing select ‘Linear landing’ from the ‘Setup Phase’ tab. A sin-
gle approach sector appears around the Home waypoint. Rotate and resize the
approach sector to define the directions around the Home waypoint that are com-
pletely clear of obstacles. You can add additional approach sectors from within
the ‘Setup Phase’ tab. These approach sectors will be used by the drone to plan
its landing path while taking into account the wind. Defining multiple possible
approach sectors can increase the chance that the drone selects a favourable land-
ing against the direction of the wind. Be sure that there are also no obstacles in a
10 m radius circle around the Home waypoint, as the Linear landing process may
be effected by wind or positioning imprecision of the on-board GNSS receiver.

Approach sectors:
textured and flat terrain,
obstacle-free zones

10m

Obstacle-free zone
below centre of Home waypoint

²⁷ see section ‘In-flight warnings’ on page 160

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

Note: The eBee RTK’s ground sensor can typically begin detecting
ground proximity at a distance of 40 m. If the drone reaches an es-
timate altitude of 20 m/ATO (as estimated using the on-board GNSS
receiver and pressure sensor) without a signal on its ground sensor
it assumes there is a malfunction with the ground sensor. This may
be due to insufficient light or contrast in the environment, dirt on the
sensor’s lens assembly or a Linear landing location at a different alti-
tude than the Take-off Location. In this case the drone performs the
braking and stall manoeuvre at an altitude of 20 m instead of 3 m.
This increased time while stalled can greatly reduce the accuracy of
the final landing position and damage to the drone.

If the Linear landing process is aborted (by clicking on the ‘ABORT LANDING’ but-
ton in the Control Bar) before completion the drone will turn on its motor in full
thrust and gain altitude while continuing in a straight line in its approach direc-
tion. Once the altitude of 40 m/ATO is reached the drone will turn towards the
Home waypoint and continue climbing until it reaches an altitude of 75 m/ATO. It
then continues circling until it receives a further command.

Caution: Do not abort a Linear landing if there are obstacles in the

approach direction behind the Home location, as the drone will con-
tinue flying in a straight line after an abort sequence while it gains
altitude and may collide with those obstacles.

Caution: It is not recommended to abort a Linear landing when the

battery is low, as the drone may not have enough power to attempt
a second landing.

6.7 Flying multiple drones at the same time

Operating multiple drones at the same time enables the coverage of larger areas
in a shorter amount of time. This can be useful when the mission time must be
kept short, for example because of varying lighting conditions. To enable multi-

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drone operation eMotion provides the following:

• When more than one drone is connected at a time, a dedicated interface

called the Multi-drone panel is displayed to monitor each drone and switch
between them.

• A number of settings are offered to keep relevant flight configurations (such

as the Start and Home waypoint) synchronised between all connected drones.

• Missions that require more than one flight can be automatically split and
uploaded individually among all connected drones.

• A new Control Bar appears at the bottom of the Map Area. Commands sent
using the buttons in this Control Bar, such as ‘START MISSION’ or ‘GO LAND,’
are sent to all the drones currently connected to your computer.

• Collision avoidance is provided by eMotion²⁸. This is done by automatically

changing the altitude of the Start and Home waypoints for each drone in or-
der to separate them. Also, the drones are automatically put on hold when
there is a collision risk during the mission.

When connecting to more than one drone at a time (real or simulated), a dedi-
cated Multi-drone Panel is displayed next to the Sidebar. Each drone is displayed
with its name, battery level and status and can be selected. The rest of the Sidebar
and its various tabs are associated to the currently selected drone, as indicated
by the colour of the frame. The multi-drone interface also displays the relative
altitude of all drones with respect to the selected drone. Since this is a relative
altitude, a value close to 0 m means that a drone is at the same altitude as the
currently selected drone. Right-clicking on a drone’s tab in the Multi-drone Panel
allows you to disconnect the drone or change its colour.

²⁸ if the option is selected in the Multi-drones preference pane

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

selected drone
second drone connected
to this computer
drone shared through
network

Multi-drone panel Sidebar

One advantage of flying multiple drone drones at once is to cover more area in less
time. eMotion can automatically upload a multi-flight mission to all connected
drones in a single click. To achieve this, follow this procedure:

1. Go to the Mission Planning tab and prepare the required mission area (this
can be done with any of the connected drone selected). Make sure that
the number of flights required matches the number of connected drones.
If needed, the ‘Max flight time’ option can be lowered to force the mission
planner to split the mission in several flights (see section ‘Mission Planning
tab’ on page 116).

2. Select ‘Upload to all’ from the drop-down list of the ‘Upload button’.

Note: You can only split a mission between drones of the same model
and that are using the same camera.

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Clicking on the icon in the Multi-drone panel allows you to either connect a
new drone or to bring up the Multi-drones preferences pane.

Multi-drone
coordination

Traffic control

Network sharing

eMotion provides Multi-drone coordination options to synchronise various way-

points and parameters among connected drones:

• Take-off: Synchronising the take-off applies specifically to Directional take-

off heading and transition altitude.
• Start waypoint: When the Start waypoint is synchronised, eMotion will
use the same location and altitude for the Start waypoint of each connected
drone. Every modification to the Start waypoint of one drone is thus trans-
ferred to all other drones. To prevent collisions between drones, eMotion
will automatically create a stack by incrementing the altitude of each drone
that is currently circling the Start waypoints to ensure a 15 m separation.
The base altitude of the Start waypoint, which is the altitude of the lowest
drone in the stack, can be set in the Multi-drone Panel.
• Home waypoint and landing: Similarly to the Start waypoint, when the
Home waypoint is synchronised eMotion will us the same Home waypoint

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 Understanding aerial mapping with the eBee RTK

for all connected drones. A stack will also be created to avoid collisions
between multiple drones circling the Home waypoint.

Caution: As eMotion defines the Start and Home waypoints in ATO.

It is therefore critical for all drones to take off from the exact same
location to achieve altitude separation and collision avoidance over
these two waypoints.

• Flight parameters: This option will synchronise all the parameters in the
‘Flight parameters’ tab across all drones. This includes the Working area
radius and ceiling, take-off transition altitude, Security action parameters,
etc.

• Mission planning: This option will share the same Mission Area among all
connected drones.

• Simulator: When checked, repositioning a simulated drone on the map

will reposition all simulated drones at the same time.

In addition to the altitude separation on the Start and Home waypoints described
above, eMotion provides two traffic control mechanisms to help avoid collision
between drones in flight:

• Proximity warning: When enabled, a visual and audible warning will be

emitted if two drones are on a trajectory potentially leading to a collision
in less than 7 seconds.

• Collision avoidance: When enabled, eMotion will constantly monitor the

trajectory of the connected drones and automatically put one drone in a
temporary hold pattern (similar to the HOLD POSITION function, see sec-
tion ‘Control Bar’ on page 105) until it is safe to resume the flight. Priority
is given to drones with the lowest battery level, engaged in a landing pro-
cedure or with an active error or warning.

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Caution: All collision avoidance mechanisms are implemented by

eMotion on the ground computer. The drones’ autopilot do not com-
municate between themselves and do not have knowledge of each
other’s positions. It is therefore critical to keep all drones connected
to eMotion at all times and remain well inside communication
range.

Note: While eMotion strives to avoid all collisions, the operator is ul-
timately responsible to ensure flight safety. In particular, situations
involving more that two drones in converging trajectories may not
always be handled automatically in a fully safe manner. It is recom-
mended to use slightly different altitudes for each drone when flying
more than two drones at a time to limit the risk of collision.

In more advanced scenarios you may wish to share the position and even the con-
trol of a drone across a local area network. eMotion provides the following Net-
work sharing options:

• Allow other computers to see my drones: All computers that are run-
ning eMotion and are connected to the same network will be able to dis-
play the position, status and other parameters of the drones connected to
your computer.
• Allow other computers to control my drones: All drones currently con-
nected to your computer are not only displayed, but can be fully controlled
by other computers running eMotion on the same network.
• See all drones on my local network: Check this box to display the po-
sition and other parameters of drones connect to other computers on the
same network.
• Apply multi-drone coordination to local network: Check this box to
synchronise all the selected parameters in the Multi-drone coordination
preferences across all drones that are connected to the same network (pro-
vided that they have checked the ‘Allow other computers to control my
drones’ option).

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• Share simulators on my local network: If this box is checked, all Network

sharing options apply to both real and simulated drones connected to your
computer. In unchecked, they only apply to real drones.

6.8 Individual photo targets and oblique imagery

In some cases it may be interesting to take oblique photographs of objects, for
example to provide a nice image for documentation or to increase the quality
of 3D models that contain vertical facades and surfaces. eMotion includes a tool
for defining photo targets with a specific distance, heading and pitch angle. The
drone can then orient itself and capture the image using a patent-pending pitch-
down manoeuvre.
Capturing an oblique image can be done easily by following these steps:

1. Add a new photo target by clicking on the button in the Camera tab. Use
the cross-hairs to place the photo target on the location of interest in the
Map Area. You may also right-click anywhere in the Map Area and select
‘Add photo target here’ from the contextual menu. The photo target will
appear as a circle in the Map Area with an estimated image footprint, a
manoeuvre zone and a status panel with estimated altitudes before and
after the image is taken.

resize to change
ground resolution manoeuvre zone

estimated photo target altitude

photo target
footprint
move in the arrow direction
to change pitch/persepctive

rotate to change
estimated altitudes
heading
before/after photo

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2. Select the desired heading and pitch angles of the image by rotating the
image footprint and moving the photo target arrow, respectively. The es-
timated image footprint can help you choose the required angles. You can
also set the angles manually in the ‘Photo targets’ section of the Camera
tab.
3. Define the desired ground resolution at the photo target within the Cam-
era tab. You can also adjust the ground resolution by resizing the photo
footprint in the Map Area.

Caution: Be sure to define a ground resolution that is high enough to

allow the drone to recover from its pitch manoeuvre by paying close
attention to the ‘Minimum altitude after photo’ parameter. We rec-
ommend that you do not define parameters that result in an ‘Mini-
mum altitude after photo’ of less than 30 m, in particular when se-
lecting a high pitch angle.

4. Define the altitude of the photo target, if it is not the same as the take-off
altitude. You may use elevation data to define this altitude by enabling the
‘Use elevation data to set absolute photo target altitudes’ checkbox.

Repeat the above steps to define multiple photo targets. After launching your
drone, click on the ‘Begin sequence’ button in the Camera tab at any time to begin
taking the images. The eBee RTK will fly to the location of the first photo location,
measure the wind above the location, and perform a dive (pitching down) ma-
noeuvre to take the oblique photo. It will perform this for all photo targets until
it has completed the entire sequence.
Taking a series of oblique images of the same photo target at regular heading and
pitch intervals allows you to create a higher quality 3D model of a photo target.
You can use the ‘New photo target increment’ to define a desired increment angle.
Clicking on the button will then add a new photo target at the same location
as the previous target but with an incremented pitch and heading value.
A more detailed description of all the available options for taking images of indi-
vidual photo targets can be found in section ‘Camera tab’ on page 127.

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7 eMotion in-depth guide

Goal of this section: eMotion is a powerful tool designed specifically

to work with your senseFly Ltd mini-drones. This section includes a
comprehensive guide to all the functionalities in eMotion to help you
plan, simulate and monitor your next mapping flight.

Flight Parameters tab

Camera tab
Mission Waypoints tab
Mission Planning tab
Setup Phase tab
Toolbar Flight Monitoring tab

Control
Bar

Status
Panel

Map Area Sidebar

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The main eMotion interface is composed of a Map Area, a Toolbar and a Sidebar²⁹.
The Map Area displays the current location of the eBee RTK, a Status Panel with
important information on the drone’s current status, and a Control Bar used to
send commands to the drone (section ‘Control Bar’ on page 105).
The Toolbar above the Map Area includes the File menu, controls for selecting
the source of map data, the display of picture footprints and various other controls
(section ‘Toolbar’ ).
The Sidebar is separated into six individual tabs that are used during different
phases of planning and monitoring a flight. The Sidebar tabs can be hidden at
any time by clicking on the left-hand edge of the Sidebar. Each tab is described
in detail in the following chapter. The Sidebar also contains controls for the Sim-
ulator (section ‘Simulator’ on page 103)

7.1 Toolbar

Set Up RTK

Choose RTK Source RTK Status Map source

File

Custom map source Zoom

Google Earth display
Follow drone position Full Screen
Center on drone Clear all footprints
Center on coordinate Show/hide footprints

²⁹ for an overview of the eMotion interface see section ‘The eMotion interface’ on page 21

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You can access the File menu by clicking on the button in the Toolbar. From this
menu you can connect to or disconnect from a drone, access the Flight Data Man-
ager, change eMotion preferences or import custom maps. Clicking the icon
will launch Google EarthTM and display the current flight trajectories of drones con-
nected to eMotion, as described in detail in section ‘Flight visualization in Google EarthTM ’
on page 80.
You can access RTK setup and choose your RTK correction source from the Choose
RTK Source menu.
You can select the background map source from the drop-down list in the Toolbar,
and adjust its zoom level using the and buttons. eMotion can use many
sources of commercially available and custom mapping information. Tiles from
map sources with the icon are downloaded by eMotion from the Internet as
required and locally cached on the hard drive. Due to regulatory restrictions, map
sources with the icon cannot be saved locally and are not recommended for
use in the field.
If you anticipate the use of eMotion in conditions where connecting to Internet is
impossible, you can preload the map data by selecting ‘Download maps...’ from
the File menu. Follow the instructions in the dialog box to select the zone of
interest, map tile source and start downloading.
eMotion can also import and display custom layers which may include KML files,
custom map tiles and elevation data. To import a KML file, select ‘Import KML...’
from the File menu and select your KML file. The resulting layer will now be
available in the Toolbar by clicking on the icon, and can be clicked to display or
hide it. eMotion can display lines, polygons, paths and points saved in KML format.

Note: KML files, including associated icons or images included within

them, are not copied to the eMotion directory and will no longer ap-
pear in eMotion if the original KML files are deleted.

Custom map tiles can also be added as a layer in eMotion. Select ‘Import custom
map...’ from the File menu and select the folder that contains the tile set. The
tile set will then appear in the list of layers in the Toolbar, accessible by clicking
the button.

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Note: If you use Postflight Terra 3D (see section ‘Processing image

data’ on page 62), a tile set can be generated for each project that is
directly compatible with eMotion. You can therefore create your own
map background using the eBee RTK. You can generate the tile set
by selecting ‘Generate Google Maps tiles and KML’ from the ‘Process’
menu within Postflight Terra 3D.

Whenever the eBee RTK takes a picture, eMotion records the location and orienta-
tion of the drone and computes the approximate span of the photo on the ground
(or ‘footprint’). All the footprints taken by a drone are added to a shaded polygon
outlined with the drone’s colour and displayed in the Map Area. This polygon rep-
resents an estimate of the area that has been photographed by the drone.

The footprints can be shown or hidden using the button. When hidden, the
footprints are kept in memory and new photos continue to be recorded, but noth-
ing is displayed in the Map Area. Footprints for all drones remain in the memory
of eMotion, even when a drone is disconnected or eMotion is shut down. Clicking
on the button removes all footprint polygons from the Map Area the memory
of eMotion. New picture footprints will be created for subsequent pictures that
are taken.
Note: Clearing or hiding the footprints has no influence on what is
logged by eMotion and on-board the drone during the flight, such as
the information required to geotag the images after the flight.

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Note: The footprints displayed on the map are only an approximate

estimation of the actual ground coverage of the corresponding im-
age. Cross-wind may introduce errors in the orientation of the dis-
played footprint compared to the actual coverage, whereas inaccu-
rate elevation data may result inaccurate footprint size.

The Toolbar also contains buttons for centering the Map Area on the current po-
sition of the drone ( button), on a searchable location or coordinate ( button)
or to continually follow the position of the drone while it is in flight ( button).
Finally you can view eMotion in full-screen mode by clicking the button.

7.2 Simulator
Familiarising yourself with your eBee RTK and its features will allow you to more
efficiently plan and execute mapping flights, saving you time and improve your
imaging results. The Simulator in eMotion is designed to help you test the various
features of the drone and to better prepare a mapping mission before perform-
ing it in the field. Several simulated drones can be connected at the same time,
allowing you to test multi-drone functionalities.

fast-forward re-position take-off location

play initiate take-off
pause instant recharge of battery

wind speed
wind direction

The Simulator bar appears at the bottom of the Sidebar of eMotion when you con-
nect to a simulated drone. The simulated drone will go through the same pre-
flight checks as a real eBee RTK, after which it will update the Home to its current
position (typically the last position that was used within the simulator) and the

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Start waypoint to 80 m West of the Home waypoint. The various buttons avail-
able in the Simulator bar are described in table 1 .
Feel free to modify the wind speed, waypoint positions and other parameters in
the Toolbar and the various tabs of the Sidebar in eMotion to see their effect on
the eBee RTK while it is in flight. Also be sure to explore the effects of the vari-
ous buttons in the Control Bar on the behaviour of your drone. Don’t be afraid to
push the boundaries! Aborting a flight or causing an emergency landing in the
simulator will better prepare you for unexpected circumstances while in the field.

Table 1: Simulator bar buttons

Button Description

Pause Clicking the pause button will pause the simulation

and thus stop the drone while in flight. This can be
useful when you wish to change parameters or way-
points while the drone is already in flight. Note: this
is a simulated action that is not possible with the
real eBee RTK. Instead of pausing while in flight
we recommend that you use the ‘HOLD POSI-
TION’ function to better simulate real flight con-
ditions.

Play Clicking the play button returns the simulation to ac-

tual speed from the pause or fast-forward conditions.

Fast forward Clicking this button increases the speed of the simu-
lation to 4x actual speed. This allows you to shorten
the time required to simulate a complete mission.

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Re-position Clicking this button and then clicking on a location

take-off location in the Map Area simulates the action of connect-
ing the battery to the drone in a new location. The
drone is returned to the ground at the new location
and runs through its pre-flight checks before enter-
ing Idle mode.

Initiate take-off Clicking this button simulates a take-off procedure,

including the motor power-up sequence and the
hand launch³⁰.

Instant recharge of Clicking this button will instantly recharge the bat-
battery tery of the drone. Note: This is a simulated action
that is not possible with the real eBee RTK while
it is in flight.

Wind speed and These fields are used to input a simulated wind speed
direction and direction. A random wind speed and direction is
set when eMotion connects to a simulated drone.

7.3 Control Bar

Command buttons

Warning indicator

³⁰ see section ‘Take-off’ on page 55 for a description of the take-off procedure

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The Control Bar includes buttons for sending commands to the drone and for ac-
knowledging warnings while it is in flight. Certain buttons can only be used dur-
ing specific flight modes³¹.
The Command buttons allows the operator to directly control the drone while it
is in flight. The various buttons are described in table 2 .

Table 2: Control Bar Buttons

Button Available Action

WARNING³² Active For yellow In-flight warnings, button text

warning changes to ‘ACK WARNING’ and clicking will
acknowledge the current warning. For red
Critical failures, button text changes to ‘CRIT-
ICAL FAILURE’ and cannot be clicked.

START No active Fly towards the first active waypoint in the

MISSION Security action waypoint list and start the mission from the
beginning.

RESUME Not in Perform Return to the last position reached during

MISSION Mission mode the mission and continue the flight plan.

GO TO No active Fly towards the Start waypoint, circle and

START WPT Security action wait for next command.

GO TO Anytime Fly towards the Home waypoint, circle and

HOME WPT wait for next command.

³¹ see section ‘Autonomous controller and modes of flight’ on page 82 for more information on flight
modes
³² see section ‘Troubleshooting’ on page 154 for a full description of In-flight warnings and Critical
failures that may occur

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GO LAND Anytime Fly towards the Home waypoint and initiate

landing procedure.

HOLD No active Create a virtual waypoint at the current loca-

POSITION Security action tion and altitude, circle around this point and
wait for next command.

LAND NOW Anytime Initiate a Circular landing around a 20 m ra-

Click 3x dius waypoint at the current location. Must
be clicked 3 times in quick succession to
be engaged.

ABORT During Cir- Circular or Linear landing: abort current

LANDING cular Land- landing procedure, return to the altitude of
ing, Linear the Home waypoint, circle the Home way-
Landing, or point and wait for next command.
Emergency Emergency landing: (only available if there
Landing mode is no active Critical failure) abort current
(if no active landing procedure, return to the location
Critical failure) where the Emergency landing was triggered,
circle and wait for next command.

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7.4 Flight Monitoring tab

Drone status

Autonomy

Flight data

Instruments

Identification

Payload information

Advanced
Instruments

The Flight Monitoring tab can be used to monitor the eBee RTK during a mapping
mission and is the default tab that is displayed when you click anywhere on the
map area that does not have a symbol. The tab is split into the following sections:

• Drone Status: The status of the plane keeps you informed on what the
drone is currently doing. This can include mission actions such as ‘Taking
photo’ or ‘Going to waypoint’ as well as warning or failure messages such

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as ‘Out of working area’ or ‘High wind’³³.

Note: The most important status and warning messages are repro-
duced in the Status Panel in the Map Area, and thus remain visible
even when the Sidebar is hidden.

• Autonomy: The battery level displays the current charge and voltage of
the battery. As the battery’s charge level decreases, the voltage decreases
as well. A fully charged battery has a voltage of 12.6 V and is fully dis-
charged when it reaches about 9 V³⁴.
This section also displays the total time in flight, the straight-line distance
to the Home waypoint, the estimated time required to return to the Home
waypoint (based on estimated wind strength) and the quality of the radio
data link between the ground modem and the drone. The strength and
direction of the wind estimated by the drone is displayed with an arrow.

Caution: Lithium polymer batteries are chemical devices whose per-

formance depends on a number of parameters, including tempera-
ture, lifetime, number of cycles, mechanical integrity, etc. Estimating
the remaining capacity of a battery can thus be tricky and the dis-
played value may occasionally be inaccurate. It is the operator’s re-
sponsibility to monitor battery voltage and flight time in addition to
the battery level to make sure that endurance is sufficient to com-
plete the mission.

• Flight data: This section includes additional information that may be use-
ful during the flight, including ground speed and height, altitude Above
Mean Sea Level (AMSL) and the absolute position detected by the GNSS
receiver on-board the eBee RTK.

³³ see section ‘Troubleshooting’ on page 154

³⁴ see section ‘Proper battery care’ on page 151

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Note: The ground sensor height indicates the height above the
ground detected by the ground sensor. The sensor can typically de-
tect distances below 60 m, depending on available light and surface
contrast.

current heading in degrees

current altitude over

current air speed
take-off location

desired altitude over

desired air speed
take-off location
attitude with respect
to artificial horizon

• Instruments: This display mimics the classical primary flight display used
in manned aircraft. The column on the left displays the current air speed
of the eBee RTK as well as the desired air speed, in metres per second. The
column on the right displays the drone’s current altitude over take-off lo-
cation, as well as the desired altitude over the take-off location, in metres.
The bar at the top displays the current heading of the drone³⁵. North is in-
dicated as 0◦ , East as 90◦ , South as 180◦ and West as 270◦ .
• Identification: This displays the serial number of your eBee RTK and the
number of the Drone Flight log for the current flight. This number can be
used as a reference when importing flight data after a flight³⁶.
• Payload information: This section displays the payload currently selected
and the number of photos that has been taken since take-off³⁷.
³⁵ this feature is only accurate when in flight
³⁶ see section ‘Importing images and flight data’ on page 62
³⁷ see section ‘Camera tab’ on page 127 for instructions on changing the payload type

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• Advanced Instruments: This section displays the current internal temper-

ature of the drone, the number of GPS/GLONASS signals detected and the
estimated accuracy of the the position.

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7.5 Setup Phase tab

Take-off parameters

Start waypoint

After mission and

take-off actions
Home waypoint

Landing

Setup phase reset

Flight plan actions

The Setup Phase tab is used to define the setup phase of a flight plan. This phase
includes the definition of the Home and Start waypoints and the actions to be
taken before and after the mission phase of the flight plan.
The Setup Phase tab is divided into the following sections:

• Take-off parameters: You can predefine a take-off heading and transition

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altitude. To enable this feature, expand the ‘Take-off parameters’ box and
check the ‘Activate directional take-off’ check box. A new arrow is now dis-
played on the map. This arrow defines the take-off heading, the drone will
try to stay on the track defined by the arrow.

desired takeoff
direction

You can now grab the arrow on the map in order to modify the take-off
heading. Furthermore you can also pre-set the take-off direction and the
take-off transition altitude in the Setup Phase tab.
Default value: Unchecked, Heading: 0◦ , Transition altitude: 20m/ATO

Caution: Setting the take-off transition altitude too low may cause
the drone to perform a change of direction too early and may result
in a crash. Setting the take-off transition altitude too high may cause
the drone to drift sideways after take-off if there is too much wind.

• Start waypoint: Here you set the position, change altitude parameter, al-
titude above take-off (m/ATO), turn direction and radius of the Start way-
point. You can set the location by clicking the button and clicking on the
desired location in the Map Area.

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Default values: Change altitude: During transit, Altitude: 75 m/ATO, Turn

direction: anticlockwise, Radius: 30 m, Location: 80 m West of the position
calculated from satellite signals on start-up

• After take-off: You can either command the drone to start the mission
phase immediately after reaching the Start waypoint or to wait for a com-
mand from eMotion. This second option is useful if you want to modify the
flight plan while the drone is already in flight.
Default value: Start mission

• After mission: Use this panel to select the action you wish the drone to
execute once it completes the mission phase. The eBee RTK can either au-
tomatically go to the Home waypoint and land, go to the Home or Start
waypoint and wait for a command or to restart the mission phase.
Default value: Land

• Home waypoint: Here you set the position, change altitude parameter,
altitude (in m/ATO or m/AMSL if ‘Land at a different altitude than take-off’
is selected), turn direction and radius of the Home waypoint. You can set
the location by clicking the button and clicking on the desired location
in the Map Area.
Default values: Change altitude: Keep highest, Altitude: 75 m/ATO, Turn
direction: anticlockwise, Radius: 30 m, Location: position calculated from
GPS/GLONASS signals on start-up

• Landing: With this panel you can choose between a Circular landing or
a Linear landing on the Home waypoint. If you select ‘Linear landing’ the
panel expands to show options on approach sectors. You can define up to
four approach sectors, each of which has a heading and a span, either by
dragging in the map area or by manually setting parameters in the panel.
See section ‘Linear landing’ on page 86 for details how to correctly select
the Home waypoint and approach sectors.
Default value: Linear landing, Approach sectors: single sector with a Head-
ing of 0◦ and Span of 20◦

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• Landing location altitude: You can also configure the altitude of the land-
ing location if it is different from the Take-off altitude. Expand the ‘Landing
location altitude’ panel and select an altitude in m/AMSL or in m/ATO. It is
also possible to predefine the landing altitude based on elevation data by
clicking on the ‘Set absolute landing altitude based on elevation data’ but-
ton. This button will pre-set the altitude each time it is clicked (i.e. if the
landing position is changed, the altitude is not automatically pre-set based
on the Improved SRTM model, the user has to press the button each time
that the landing position is changed).
Default value: Landing location altitude: 0 m/ATO
• Setup phase reset: Pressing the ‘Reset all setup phase parameters’ will
reset the Home and Start waypoints to the take-off location and reset the
rest of the parameters on the tab to factory defaults. Clicking the ‘Reset
all waypoints and photo targets’ will remove all the waypoints and photo
targets in the currently loaded in the drone.
• Flight plan actions: A complete flight plan includes all the Setup phase
(Start and Home waypoints, Take-off and Landing parameters, etc.), Mis-
sion phase (waypoints), Camera (camera model, photo targets, etc.) and
Flight (working area radius and ceiling, Security actions, etc.) parameters.
The ‘Reset flight plan’ resets the current flight plan to default parameters³⁸.
The ‘Load flight plan from file...’ and ‘Save flight plan to file...’ buttons load
and save the current flight plan (both setup and mission phases) to a XML
file for later reuse. You can also save the current flight plan to the eBee RTK’s
on-board memory by clicking the ‘Save flight plan in drone’ button. Once a
flight plan is saved in the drone’s memory, it will become the default flight
plan the next time the drone is started and appear in eMotion upon con-
nection. The drone also keeps track of its last waypoint during a flight; you
can thus resume an incomplete flight after changing batteries.

Note: It is not necessary to save a flight to the autopilot in order to

fly! This is an advanced option meant to reduce the preparation time
required when the same flight is performed many times.

³⁸ this action is only available when the drone is not in flight

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7.6 Mission Planning tab

The Mission Planning tab is used to automatically define a set of waypoints based
on a mission area and a set of image parameters. Clicking on this tab will make a
grey box appear in the Map Area that represents the mission area to be mapped.
You can modify this area’s location, size and rotation using the handles around it,
as explained in section ‘The mission phase of a flight’ on page 26.

generated
mission flight
area lines

rotate,
resize,
displace

Note: The quality of the output orthomosaic is usually lower on the

outer edges of the area that is photographed, as there is less overlap
between images. The area photographed is thus always calculated
to be bigger than the mission area selected so as to ensure maximum
image overlap within the mission area itself.

Note: If there is no flight plan overlaid on the mission area rectangle

then the mission is too large and cannot be flown by the eBee RTK.
This can be for two reasons: either the distance between two way-
points is too long for the drone to cover in a single flight, or the way-
points are too far from the Take-off and landing locations.

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Mapping and
mission parameters

Advanced parameters

Mission plan actions

Resulting flight characteristics

The Mission Planning tab is divided in several panels. The first panel, Mapping
and mission parameters, contains the parameters that define the requirements
of a particular mission:

• Difficult terrain: Clicking this button will fill in preset values to the rest
of the parameters. The Difficult terrain preset is meant for imaging terrain
with complex features such as forests. High image overlap is recommended
to increase the amount of features that can be matched between images,
though at the cost of lower image resolution (due to higher altitude).
• Easy terrain (default): This preset is meant for simple terrain such as quar-
ries or agricultural areas where high-resolution images can be taken with

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relatively low image overlap.

Note: The preset values are recommended settings that have

demonstrated good results when images are then used in Postflight
Terra 3D to create orthomosaics. Do not hesitate, however, to mod-
ify these parameters to suit the particularities of the terrain you are
mapping or the local regulations and airspace constraints.

• Mission area: You can select either a rectangular mission area for simple
terrain (as described in section ‘The mission phase of a flight’ on page 26) or
a polygonal mission area for more complex terrain (as described in section
‘Advanced polygonal mission area’ on page 77).

Default value: Rectangular

• Ground resolution: The target ground resolution to be achieved, expressed

in centimetres per pixel. This parameter is directly linked to the flight al-
titude: a higher resolution (few cm/px) requires a lower altitude, while a
lower resolution (many cm/px) requires a higher one.

Default value: 4.0 cm/px

• Camera: The camera payload that is currently selected³⁹. Make sure the
correct camera model is set in the flight planner to correctly calculate the
required flight line spacing and distance between photos.

• Desired altitude: The target altitude value is the desired altitude above
the ground at which the drone will take images. It is automatically cal-
culated based on the Ground resolution and the characteristics of the on-
board camera.

³⁹ see section ‘Camera tab’ on page 127 for details on changing the camera type

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Note: eBee RTK has a minimum distance between images that de-
pends on wind strength and direction. The maximum longitudinal
overlap depends on this minimum distance as well as the calculated
altitude and the camera model. If the calculated altitude is too low
the drone may not be able to achieve the required longitudinal over-
lap. This will be indicated by a icon. Flying at an altitude of less
than 40 m is potentially dangerous and will be indicated by a icon.

• Use elevation data to set absolute waypoint altitudes: Checking this

box will enable the flight planner to adjust the absolute altitudes of all mis-
sion waypoints based on elevation data. This advanced planning mode is
described in detail in section ‘3D mission planning using elevation data’ on
page 78.
Default value: disabled

• Lateral overlap: The percentage of overlap between the ground coverage

of pictures from adjacent flight lines. For most mapping purposes, a mini-
mum of 50% is usually required. Higher coverage values may increase the
mapping quality but will increase the flight duration.
Default value: 60 %

• Longitudinal overlap: The percentage of overlap between the ground

coverage of pictures taken consecutively in the same flight line.
Default value: 70 %

• Generate perpendicular flight lines: Checking this box creates a second

pass over the desired area perpendicular to the first pass. This option will
significantly increase the overall image overlap and therefore improve the
resulting map quality in Postflight Terra 3D. It is particularly useful for diffi-
cult terrain at the cost of doubling the required flight time.
Default value: disabled

• Reverse flight direction: By default, the flight planner will design a flight
in which the drone begins a mission at the farthest waypoint and finishes

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closer to the Home waypoint. Checking this box reverses the order of the
planned mission waypoints. Be cautious, however, to ensure that there is
enough reserve battery to return to the Home waypoint at the end of the
mission.
Default value: disabled
• Save parameters as default: Clicking this button will save the current pa-
rameters of the Mission planning tab as the default ones in eMotion.

The next panel contains advanced parameters used by the flight planner:

• Starting waypoint: The waypoint ID of the first waypoint used to imple-

ment the mapping mission, as organized in the Waypoint list in the Mission
Waypoints tab. This option is useful when including more than one mission
area into a single flight. The default value for a new mission is 1. When plan-
ning for a second area to be covered in the same flight, the ‘After previous’
button sets the starting waypoint after the waypoints used for the previous
area.
Default value: 1
• Wind estimate: The estimated wind speed and direction. Incorrectly set-
ting the windspeed affects the estimated flight time of the eBee RTK and
may cause it to return to Home before completing the desired flight plan.
Clicking the ‘Use current wind estimate’ button will copy the wind speed
currently estimated by the drone to the Wind estimate field.
Default value: direction: 0◦ , speed: 0 m/s
• Max flight time: This parameter sets the maximum estimated flight time
for a single flight. If the flight planner estimates a longer flight time for the
currently-selected Mission area it will split the mission into two or more
flights.
Default value: 40 min

The third panel, Mission plan actions, includes the ‘Upload’ button which is used
to upload the resulting mission waypoints to the autopilot. If there are multiple

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flights required this button becomes a drop-down list, and you can upload each
flight individually.

Caution: Clicking ‘Upload’ will directly modify the waypoints re-

quired for the flight plan in the eBee RTK. If the drone is flying towards
or around one of these waypoints, its navigation will be affected to
reflect the new waypoint parameters.

Clicking the ‘More’ button reveals several more options:

• Load mission area...: Click to load a previously-saved mission area and

parameters from an Auto Flight Planner (.afp) file.

• Save mission area...: Click to save the current mission area and parame-
ters to an Auto Flight Planner (.afp) file. This can be useful for example to
map the same area with different image and mission parameters, or to save
and restore a large mapping mission that requires multiple flights. Note
that this saves only the mission area shape and location along with the as-
sociated mission and image parameters, not the actual list of waypoints
that is then generated or the camera payload model used to calculate the
mission plan.

• Load last used mission area: Clicking will load the last mission area that
was successfully uploaded to an eBee RTK autopilot, whether it was a real
or simulated one. This option is useful when you want to repeat your last
mission and did not explicitly use the ‘Save mission area...’ button.

• Load mission area from KML file: Use this option to load a polygonal mis-
sion area directly from a KML file (produced in Google EarthTM for example).

• Load mission area from map object: Use this option to load a polygonal
mission area from a previously-imported map object (see section ‘Toolbar’
on page 100).

• Reset mission area: Clicking will reset the mission area to the default rect-
angular size and reposition it in the centre of the Map Area. It will also reset

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all mapping and mission parameters to their last saved default values⁴⁰.

• Restore factory settings: Click to restore all the parameters of this tab to
their default settings.

The last panel of this tab displays the characteristics of the flight(s) resulting from
the selected image parameters:

• Number of flights: The resulting number of flights that must be performed

to cover the chosen mission area. If the mission area cannot be mapped in
a single flight, eMotion will split it into the minimum possible number of
flights. The estimated distance that can be covered in a flight is calculated
assuming a fully charged battery and an accurate wind estimate.

• Flight time: This is the estimated flight time for each of the flights.

• Total flight distance: The total distance that will be flown during all of the
flights.

• Total ground coverage: The total area that will be mapped during all of
the flights.

• Number of flight lines: The total number of flight lines in the mission
phase of the flight plan, not including flight lines to and from the Take-off
or landing locations. The second number represents the flight lines per-
pendicular to the first number.

• Flight lines spacing: The required distance between parallel flight lines,
calculated using the Lateral overlap and Ground resolution parameters.

⁴⁰ Default values for mapping and mission parameters are set by clicking the ‘Save parameters as de-
fault’ button.

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Note: If the flight line spacing is low enough to cause your drone to
overshoot the beginning of a flight line, eMotion will automatically
switch to an alternating flight line pattern. Your drone will fly along
every other flight line, then return to fill in the gaps. If the spacing
becomes too small even for an alternate flight lines, a will appear
beside this parameter to indicate the warning. You can remove this
warning by decreasing the Lateral overlap or the Ground resolution.

• Mean flight lines altitude above elevation data: Mean altitude differ-
ence between all flight lines and the ground altitude, based on the top-
most elevation data layer (3D flight planning only).

• Max flight lines altitude above elevation data: Maximum altitude dif-
ference between a flight line and the ground altitude, based on the top-
most elevation data layer (3D flight planning only).

• Min flight lines altitude above elevation data: Minimum altitude differ-
ence between a flight line and the ground altitude, based on the top-most
elevation data layer (3D flight planning only).

• Distance between photos: The required distance between each consec-

utive photo taken in the same flight line, calculated using the Longitudinal
overlap, Ground resolution and Camera model parameters. The wind also
has an influence as the ground speed increases with back wind.

Note: The eBee RTK has a minimum distance between photos that
depends on the wind speed and direction. If the calculated distance
that is too short will be indicated with a icon. This is not critical for
the flight, but it may reduce the longitudinal overlap of the images.
Consider reducing the ground resolution (fly higher) to achieve the
selected longitudinal overlap, or reduce the longitude overlap itself
to remove this notice.

• Single image coverage: The estimated ground area covered by a single

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image, based on the Altitude over take-off location parameter (assuming

flat terrain).

• Number of waypoints: The total number of waypoints to cover the mis-

sion area.

• Elevation data sources: The elevation data sources being used to calcu-
late the altitudes of the waypoints. This can be either the default ‘Improved
SRTM’ within eMotion or imported custom data sets, depending on which
one is activated and is at the top of the list in the ‘Elevation data’ Preference
pane.

The flight characteristics are updated automatically as you modify the mission
area in the Map Area or the parameters in the first panel.

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7.7 Mission Waypoints tab

Selected mission
waypoint
parameters

Remaining
mission
waypoints

Add or reset
waypoints

The Mission Waypoints tab contains a list of all mission waypoints currently on
the drone autopilot. It can be used for finer control of individual waypoints in the
current mission. The list of waypoints displays the ID, Change altitude parameter,
Altitude and Action related to each mission waypoint.
Clicking on a mission waypoint in the list or in the Map Area will expand the panel
to display all the parameters related to that waypoint. These parameters are ex-
plained in detail in section ‘Waypoints and their properties’ on page 72. Changes
made to the selected waypoint are sent to the drone immediately after selecting
an item in the popup menu or upon hitting the ‘Enter’ key in the text fields. You
can reposition the waypoint by clicking the button and then clicking at the de-
sired position in the Map Area. You can make the selected waypoint the current
waypoint by clicking the button.

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Caution: Any change to the waypoints or their parameters are di-

rectly sent to the drone and may therefore impact its flight behaviour.
We recommend that you take great care before modifying waypoints
while the drone is in flight.

You can add new waypoints by clicking the button or by right-clicking on the
Map Area and selecting ‘Add waypoint here’. Clicking the button will remove
all mission waypoints from the drone.

Note: All modifications made to the waypoint list will be lost when
the drone is switched off, unless the list is explicitly saved into the au-
topilot using the ‘Save flight plan in drone’ button in the Setup Phase
tab (see Section ‘Setup Phase tab’ on page 112).

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7.8 Camera tab

Camera model

Photo sequence
control

Photo targets
Individual photos

New photo
target increment

Camera control

Camera parameters
for mapping

The camera tab is an advanced tab that can be used to precisely control the func-
tioning of the camera. It also contains controls for taking oblique imagery. It is
split into several sections: ‘Camera model’, ‘Photo targets’, ‘Camera control’, and
‘Camera parameters for mapping’.

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The ‘Camera model’ section is used to define the camera or payload currently con-
nected to the eBee RTK. The list contains all payloads currently supported on the
eBee RTK.
The ‘Photo targets’ section allows you to program a set of photo targets that the
drone will capture with an oblique angle. You can define a photo target location,
distance to the object and the heading and pitch of the photograph. The drone
will then automatically calculate a flight plan in order to capture the photo with
the desired parameters.

• Photo sequence control: Clicking the ‘Start sequence’ button will send
the drone to the first photo target location and subsequently take images
of all the photo targets currently in the ‘Photo targets’ list. Clicking the ‘Stop
sequence’ will send the drone back to the Home waypoint.
• Photo targets: This panel contains the list of photo targets to be taken in
a sequence. Clicking the button will add a new photo target. You can
set the location by using the cross-hairs and clicking in the Map Area. By
default, the location of a new photo target is the same as the previous one
in the list. Clicking the will remove all photo targets from the sequence
list. Each photo target has the following properties:
– Change altitude: The way the drone transitions to the altitude of
the current photo target. This parameter is set to ‘Keep highest’ for
all photo targets and cannot be modified.
– Minimum altitude after photo: This is the calculated minimum al-
titude the drone will reach at the end of a photo capture manoeuvre,
based on the desired ground resolution.
– Ground resolution: The desired ground resolution in the centre of
the image that will be pointed at the photo target position.
– Distance: The calculated straight-line distance between the drone
and the photo target, and the defined pitch angle. For a given dis-
tance, as the pitch angle increases, the distance to the ground de-
creases.
– Heading: The heading angle with respect to North of the photo tar-
get.

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– Pitch: The pitch angle with respect to vertical of the photo target.
– Altitude reference: The altitude reference of the photo target alti-
tude, either ATO or AMSL.
– Target altitude: The altitude of the photo target.
– Position (Coordinate): The precise latitude and longitude of the cen-
tre of the waypoint.
• New photo target increment: This panel makes it easier to make a se-
ries of oblique photos of the same target with a regular angle increment in
order to aid reconstruction of a 3D model. Every new Photo target that is
added using the button will be placed at the same location as the previ-
ous one, but with an increment in heading and pitch angles defined by the
‘Heading increment’ and ‘Pitch increment’ parameters, respectively.
Default value: Heading increment: 0◦ , Pitch increment: 0◦
• Automatically reset target altitude based on elevation data: Check
this box to use elevation data to set the absolute photo target altitudes.
If this box is unchecked, photo targets are presumed to be at the same al-
titude as the take-off location.
Default value: disabled

The ‘Camera control’ section has the following functions:

• Take photo now: Clicking this button will send a command to the drone
to take a single picture at its current location. This command can be sent
during the mission phase of a flight plan.

Note: The ‘Take photo now’ button has no effect during Take-off, Cir-
cular landing, Linear landing and Emergency landing modes.

• Continuous photo sequence: These radio buttons define how the drone
is taking images. When the default option ‘Auto’ is selected the drone will
start and stop continuous photo shooting based on the actions associated

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with mission waypoints. Selecting ‘On’ overrides waypoint actions and en-
ables continuous shooting. Conversely, selecting ‘Off’ will override way-
point actions and disable continuous shooting.
Default value: Auto

The ‘Camera parameters for mapping’ section is used to define detailed parame-
ters related to the camera and has the following functions:

• Pitch angle: By default the eBee RTK takes images at a default estimated
pitch angle of 7◦ relative to the horizon. This angle provides the best com-
promise between image quality and flight endurance. In some cases, how-
ever, you may wish to change this value to suit your imaging needs.
Increasing this angle to 15◦ provides a slightly more perspective view of
a building. Note, however, that a higher pitch angle will cause the drone
to slow down every time it takes an image, losing altitude and decreasing
flight time and longitudinal overlap.
Decrease the pitch angle down to 0◦ can capture more vertical images of
the ground if mapping precision at low altitudes is of utmost importance.
However, decreasing this angle will cause the drone to lose altitude with
each image taken, requiring it to return to the target altitude before taking
another image, once again decreasing both flight time and longitudinal
overlap between images.
Default value: 7◦
• Distance between photos: Check the ‘Use manual parameters’ box to
manually set the distance between photos in the direction of flight. This
option may be used to override the automatic settings based on altitude
and longitudinal overlap.
Default value: Unchecked, Distance between photos: Automatic

Note: Depending on the altitude and the wind the desired distance
between images may not always be achievable. The minimum dis-
tance with no wind and at sea level is around 35-40 m.

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Clicking the button will provide further options:

• Save parameters as default in drone: Saves the currently-set camera pa-

rameters to the eBee RTK’s autopilot’s memory.

• Restore factory parameters: Returns the parameters to their default val-

ues and automatically send them to the drone’s autopilot.

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7.9 Flight Parameters tab

Flight parameters

General
information

The Flight Parameters tab includes some advanced functions that govern the over-
all behaviour of the drone while in flight. It is separated into two sections: ‘Flight
parameters’ and ‘General information’. The ‘Flight parameters’ section includes
the following items:

• Working area radius: This is the radius of the working area around the
take-off location. Flying outside of this area will create a warning and cause
the drone to return to the Home waypoint.
Default value: 500 m
• Working area ceiling: This is the maximum altitude above the take-off
location at which the drone can fly. Flying above this altitude will create a
warning and cause the drone to return to the Home waypoint.
Default value: 300 m/ATO

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• Manual control mode: Selects between Full Manual control and Assisted
Manual control when the remote control is turned on⁴¹.
Default value: Full Manual control
• Security actions: The next checkboxes are used to disable certain Security
actions⁴².
• Ignore RC signals: Checking this option will result in the drone ignoring
any signals coming from a remote control (RC) transmitter on the ground.
Default value: unchecked

Caution: In certain regions it is illegal to disable the remote con-

trol connection between the drone and the operator on the ground.
Please check the laws in your region before enabling this option.

• Return to Home in case of strong wind: Checking this box will enable the
Security action related to high wind strength (return to Home waypoint).
Un-checking this box will disable the Security action, however the drone
will continue to estimate the wind strength and direction and the In-flight
warning will continue to appear.
Default value: checked

Caution: The eBee RTK is not designed to fly in winds above 12 m/s.

Flying in high-wind conditions increases the chances of a crash that
may damage the drone and is done at your own risk.

• Return to Home in case of poor GPS/GLONASS coverage: Checking this

box will enable the Security action (return to Home waypoint) related to
poor GPS/GLONASS signal coverage. Un-checking this box will disable the
Security action, however the In-flight warning will continue to appear.
Default value: checked
⁴¹ see section ‘Manual control of the eBee RTK’ on page 136 for more information
⁴² see section ‘In-flight warnings’ on page 160 for more information on Security actions related to
specific In-flight warnings

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• Return to Home in case of camera malfunction: Checking this box will

enable the Security action (return to Home waypoint) related to a camera
malfunction. Un-checking this box will disable the Security action, how-
ever the In-flight warning will continue to appear.
Default value: checked

• Return to Home after 30s in case of link loss: Checking this box will en-
able In-flight warnings and Security actions related to a loss of the commu-
nications uplink between eMotion and the drone (return to Home after 30 s
of link loss). Un-checking this box disables both the In-flight warning and
the Security action and will result in the drone continuing on its flight path
even if it does not re-connect with eMotion.
Default value: unchecked

• Climb in case of detected ground proximity (<30 m): The eBee RTK fea-
tures a ground sensor that continuously checks the presence of the ground.
If this box is checked and the ground sensor detects a height above the
ground of less than 30 m, the drone will climb to a safe height of 60 m be-
fore continuing the mission.
Default value: checked

• Use ground sensor for landing: The eBee RTK uses its ground sensor to-
gether with its estimate of the wind speed during its landing manoeuvre
to calculate the ideal moment to perform a final brake and enter deep stall.
If this box is unchecked the drone will ignore the ground sensor during its
approach and will assume that the landing location is precisely at the same
altitude as indicated in eMotion. This will result in a landing precision that
is decreased and dependent on the strength of the wind.
Default value: checked

Note: Un-checking this feature is only recommended when perform-

ing a linear landing in uneven terrain where the height measured by
the ground sensor during approach would imply an undesired ap-
proach slope correction.

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Clicking the ‘More’ list will provide further options:

• Save parameters as default in drone: Saves the currently-set flight pa-

rameters to the eBee RTK’s autopilot’s memory.

• Restore factory parameters: Returns the flight parameters to their de-

fault values and automatically sends them to the drone’s autopilot.

The ‘General information’ section displays information specific to your eBee RTK.
This includes the current firmware and bootloader versions loaded into the au-
topilot, the serial numbers of the airframe and the autopilot, the total number of
flights performed by drone and the total time spent in the air.

Note: The flight counter is incremented every time the take-off pro-
cedure is initiated by shaking the eBee RTK back and forth 3 times,
even if take-off is subsequently aborted.

Clicking ‘View flight database...’ will bring up a window that presents a summary
of all the flights performed by the drone using this computer.

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8 Manual control of the eBee RTK

Goal of this section: This section describes how to use the remote
control to manually control the drone, either in Full Manual or As-
sisted Manual modes.

Caution: Operation of the eBee RTK in either Assisted or Full Man-

ual mode requires the skills of an experienced RC aircraft pilot.
SenseFly Ltd cannot be held responsible for damage caused by man-
ual control of the drone. Any damaged caused by manual control of
the drone will void the warranty.

8.1 Enabling manual control

By default, the eBee RTK flies autonomously and does not need the provided re-
mote control to be operated. However, by using the remote control, it is possi-
ble to override the drone’s autopilot by switching to one of two available manual
modes: Full Manual or Assisted Manual. In Full Manual mode the sticks of the
remote control directly set the motor power and the angle of the ailerons of the
drone. In Assisted Manual mode the sticks of the remote control are used to set
the speed, turn rate and climb or sink rate.

Note: Ensure that the ‘Ignore RC signals’ option in the Flight Param-
eters tab is unchecked⁴³, otherwise the drone will ignore the com-
mands from the remote control and remain in autonomous operation
mode.

Turning on the remote control will cause the drone to change to either Assisted
Manual or Full Manual mode, depending on the ‘Enable assisted manual control’
setting in the Flight Parameters tab⁴⁴ of eMotion. Turning off the remote control
will cause the drone to return to the last autonomous operation mode it was in
⁴⁴ see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 for more details on this setting

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before Manual mode was enabled.

Caution: We recommend that you only turn the remote control on
when it is held by a pilot ready to take manual control of the drone,
and that you turn it off when putting the remote control down.

Manual control of the eBee RTK can be achieved at any time if the drone is within
range of the remote⁴⁵.

on: manual FM: elevator

off: auto AM: climb/sink rate

FM: thrust FM: ailerons

AM: speed AM: turn rate

left stick right stick

trim dials

FM: Full Manual

AM: Assisted Manual

Caution: The remote control is preconfigured for use with the

eBee RTK. In particular, the trim dials, used to finely adjust the position
of the drone’s ailerons, are calibrated to ensure optimal flight char-
acteristics and should not be adjusted. Changing the remote con-
trol’s configuration, including the trim settings, may compromise the
flight characteristics of the drone. If, for any reason, the preset set-
tings should be lost, contact your eBee RTK reseller.

⁴⁵ see section ‘Drone specifications’ on page 181 for the range of the remote control

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8.2 Pre-flight testing of the remote control

If you plan to use the remote control during a flight we recommend that you first
test it on the ground. Ensure that the eBee RTK is set to Full Manual mode⁴⁶ and
follow these steps:

1. Check that the left stick on the remote control is in the low position to pre-
vent the propeller from spinning.

2. Turn on the remote control.

3. Turn on the eBee RTK by connecting the battery. Once the drone detects the
signal from the remote control it will change to one of the manual modes.

Caution: The motor of the eBee RTK is now controlled by the remote
control and will begin spinning if the left stick is pushed up. Always
keep the area around the propeller clear of obstacles and body parts
to prevent injury.

4. Move the right stick on the remote control to verify proper reception by the
drone and correct servo direction.

5. Turn off the remote control for take-off.

Note: If the remote control is switched on while it is performing pre-

flight checks the ailerons will not move when the checks are com-
pleted and the GPS/GLONASS signals are acquired.

For more information on using the remote control, refer to the original user man-
ual available in the downloads section of the senseFly Ltd website⁴⁷.

⁴⁶ see section ‘Enabling manual control’ on page 136

⁴⁷ http://www.sensefly.com/support/download

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8.3 Full Manual mode

Full Manual mode allows you to have direct control over the eBee RTK’s actua-
tors, overriding all control from the on-board autopilot. The left stick controls the
thrust. For safety reasons, the left stick should remain at the lowest position at all
times, except during flight.
The right stick controls the elevator and the ailerons in the same way as a typical
aircraft control stick (or the joystick with a flight simulator). Note that the drone
uses its ailerons to fulfil the functions of both ailerons and elevator in a classical
airplane. When the ailerons function in the same direction, they act as the eleva-
tor. When the function in opposite motion, they act as ailerons.
We recommend you perform a standard take-off procedure in autonomous mode
and only switch to Full Manual mode when the drone is in the air. If you wish to
take-off in Full Manual mode, however, you must use the following steps:

1. Prepare the drone for flight as described in section ‘Preparing the eBee RTK
for flight’ on page 41 while keeping the remote control turned off and the
left stick at its lowest position.
2. Turn on the remote control. You now have manual control over the main
thrust motor and the servo-motors.

Caution: The motor of the drone is now controlled by the remote

control and will begin spinning if the left stick is pushed up. Always
keep the area around the propeller clear of obstacles and body parts
to prevent injury.

3. Firmly grasp the eBee RTK horizontally with level wings using both hands,
one hand on the front of each wing. Shake the drone back and forth 3 times
longitudinally (within approx. 3 seconds). The status LED will pulse blue
while the drone’s autopilot performs a start-up sequence. As the motor
is now controlled by the remote control, it will not begin spinning. Once
the sequence is complete, the status LED will turn green (solid or blinking,
depending on the angle at which you are holding the drone).

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Caution: Taking off without performing the motor power-up se-

quence will result in the eBee RTK staying in Idle mode during the en-
tire flight and is not recommended. The drone will no longer be able
to enter automatic mode while in flight and must land using manual
control.

4. The eBee RTK is now ready for manual take-off. Orient yourself into the
wind, and confirm that the take-off direction in front of you is free of obsta-
cles. We recommend that you take off at full power and into the wind by
setting the left stick to its highest position and releasing the drone when
the status LED is solid green.

8.4 Assisted Manual mode

In Assisted Manual mode the sticks on the remote control set the desired speed,
turn rate and climb or sink rate. These commands are then transferred to control
signals for the individual actuators by the autopilot based on feedback from its
sensors. This control scheme simplifies control of the eBee RTK.

Caution: Though it may be easier to fly the eBee RTK manually when

in Assisted Manual mode it remains dangerous and should be used
with care. In particular, the pilot must still be aware of obstacles in the
area, the altitude of the ground, the inversion of control commands
when the drone is flying towards the pilot and the distance between
the drone and the pilot. We recommend that you only try Assisted
Manual mode when in a large open space with no obstacles and low
wind.

In this mode the left stick is used to set the desired speed of the eBee RTK. Set-
ting the left stick between 10% and 100% sets a desired speed between 10.5 and
20 m/s. Setting the stick below 10% turns off the motor, allowing the drone to
slowly descend in a glide. The drone may even engage reverse thrust to limit its
speed during descent.
The right stick is used to set the direction of flight of the eBee RTK. Moving the stick

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 Manual control of the eBee RTK

left or right will set a left or right roll angle of up to 45◦ /s, respectively. Moving
the stick down will set a climb rate of up to 3.5 m/s. Moving the stick up will set
a sink rate of up to 3.5 m/s. Releasing the right stick at any point will return the
drone to a straight flight path at a constant altitude.
It is not possible to take-off in Assisted Manual mode. You may only switch to
Assisted Manual mode after completing the standard take-off procedure⁴⁸.

Caution: There is no clear indication during the take-off procedure

that the eBee RTK will change to Assisted Manual mode rather than
Circle Start Waypoint mode after the take-off transition altitude is
reached⁴⁹. For this reason we recommend that you do not turn on the
remote control unless you are ready to manually control the drone
right after take-off.

To perform a manual landing we recommend the following procedure:

1. The drone should always perform a linear landings into the wind. Face the
downwind direction and confirm that there are no obstacles in an area of at
least 100 m downwind and a width of 20 m in either direction from down-
wind.
2. Set the drone to an altitude of around 50 m from the landing altitude by
moving the right stick up or down.
3. Fly downwind until the drone is around 100 m away from the landing loca-
tion.
4. Turn the drone upwind and towards the landing location by moving the
right stick left or right.
5. Set the speed to a low value by moving the left stick down to around 25%
of its maximum value.
6. Bring the drone closer to the ground by controlling the sink rate with the
right stick. Keep the drone descending until it is around 5-10 m from the
ground.
⁴⁸ as described in section ‘Take-off’ on page 55

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7. Once the drone is around 5-10 m from the landing location, cut motor power
using the left stick and allow the drone to glide down to the ground.

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 Part III

Maintenance, Repair and

Troubleshooting
Maintenance, Repair and Troubleshooting

9 Maintenance and repair of the eBee RTK

Goal of this section: This section describes how to update accom-

panying software and on-board firmware, keep your drone in good
working condition and perform small repairs such as cracks in the air-
frame.

9.1 Updating the eBee RTK software

Occasionally, senseFly Ltd releases a software upgrade for the eBee RTK to provide
additional features to our users or to correct potential issues. As of version 2.0.2,
eMotion will check for new versions during start-up⁵⁰ and will display a message
with update instructions if a new version is available. We recommend, however,
that you check the senseFly Ltd website regularly for updates to ensure you have
the latest version of the software.
Caution: We are constantly working to improve the performance of
our products and we are dedicated to providing our customers with
the newest software as soon as it becomes available. Since the high-
est level of flight safety can only be achieved with the latest software
release, senseFly Ltd can only offer warranty service for products that
have been properly updated.

To upgrade eMotion or Postflight Terra 3D to the latest version, download the in-
staller from the senseFly Ltd website and follow the standard install procedure
(see section ‘Installing eMotion, Postflight Terra 3D, and the ground modem drivers’
on page 20). It is not necessary to uninstall previous version of eMotion before in-
stalling the new one.
Every version of eMotion is packaged with an accompanying firmware revision
which must be installed on the drone before it can be used. To upgrade the firmware
of the eBee RTK follow these steps:
⁵⁰ provided that there is an internet connection

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1. Connect the battery to the drone.

2. Connect the USB cable between the computer on which you installed eMo-
tion and the autopilot of the eBee RTK as shown in the figure. The connector
is beside the camera connector and is marked with a icon. The status
LED will turn white as soon as you connect the cable.

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Maintenance, Repair and Troubleshooting

connect USB cable

to autopilot

3. Click the icon and select ‘Updater eBee RTK...’⁵¹.

4. Click ‘Update’ to begin the updating process. Wait until the process is com-
plete, which is indicated by the text ‘File downloaded successfully’.

Wait for update File downloaded

Click Update to complete successfully

Note: You may need to install a driver the first time you upgrade your
firmware. The driver will be installed automatically but may cause the
firmware update to fail. If this is the case, retry the update process by
clicking ‘Update’ again, without disconnecting the battery or cable
from the drone or closing the ‘Updater eBee RTK’ program.

⁵¹ also available in the ‘eMotion’ folder in the Start menu in Windows

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 Maintenance and repair of the eBee RTK

5. Disconnect the USB cable and the battery.

It is important that both the drone and eMotion have the same software version
for them to work properly together. Make sure that you keep both up-to-date. To
check which version of eMotion you have installed, use the ‘About eMotion...’ item
in the ‘Window’ menu. The eBee RTK firmware version can be seen in the Flight
Parameters tab once connected (see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132).

9.2 Cleaning and storage

Use a damp cloth to wipe off dirt from the eBee RTK. In order to avoid structural de-
formation of the wing, it is recommended to store the drone either in its transport
case or on a flat surface at room temperature.

Caution: Never bring the eBee RTK into direct contact with water, as
this may damage the electronics within the drone airframe.

9.3 Full airframe and sensor inspection

Beyond the general airframe inspection that is performed before every flight, we
recommend that you perform a full airframe and sensor inspection regularly to
keep your drone in good operating condition.

Caution: The autopilot, sensors and actuators within the Central

Body of the eBee RTK are specially calibrated and should only be
modified by your eBee RTK reseller. Opening the Central Body of the
eBee RTK will void the warranty.

The inspection includes the following checks:

Check 1: Motor and Servos
The eBee RTK uses a brushless DC motor to turn its propeller and generate thrust.
The servos are the two actuators connected through a servo connection mech-
anism to both ailerons. Damaged actuators can prevent the drone from flying

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correctly and thus it is important to ensure their proper functioning.

pitot probe

servo connection
mechanisms
motor

To check the actuators, follow these steps:

1. The motor must be clean and spin smoothly without friction to function
correctly. Ensure that there is no sand or other obstructions within the mo-
tor. If there is something blocking the motor from spinning smoothly blow
some air through the motor to dislodge the obstruction.
2. Make sure the left stick of the remote control is all the way down to keep
the motor off⁵². Place the eBee RTK at the edge of a flat surface and keep
the area around the propeller clear.

Caution: The propeller on the eBee RTK spins at high speeds and can
cause deep cuts if it comes into contact with exposed skin. Always
wear gloves and glasses when any work is done requiring the battery
to be connected to the drone.

3. Switch the drone on by connecting the battery.

⁵² see section ‘Manual control of the eBee RTK’ on page 136 for details on using the remote control

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 Maintenance and repair of the eBee RTK

4. Connect to eMotion. Ensure that ‘Manual control mode’ is set to ‘Full Man-
ual control’ and that the ‘Ignore RC signals’ setting is not checked⁵³.
5. Switch the remote control on.
6. Move the right stick on the remote control and check the aileron motion.
The ailerons must smoothly and quickly follow the stick. When the stick is
not moved, the ailerons must stay still. When travelling from one end to the
other, fast or slow, the ailerons must smoothly follow without twitching.
7. Hold down the drone against the flat surface with one hand to prevent it
from moving. Gently move the left stick on the remote control to spin up
the motor and propeller. The motor should run smoothly without making
excessive noise.
8. When done, switch the remote control off.

In case of doubt, take a short video and follow the instructions in section ‘Report-
ing a problem with your eBee RTK’ on page 178 for advice.
Check 2: Inertial sensors
The inertial sensors are used by the autopilot to compute the attitude (i.e. its ori-
entation in space) of the drone. The attitude is displayed by the artificial horizon
in the Flight Monitoring tab of eMotion. To check the inertial sensors, follow these
steps:

1. Switch the eBee RTK on by connecting the battery and connect to eMotion.
2. Put the drone on a flat surface (typically an office floor) and check that the
artificial horizon is level.
3. Take the drone with your hand and put it in different orientation. Make sure
that the artificial horizon displays the corresponding orientation.

The artificial horizon should follow smoothly the motion of the eBee RTK and it
should not drift when the drone is not moving. In case of doubt, take a short video
⁵³ see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 for more details on these settings

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and follow the instructions in section ‘Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK’ on
page 178 for advice.
Check 3: Barometric pressure sensor
The barometric pressure sensor is used to measure the altitude from the take-off
location. To check it, follow these steps:

1. Switch the eBee RTK on by connecting the battery and connect to eMotion.
2. Move the drone from your feet to above your head (about 2 m altitude vari-
ation).
3. Check the altitude on the vertical bar right of the artificial horizon or in the
Status Panel next to the drone icon on the map).

The displayed altitude should follow the drone motion, i.e. if the drone is raised
by 2 m, the altitude reading should increase by about 2 m. When the drone is not
moving, the altitude reading may slowly drift by up to ±10 m.
Check 4: Air speed sensor
The air speed sensor is connected to the pitot probe by a pair of tubes. To check
it, follow these steps:

1. Visually check the pitot probe. Make sure that it is properly fixed to the
airframe and that both tubes are properly attached and not damaged). The
holes in the probe must be clear and free of dirt or other small obstructions.
2. Switch the drone on by connecting the battery and connect to eMotion.
3. Gently blow into the front opening of the pitot tube from a distance of
around 5 cm. The airflow direction should match the natural flow expe-
rienced in flight.
4. Check the air speed displayed on the vertical bar left of the artificial horizon.

At rest, the displayed air speed should be close to zero (it may drift up to about
2 m/s). When blowing in the pitot probe there should be an air speed indicated in
the ‘Flight Monitoring’ tab of eMotion that should easily reach values above 8 m/s.

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Check 5: Ground sensor

The ground sensor is composed of a high-speed optical sensor and a lens assem-
bly. The lens assembly must be clean and unobstructed for the sensor to work
correctly.

9.4 Repairing the eBee RTK airframe

Small repairs of cracks in the airframe can be done using contact glue such as
UHU® POR glue. Take care to use only contact glues that are specifically designed
for Expanded Polypropylene (EPP). If you have doubts about the extent of the
damage, always contact your eBee RTK reseller to verify if the damage can be eas-
ily repaired by yourself or if you need to send your drone in for repair to.

Caution: Never fly your eBee RTK if it has cracks in the airframe.

9.5 Proper battery care

Proper care of your eBee RTK’s battery is important to prevent damage to your
drone and to maximize flight time. With a fully charged battery, the drone will fly
for about 40 minutes. Frequent altitude changes, presence of wind, use of old
batteries and/or frequent photo acquisition may significantly reduce the flight
endurance. Batteries perform better at medium or high air temperature and it
is normal to observe shorter flight times in cold weather.
The eBee RTK is powered by a Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery composed of three
cells connected in series. A single LiPo cell can have a range between 3 V (empty)
and 4.2 V (full) in its normal operating range. This results in an empty battery
voltage of 9 V and a fully-charged battery voltage of 12.6 V. A well-balanced and
healthy battery should have all three cells at a voltage very close to each other
and between 3 and 4.2 V.
The charger delivered with your drone automatically checks for healthy voltages
of all three cells and only attempts charging if they are within limits. If the cells

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are out of balance, the charger will take care of balancing them. If the charger
detects a voltage outside of the allowable range it will indicate an error either by
flashing the status LED red, or by the LED staying off. This means that the battery
is over-discharged and should be discarded.

Caution: The batteries delivered with your drone are designed to be

charged with the charger delivered with your eBee RTK. senseFly Ltd
cannot be held responsible for any consequences resulting from us-
ing a different charger. In particular, using a charger improperly con-
figured or designed for other types of batteries may lead the battery
pack to be permanently damaged or to catch on fire.

LiPo batteries do not exhibit any memory effect. We recommend that you always
fully charge them after use even when they are only partially discharged. When
not using the battery store it in the carrying case provided with your drone. Avoid
leaving the battery in direct sunlight.

Caution: If any of the cells of your battery pack are overly discharged
the battery may be irreversibly damaged and becomes dangerous to
charge. If the battery grows beyond its regular size or if any of the
cells are punctured it is also likely damaged and should be discarded.
Forcefully charging a damaged battery may lead it to take fire. Do
not attempt to charge an over-discharged or damaged battery.
Dispose of the battery safely.

9.6 Proper antenna care

Proper care of your eBee RTK’s GNSS/RTK antenna is important to prevent loss or
damage to it or the connector on your drone. Your eBee RTK receives GNSS signals
through the antenna, and will not fly without it.
Take care not to drop the antenna when removing it from the flight case and while
fitting it to your drone.
Make sure the screw threads on the antenna and on your eBee RTK are both un-

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damaged and free of liquid, grit, dust and dirt.

Do not to cross the screw thread. Screw the antenna on firmly with finger force.
Do not overtighten.
For replacement antennas, please contact senseFly Ltd.

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10 Troubleshooting

Goal of this section: This section describes the various error mes-
sages that may be displayed during start-up or while the eBee RTK is
in flight and provides some tips on solving the simplest problems. In
the case of a more serious problem, this section describes how to pre-
pare the required data on the problem and report it to your eBee RTK
reseller.

The eBee RTK can generate several types of error messages depending on its flight
mode. Some of these messages are minor and simply need to be acknowledged
through eMotion, whereas others require more specific action from the user. As
long as the drone is connected to eMotion, error messages will appear in the Status
Panel in the Map Area, as well as in the Drone Status panel of the Flight Monitoring
tab.

ACK Drone
WARNING Status
Status
Panel

Error messages are divided into four categories: Pre-flight errors, Take-off vetoes,
In-flight warnings and Critical failures.

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10.1 Pre-flight errors

As soon as the battery is connected to the drone it performs a series of pre-flight
checks to thoroughly test its on-board systems. The start-up process is described
in detail in section ‘Preparing the eBee RTK for flight’ on page 41. If an error occurs
during these pre-flight checks the status LED will blink red and a description of
the error will appear in eMotion. In most cases, re-connecting the battery will suf-
fice to remove the error. Table 3 presents all the Pre-flight errors that may occur
and possible actions to fix the error. If the problem is related to the firmware in
the on-board autopilot, try re-loading the firmware using instructions in section
‘Updating the eBee RTK software’ on page 144. If an error persists after reconnect-
ing the battery several times we recommend you report the problem by following
the instructions in section ‘Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK’ on page 178.

Table 3: Pre-flight errors

eMotion text Description and User action

Incorrect firmware There is an error with the current version of the

detected firmware in the eBee RTK’s autopilot.
User action: Re-load the correct firmware⁵⁴.

Battery too low for The battery level is too low to perform a take-off.
take-off User action: Re-connect a fully-charged battery.

Drone flight log The memory card used to store the Drone flight log is
memory full full.
User action: Empty the memory card by follow-
ing the instructions in section ‘Importing images and
flight data’ on page 62.

⁵⁴ see section ‘Updating the eBee RTK software’ on page 144

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Pitot malfunction A high airspeed was detected while on the ground.

User action: Be sure to protect the drone from the
wind and re-connect the battery. If the problem per-
sists, perform Check 4 in section ‘Full airframe and
sensor inspection’ on page 147. If this does not solve
the problem contact your eBee RTK reseller.

High current A too high current was detected, which may be

caused by an internal problem.
User action: Re-connect the battery. If the problem
occurs twice, contact your eBee RTK reseller.

Magnetometer There is an error with the drone’s magnetic field sen-

malfunction sor.
User action: Re-connect the battery. If the problem
persists, contact your eBee RTK reseller.

EEPROM There is an error with the memory chip of the drone’s

malfunction autopilot.
User action: Re-connect the battery. If the problem
persists, contact your eBee RTK reseller.

Barometer There is an error with the drone’s barometer.

malfunction User action: Be sure to place the drone on a flat
surface, reconnect the battery and do not move the
drone until pre-flight checks are complete. If the
problem persists, perform Check 3 in section ‘Full air-
frame and sensor inspection’ on page 147. If this
does not solve the problem contact your eBee RTK re-
seller.

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De-calibrated The orientation sensors were not calibrated correctly.

INS or Attitude User action: Be sure to place the drone on a flat
malfunction surface, reconnect the battery and do not move the
drone until pre-flight checks are complete. If the
problem persists, perform Check 2 in section ‘Full air-
frame and sensor inspection’ on page 147. If this
does not solve the problem contact your eBee RTK re-
seller.

Ground sensor There is an error with the drone’s ground sensor.

malfunction User action: Ensure that the ground sensor on the
bottom of the drone is clear of debris and is not dam-
aged, then re-connect the battery. If the problem
persists, perform Check 4 in section ‘Full airframe and
sensor inspection’ on page 147. If this does not solve
the problem contact your eBee RTK reseller.

Invalid flight There is an error with the firmware in the drone’s au-
controller gains topilot.
User action: Re-connect the battery. If the problem
persists, contact your eBee RTK reseller.

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10.2 Take-off vetoes

After successfully completing pre-flight checks the status LED becomes a solid
green to indicate that the drone is ready for take-off. At this point the eBee RTK
continues to monitor its sensors and battery level. If at any point the drone detects
a condition that prevents it from beginning the automatic take-off procedure it
displays a Take-off veto in eMotion and the status LED changes to a blue pulse.
Once the Take-off veto is cleared the status LED returns to a solid green colour to
indicate that the drone is ready for take-off.
Table 4 on the next page presents all the Take-off vetoes that may occur and pos-
sible actions to remove the veto. If a veto persists after performing the suggested
action, we recommend you report the problem by following the instructions in
section ‘Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK’ on page 178.

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Table 4: Take-off vetos

eMotion text Description and User action
Drone not The eBee RTK must be held horizontally with level
horizontal (roll or wings to initiate take-off.
pitch) User action: Hold the drone horizontally.
Motor is blocked Excessive current was detected from the motor.
User action: Check that the propeller is mounted
correctly and that the motor is freely turning and try
the take-off procedure again.
Battery too low for The drone requires a fully-charged battery for the
take-off take-off procedure.
User action: Change the battery.
Wings not The drone’s wings are not attached correctly or the
detected wing struts are damaged.
User action: Ensure that the wings are fully inserted
into the main body and that the wing struts are
not damaged, as described in section ‘Preparing the
eBee RTK for flight’ on page 41.
USB cable The eBee RTK has detected a USB cable connected to
detected the drone’s autopilot.
User action: Remove the USB cable before take-off.
RTK source not de- You have chosen a flight mode that requires RTK cor-
fined rection data, but none is available.
User action: Check that your GNSS/RTK base station
is powered on and connected to the computer that
is running eMotion.
Check that you have selected the correct base station
connection type and parameters in eMotion.
Check that you have set up and, if necessary, logged
in to your VRS stream.

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10.3 In-flight warnings

While it is in flight the eBee RTK can generate two types of errors: warnings and
failures. In-flight warnings occur when there is an event that requires user atten-
tion but does not compromise the drone’s ability to continue flying.
When an In-flight warning is activated the warning will appear in yellow in eMo-
tion and cause the ‘WARNING’ button in the Control Bar to change to ‘ACK WARN-
ING’, turn yellow and activate. The drone will then perform a Security action de-
pending on the active In-flight warning. Some In-flight warnings simply need to
be acknowledged by clicking on the ‘ACK WARNING’ button. Others require ac-
tion by the user before the warning is cleared and the drone can return to full
functionality. The full list of possible In-flight warnings and required User actions
can be found in table 5 on the following page.
The In-flight warnings marked with a ∗ can have their Security actions disabled,
whereas the In-flight warnings marked with a ∗∗ can have both the warning and
the Security action disabled. See section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 for
instructions on disabling warnings and Security actions.

Caution: The Security action for most In-flight warnings is to fly back

to the Home waypoint (if Circular landing is selected) or the Home
waypoint (if Linear landing is selected). As soon as this Security action
is triggered the drone will fly in the direction of the selected landing
waypoint while climbing or descending to the waypoint’s altitude.
It is thus important to ensure that there are no obstacles above the
altitude of the selected landing waypoint within the entire flight area
to prevent a collision resulting from this Security action.

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Table 5: In-flight warnings

eMotion text Description and Security action

Failure occurred: This warning ensures that the user is aware that a
(failure Critical failure has occurred even if it is no longer ac-
description) tive⁵⁵.
Security action: The eBee RTK flies towards the
Home waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home
waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by default,
set to ‘Highest’).
User action: Ensure that the failure condition is no
longer present before acknowledging the error and
continuing normal operation.

Low battery The remaining battery level is too low to continue the
flight plan.
Security action: The eBee RTK flies towards the
Home waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home
waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by default,
set to ‘Highest’) and automatically initiates an expe-
dited landing procedure (without performing a full
wind estimation) once it reaches the waypoint.
User action: Land as soon as possible. Re-charge the
drone battery before performing another flight.

⁵⁵ see section ‘Critical failures’ on page 173 for a description of possible Critical failures

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Drone flight log There is an error saving data to the on-board mem-
malfunction ory card which will prevent the images from being
geo-tagged. Images may still be geo-tagged using
the eMotion Flight Log file but may be less precise.
Security action: The drone continues normal flight.
User action: Land as soon as possible. Once on the
ground, connect to the on-board memory card as de-
scribed in section ‘Importing images and flight data’
on page 62 and re-format the memory card.

Flight controller The flight controller has encountered an unexpected

malfunction state, such as an incorrect waypoint type.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’).
User action: Land as soon as possible and re-start
the drone. If the problem persists, contact your
eBee RTK reseller.

Camera sync There is a problem with the wiring of the on-board

malfunction camera.
Security action: If required parameter set in the
Flight Parameters tab, the drone flies towards the
Home waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home
waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by default,
set to ‘Highest’). Otherwise it continues its mission
without taking further images.
User action: Land as soon as possible and re-start
the drone. Reset the camera settings as described
in section ‘Resetting default camera settings’ on
page 176.

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Camera power The camera is no longer responding, most likely be-

malfunction cause it is no longer powered.
Security action: If required parameter set in the
Flight Parameters tab, the drone flies towards the
Home waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home
waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by default,
set to ‘Highest’). Otherwise it continues its mission
without taking further images.
User action: Land as soon as possible. Check the ca-
ble connection between the camera and the drone
and charge all the batteries before performing an-
other flight.

Barometer The barometer used to sense the current altitude is

malfunction malfunctioning.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home
waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by default,
set to ‘Highest’) using altitude calculated from
GPS/GLONASS signals only, potentially causing large
fluctuations in altitude.
User action: Land as soon as possible and perform
Check 3 in section ‘Full airframe and sensor inspec-
tion’ on page 147.

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Motor The motor is drawing too little or too much current.

malfunction This may be caused by damaged wires or connectors
leading to the motor or by sand or other debris within
the motor.
Security action: The drone attempts to re-start the
motor. If the first attempt fails a Failure: Motor mal-
function Critical failure is announced⁵⁶.
User action: Land as soon as possible and perform
Check 1 in section ‘Full airframe and sensor inspec-
tion’ on page 147.

Battery The sensor used to measure the battery voltage and

malfunction current is registering invalid values, indicating that
the sensor is de-calibrated or damaged.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’).
User action: Land as soon as possible and re-start
the drone. If the problem persists, contact your
eBee RTK reseller.

⁵⁶ see section ‘Critical failures’ on page 173

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Airspeed The differential pressure sensor used to measure air-

malfunction speed is registering invalid values. This may be due
to a damaged sensor or to a clogged pitot probe.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’) at a constant thrust value instead of con-
trolled speed, potentially resulting in low or high
flight speeds depending on wind. Once it reaches the
Home waypoint it initiates a landing procedure.
User action: Try to provide a maximum amount of
approach sectors to ensure that the drone can land
against the direction of the wind. Land as soon as
possible and perform Check 4 in section ‘Full airframe
and sensor inspection’ on page 147.

Low airspeed Detected airspeed is unusually low or close to zero.

This may be due to a collision with the ground or a
clogged airspeed sensor.
Security action: The drone shuts off its motor and
tries to continue its mission.
User action: If the warning is due to a clogged air-
speed sensor it may be due to moisture in the air.
Try commanding the drone to descend closer to the
ground and out of any cloud cover.

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Overspeed Detected airspeed is unusually high, possibly due to

a loss of control.
Security action: The drone applies a 50% reverse
thrust to try to slow down.
User action: Keep track of the drone’s position in
case it is unable to slow back down to a regular air-
speed.

Ground sensor The ground sensor used to detect the proximity of

malfunction the ground is malfunctioning.
Security action: The drone continues normal flight.
User action: Land as soon as possible and perform
Check 5 in section ‘Full airframe and sensor inspec-
tion’ on page 147.

Wings detection The sensor used to detect the presence of the wings
malfunction malfunctioning.
Security action: The drone continues normal flight.
User action: Land as soon as possible and inspect
the wing struts as described in section ‘Preparing the
eBee RTK for flight’ on page 41.

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Temperature out The temperature sensor on the drone is registering

of working levels internal temperatures of less than -50◦ C or more
than 90◦ C. This may occur in extremely hot or cold
environments or if the on-board autopilot is dam-
aged.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’).
User action: Land as soon as possible. If the out-
side temperature is above 35◦ C or below -10◦ C, dis-
connect the battery and wait until the temperature
changes to within these limits.

Above working The drone has passed the vertical boundary of the
area ceiling working area, defined by the working area ceiling.
This may occur if waypoint altitudes are set close to
or outside the working area or due to strong wind.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’). It also turns off its motor as long as it re-
mains above the working area ceiling.
User action: Limit the altitude of all waypoints to
less than the working area ceiling.

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Out of working The drone has passed the lateral boundary of the
area radius working area, defined by the working area radius.
This may occur if waypoints are set close to or outside
of the working area or due to strong wind.
Security action: The drone flies towards the Home
waypoint at an altitude defined by the Home way-
point’s Change altitude parameter (by default, set to
‘Highest’).
User action: Limit the planned flight path within the
working area boundaries.

Far outside of The drone has passed far outside of the working area.
working area This may be caused by very high winds or due to me-
chanical failure.
Security action: The drone tries to orient itself in the
direction of the Home waypoint and begins descend-
ing immediately until it lands on the ground or re-
turns within the working area.
User action: Keep track of the location of the drone
during landing. If the drone lands outside of view fol-
low the instructions in section ‘Losing and locating
your eBee RTK in the field’ on page 177.

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Poor GPS/GLONASS signal coverage is low. This may be

GPS/GLONASS due to mountains or tall buildings blocking satellite
coverage∗ signals. If coverage degrades any more a Critical fail-
ure will be activated and an emergency landing will
be initiated⁵⁷.
Security action (if enabled): The drone flies to-
wards the Home waypoint at an altitude defined by
the Home waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by
default, set to ‘Highest’).
User action: If this occurs once or twice, click ‘ACK
WARNING’ and continue normal flight. If this warning
appears more often, land as soon as possible and wait
for better conditions for satellite signal reception. Al-
ternatively, move away from objects that may disturb
satellite signals such as mountains or cellular anten-
nas.

⁵⁷ see section ‘Critical failures’ on page 173

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Data uplink lost∗∗ This warning occurs if the eBee RTK does not receive
(if enabled) any data from eMotion for more than 30 s. This can be
due to a large distance between drone and ground
station, a problem with the USB ground modem, an-
tenna positioning or interference. Having lost RTK
corrections during this period, your drone will geotag
images with less accurate, interpolated values until
the connection returns.
Security action (if enabled): The drone flies to-
wards the Home waypoint at an altitude defined by
the Home waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by
default, set to Highest).
User action: Try to improve radio signal quality by
following the instructions in section ‘Improving radio
signal communication’ on page 176.

Ground proximity The ground sensor on the drone has detected a

detected∗∗ ground height above the ground of less than 30 m
(if enabled) during normal flight. Note: this feature should not
be depended on for avoiding obstacles, as the
ground sensor may fail to detect obstacles in cer-
tain environmental conditions⁵⁸.
Security action (if enabled): The drone circles the
current position while climbing to an altitude of 60 m
above the detected ground height. Once this altitude
is reached the drone continues towards the next way-
point but sets the waypoint’s target altitude at 60 m
above the last detected ground height.
User action: Ensure that there are no obstacles such
as hills or buildings higher than the waypoints of your
flight plan.

⁵⁸ see section ‘Linear landing’ on page 86

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Ground proximity The ground sensor on the eBee RTK was unable to de-
not detected tect the proximity of the ground during a Linear land-
landing precision ing procedure. This may be due to an obstruction in
decreased∗∗ the sensor, low ambient light or low contrast in the
environment⁵⁹.
Security action: The drone continues the Linear
landing procedure but will initiate its final brake at
an estimated altitude of 20 m instead of 3 m (assum-
ing the Linear landing location is at the same altitude
at the Take-off location), resulting in decreased pre-
cision in the landing location.
User action: Be ready for the drone to overshoot
its planning Linear landing location by preparing a
larger obstacle-free zone around the location.

Back wind, There are no approach sectors available against the

landing precision direction of the wind. The eBee RTK has calculated a
decreased∗∗∗ Linear landing approach direction in the direction of
(in blue) the wind.
Security action: The eBee RTK continues normal
flight.
User action: Add a new approach sector against the
direction of the wind, if possible, abort the landing
and try landing again. If not, be ready for the eBee RTK
to overshoot its planning Linear landing location by
preparing a larger obstacle-free zone around the lo-
cation.

⁵⁹ see section ‘Linear landing’ on page 86

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Strong wind∗ The wind is too strong for the eBee RTK to navigate
safely.
Security action (if enabled): The eBee RTK flies to-
wards the Home waypoint at an altitude defined by
the Home waypoint’s Change altitude parameter (by
default, set to ‘Highest’).
User action: Land as soon as possible and wait for
better flight conditions.

Cannot maintain The eBee RTK cannot maintain the altitude that is
altitude commanded by the flight controller. This may be due
to a damaged motor, airframe or ailerons or a strong
vertical wind.
Security action: The drone continues normal flight.
User action: If the condition persists during a flight,
land and wait for the wind to decrease, as explained
in section ‘Weather check’ on page 40. If the prob-
lem occurs in low-wing conditions perform Check 2
in section ‘Full airframe and sensor inspection’ on
page 147.

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Pitch or Roll The orientation sensors on the eBee RTK detected un-
instability usually high pitch or roll values even after perform-
ing stabilization. This may be due to strong winds or
damaged airframe.
Security action: The drone continues normal flight
while trying to stabilize the pitch as much as possible.
User action: If the condition persists during a flight,
land and wait for the wind to decrease, as explained
in section ‘Weather check’ on page 40. If the prob-
lem occurs in low-wing conditions perform Check 2
in section ‘Full airframe and sensor inspection’ on
page 147.

10.4 Critical failures

A critical failure is an error that occurs in flight that prevents the continuation
of normal flight. This is the most serious type of error that can occur with the
eBee RTK, and is indicated in red in eMotion. The ‘WARNING’ button in the Control
Bar changes to ‘CRITICAL FAILURE’, becomes red and cannot be acknowledged.
When a critical failure occurs flight is aborted and the drone initiates an Emer-
gency action in which it is immediately directed to the ground. The Emergency
action for each Critical failure is designed to minimize the airspeed and thus im-
pact energy with the ground using the sensors that are still functioning.
Table 6 on the following page describes the critical failures that may occur and
what action is taken by the drone. In some cases it may be possible to manually
control the drone using the remote control⁶⁰. If such a critical failure occurs that
results in an Emergency landing we recommend that you keep track of the drone’s

⁶⁰ see section ‘Manual control of the eBee RTK’ on page 136

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last known position in the air and in eMotion if possible and follow the instructions
in section ‘Losing and locating your eBee RTK in the field’ on page 177.

Table 6: Critical failures

eMotion text Description and Emergency action

Failure: loss of Your eBee RTK can no longer calculate its position,
GPS/GLONASS making it impossible for it to know where it is and
signals thus to navigate.
Emergency action: The drone turns off its motor,
sets a bank angle and glides in a large circle towards
the ground. If there is a strong wind the drone may
be pushed far from its current position. If satellite sig-
nals are re-acquired the drone will abort the landing
procedure and go to the Home waypoint.

Failure: empty The battery is completely empty.

battery Emergency action: The drone turns off its motor
and glides towards the ground in the direction of the
Home waypoint. This error is always preceded by a
Low battery In-flight warning.

Failure: INS There is a failure with the orientation sensors which

malfunction makes it impossible for the drone to stabilise itself
and thus initiate a gliding emergency landing.
Emergency action: The drone turns off its motor
and fully deflects its ailerons which results in an un-
controlled descent with limited impact energy (deep
stall or spin).

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Failure: motor The motor is not working even after an attempted

malfunction re-start commanded by a Motor malfunction In-flight
warning.
Emergency action: The drone orients itself in the di-
rection of the Home waypoint and glides towards the
ground while continuously trying to re-start the mo-
tor. If motor re-start is successful the drone cancels
the landing and flies towards the Home waypoint at
an altitude defined by the Home waypoint’s Change
altitude parameter (by default, set to ‘Highest’).

Failure: CPU Over- The autopilot processor is overloaded and can no

load longer control flight. The drone turns off its motor
and fully deflects its ailerons which results in an un-
controlled descent with limited impact energy (deep
stall or spin).

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10.5 Resetting default camera settings

In case of unwanted configuration changes, the camera can be re-configured to
a suitable state. Please refer to your camera user manual in the download section
of our website for the procedure.

10.6 Improving radio signal communication

You may occasionally lose the data connection between eMotion and your eBee RTK
while in the field. Whether there is a loss in uplink or downlink communication,
the drone will continue flying along its Flight Plan and should re-establish the
connection as it flies closer to the base station or changes direction.
If the drone stops receiving messages from eMotion (uplink direction) for more
than 30 s you will see a ‘Data uplink lost’ In-flight warning appear in eMotion.
If for safety reasons you would like the eBee RTK to automatically return to the
Home waypoint when this warning appears, select the corresponding option in
the Flight Parameters tab⁶¹.
If there are no more messages received by eMotion from the drone (downlink di-
rection), a ‘Data downlink lost’ message will appear in eMotion. If there is still an
active uplink connection you may still command your drone to return to the Home
waypoint using the Control Bar.
Data connection range can be effected by many external factors such as antenna
height, terrain and obstacles or radio interference. We recommend the following
tips to improve the range of your connection in the field:

1. Place the USB ground modem as high as possible (for example, on top of a
car, ladder or nearby building). A height of at least 2 m is recommended.

2. Ensure that the USB ground modem’s antenna is pointing straight up.

3. Disable any 2.4 GHz-based communication devices (or put them into ‘Air-
plane mode’) in the vicinity of the USB ground modem. This includes all
⁶¹ see section ‘Flight Parameters tab’ on page 132 for more details

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Wifi and Bluetooth devices such as the ground station computer or mobile
phones.

The strength of the connection between the drone and eMotion is indicated in
the Flight Monitoring tab⁶². The three LEDs next to the antenna on the ground
modem also indicate the strength of the connection. The connection is strongest
when all three LEDs are a solid red, and weakest when a single LED is blinking.

10.7 Losing and locating your eBee RTK in the field

We recommend that you write your address and phone number on your eBee RTK
(by putting your business card on top of the camera for example) in case it gets
lost and subsequently found by a third party. In case you lose your drone in the
field for whatever reason, whether from a loss of communications, a Critical failure
or an accidental collision, use the following steps to try to recover it:

1. Do not disconnect the connection in eMotion! If it is simply out of commu-

nication range the drone should reconnect automatically as it returns to
the Home waypoint after completing its mission.
2. Note the last known location of the drone in eMotion by printing the screen
or writing down the location displayed in the Flight Monitoring tab.
3. Move towards this last known direction with the computer running eMo-
tion in the hope of regaining a connection. Be sure to take the remote con-
trol with you as well.
4. If you have reached the last known location of your drone and have not yet
found it, turn on the remote control.
5. Try moving both the control sticks around. If the drone is within range it
may start making noise with its main motor or servo motors.
6. Try moving downwind from the last known location in case the drone was
pushed by the wind while still in the air.
⁶² see section ‘Flight Monitoring tab’ on page 108

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10.8 Reporting a problem with your eBee RTK

If there is a problem with your eBee RTK, whether it is a software malfunction,
damaged airframe or any other problem, we recommend the following actions:

1. If there is an error message displayed in eMotion, begin by checking section

‘Troubleshooting’ on page 154 to see if there is a solution to the particular
message.
2. Check the on-line Questions & Answers section on senseFly Ltd’s website⁶³
to see if there is a solution to your problem.
3. If you have still not found a solution, contact your eBee RTK reseller. Please
include the following information with your inquiry:
• The serial number of your drone, in the format EB-XX-XXX. You can
find this number inside the battery enclosure.
• A short description of the problem.
• The Drone Flight Log file of the flight that had a problem⁶⁴.
• The eMotion Flight Log file of the flight that had a problem. You can
find this file in the eMotion/logs/ directory which is created in My
Documents on Windows.
• Photos or video of the eBee RTK airframe, if required.

Note: In order to provide support, senseFly Ltd may request the flight
log files for inspection.

⁶³ technical support can be found at http://www.sensefly.com/support/

⁶⁴ see section ‘Importing images and flight data’ on page 62 for information on retrieving this file from
the eBee RTK

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 Part IV

Specifications
Specifications

1 Software requirements
eMotion has the following minimum software requirements:

Operating system Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8

Hardware 1.6 GHz processor
2 GB RAM
500 MB free storage space
Screen recommended resolution: 1920×1080
visible outdoors

Postflight Terra 3D has the following minimum software requirements:

Operating system Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8, 64-bit only

Hardware 1.6 GHz processor (2 GHz Intel i5/i7/Xeon recommended)
4 GB RAM (16 GB recommended for large projects)
10 GB free storage space (1 TB recommended for large
projects)
Screen min. resolution: 1024×768

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2 Drone specifications

Size Wingspan: 96 cm
Wing area: 0.25 m2
Weight without camera and battery approx. 0.46 kg
Nominal take-off weight (approx.) 0.73 kg (1.61 lbs)
(with standard camera & battery)
Material EPP foam, carbon structure & compos-
ite parts
Battery 3-cell Lithium-Polymer (0.14 kg)
Nominal endurance (flight time)⁶⁵ 40 minutes
(with standard camera)
Camera IXUS/ELPH 16 MP still camera
Propulsion Electric brushless motor
Nominal static thrust: 0.63 kgf (6.2 N)
Nominal cruise speed 40-90 km/h (11-25 m/s or 25-56 mph)
Wind resistance up to 45 km/h (12 m/s)
Max. single flight coverage⁶⁶ 8 km2 (3 mi2 )
(on a single battery charge)

⁶⁵ can vary greatly depending on external factors such as wind, altitude change and temperature.
⁶⁶ calculated based on the following test conditions: GSD of 30 cm (11.8 in) per pixel, no wind, mod-
erate air temp. (18 C/64.4 F), new fully-charged battery, flight altitude of 1,000 m (3,280 ft) above
ground & take off at approx. sea level from centre of coverage area.

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Specifications

Communication devices Ground modem:

• Frequency: 2.4 GHz

• Range⁶⁷: approx. 3 kmUp to 3 km (1.9 miles)
• Certification: FCC Part 15.247, IC RSS210, CE
Remote control:

• Frequency: 2.4 GHz

• Range: approx. 1 km
• Certification: CE, FCC

Navigation Up to 50 waypoints
GSD (per pixel) Down to 5 cm (2.0 in)
Absolute horizontal Down to 3 cm (1.2 in)
accuracy (no GCPs required)
Absolute vertical Down to 5 cm (2.0 in)
accuracy (no GCPs required)
Relative orthomosaic/ 1-3 times GSD
3D model accuracy
Carry case dimensions 55 x 45 x 25 cm (21.6 x 17.7 x 9.8 in)

⁶⁷ can vary greatly depending on external factors such as cruise altitude, presence of obstacles and
radio-frequency interference.

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3 Onboard GNSS/RTK receiver

Number of channels 226
Signal tracked GPS: L1, L2
GLONASS: L1, L2
Onboard RTK correction 20 Hz
Upstream correction 1 Hz
RTK data transmission protocols RTCM-3.x, RTCM-2.x
Geotag accuracy (typical) Standalone: H: 1.2 m (3.9 ft), V: 1.8 m (5.9 ft)
RTK: H:15 mm, V: 20 mm
(relative to base station)
Acquisition time Hot start: <10 s
Warm start: <35 s
Cold start: <60 s
Reacquisition: <1 s

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Specifications

Glossary
AMSL Above Mean Sea Level
Your eBee RTK’s altitude can be shown and set in eMotion using ATO or
AMSL. Your drone uses the EGM96 mean sea level standard for navigation.

ATO Above the Take-off Altitude

Your eBee RTK’s altitude can be shown and set in eMotion using ATO or
AMSL. Altitudes in ATO are relative to the place your eBee RTK started its
motor just before take-off.

DSM Digital Surface Model

A 3D digital representation of a surface.

FTDI Future Technology Devices International

A Scottish semiconductor device company specialising in Universal Serial
Bus (USB) technology. FTDI cables allow serial connections through a USB
cable. eMotion uses FTDI technology to connect to the ground modem.
You can often connect a computer to a GNSS base station using FTDI.

GCP Ground Control Point

A location or object on the ground that has precisely know coordinates.
GCPs are used to improve the precision of DSMs created from photogram-
metric analysis of a series of images.

geo-reference A data point associated with a specific location on the earth’s sur-
face.

GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System

A network of satellites that transmit signals that GNSS receivers can use to
calculate their position on the Earth. GPS (Global Positioning System) and
GLONASS are examples of GNSS systems.

GSD Ground Sampling Distance

The distance measured on the ground between pixel centres in an image

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 Troubleshooting

or DSM. The smaller the GSD, the higher the spatial resolution of the image.
For example, a GSD of 5 cm means that one pixel in the image represents
5 cm on the ground.

mosaic A single map or terrain model created from several map sections that
have been placed side-by-side and merged together.

MSL Mean Sea Level

the average level of the surface of the Earth’s oceans; a close approximation
of the surface in gravitational equilibrium.

Ntrip Network Transport of RTCM data over IP

A protocol used to transport RTK correction data over the Internet. RTK
receivers feed RTK corrections to Ntrip servers or casters. These then en-
capsulate the data inside TCP packets and stream it across the Internet.

orthomosaic A single, corrected image constructed either from several images

taken from different angles, or from several orthophotos. Distortions due
to different camera positions, ground curvature and relief are corrected for
so that the image displays accurately in the given map projection.

photogrammetry A technique in which measurements taken from photographs

are used to reconstruct a 3D surface or a series of points in space.

point cloud A set of data points within a coordinate system.

rayCloud A feature unique to Postflight Terra 3D that combines the 3D point cloud
with the original images. Multi ray matching with the rayCloud extends the
stereo view triangulation and increases the accuracy of 3D point estimates
while providing a full understanding of 3D results.

RINEX Receiver Independent Exchange Format

A data format used for storing and exchanging satellite navigation system
data.

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Specifications

RPAS Remotely Piloted Aircraft System

A term used for drones or UAVs, the software and technology they use to
navigate.
RTCM Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services
An international organisation that standardises transmission protocols that
allow for RTK positioning, for example, RTCM 2.x and RTCM 3.x. They also
publish the Ntrip standard.
RTK Real Time Kinematics
A technique used to enhance the accuracy of coordinates calculated from
GNSS signals.

triangle model An approximate representation of a surface, constructed from

connected triangles.

UAS Unmanned Aircraft System

A term used for drones or RPASs, the software and technology they use to
navigate.

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Another term for drone.

VRS Virtual Reference Station

A reference station that does not exist on the ground, but instead is created
by combining correction data (delivered over Ntrip) from several real refer-
ence stations. VRS RTK corrections relative to this virtual reference station
can then be made as if it were a real reference station.

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