Visual Mission Planning with Google Earth

[@Hotwire_RCTrix]

Thank you Laurence this is an awesome tool. I haven't stopped using it since watching this video. 👍

[@johnseniura8026]

This is really cool! I imagine it has so few upvotes because most people watch it on the Litchi help page and don't come to KZbin to upvote it.

[@remotepilots]

Doesn't work - all pinpoints are "clamped to ground" - there must be setting missing from this video to drop a pin anywhere in the "air"

[@bark500]

Excellent video! I've been using that KML field of view hack for a while, nice to see someone create a complete set of KMLs for all cameras. A big help for X5 Olympus lenses.

[@seberila]

yup, now you know what you are going to get on for example the 25mm before you get there!

[@MonaLisaTwins]

Very good news. Tried it and all works as described. Is it already possible to watch the whole mission from camera perspective as if it would be the real footage in realtime in the right speed?

[@seberila]

Yes there is a way as seen in this video: vimeo.com/262486314/1c6ebcede4. You can get the tool here: www.dropbox.com/s/h2pdsvgw712m54p/Virtual%20Litchi%20Mission%20V2.0.0.zip?dl=0

[@ericb303]

Is there a version of the tool for mac too?

[@saltbites]

Very helpful video. However, I don't quite get how the FOV bit works. When I import the FOVs and click the one relevant to my drone (Mavic Air 2), Google Earth's eye alt is at 1.27KM, which is obviously impossible to fly. Likewise, when I click on the location I want to fly the mission in Malawi, Central Africa, Google Earth "flies" to a position at elev 1012m and eye alt 5.43KM. How does the FOV info I've imported translate to the actual mission I want to fly? Sorry if I'm being dumb and have missed something really obvious. Thanks again for a great video.

[@64ikon]

Overall a great video and overview. However, here in 2024, and after watching many other Litichi / Google Earth Pro videos, this workflow seems to be a bit of a REVERSE order of what most others show....and which I so far agree should be a slightly better method: START by setting up all your waypoints and points of Interest in Litichi....which allows you to also set your elevations and recording/photo instructions along the way.... and THEN export and visually run the mission as you've shown here. If anyone feels there's more advantage to setting up in Google Earth first, please Reply to this comment. I'm not claiming to know it all by any means!

[@joesimo11]

Top marks on the vid.. I'm really gonna have to try this.. thanks.

[@rossgerami]

I can not see what the camera see's as I layout way points on Google Earth Pro I just found out you need to have Virtual Mission from Litchi for this to work. No where did it say you needed that Virtual missions?

[@B0M0A0K]

How has (if any) this information changed since the first post in 2018. Have new features been released (or removed) that might change the accuracy of this information?

[@dragonder]

It does not work! after I saved the mission in GE and I want to open the KML file in the Litchi Hub I get a message failed parsing kml file. What does this mean?

[@Bandits_68]

Hi, Cant find the link on the litchi site for the field of view download?

[@nimbuskhannk627]

I have a doubt: Your KML mission opened in Mission Hub with what seemed to be the correct altitudes (actually, heights in reference to the takeoff point). I planned a mission in another geographical location but following yours, step-by-step and it turned out great. However, the altitude (height) boxes all had "30" (meters) in them. What did I miss?

[@matmcguire1219]

Thanks Laurence very informative, just the thing that I need for an upcoming project. I love that I can send the KML 3d path to my client prior to flight. They in turn can pass on to all stake holders to allay any privacy concerns. The only thing I need to worry about now is the resident Eagles!! Awesome tutorial

[@infokonto7819]

Das Projekt ist echt Zeitaufwendig aber kurz vor dem Abschluss. Ich freue mich schon, wenn es in die Line geht 😁

[@aerial360_net]

Very helpful! Litchi is the best mission planner app.

[@riverbankfisher]

Will this method enable the DJI Mavic Mini to follow GPS waypoints that are programmed before takeoff ? If so, could you please explain which app needs to be downloaded to make this possible ?

[@irvinejamesforbes522]

Hi just watched your video which was great quick question I have a mavic Pro also a Spark can this work with google earth and litchi mission I saw there wasn’t a Spark drone mentioned amongst the other drones. Hope you can help Regards Irvine (Portsmouth UK)

[@lukaszszelag1368]

How do you set the waypoint actual position?

[@breweroni535]

Very nice! I do not know how to control altitude though. I performed the same steps as you except in a canyon. I placed the starting point on a parking area and Google Earth/Litchi "gave" it an elevation. I placed 3 more way points, imported to Litchi, exported, then imported back to Google Earth. The flight path plunges into the side of the canyon at WP 2 and reemerges slightly at WP 3. Suggestions? Thanks

[@JxBx80]

When I did this and framed my shot, hit the pin button, it saved the waypoint on the point of interest, not where the camera was. What did I misunderstand in the video? It looks like your waypoints were recorded where your "camera" was at, not where the actual yellow box popped up (like on your buildings).

[@JxBx80]

I figured it out. When I was importing it to litchi, I didn't check off the first box (I left both of them blank). When I check the first box, it sets the waypoints as I was seeing them from the camera in Google Earth.

[@osbelton]

What do you mean by framing a shot? When I clicked on a certain area in Goggle Earth, the pin button (yellow box) is always in the same place, never on where I attempted to frame my shots. I manually have to move it. After importing in Litchi, I have multiple pins in the locations were I attempted to frame. Confused.

[@pushbroom9398]

Great video! I just can't find the Google earth that you r using to preload missions. Please attach a link.

[@DroneShotsImagens]

How did you remove the yellow pins in the Google Earth image? In teh mission hub, there is only the points and not the line connecting them...

[@MichaelMiller1]

I tried this but when I import it to Mission Hub my direction/field of view is not as I planned. All camera shots are pointing "North" instead of at the direction I set during planning. Any thoughts as to why this happens?

[@SkybroADroner3951]

Excellent lesson and insightful answers to questions I've been googling for some time. Thank you ✊

[@tyronemiles4345]

Awesome work here. Is it possible to get field of view for mirror less cameras like a sony a6000 or DLSR type camera based on lens types? Thanks

[@clay09]

when i try to export as KML 3D Path I get this: Elevation Data Missing Elevation Data is required to use this feature but could not be found. Import a Digital Elevation Model or enable Online Elevation in the settings. Learn more at flylitchi.com/help#missionhub I've never had that issue before and can't figure it out. enabling online elevation in the settings does nothing. It's been over a year since I've used the Litchi mission hub until this.

[@clay09]

@@sabrozo Sorry I don't even remember this anymore. Haven't really done any mission plans since, and every time I have to follow a youtube tutorial. TBH I have hardly touched my Mavic and always flying FPV quads.

[@a3496360327]

Hello, I want to ask if there is a Google Earth tutorial that can build stereo images instead of 2D images.

[@airborneworks6103]

Really good video thanks I knew this was possible but did not know how to do it... You the Man!

[@bark500]

As Laurence states in the video, it would be very ill advised to fly in this location. Brickell Key is a bit strict about drones flying over the manmade island. Miami airport class B airspace ends at the coastline and is not well indicated in apps like airmap. A FAA certificate of authorization (CoA) can be obtained. I have CoAs near every towered airport in South Florida.

[@seberila]

Yes, purely illustrative

[@souocara38able]

I just read that the litchi hub now has an option to set out the altitude relative to the ground. Does that make this technique obsolete or are there still some advantages to doing it the way described in this video?

[@qazdiego]

check Use Online Elevation on settings.

[@LookatBowen]

Excellent tutorial Laurence. Nice and simple to follow.

[@jakeboynz]

Great tutorial... Can't wait to try this. Thanks Laurence!!

[@lukaszszelag1368]

Thanks for good tips! What was the reason to import the FOV file into Google Earth?

[@Superwalloon]

exporting a mission from Missio Hub to view it in GE works perfectly, but importing waypoints as you did on your video into Mission Hub results in a completely wrong import with lines all over the globe. Is there any setting (regional or so) in which GE needs to be for this to work ?

[@Superwalloon]

@@sabrozo unfortunately not.

[@dragonder]

@@sabrozo Use lml in stead of KMZ

[@le3aerialphotography870]

Excellent explanation. Thanks!

[@0tube0user]

thank you for this video, great work

[@mccurdymedia409]

In the Litchi Mission Hub, none of the way points have a POI assigned. How does the gimbal know where to point the camera or is this automatic? Just curious. I did check the first box for "Treat views as waypoints". I want to make a video, so do I need to click on the "Add Take Photo Action" as well? Thank you for any comments / feedback.

[@seberila]

Litchi use the placemarks from GE and translate them into the "poi's" without assigning poi's - and by default you dont have to click "add take photo action" unless you want a specific action to take a photo

[@MonaLisaTwins]

As far as I have seen It remembers the camera angle and direction of each waypoint (placemark in GE) and works with interpolation in between, not with POIs, if I am right.

[@mccurdymedia409]

That is awesome!

[@TheDoveys]

What a superb tutorial!!!!

[@csurfer]

Great tutorial! Only question is altitude, do you set it in Litchi after you import it or is it set in Earth Pro, relative to ground?

[@seberila]

It will be set in GE as you frame each placemark - just make sure you take-off at WP1

[@ericb303]

I added the FOV's but nothing changes when I cycle through them, any idea what to do?

[@CyberQ4]

me too..did you resolve?

[@pesthlm]

Same for me

[@BillHohensee]

Absolutely fantastic stuff! Thank YOU! Just one question - once created, can I playback a mission, seeing the moving camera view as it flows from WP to WP? Either in GE or in Litchi Mission Hub? I'd really like to confirm all is good on my computer before putting it to flight.

[@seberila]

Yes there is a way as seen in this video: vimeo.com/262486314/1c6ebcede4. You can get the tool here: www.dropbox.com/s/h2pdsvgw712m54p/Virtual%20Litchi%20Mission%20V2.0.0.zip?dl=0

[@BillHohensee]

Absolutely brilliant!! Thank you!!

[@BillHohensee]

Hey Laurence … perhaps it’s operator error on my part. But I am having some troubles with VLM. As an example, I display the “Setup” dialog box. But subsequent mouse clicks within the box are not reflected in changes in the Setup box, but instead appear as clicks in Mission Hub - right through the Setup box. Also, when quitting VLM it leaves a process thread running in the Windows Task Manager. When trying to start VLM again it’s unresponsive until I first “end” the active VLM process thread. How might I/we best monitor future releases of VLM or provide feedback if desired by the developers?

[@BCDroneboyBCDroneboy]

Nice job.....subbed

[@curiouserr970]

Great tutorial! Does all this continue to work if the drone loses the signal of the remote controller?

[@Adamorevo]

Yes

[@paulolobo837]

UGCS also does that.

[@rexliu2334]

Thank you my teacher! Wonderful lecture!

[@giannataylan4604]

Nice tutorial, but do you have an example including the end result?

[@aerialeverything2585]

Hi Gianna, here is a screen recording of a comparison of the GE view and the drone view from the drone video - most waypoints are fairly accurate except for the last WP - screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFfnFODGzz

[@Bandits_68]

Hello,anyone home?

[@midrone4349]

Very nice Video - only that it is prohibited private (or without permission) to fly in City areas like this. Wake up from Your dreams - do You really imagine that xx drone pilots flying around in these areas ??

[@jorgenlannerstedt2161]

He specifically mentions that this is only a sample path and probably not legal.

[@yumaphoto]

As covered by Jorgen - He specifically states in the video this is for demonstration purposes and probably not legal to fly. He's teaching you how to use the programs at home or at work, not where to fly.

[@midrone4349]

Sure - A good example. When I am going to demonstrate my car racing skills, I will certainly show a demo video that happens on the urban streets - and of course - write its probably illegal. dudes !

[@tonyclixby]

Awesome tutorial

[@thegeezerabides8373]

I don't see the link for downloading camera FOV on my PC Win 10

[@thegeezerabides8373]

OK, my mistake. you have to go through "what's new" , not help, to get the link. Thanks for this new feature it looks very promising

[@seberila]

scroll to the bottom flylitchi.com/help#missionhub

[@bevefortezacolom6295]

how could i import this mission in to autopilot do you know?

[@seberila]

Not sure

[@KenLaesser]

I don't see the link for downloading camera FOV on my Mac

[@seberila]

scroll to the bottom flylitchi.com/help#missionhub

[@JxBx80]

Yes, they've added to the website so it doesn't look exactly like the video. It's down there in small print :)

[@PatrickGuerrisi]

Can you explain how to perform a mision from point 1 to 10 by doing hyperlapse photos? Change battery from point 1 to 3 and resume the mission with exact gimble angle and gps

[@leighrieder3717]

this worked like a charm - thank you so much :)