Facade Mission Creator Instructions

Instructions

This application will convert either a Google Earth Pro KML/KMZ file or a Litchi CSV file to a Litchi CSV file containing a facade mapping mission.

Camera direction with respect to the line.

Create a two-point line
- If using Google Earth Pro:
  1. Use Google Earth Pro to navigate to the mission area.
  2. From the ribbon select the "Ruler" tool.
  3. In the Ruler tool, select the "Line" tab (normally selected by default).
  4. Click once on the map at the desired start point for the facade mission.
  5. Move to (and click) at the desired end point of the facade mission.
    - NOTE: The drone/camera will always be oriented 90° to the left when traveling from point 1 to point 2. If it is desired that the drone/camera point in the opposite direction, enter the line endpoints in the reverse order as shown in the figure to the right.
  6. In the Ruler tool click on "Save".
  7. The New Path window will open. Click OK.
  8. In the "Places" window pane (on the left), right-click on "Line Measure" and "Save Place As" a kmz (or kml) file.
- If using Litchi's Mission Hub:
  1. Create a two-point waypoint mission.
  2. Export the mission as a CSV file
In page one of Facade Mission Creator for Litchi:
1. Select the desired units.
2. Select the maximum height of the mission. Note that the final mission height may be greater than this value based on the chosen distance between rows.
3. Select the minimum height of the mission. This value will not be adjusted and will be the minimum height (above take-off) of the mission.
4. Select the distance between columns. Each vertical column of photos will be the specified distance apart. The mission width, as determined by the input line, may be widened to accomodate the column spacing chosen.
5. Select the distance between rows. Each horizontal row of photos will be the specified distance apart. The mission maximum height may be increased to accomodate the row spacing chosen.
6. Use the file chooser to upload your csv/kmz/kml file.
7. Select "Generate Facade Mission for Litchi".
In page two of Facade Mission Creator for Litchi:
1. Review (and understand) the parameters and calculations shown.
2. Download the csv file to your computer.
In the Litchi Mission Hub or Virtual Litchi Mission (VLM is recommended to preview the flight path):
1. Use the Missions menu to import the csv file created by this web application.
2. In "Settings"
  1. Make sure that the "Heading Mode" is set to "Custom(WD)".
  2. Make sure that the "Path Mode" is set to "Straight Lines".
3. Adjust Litchi mission parameters as desired (although no adjustments should be necessary).
4. Save the mission.
Preview the flight in Google Earth Pro using VLM (optional, but always recommended)
Fly the mission

This web application may be used to create a Litchi mission to capture a series of photos of the facade of a building.

The input to this web application is a one-segment line whose endpoints define two things:

The endpoints determine the width of the facade mission.
The order in which the line is drawn determines the camera orientation. The camera always points 90° to the left when going from point 1 to point 2. If you wish the camera/drone to point in the other direction, draw the line in the other direction.

Google Earth Pro or Litchi's Mission Hub is used to create the line segment. Once saved as either a KMZ, KML, or CSV file, that line segment may be read into this application.

From those two line endpoints and the heights, this web application will create a Litchi mission CSV file containing a series of waypoints at equal distances based on the choices made here. The mission will also have a "Take Photo" action defined at each waypoint.

The mission always begins at the top and works its way down to the bottom row.