Building a sub 250g Autonomous Drone with Ardupilot and ExpressLRS AirPort Telemetry

Summary

In this video, the creator introduces their DIY autonomous drone project, showcasing a lightweight quadcopter weighing under 250g. The video highlights the build process, including choosing cost-effective parts like the Speb F405 mini stack and Darvin FPV motors, and crafting a custom frame. It also covers installation of ArduPilot software, configuration of components like GPS and ExpressLRS, and various flight modes. The drone won first place at a major Polish competition, and viewers are shown how to build their own entry-level ArduPilot drone step by step.

Takeaways

• ?Üdd The video showcases a DIY autonomous drone project that won first place in a major drone competition in Poland.
• ?Üd2 The drone is lightweight, weighing less than 250g, and utilizes Ardupilot software for autonomous flight.
• ?Üd5 The project features a custom frame made from carbon fiber for stiffness and durability, sponsored by PCBWay.
• 💵 The drone is equipped with advanced telemetry over Express LRS, enhancing its autonomous capabilities.
• 💲 The frame design process involved multiple iterations to achieve the right balance of lightness and strength.
• 💵 The build includes affordable components like Darvin FPV motors and is designed to be an accessible entry-level project.
• 💵 The video provides a step-by-step guide on assembling the drone, including motor installation and wiring.
• 💲 The flight controller is programmed with ArduPilot, and the video demonstrates how to flash the firmware correctly.
• 💵 The drone's maiden flight tests various modes like Stabilize, Alt Hold, and Loiter, showing good initial performance.
• 💲 The video introduces an innovative use of Express LRS for bidirectional telemetry, overcoming the limitations of traditional radio control.
• 💵 Additional features like geofencing, RTL, and autonomous mission planning are demonstrated to highlight the drone's capabilities.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the DIY drone project mentioned in the video?

The DIY drone project aims to build an autonomous drone that weighs less than 250g, runs on Ardupilot software, and uses ExpressLRS for telemetry, making it an affordable and lightweight quadcopter for beginners.

What are some of the key hardware components used in the drone build?

The key hardware components include the SpeedyBee F405 Mini Stack, Darvin FPV motors, a GPS unit, ExpressLRS receivers, and a custom carbon fiber frame.

Why did the creator use carbon fiber for the drone frame, and how was it manufactured?

Carbon fiber was chosen for its superior strength and stiffness compared to plastic. The creator used a company called PCBWay to manufacture the frame through CNC machining, resulting in a flawless, lightweight, and durable part.

What was the issue with the screws that came with the Darvin FPV motors, and how was it resolved?

The screws that came with the Darvin FPV motors were too short and thin for the custom carbon fiber frame. The creator solved this by pre-drilling the mounting holes and threading them for M2 screws.

How does the creator configure and install the Ardupilot software on the drone?

The creator configures and installs Ardupilot by flashing the firmware onto the flight controller using the STM32 Cube Programmer. Before doing this, the creator ensures the motors spin correctly using BLHeli software.

What is ExpressLRS, and how does it enhance the drone’s performance?

ExpressLRS is a low-latency radio control system that provides telemetry over a long range. In this project, it enables wireless USB-like connection to Mission Planner, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustments during flight.

What is the significance of the drone weighing less than 250 grams?

Weighing under 250 grams is important because it allows the drone to comply with regulations in many countries, enabling the user to fly it in most locations without requiring special permits or licenses.

How did the creator integrate a geofence into the drone's mission, and what happens if the drone crosses it?

The creator set up a geofence to restrict the drone's movement within a designated area. If the drone crosses the geofence in Loiter mode, it will stop; in AltHold mode, it will trigger an automatic Return to Launch (RTL) function.

What is the ‘throw mode,’ and how was it used during the flight test?

Throw mode allows the drone to be launched by physically throwing it into the air, after which it automatically transitions into its pre-programmed flight mode. The creator demonstrated this by throwing the drone to start its mission.

What are some of the flight modes demonstrated in the video, and how do they function?

The flight modes demonstrated include Stabilize, AltHold (maintains altitude), Loiter (hovers in place using GPS), Circle (orbits around a point), and Guided (autonomously flies to a point selected on a map). These modes showcase the drone's versatility.

Outlines

00:00

🚁 Introduction to the DIY Autonomous Drone Project

The video begins with a playful introduction, showcasing a small drone and hinting at the purpose of the video—building a DIY autonomous drone. The drone weighs less than 250g, runs on powerful ArduPilot software, and features fully functional telemetry over ExpressLRS. The creator shares that this project won first place in a major Polish drone competition and promises a step-by-step guide on building the drone.

05:02

🛠️ Choosing the Right Hardware for the Drone Build

The focus shifts to selecting hardware components that are both lightweight and budget-friendly, ideal for an entry-level ArduPilot quadcopter. Key components include the SpeedyBee F405 Mini Stack and Darvin FPV motors. The creator discusses experimenting with different frame designs, materials, and printing techniques to find the right balance between durability and weight. Carbon fiber is chosen for the final frame, sourced from PCBWay, which specializes in custom parts.

10:06

🔧 Assembling the Drone: Motors, GPS, and Electronics

With all the parts in hand, the next step is assembling the drone. The creator faces challenges with motor screws, which are too short, and resolves this by pre-drilling and threading for M2 screws. The GPS unit and ExpressLRS receiver are attached with double-sided tape, while the ESC and flight controller are installed using included hardware. Soldering work begins on the motor wires and XT30 connectors, preparing the drone for its next stage.

15:06

📡 Configuring the Software: ESC and ArduPilot Setup

Attention turns to setting up the software, starting with configuring the ESC settings using BLHeli software before installing ArduPilot. After ensuring motor spin directions are correct, the flight controller firmware is updated with STM32 Cube Programmer. Post-installation, the creator connects the components (ExpressLRS, GPS, Compass) and secures them. The weight of the drone, including a custom-built battery, remains under 250g, making it compliant with lightweight drone regulations.

20:13

📻 Setting Up ExpressLRS Radio Control and Calibrations

The ExpressLRS radio system is configured using the ExpressLRS Configurator app. Firmware is built for the transmitter and receiver, ensuring synchronization through Wi-Fi. After the ExpressLRS setup, the drone's frame type is configured in ArduPilot, and the accelerometer and compass are calibrated for stability. Further parameters, like GPS setup and radio input calibration, are adjusted. The creator also explains how to assign switches for different flight modes and arming the drone.

25:16

🚁 Flight Testing and Troubleshooting with ArduPilot

The drone is tested for the first time in various flight modes. Stabilize and AltHold modes work well, but Loiter initially struggles until the GPS gets a proper satellite fix. The creator demonstrates the drone's ability to autonomously land using Land mode. To enhance telemetry capabilities, the creator configures the drone for full Mavlink telemetry over ExpressLRS, avoiding the need for heavier radio modules.

📶 Enhancing Telemetry with ExpressLRS AirPort Feature

The video introduces the ExpressLRS AirPort feature, which allows the drone's receiver and transmitter to act as a bi-directional serial data link, essentially creating a wireless USB connection for real-time telemetry. The setup process is explained step-by-step, including changing ArduPilot parameters to enable Mavlink over ExpressLRS. The creator demonstrates how to connect a mobile device to the transmitter for in-flight telemetry and control.

🕹️ Controlling the Drone and Adding New Hardware

The creator addresses the challenge of controlling the drone while using ExpressLRS for telemetry by adding a second pair of modules at a different frequency to avoid interference. New hardware, including a 3D-printed frame cover, an RGB strip for visual feedback, and a camera mount for first-person flight recordings, is also added to the drone.

🌐 Setting Up Missions and Using Throw Mode for Launch

The creator demonstrates how to plan a mission in ArduPilot, using geofencing and waypoints for autonomous flight. A unique feature, 'throw mode,' allows the drone to be launched into the air manually and immediately begin its mission. After setting up the parameters and testing the throw mode, the drone successfully completes the mission.

🏞️ Testing Geofence, Circle Mode, and Autonomous Features

Further testing is done to demonstrate the geofencing feature, which prevents the drone from leaving a predefined area. The creator tests flight modes like 'Circle,' which orbits the drone around a target, and 'Guided,' where the drone autonomously flies to a selected point on a map. The drone’s smart RTL (Return-to-Launch) feature is also tested, showing its ability to return to its starting position.

🎥 Advanced Flight Modes and Guided Telemetry

The guided mode, made possible through Mavlink telemetry, allows the drone to fly to any point selected on a map via Mission Planner. The creator walks through using this mode for precision tasks like video recording or inspections. They demonstrate how the drone moves autonomously between points on the map, showcasing the flexibility and usefulness of Mavlink telemetry.

✨ Conclusion: Drone Project Success and Future Plans

The creator concludes the video by reflecting on the success of the project, emphasizing the benefits of having a sub-250g drone for legal and safe flying. They express excitement about the future of lightweight drones, hinting at potential upgrades such as gimbals and further ExpressLRS developments. Additional thoughts and project details are shared, with the creator inviting viewers to check out future content and support via Patreon.

Keywords

💡Autonomous drone

An autonomous drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of flying without direct human control, using onboard software and sensors to navigate. In the video, the speaker builds a DIY autonomous drone using the ArduPilot system, which allows it to execute flight missions like geofencing and automatic landing without manual intervention.

💡ArduPilot

ArduPilot is an open-source flight control software used for autonomous vehicles, including drones, planes, and rovers. In the video, the speaker installs ArduPilot on the drone's flight controller, allowing it to manage complex tasks like GPS-based navigation and auto missions.

💡ExpressLRS

ExpressLRS is a high-performance, open-source radio control system designed for long-range and low-latency communication. The video highlights how the speaker uses ExpressLRS to control the drone and transmit telemetry data, making it a crucial part of the drone's overall control and data systems.

💡MavLink Telemetry

MavLink Telemetry refers to the communication protocol that allows real-time data exchange between the drone and a ground control station. In the video, the speaker uses MavLink over ExpressLRS for wireless communication with the drone, enabling features like monitoring sensor data and changing flight parameters remotely.

💡Geofence

A geofence is a virtual boundary set for a drone, ensuring it operates within a specified area. In the video, the speaker sets up a geofence to keep the drone contained within a safe flying zone during its autonomous mission, ensuring it doesn’t stray too far.

💡Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber is a strong, lightweight material commonly used in high-performance drones. The speaker mentions how he upgrades the drone’s frame from plastic to carbon fiber, which improves durability and stiffness while keeping the weight low, essential for staying under the 250g limit for regulatory compliance.

💡Mission Planner

Mission Planner is a ground control software used to configure and monitor autonomous drones. In the video, the speaker uses Mission Planner to calibrate sensors, set flight parameters, and even execute autonomous missions like waypoint navigation and return-to-home functionalities.

💡ESC (Electronic Speed Controller)

An Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) regulates the speed of a drone's motors. The video explains how the ESC is configured with the correct motor spin directions and settings, crucial for stable flight performance. The speaker reprograms the ESC using software to ensure proper motor control.

💡Flight modes

Flight modes refer to pre-set configurations that dictate how a drone behaves during flight. The video demonstrates various flight modes such as 'Stabilize', 'Alt Hold', and 'Loiter', which control how the drone hovers, holds altitude, or maintains its position using GPS.

💡Waypoint navigation

Waypoint navigation allows the drone to autonomously follow a series of predefined GPS points. In the video, the speaker programs a mission where the drone follows multiple waypoints, using the GPS to guide it along the route without manual control.

Highlights

Introduction of the DIY autonomous drone project and its successful participation in Poland’s biggest drone competition, winning first place.

Drone weighs less than 250g, runs on ArduPilot software, and features full telemetry through ExpressLRS.

The project aims to make an affordable, lightweight entry-level ArduPilot quadcopter using the SpeedyBee F405 mini stack and Darvin FPV motors.

Challenges in designing the frame, leading to multiple design iterations with materials like PTG, PLA, and carbon fiber nylon.

The frame design was finalized using CNC-machined pure carbon fiber from PCBWay, providing an excellent combination of lightness and durability.

Detailed assembly process, including motor installation, ESC soldering, GPS, and ExpressLRS receiver mounting.

Step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring ArduPilot on the flight controller using STM32 Cube Programmer.

Explanation of motor spin direction calibration using BLHeli software to ensure correct operation before flying.

ExpressLRS setup guide, including firmware configuration for radio control and telemetry using Wi-Fi flashing.

ArduPilot parameter tuning for optimal performance, including accelerometer and compass calibration.

Exploring various flight modes such as Stabilize, AltHold, Loiter, and Land Mode, with real-world testing.

Successful demonstration of geofence feature, preventing the drone from crossing boundaries and activating Return-to-Launch (RTL) if crossed in certain modes.

Circle mode, Flip mode, and Guided mode are tested, highlighting their practical and fun applications for autonomous drone control.

MAVLink telemetry via ExpressLRS AirPort feature, creating a wireless USB link for live telemetry data and real-time parameter adjustments.

The drone's versatility as a sub-250g flying machine allows it to operate legally in more locations, making it ideal for learning, testing autonomy, and enjoying drone flight.

Transcripts

oh hi everyone didn't see you there

you're probably wondering what I'm

trying to do with this tiny drone and

the answer is very simple I'm going to

throw it

[Music]

away oh look and he also came back okay

so what you just saw in the silly intro

is my new DIY autonomous drone project

in action this tiny thing weighs less

than 250 g it runs on powerful alop

pilot software and it even has fully

functional maving Telemetry over Express

lrs and besides that I recently took

this project to the biggest drone

competition in Poland and guess what it

won the first place so now in this video

I'm going to show you step by step how I

build it and how you can build it too

seems interesting if yes keep watching

and let's get

started all right so first we have to

choose some Hardware I want this drone

to be not only light but also easy on

the wallet so that it can be a great

entry level ardupilot quadcopter for

everyone and that's why the main star of

this build is the speb f405 mini stack

and to go along with it I got four small

Darvin fpv Motors they are like six

bucks per motor which is a pretty good

deal if you ask me we also have GPS

units Express lrs receivers batteries

and some other stuff that we'll talk

about later in the video but for now we

have to focus on the most important part

which is the frame I wanted to make it

myself to keep it light and also to have

enough room for future upgrades

something I thought would be a

straightforward process actually took me

a few different designs until I got

right at first the frames I designed and

printed from ptg were way too big and

thus too heavy they also used MRE screws

which in the sub 250 g category is a big

no no next I tried with smaller 160 mm

frame but the ptg one turned out to be a

bit too flexible pla too brittle and

laser cut plywood was the lightest I

give it that but the flex on that thing

was way too big

the one filament I tested and actually

got great results with is carbon fiber

nylon which I printed using my

University science team bambula printers

frames printed from this material are

surprisingly light but also really

durable but to be honest no plastic can

even match the wonders of pure carbon

fiber and luckily I know a company that

specializes in making such Parts pcbway

which is the sponsor of today's video

has a great service for making custom

pcbs in all shapes and sizes but did you

know that they can also 3D print or even

better CNC machine Any Part you want and

they have wide range of materials too

you can choose aluminium for lightness

stainless steel for strength or carbon

fiber for both so to get the frame I

uploaded a flat version of my design to

the pcda website and submitted a

request then after waiting just a few

days I received my package and now take

a look at this beauty it's clean it's

shiny the dimensions are correct and the

whole part is just

Flawless now when set side to side with

a plastic counterpart the carbon is a

few grams heavier but the difference in

stiffness is just night and day so I'm

definitely using it for this drone and

now if you also have a project that

could use some carbon fiber don't wait

and go check out pcba website at

pcb.com and we are back to the video

now is the time to put all the parts

together first we got to screw in all

the motors but the problem with those

Darin fpv 114s is that the screws they

came with are very thin and just too

short to work with our frame so what I

did is I pre-drilled the mounting holes

and then threaded it for M2 screws it's

a delicate process but it can be done

and you only need two screws for each

motor next thing to do is attach the GPS

in the front which I did by using double

sided phone tape and on the back I taped

the express lrs receiver

antenna after that I placed the ESC on

four long M2 screws and started

soldering all the motor

wires following that I soldered the xd30

connector at the back along with

included capacitor to smooth out the

voltage

spikes now it's a good moment to add our

flight controller so I stacked it on top

of the ASC and connected them both with

the wires that came in the Box

normally I would now proceed with

installation of ardu pilot but while

making this video I found out a bug that

prevents you from changing ESC settings

if you do have it installed so if you

just bought a fresh flight controller

with default beta flight installed

connect to it and check every motor spin

Direction

if it's wrong then you can use BL hel

software to reprogram ESC with the

correct

one once you make sure it's all good we

can download the hex file from the AR

pilot website and then open stm32 Cube

programmer remember to get the Drone

into the dfu mode by pressing the side

button make sure your PC recognizes it

as STM 32b loader and if it's it does

you can simply press connect open the

hex file and click

download and after a while just like

that we got the fresh arop pilot install

running on our speb flight controller

Mission planner up shows it works great

so now let's solder remaining components

and start the configuration process here

I only needed to solder Express LS

receiver wires as well as both GPS and

Compass to the right ports and of course

all the connection diagrams will be

there in the

description now after securing the stack

with self-locking nuts and adding a

velcro strap the whole drone weits just

about 73 G not bad and by strapping my

homemade frees lithium battery the

weight increases to 216 G which means we

are still way below

250 now the last thing we have to do

before jumping to arop Pilot is setting

up Express lrs radio control to do this

we use Express L configurator app in

which you can build firmware for your

chosen transmitter and receiver

important thing is to pick a release

version greater than 3.3 and also to

choose the Wi-Fi flashing

method by doing so the app will generate

you two files that you need to transfer

to your mobile

device then by waiting 60 seconds or by

manually switching the Wi-Fi on you can

connect to others devices by choosing

them on your phone you will be then

transported to the page where you can

simply upload the files generated

before and that's all if everything is

right and you set the same password on

both devices you will get a connected

message on your transmitter and solid

light on the receiver it means that both

modules are now linked and we can

proceed to our the pilot stuff

all right first let's make sure that the

frame type is set to X and that the HRS

orientation parameter is set to zero

because our flight controller is facing

forward next in the initial tune

parameter tab we are going to set it up

for 3in propellers and 3s lay on battery

pack after that we have to perform

accelerometer calibration by placing the

drone on each

axis second thing we need to calibrate

is the compass and it's basically just

about rotating the drone on each axis

until the green bar reaches the end best

results can be achieved by doing it

outside far from magnetic

interference when the calibration has

finished we need to reboot the flight

controller and set up the GPS serial

Port if it's set up right we'll see no

GPS status change to no

fix next there are a few parameters that

have to be set in order to make Express

lrs work with arop pilot all of them

will be listed in the description and

after changing them we should see our

radio input in the radio calibration

tab now we simply have to move all the

sticks switches and potentiometers to

let arop pilot know their Max mean and

middle position

and after it's done I recommend setting

one of your fre position switches to

flight mode Channel and then pick

stabilize alt hold and loiter for the

first time

flight make sure it works and if yes we

can proceed further

you also need to assign one two position

switch for arming the quad and if you

have more you can set additional one for

landing don't forget about fail safe tab

which tells the autopilot what to do if

the battery is low or the transmitter

signal is

lost now we are almost at the Finish

Line the last thing to do is tell the

flight controller which pwm Channel

controls which motor in the servo output

tab you can then check if your settings

are correct in the motor test toop motor

a should be front right motor B the rear

right C the rear left and D the front

left

and if your Motors rotate at different

speeds it's good idea to perform ESC

calibration for my ESC I set up dshot

300 and it seems to work pretty

fine last thing to do is attach the

propellers here I went with 3in triple

blade props to make the first flight

more stable but for efficiency we'll

definitely want to swap them for two

bladed

ones finally check is to see if each one

of them generates downwards

thrust and if they do we can strap the

battery and go test this baby out

[Applause]

[Music]

stabilize and Al hold modes were working

pretty well out of the box but loer

initially was quite

[Music]

unstable however once the GPS acquired

more satellites the Drone was able to

firmly stay in place

[Music]

all right so now we are in loer mode and

let's let's lift it up a

bit and at the end of the flight I also

tried the land mode which without

surprises successfully descended our

quad to the

ground so it's pretty high right now and

now let's turn the land

mode so we are now Landing

[Music]

and we

landed okay so our drone flies and

that's great but to take full advantage

of many autopilot features we need a

Telemetry many air ceilings such as mine

have limited Telemetry options where

they can for example display battery

status on your radio but to achieve full

Ming Telemetry which is basically

wireless USB connection to Mission

planner you need to use one of those big

heavy and usually pricey radio modules

and that's just not going to cut it on

our drone but what if I told you there

is another way you see for the past few

months I was testing a new Express AES

feature called airport and what it does

is transform your receiver and

transmitter into bidirectional

transparent serial data link which as I

said before is like wireless USB so

let's set it up the entire process is

quite simple first you got to connect to

your T and ERX just like when updating

the

firmware then you need to check the used

airport box and set the same U Bo on

both modules

next we need to change arop pilot serial

port settings so we locate the

parameters for our receiver and change

its protocol from airc to mavlink and

also change the B rate to the one that

airport is currently using now you can

connect the lrs transmitter to your

mobile device via

USB but make sure the backside switches

are all set in the flashing position or

it won't work in Mission planner choose

the USB device and the same bow

rate click connect and if it start

downloading the parameters the Telemetry

is up and

running and as you can see we have all

the sensors live data on the left and we

can also calibrate or change any

parameter on the go and that's really

handy however you might notice a tiny

little problem now if our air ceiling is

used as Telemetry how do we actually

control the Drone and well there are

solutions you can for example hook up a

game pad to the mission planner and

control the Drone with it I did it once

and it was fine but it's far from ideal

so instead I simply bought another pair

of Express lrs modules but this time the

868 MHz version to avoid any

interference I soldered the new receiver

to the U number three and taped it to

the bottom of the frame then I

configured it the same way as we set up

the old air ceiling

before and while we are at adding things

I also designed a 3D printed stack cover

to which I taped a 5vt RGB strip it will

make the quad more visible but it can

also inform you if the Drone is armed or

Not by changing the color and on top of

that I added am mount for rankam camera

to record all the flights from the Drone

perspective now when put all together

the quad looks like this

I also designed a special fre printed

mounts that attach to the back of my

radio and hold both Express lrs modules

together with a 10-in tablet for running

Mission

planner loading up the parameters takes

about 30 seconds which is not bad and

after that we can for example go to the

radio Tab and see that both rirc control

as well as Telemetry works as intended

we can also change flight modes straight

from the mission planner or do it as

usual using radio

switches but one of the most useful

things is actually checking and

modifying the mission in the plant

TB speaking about the mission here is

the plan first I drove a geofence around

an empty field which should keep the

Drone contained in that

area next I created a set of way points

which the quad should follow at about 40

m altit VI then at the end of the

mission the Drone will come back to the

starting point and perform a landing to

make it more interesting our quad will

start the mission with the same trick

from the intro which is of course

throwing to make it work we have to set

two parameters throw next mode to Auto

and throw type to zero now once we have

it all set up we can write both

parameters ad mission to the U pilot and

give it a test

so now we are going to start the mission

using the throw mode so what we have to

do is first of all set the throw

mode as you can see right here

probably it's set to throw and now we

can check our

arming and it's not arming why GPS

glitching two very boring minutes

later all right so now it's red so it's

armed and uh let's just start

recording the camera is

recording so let's throw it out after I

throw it it should instantly go to the

auto mode and start doing the mission

all by itself so let's see if it works

I'm going to get

here and one two 3 Let's Go

one two three let's

go and it went

[Music]

n

n

I don't deny there's some strange

evolutionary process going on but

mankind won't be

destroyed the fact that you and I are

working here

today evidence that

[Music]

[Music]

and it came back granted I think I lost

a signal for a while with the Telemetry

but it still did its mission right so

the flight went quite well and the Geo

fense hasn't been bridged once but I

also wanted to know what would happen if

we crossed the line

[Music]

so in lighter mode it just won't allow

the quad to pass defense but if you

switch to Al hold and now do it

again the Drone will go there and

activate RTL by

itself so it climbs up and it's going to

come

back so setting up a geofence is a good

way to ensure safety if you are flying

in tight spaces or if you are just

learning how to fly and don't want to

lose your quad at the end of the flight

I also tried a fun flight mode called

Circle which does exactly what it sounds

like by getting the Drone high and

stabilizing the footage in gof flow I

could get a pretty good look at my

neighborhood next day I went to the park

from the intro to do some more flying

here I used the circle mode to orbit

around myself and it worked fairly

[Music]

[Music]

well another fun flight mode is the one

called flip when when you put your drone

in Al hold and then switch to flip mode

the Drone will do the trick all by

itself pretty

cool and the last thing I wanted to show

you is the guided mode this mode can

only work with Ming Telemetry which is

something we have on board by using this

mode we can simply Point anywhere on the

map and our drone will fly there by

itself quite useful if you are doing

some kind of inspection or video

recording or if you are too lazy to

touch the

controller okay so now we are on the

data Tab and as you can see the Drone is

currently in this single position it's

not moving because it's in loer and uh

because we have the full maving

Telemetry we can just tap anywhere on

the screen for example

here and we can give it a command to fly

there oh wait wait wait a

moment here let's say fly to here we

have the altitude 40 m and let's

go and now we have our Waypoint and the

Drone all by itself flies to that

Waypoint and it's back there and now we

can try and get it back to

us let's just switch out to pan off

let's get it here fly to

here and it's coming

back as you can see on the tempet screen

and it's currently hovering above us and

we can just enter for example

RTL uh right

here and it will descend all the way

down to the point where it started so

probably somewhere around

here that's the power of smart RTL

pretty cool right all right so that's

all for this video I'm really happy with

how this drone has turned out having a

quad that is soup 250 g allows you to

fly safely in most places without

breaking a law so it's a perfect machine

to learn how to fly to test some

autonomy stuff on and also to just have

fun drone components are getting smaller

and lighter every year recently for

example kadak released some ultra light

fpv gimbals so who knows maybe for part

two I will try to make a mavic mini

killer out of this drone I even tested

it with my walks nail once and it is

promising also Express ERS developers

are constantly cooking new exciting

updates so Telemetry will probably be

much better in the future if you are

interested I have some additional tips

and thoughts about this project but I'm

just too lazy to add them to this video

so you can check description or my

patreon page for more by the way I will

also try to upload there some footage

from the Drone competition

because it's pretty crazy what we did

there it will be public of course but

you can also support me if you enjoy my

work also after this competition I have

like four of these drones so I'm

thinking about testing some cool artop

pilot stuff like following or swarming

would you like to see a video about that

if yes leave me a comment and share your

thoughts about this project but for now

I'm out thank you all for watching

thanks pcba for sponsoring this video

congratulations on 10 anniversary by the

way and we'll see you all soon bye