APM Planner - Abs/ Rel altitude question

Ground Control Software APM Planner 2.0
1

Hi,
As I am using a MAC so I am using APM planner 2.0. While the google map issue is being resolved, I have a question around waypoint altitudes. (google maps are blank in the latest version and the developer is apparently working on a fix)

Does either ABS or Rel altitude in APM planner take into consideration the geographical heights? I know that mission planner does when you use google maps, not sure about other map sources, im assuming not.

I live in a relatively hilly city and using APM planner to fly around the area I dont want to bump into anything I shouldn’t.

Mission planner has an option to take into consideration the terrain when planning waypoints, does similar exit in APM planner?

Thanks for your help.

2

You can use the ‘Elevation Widget’ to show the height of the terrain under a flight plan

It’s in the Tools Widget menu item (you need to be in ‘advanced mode’ to see the menu item)

3

Thanks for that, looking at my missions, the elevation is blank for all of then. There was a message that it uses google maps for the elevation date (on the info button). Can I assume its blank because the maps being used are bing and they dont have this data?

4

@billbonney : I don’t think the widget works, please see github.com/diydrones/apm_planner/issues/697

From what I see in the code, there should be red line - there is no, but the fetched altitudes look good.

5

Nope the API to get the elevation data from google is different than the normal tile server API for the google map

6

this is an example of the request for the elevation data for the attached mission. I’m not sure why it’s broken. I’ll try and look later

maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/ele … samples=35

{
   "results" : [
      {
         "elevation" : 584.3895874023438,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.3633,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.2267456054688,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36262223805316,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 581.405029296875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36194447610634,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 580.1595458984375,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36126671415951,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 580.2965087890625,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36058895221268,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 581.517333984375,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35991119026584,
            "lng" : 149.165
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.6854858398438,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35976533834915,
            "lng" : 149.1643065766962
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.3893432617188,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35972386911127,
            "lng" : 149.1634770691493
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 584,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35968239420554,
            "lng" : 149.1626475624545
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.71728515625,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35964091363195,
            "lng" : 149.1618180566119
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.1634521484375,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35960928945827,
            "lng" : 149.1610013461826
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 584.1436767578125,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36028236711555,
            "lng" : 149.1610988861158
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 585.3717651367188,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36095544469447,
            "lng" : 149.1611964276753
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.0125732421875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36162852219501,
            "lng" : 149.1612939708611
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.0401611328125,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36230159961718,
            "lng" : 149.1613915156733
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.5101928710938,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36297467696097,
            "lng" : 149.1614890621119
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.083984375,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36364775422637,
            "lng" : 149.161586610177
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 587.6941528320312,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36432083141338,
            "lng" : 149.1616841598687
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.81884765625,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36499390852201,
            "lng" : 149.1617817111871
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.2723388671875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36566698555223,
            "lng" : 149.1618792641322
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 589.9359741210938,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36634006250407,
            "lng" : 149.161976818704
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 589.25927734375,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36641662830078,
            "lng" : 149.1626253360703
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.9180908203125,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36630726606809,
            "lng" : 149.1634455776162
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 588.3443603515625,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36619789829302,
            "lng" : 149.1642658169396
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 586.2520751953125,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36602939939459,
            "lng" : 149.1649896166863
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 585.8828125,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36535645981818,
            "lng" : 149.1648906475935
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 585.5682373046875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36468352016109,
            "lng" : 149.1647916801506
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 585.072998046875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.3640105804233,
            "lng" : 149.1646927143577
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 584.7802124023438,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36333764060485,
            "lng" : 149.1645937502147
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.0487060546875,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36266470070571,
            "lng" : 149.1644947877215
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 580.8842163085938,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.3619917607259,
            "lng" : 149.1643958268779
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 580.5186157226562,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36131882066543,
            "lng" : 149.1642968676841
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 582.1102905273438,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.36064588052427,
            "lng" : 149.1641979101399
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 583.6167602539062,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.35997294030248,
            "lng" : 149.1640989542452
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      },
      {
         "elevation" : 584.3531494140625,
         "location" : {
            "lat" : -35.3593,
            "lng" : 149.164
         },
         "resolution" : 152.7032318115234
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}
7

Thanks for all the updates, I agree that the elevation widget isnt working by the look of it.

So I am best to avoid and low level terrain flights until there is a fix?

Bill, is there any timeframe for the resolution of the google maps issue which will resolve this problem for us?

8

I’ve fixed it, you can download it from here firmware.diydrones.com/Tools/APM … 015-05-05/

I had a go at fixing the google maps issue, but that one didn’t work out. I’ll try again soon

9

Thanks for your help, the Elevation widget now seems to be working well.
Is there any help on how to use it?

I am guessing the blue line is the entered waypoint height and the red line is the absolute elevation above sea level.

So, as long as my mission stays above the variances in the red line, even though it may be under the red line as a whole thats how you use it?

10

Currently the first waypoint. Home is set to zero. So as long as the blue line is above the red, you may not crash. Terrain data is only indicative so it’s best not to trust it too much.