DO_PATH_RETURN_START implementation

1Blademaster · March 30, 2026, 10:40am

Looking at the ArduPilot docs there’s a section for DO_PATH_RETURN_START and looking at the mavlink docs it says it’s not implemented yet. I’m guessing it’s not fully implemented yet as I can’t add it as a mission item in MP?

It’s something I’m looking for as I think it’d help me with my issue; Trying to add an approach waypoint section before a VTOL transition (into MR from FW) which can be used for RTL and failsafe purposes.

Cheers

hunt0r · April 2, 2026, 9:31pm

I agree that’s a strange state of things. Could be an oversight, or maybe it’s deliberate.

Would you like me to create a PR removing the WIP label? I’m happy to do it.

If it needs to stay WIP for some reason, that will become evident, and the PR will close out.
If it being WIP is simply an oversight / outdated, the PR will fix it.

This is a great “very first PR” for anyone who wants that experience, too! If someone would like to learn how to submit MAVLink PRs, I’ll be happy to help via DM here, or in discord.

(If no one replies in… say… 48 hours, I’ll make the PR. Worst case, multiple PRs over the same issue arrive, which is fine.)

1Blademaster · April 4, 2026, 9:25am

Is the implementation in place in ArduPilot itself? Because I tried searching but it doesn’t seem like it..

hunt0r · April 4, 2026, 5:41pm

It looks like yes, but I have never used/tested/confirmed it.

github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot

ArduPlane/GCS_MAVLink_Plane.cpp

master


      
          case MAV_CMD_DO_RETURN_PATH_START:
              // attempt to rejoin after the next DO_RETURN_PATH_START command in the mission
              if (plane.have_position && plane.mission.jump_to_closest_mission_leg(plane.current_loc)) {
                  plane.mission.set_force_resume(true);
                  if (plane.set_mode(plane.mode_auto, ModeReason::GCS_COMMAND)) {
                      return MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED;

(Noticed your post has a typo “DO_PATH_RETURN…” which might have thrown off your search?)

Yuri_Rage · April 4, 2026, 8:11pm

Update to Mission Planner latest beta and use ArduPilot 4.6 or newer. No need for all this nonsense about duplicate PRs.

1Blademaster · April 4, 2026, 8:28pm

Ah Mission Planner beta was what I was missing I guess; I was comparing changes between 4.6.0 and 4.6.3 (to upgrade to until 4.7.0 is out) and noticed it. Will test it out in the sim later cheers!