The Problem
Crashes cost us all—parts, time, and frustration. Complex flight planning only makes it worse. We’re developing a free tool at intel.aero to tackle these issues, offering instant feedback on flight plans (line-of-sight, battery life, error checks, obstacle scans) to keep drones flying and downtime low.
Our Ask
We’re inviting a group of passionate pilots to test this tool while it’s in development. It’ll eventually be open-source for everyone, but you’ll get early access to new features and a chance to influence a platform that could transform autonomous flight.
Who Should Join?
RPAS operators, hobbyists, or developers—anyone into autonomy, line-of-sight tools, battery management, or safer planning. If you fly drones and want better tools, we need your input.
What’s in It for You?
- Early Access: Use tools to make flights safer and smarter now.
- Your Input Matters: Share what works or doesn’t—we’ll refine it.
- Shape the Future: Help build an open-source standard for drone pilots everywhere.
What to Expect
- Instant Value: Catch flight risks before takeoff.
- Beta Stage: It’s early—bugs happen (most fix with a refresh)—but your feedback will perfect it.
- Collaboration: Join Q&A sessions and check how-to guides on YouTube.
How to Join
Feedback Missions (Your Input Needed!)
Share via the website form or email kieran@intel.aero:
- Line-of-Sight Tools: Test station visibility—how can it improve?
- Battery Check: Try the energy config—does it match your needs?
- Plan Verification: Upload a .kml—does it spot errors right?
- Obstacle Assessment: Are hazards flagged well?
Known Issues (Beta Note)
It’s a demo—glitches occur (refresh usually helps). Not for critical ops yet, but your bug reports will speed up fixes. Details and fixes below.
Don’t Wait
Join us to test, tweak, and build something great for the drone community together.
Note: I’ve just transferred this across from ArduPlane everyone, so sorry about the spam if you’ve seen this already. I’ll now update this thread with updates as we go.
1 Like
Known Issues/Bugs
Most issues in the software can be fixed by refreshing the page and starting again. Please be aware this will reset the flight plan.
| Issue |
Fix |
| Obstacle/DEM Data Source is in error and the projection is not only WGS84. |
Treat obstacle/terrain clearance values conservatively. For feature demo only. |
| LOS Analysis is not correct when running if user is moving the map - due tileset rendering |
Don’t move the map, re-run analysis |
| Slow processing of terrain following flight plans and significant lagging if cancelled using stop button. |
Refresh Page |
| App slows if multiple flight plans uploaded sequentially |
Refresh Page |
| Important Notice - Demo Application Doesn’t Disappear |
Refresh Page |
| Station/Marker LOS Analysis Doesn’t Remove Overlay |
Delete Marker and Create New Marker |
| Station-to-Station line of sight LOS Profile Graph does not refresh on change |
Close Chart and Redo Analysis. |
| Markers Wont Remove |
Refresh Page |
| Markers offset height not updating during Analysis |
Delete Marker then run individual analysis next time you place it |
| Overlays outside of Australia not available |
N/A |
Hey Pilot Program crew,
Big thanks to everyone who’s jumped in to test our free flight planning tool—over a dozen of you in the first couple days! Your help’s been awesome, and we’re making progress on this thing to keep our drones flying safer and smarter.
Here’s a little treat: a sneak peek at what the interface looks like with all the bells attached! Check it out below—still rough around the edges, but it’s coming together.
This shot shows the map with LOS overlays, powerline data, and airspace around Sydney Australia —stuff we’ve been tweaking based on your early feedback.
We’ve seen folks exploring the Electronic Line of Sight calculator, positioning observers/repeaters, and adding powerlines and airspace. This interface pulls it all into one spot—hopefully making mission planning less of a headache. It’s built with ArduPilot users in mind, so we’d love your take:
- Does the layout make sense for your workflows?
- Anything feel clunky or missing?
- Bugs popping up? (A refresh usually fixes quirks, but let us know!)
Hop over to intel.aero to give it a spin if you haven’t yet—your feedback here or there keeps us on track. Loving the community vibe on this—let’s make it epic together!
Cheers,
Kieran
Hey Pilot Program crew,
Here’s a quick update addressing some of the questions and feedback we’ve been hearing from you!
1. Analysis Range Limit
We’ve had a specific question: “Why does the analysis range max out at 5km?” The short answer is that’s just how we’ve set it for now. There’s no hard limit preventing us from expanding it, so we’re planning to increase the range in the next update. One thing to note: a larger range will mean longer analysis times. We’re aware of this and are actively working to boost the app’s efficiency as we go.
2. Overlays (Airfields, Powerlines, etc.)
We’ve noticed a lot of you are excited about overlays—and we love that! Right now, they’re only available in Australia (where we’re based and have the data), but it’s totally possible to roll these out globally. Want overlays for your region? Please let us know through the feedback form at the bottom of the page—we’d love to hear from you!
Terrain Analysis: Give It a Try!
One surprise for us: not many of you have explored the Terrain Analysis feature yet. It’s a powerful tool for spotting terrain along your flight path, determining if you’re at risk of hitting it and (eventually) showing the hazards in your area. To give you a taste of what it can do, I’ve attached a screenshot below. Check it out!
Thank You!
As always, huge thanks for testing the app and sharing your thoughts. Your feedback is driving tons of improvements, and we’re committed to making this better with every update. Keep it coming!
Mission Planner Integration? Your Thoughts Wanted!
Hey ArduPilot crew,
We’ve been getting some cool feedback from testers about the next steps regarding our free flight planner at intel.aero. One big idea we have thought of previously is linking it to Mission Planner’s backend. Imagine crafting your mission in MP, then jumping straight into our app to analyse terrain, LOS, and hazards—no more uploading back and forth!
It’s built to ease that “checking stage” pain, but a seamless MP tie-in could be a game-changer. What do you think?
- Would this save you time?
- What features (terrain, elevations, etc.) do you need most?
- Any integration tricks up your sleeve?
Let us know here or at intel.aero—your take could steer this ship! Testers welcome—DM me to dive in.
Cheers,
Kieran
60+ Testers Strong – You’re Loving the Features!
Hey ArduPilot champs,
Big shoutout—you’ve smashed it! Over 60 of you have uploaded or checked flight plans on our free app at intel.aero, giving it a solid test run. We’re stoked to see you digging into all sorts of features—LOS tools, terrain analysis, powerline overlays, and more. It’s awesome watching this thing come alive with your missions!
What’s standing out for you? Any fave features or sneaky bugs? Jump on intel.aero to try it if you haven’t—your feedback keeps the momentum rolling.
Thanks for making this a blast!
Cheers,
Kieran
