Cloud API

Live Flight Controls/Remote Control

2025-02-13
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Function Overview

The live flight controls function is provided to solve the restriction that the drone and DJI Dock can not be immediately operated during the remote controlling process. At real scenes, the drone can response from idle state or pause the executing flight mission. Developer can control the device or payload through manual method. Through the live flight controls function, developer can get safe and reliable drone control, high real-time command sending and live streaming screen transmission, osd information pushing and payload control ability.

Live flight controls APIs can be divided into flight control commands (DRC commands), payload control commands, flyto commands and one-key taking off commands.

  • Flight control commands (DRC commands)

    Drone Remote Control (DRC) uses MQTT protocol and add two new topics to represents upward link and downward link. MQTT Topic Definitionopen in new window provides introduction and example of drc Topic structure. After the server and device successfully build MQTT link, an EMQX Broker will be distributed to the DRC communication link from server to device for faster transmission and response. To use DRC commands, the live flight controls control mode should be entered in advanced. DRC commands usually do not limited by flight control authority, but the DRC-flight control Method: drone_control must need the flight control authority.

Figure. DRC link

  • Payload control commands: All the payload control commands require payload control authority. Current payload control commands control the camera and gimbal actions to realize the payload operations like photo taking, camera zooming in or zooming out, gimbal reset and so on. Therefore the target information can be obtained through these payload operations. DJI Dock 3 supports the control of DJI official payloads, including AL1 searchlight and AS1 megaphone. For details on the relevant usage procedures, please refer to the "Megaphone Control" and "Searchlight Control" sections below.

  • Flyto commands and one-key taking off commands: flyto commands and one-key taking off commands are used to make the drone fly to the target point and hover. The difference is at the applicable scene. The flyto commands are applicable when the drone is in the air. The one-key taking off commands are applicable when the drone is in the dock. If developer uses the one-key taking off command to make the drone reach the target point, flyto commands can be continuously issued later. Currently, single target point is supported.

Simulated Debugging

Live flight controls newly supports simulated flights. Once the simulator is enabled, the aircraft will go through the preparatory steps for the flight mission, such as opening the dock cover and starting up. The aircraft will follow the specified longitude and latitude fields of simulate_mission API as the starting point data for the flight mission execution, but aircraft will not actually take off. The aircraft's data during the execution of the task will be reported as usual via the osd.

Note: Simulated flight mission will not enable RTK. After the simulated debugging, if outdoor flight mission is going to execute, stable RTK signal should be obtained for normal and safe execution.

Live Flight Controls 2.0

CloudAPI V1.7 has introduced Live flight controls 2.0, providing safer and more intelligent flight behaviors.

  • For the "Method: takeoff_to_point", if the "Method: security_takeoff_height" and the "Method: commander_flight_height" have different height values, the aircraft will climb to the higher of the two heights.

  • For the "Method: fly_to_point", the aircraft will climb to the specified "Method: commander_flight_height". Developers can adjust this flight height by setting the "commander_flight_height" field(rw) in the aircraft's thing model. This height adjustment is globally effective.

Live flight controls 2.0 is backward compatible with Live flight controls 1.0. If you use Live flight controls 2.0 with compatible firmware but send Live flight controls 1.0 protocol content:

  • For the "Method: takeoff_to_point", the "commander_flight_height" field will be set to 2 meters.
  • For the "Method: fly_to_point", the aircraft will use the default minimum value (2 meters) for the "commander_flight_height" field as the flight height.

Live Flight Controls Interaction Sequence Diagram

Note: To avoid the drone damage, executing the flight control authority seizure and payload control authority seizure are recommended before issue the live flight controls APIs.

Megaphone Control

The AS1 megaphone control function allows the drone to make voice announcements and calls while performing tasks, which is suitable for emergency command, public safety, event promotion and other scenarios. The following are the main functions of the megaphone:

  • TTS (text-to-speech) playback:

  • Start TTS playback: Through the command drc_speaker_tts_play_start, users can convert text content into speech and play it through the megaphone.

  • Stop TTS playback: Through the command drc_speaker_play_stop, users can stop the current TTS playback.

  • Volume control:

  • Set volume: Through the command drc_speaker_play_volume_set, users can adjust the volume of the megaphone.

  • Playback mode setting:

  • Set playback mode: Through the command drc_speaker_play_mode_set, users can set the playback mode of the megaphone, such as single playback, loop playback, etc.

  • Replay:

  • Replay: Through the command drc_speaker_replay, the user can replay the last voice content.

Megaphone Control Interaction Sequence Diagram

Web PageCloud ServerDJI DockAircraftSend TTS shouting setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_tts_setForward TTS shouting setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_tts_setExecute TTS shouting settingReturn TTS shouting setting result Method: drc_speaker_tts_setReport TTS shouting setting result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_speaker_tts_setReturn TTS shouting setting resultSend volume setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_play_volume_setForward volume setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_play_volume_setExecute volume settingReturn volume setting result Method: drc_speaker_play_volume_setReport volume setting result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_speaker_play_volume_setReturn volume setting resultSend play mode setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_play_mode_setForward play mode setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_play_mode_setExecute play mode settingReturn play mode setting result Method: drc_speaker_play_mode_setReport play mode setting result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_speaker_play_mode_setReturns the result of setting the playback modeSends a replay request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_replayForwards the replay request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_speaker_replayExecutes replayReturns the replay result Method: drc_speaker_replayReports the replay result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_speaker_replayReturns the replay resultWeb PageCloud ServerDJI DockAircraft

Searchlight Control

The AL1 searchlight function allows the drone to illuminate when performing tasks, which is suitable for night search and rescue, inspection, security and other scenarios. The following are the main functions of the searchlight:

  • Calibration:
  • Searchlight calibration: Through the command drc_light_calibration, the user can calibrate the searchlight to ensure the accuracy of its illumination direction.
  • Fine adjustment:
  • Searchlight fine tuning: Through the command drc_light_fine_tuning_set, the user can fine-tune the illumination angle of the searchlight.
  • Mode setting:
  • Set searchlight mode: Through the command drc_light_mode_set, the user can set the working mode of the searchlight, such as constant light mode, flashing mode, etc.
  • Brightness control:
  • Set brightness: Through the command drc_light_brightness_set, the user can adjust the brightness of the searchlight.

Searchlight Control Interaction Sequence Diagram

Web PageCloud ServerDJI DockAircraftSend searchlight calibration request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_calibrationForward searchlight calibration request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_calibrationPerform searchlight calibrationReturn searchlight calibration result Method: drc_light_calibrationReport searchlight calibration result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_light_calibrationReturn searchlight calibration resultSend searchlight fine tuning request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_fine_tuning_setForward searchlight fine tuning request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_fine_tuning_setPerform searchlight fine tuningReturn searchlight fine tuning result Method: drc_light_fine_tuning_setReport searchlight fine tuning result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_light_fine_tuning_setReturn searchlight fine-tuning resultSend searchlight mode setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_mode_setForward searchlight mode setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_mode_setExecute searchlight mode settingReturn searchlight mode setting result Method: drc_light_mode_setReport searchlight mode setting result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_light_mode_setReturn searchlight mode setting resultSend searchlight brightness setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_brightness_setForward searchlight brightness setting request Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/down Method: drc_light_brightness_setExecute searchlight brightness settingReturn searchlight brightness setting result Method: drc_light_brightness_setReport searchlight brightness setting result Topic: thing/product/{gateway_sn}/drc/up Method: drc_light_brightness_setReturn searchlight brightness setting resultWeb PageCloud ServerDJI DockAircraft

Detailed API Realization

Notes: Only when the drone is in the air, the media files generated by the payload control commands will be pushed by the media management function.

Live Flight Controlsopen in new window

  • Flight control commands (DRC commands)
  • Payload control commands
  • flyto commands
  • One-key taking off commands

Remote Controlopen in new window

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