Waypoint is the most powerful and flexible intelligent mode available on DJI prosumer drones. For several years, it was only available on the flagship models, the Mavic 2 Pro and then the Mavic 3, but it has recently been added to the Mini 4 Pro, Air 3, Air 3s, as well as the Mavic 4 Pro
It is not available on other lightweight models, such as the Mini 3 Pro and the Flip, as it is a major purchasing factor for the Mini 4 Pro
In this video, I will show you all you need to know about this outstanding functionality
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Waypoint Missions
Waypoint works by creating missions based on several points. For each point, the aircraft position, its elevation, and the camera orientation are stored in memory. The system manages the transition between points with precision, supporting the smooth execution of advanced maneuvers
Each mission can be saved in memory to be used in various light conditions, in different seasons, modifying the exposure values or the color profile
Waypoint can be used not only in videography, but also for tracking a construction site or for inspections in agriculture
There are two different ways to create a mission:
- On location by flying to each point
- Remotely, using the maps
I will only show you the first method, as it is much faster to set up and yields better results, since we can visualize each point. It is also safer, as we can spot any surrounding obstacles and stay away from them
Setting the points by flying
For this tutorial, I will be using a Mini 4 Pro with the RC2 remote controller, but the process is very similar to the Air 3, Air 3s, and Mavic 4 Pro, apart from the multiple lenses
We access Waypoint mode by the icon on the left of the screen, just above the one for takeoff. For videography, it is preferable to have only a few points, generally no more than four. For simple moves, two points are sometimes all that is needed
I want to show this village on the foothills of Mount Etna in Sicily and then progressively descend and move to the left, while the camera rotates to the right and tilts up to frame Mount Etna
I fly to the right of the village at medium altitude, framing the central square. After activating Waypoint mode, I set the exposure value, rotate the camera, and tilt the gimbal until the village is in the center of the frame, and hit the C1 button of the controller to set the first point, as indicated by the message on the screen
I then fly to the left, rise to the maximum altitude, and get closer for a top-down view while maintaining the square of the village as a target. An alternative way to add a point is by opening the small window on the lower part of the screen and tapping on the plus sign next to the previous point
Then I fly backward and to the left while lowering the altitude, rotate the camera slightly to the right, and set the third point
I move again to the left, lowering the altitude, rotate the camera, and adjust the vertical orientation of the gimbal to frame Mount Etna. I set the fourth and last point here
The Waypoint Window
The Waypoint window contains a wealth of interesting information: we can check the expected duration of the flight, the distance to be traveled, and the number of waypoints that form the mission
Through the three dots on the right of the window, we access the settings to be applied to the whole mission. We can adjust the Global Speed using the cursor below, specify the action to be taken at the end of the flight, and in case of signal loss. The last option indicates at which point the mission will start. The arrow on the left brings us back to the main window.
If we tap on one of the points, another window shows all the data relative to this point, and we can modify severaal parameters:
- The Camera Action (with a choice of None, Take Photo, Start Recording, stop recording)
- The Altitude of the aircraft
- The Speed of the move from that point
- The Orientation of the camera
- The Tilt of the gimbal
- The Digital Zoom level
- The drone can be set to Hover at that point for a specified number of seconds before resuming the flight
A point can be deleted by hitting the dustbin icon on the left.
Once the points have been entered, the mission can be saved to use it on other occasions. I is a major feature of Waypoints, as we can repeat the same mission to optimize it with small changes, modify the exposure values, or capture the same scene at different times of the day or in other seasons
To save a mission, tap on the icon at the top left of the small window. The mission can be renamed by tapping on the pencil icon
Fine-tuning a mission
Let’s have a look at the resulting clip: the transition between each point is now very smooth. The Map on the bottom left of the screen shows the itinerary with the different points. The transition between points is turned into a gentle curve. Each point shows the altitude and the orientation of the camera. The distance between each point is also shown
But the movement is way too slow. So I put the Mini 4 Pro back in the air, I choose Waypoint mode by tapping on the icon on the left, and I summon the saved mission
Through the three dots on the right of the window, I access the mission settings. I increase the Global Speed to about 9 meters per second. At the top of the window, the resulting length of the clip is shown: about 30 seconds, which should be fine
The movement is now faster, what I was looking for. Notice that we are not accelerating the clip, we are simply increasing the flying speed, moving elements like cars or people walking remain at their natural speed
The light conditions are horrible. We are in the middle of a sunny day, with the sun in front of the camera and harsh shadows, but this is not a major issue, since our mission is stored in memory and we can reshoot it in better light conditions
So I summon the same mission after sunset with some twilight still on, and now the light is much more pleasant with softer shadows
During the winter, interesting cloud formations often form above Mount Etna. It would be a good idea to tilt the camera up slightly. I select the last point of the mission and turn up the value for Gimbal Tilt. Now, at the end of the clip, we can see a bigger portion of the sky above Mount Etna