OpenDroneKitGeometry, from the planner
Planned by OpenDroneKit with these inputs: single point, 60 m. The drawing is the planner’s actual output for that test site in Aukerman Park, Ohio, not an illustration.
How is the 360 bubble mission laid out?
Like the panorama, every frame is taken from one position, but rows run from the top pitch (20 deg by default) down to straight down (-90 deg) in pitch steps (12 deg by default).
Alternate rows are shot in reverse yaw order, so the aircraft does not swing all the way back between rows.
Also accepted by the planner as: 360 bubble, 360_bubble, bubble, bubble360.
Inputs
| Parameter | Meaning | Default |
|---|---|---|
altitude_m | Flight altitude in metres, relative to the take-off point unless an AMSL terrain model is loaded | 60 |
front_overlap_pct | Forward overlap between consecutive photos; with the camera footprint it sets the capture spacing | 80 |
side_overlap_pct | Overlap between neighbouring lines or rows; with the camera footprint it sets the line spacing | 70 |
speed_m_s | Planned cruise speed, written to every export | 5 |
camera | Camera profile used for footprint and ground-sample-distance estimates | mavic2pro |
gimbal_tilt_deg | Camera pitch; left blank, the template's own default is used | -90 |
bubble_center_lonlat | Where the aircraft hovers | — |
bubble_overlap_pct | Overlap between neighbouring frames | 35 |
bubble_pitch_step_deg | Pitch change between rows | 12 |
bubble_top_pitch_deg | Highest camera pitch | 20 |
bubble_bottom_pitch_deg | Lowest camera pitch | -90 |
Footprint, line spacing and GSD come from the camera profile; the GSD calculator uses the same formulas.
What survives each export?
- QGroundControl .plan and .waypoints: every point carries a DO_MOUNT_CONTROL gimbal command; 99 of 99 points are NAV_LOITER_TIME holds; 99 of 99 have a CONDITION_YAW heading lock; 99 DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL captures.
- DJI WPML .kmz: gimbalRotate on every waypoint; hover action and toPointAndStopWithDiscontinuityCurvature turns at hold points; heading-locked points use smoothTransition; takePhoto at capture points; speed limited to 1-15 m/s.
- Litchi CSV: 99 waypoints fit in one file (the exporter splits at 99).
- Every capture is at one position; flight tools that drop duplicate positions may merge these points. The exporters write each capture as its own waypoint.
Each format has known issues, listed on its page: QGC .plan · .waypoints · DJI WPML · Litchi CSV.
Limits
- Flight distance is zero: every capture is at the same position.
- Planned without a terrain model the plan assumes flat ground at the launch elevation, and it says so in a warning.
- Not flight-tested on an aircraft as part of these pages; the numbers above are the planner’s estimates.
Source and tests
Compiled by _compile_bubble_primitive in mission/planner.py. The function is on public main (1ef6351); this drawing was planned with the development branch (0ae10e4), whose planner is ahead of main.
Tests in the development branch that exercise it:
tests/test_mission_constraints.pytests/test_mission_exports_carry_the_plan.pytests/test_template_inventory_is_derived.py
Related templates
Paths around or along something, single-point captures, and joined missions.
- Orbit: Circles around a point of interest at one or more heights, camera aimed at the subject.
- Closed loop: Continuous loops around a structure at one or more radii, without stopping at corners.
- Linear: Captures along a drawn route line, heading locked along it, for pipelines, rail, power lines and rivers.
- Lateral: Side-on photos of a linear asset from a parallel line at stand-off.
- Waypoints: A route through drawn waypoints, with a choice of heading behaviour.
- Panorama: A hover at one point, rotating to photograph the horizon for a stitched panorama.
- Linked mission: Two or more saved missions joined into one sortie, with planned transitions between them.
All 22 templates: mission templates · mission planning.