Vantage Hearth Vesper UAS User manual

Vesper UAS
Vision GCS
Operator’s Manual
v1.8

CONTENTS PAGE
I. SYSTEM COMPONENTS & CONTROLS 4
II. SAFETY 5
A. FAILSAFE TRIGGERS
B. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
C. LOW BATTERY
D. LOSS OF GPS
E. RC LOSS
F. FAILSAFE LANDING LOCATION
III. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 9
IV. SETUP 10
A. UNPACKING AND POWERING
B. PAIRING
C. PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST
V. MANUAL FLIGHT 12
A. TAKEOFF
B. LAND
C. RETURN TO LAUNCH LOCATION (RTL)
D. DEFAULT CONTROLS
VI. AUTOMATED FLIGHT 14
A. PREPARING A VESPER FLIGHT PLAN
B. FLYING A MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
C. RETURNING VESPER AFTER FLIGHT
D. CREATING NEW FILE
E. LOADING A FILE
F. SAVING CURRENT FILE
VII. CAMERA CONTROL 28
A. TAKE PHOTOS
B. SWITCH CAMERA MODES
C. SWITCH SENSORS
D. CAMERA PITCH CONTROL
E. ZOOM CONTROL
F. RECORD VIDEO
VIII. POST FLIGHT 32
A. VESPER POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION
B. BATTERY USAGE AND CHARGING
C. TRANSFERRING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
IX. VISION GROUND CONTROL STATION 36
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A. GCS SETUP
B. POWERING ON AND OFF
C. PAIRING
1. INITIAL PAIRING
2. RE-PAIRING OR CHANGING BANDWIDTH
3. CONNECTING
D. USER INTERFACE
1. VESPER STATUS ICONS
E. ASSIGNING CONTROL BINDINGS
F. GCS ANTENNAS
X. VESPER HARDWARE 59
A. ROTOR SETS
B. TAKEOFF AND LANDING OPTIONS
C. FIELD CASE
D. TRANSPORTATION CASES
XI. MAINTENANCE 66
A. VISION GCS MAINTENANCE
B. CLEANING & CARE ACCESSORY CASE
C. CLEANING
D. VESPER CLEANING & CARE
E. REPLACING/REMOVING GIMBAL
F. REPLACING PROPELLERS
XII. TROUBLESHOOTING 71
A. PAIRING
B. CONNECTING
C. PRE-FLIGHT
D. FLIGHT
E. RESTARTING QGC
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I. SYSTEM COMPONENTS & CONTROLS
VESPER
VISION GROUND CONTROL SYSTEM
(VISION GCS)
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II. SAFETY
●Read Vesper & Vision GCS Manual to completion before operating
Vesper.
●Always ensure Vesper is at least 20 feet away from people before
takeoff.
●Be mindful of where your hands and other body parts are, especially
when Vesper is powered on.
●Only launch Vesper from the operator’s hand using the Safety Rotor
Set. Never attempt to launch from, or land to, the operator’s hand
with the Recon Rotor Set.
●When using the Recon Rotor Set, keep Vesper at least 20 away from
personnel. Never attempt to touch Vesper while it is in flight or while
the propellers are in motion.
●While manually operating Vesper, only fly where you can see. Vesper
does not have lateral obstacle avoidance; therefore, it is the
operator’s responsibility to prevent collisions. Exercise extreme
caution when flying in a direction where the camera doesn’t provide
clear visibility.
●Plan takeoff and landing to protect people and Vesper. Designate a
launch and landing spot at a location clear of obstacles and people.
●Before using the Return To Home (RTH) feature, ensure settings are
adjusted for an appropriate return altitude over terrain.
●Follow all pre- and post-flight operational guidelines and storage
procedures described in this manual.
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IMPORTANT:
WHEN VESPER IS CONFIGURED WITH THE RECON ROTOR SET,
NEVER HOLD VESPER BY HAND WHILE PROPELLERS ARE IN MOTION.

FAILSAFE TRIGGERS & EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
To program safe behavior for various scenarios:
●Click on the “Q” Ground Control logo on the top left-hand side
●Navigate to the Vehicle Setup menu at the top of the screen
●Select the Safety option
The sections below detail how to program for specific situations:
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LOW BATTERY
Vesper will automatically land and shut off once the battery level reaches 5%.
The GCS will give multiple visual pop-up warnings in advance of the automatic
landing. The operator can override the final 5% automatic landing with stick
inputs, but should be aware that doing so risks loss of the aircraft. The low
battery preset limits can be modified in the Safety options.
By clicking the Failsafe Action dropdown menu, the operator can define low
battery behavior. In this menu, the operator can choose at what % battery level
to send a warning notification, and enter the failsafe setting or emergency
setting.
LOSS OF GPS
Vesper can maintain position using visual inertial odometry (VIO) and optical
flow in the event of GPS loss as long as scene illumination is greater than 10 -
50 lux (depending on surface texture). If Vesper is unable to maintain position
and has lost the control link, it will land in a level orientation. VIO will drift by
approximately 7 meters for every 100 meters of travel.
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RADIO CONTROL (RC) LOSS
Radio Control (RC) Loss means Vesper has lost connection to the Ground
Control Station (GCS). In Q → Vehicle Setup → Safety, the operator can
preemptively choose what actions Vesper will take should this scenario occur.
By clicking the Failsafe Action dropdown menu, the operator can designate the
best option for Vesper and determine how many seconds of data link loss will
lead to time out.
FAILSAFE LANDING LOCATION
By default, Vesper will return to its launch position when facing a critical
condition, such as low battery or GPS loss. To modify these settings, select the
Failsafe Trigger settings in Q → Vehicle Setup → Safety.
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III. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
RANGE OF USE:
●Optimal flight conditions = open areas devoid of obstacles, crowds,
power lines, trees, and bodies of water.
●To be field serviceable and to minimize dirt ingress, Vesper’s motors
are partially sealed. Nonetheless, avoid contact with debris, sand and
dirt whenever possible.
●Vesper is safe to fly in heavy rain; however, Vesper should never be
submerged in water.
●To minimize radio link and GPS interference, avoid high levels of
electromagnetism such as power lines and electrical substations.
●When operating Vesper in cold conditions, store Vesper’s battery close
to your body to maximize performance.
●Vesper uses a magnetometer for vehicle heading. Do not take off from
any magnetic or steel structures.
●Vesper maximum operating temperature is lower on the ground than
in the air, as Vesper uses forced convection from the propellers for
cooling.
Temperature Operating Conditions are as follows:
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Vesper Operating Conditions
Minimum
Maximum
Temperature Limits - Flight
-32° F
113° F
Temperature Limits - Ground Operation
-32° F
95° F
Temperature Limits - Storage
14° F
122° F
Wind
0 mph
40 mph (65 kph)
Range from Vision GCS
0 mi
1.55 mi (2.5 km)

IV. SETUP
UNPACKING AND POWERING
1. Remove Vesper from the field case and fully unfold all four arms.
2. Power on Vesper by grabbing battery on left and right sides; a beep,
followed by a series of tones and illuminated tail LEDs indicate
success.
3. Turquoise LED light will turn green or blue once unit is fully booted, as
follows:
4. Power on the Vision GCS by pressing the Power button and unfolding
both antennas.
5. If Vesper has not yet been paired with Vision GCS, connect Vesper to
Vision GCS by following the pairing instructions below.
6. If Vesper has been paired previously with Vision GCS, telemetry and
video should appear after approximately 85 seconds.
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IMPORTANT:
READ SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS & ENTIRE MANUAL BEFORE FLYING VESPER
Pulse Pattern \
Color
Turquoise
Blue
Green
Blinking
Booting...
No GPS,
unarmed
GPS, unarmed
Solid
Booting...
No GPS, armed
for takeoff
GPS, armed for
takeoff

7. Once connection is established, place Vesper at chosen launch
location.
PAIRING
1. Power up Vesper and wait for the turquoise LED to switch to blue or
green, indicating that boot is complete.
2. Pick up Vesper by the battery and flip Vesper upside down 3-4 times
(flip from top to bottom and back) to initiate pairing.
3. Vesper will beep with 1 middle and 2 high tones when it enters pairing
mode.
4. Tap the pair vehicle icon on Vision GCS to open pairing manager.
5. Choose “Pair a Vehicle.”
6. After 30-45 seconds, confirmation will appear. To switch to high
power mode press “confirm.”
7. Move Vesper 10 feet or more away from Vision GCS. Telemetry and
video should start within 60 seconds.
PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST
1. Inspect propellers for loose screws and damage, replace as needed.
2. Inspect lenses for dirt, and clean as needed.
3. Ensure no people are within 20 feet of Vesper’s takeoff location.
4. Confirm battery capacity >20%.
5. Confirm that Vesper tail LEDs are pulsing green, indicating GPS lock.
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V. MANUAL FLIGHT
Manual Mode allows the operator to have full control over Vesper’s path, using
Vision GCS to direct all movement. You should only use Manual Mode if you are
an experienced operator. When in Manual Mode ensure you are aware of your
surroundings at all times, and whenever possible use the camera to view the
flight direction.
TAKEOFF
1. Once ready, select “Takeoff” on the Vision GCS screen. Use the lateral
slider to confirm Vesper takeoff.
2. Vesper will hover at a preset height and maintain position
automatically.
LAND
1. Ensure no people are within a 20 foot perimeter around the landing
area.
2. To land Vesper at its current location, press the Land button .
A prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen to confirm.
3. Once the command is confirmed, Vesper will descend and land.
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RETURN TO LAUNCH LOCATION (RTL)
Command Vesper to return to the launch location by pressing the RTL button
on Vision GCS. Vesper will respond by first ascending to 200 feet above takeoff
altitude, or up to a cone extending up at 45° from the takeoff site, whichever is
lower. Then Vesper will traverse until it is directly above the takeoff point.
When above the RTL location, Vesper will descend quickly, and then will hover
for 15 seconds once 10 feet above the ground, before descending the final 10
feet slowly. Once Vesper lands it will power off.
FLIGHT CONTROLS
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VI. AUTOMATED FLIGHT
Automated flight modes allow the operator to create a flight plan and have
Vesper fly the entire route autonomously. Use-cases for Automated Flight
Mode include: (a) rapidly flying to a predetermined location, (b) creating a
photo dataset for 3D models, (c) creating a photo dataset for orthomosaics,
and (d) automated search grids.
PREPARING AN AUTOMATED FLIGHT PLAN
1. Select the Plan View icon at the top of the screen.
2. Select the Waypoint setting tool in the upper left menu.
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3. Select Mission Mode.
4. Add waypoints* by selecting areas on the map.
*Note: A waypoint is a point in three-dimensional space that the
drone flies to as part of a mission. Each mission consists of a series of
coordinated waypoints. The operator can choose just one, or set
multiple, waypoint(s).
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IMPORTANT: Set the first wappoint as close to the mission starting position as
possible- this waypoint can mark the takeoff point.
After plotting the route, the operator can set specific directions for Vesper at
each waypoint, such as altitude, flight speed and camera.
5. To automatically take photos on a mission, set directions for the
camera at each waypoint. Select the desired photo setting: one photo,
multiple photos over time, or photo(s) specified by distance. Specify
options for setting the gimbal pitch and yaw.
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6. Set specific altitude directions for Vesper at each waypoint, as desired.
By default, the altitude is set relative to home. The operator can
change the altitude to be relative to sea level or relative to
terrain.
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7. Set the flight speed from the Mission Start position.
○Operator MUST check the box next to “flight speed” and set
the flight speed, otherwise Vesper will not proceed to the
first waypoint upon takeoff.
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8. From the mission sidebar, the operator may choose “Return to
Launch” to automatically direct Vesper to return to the mission
starting position.
9. Once waypoint(s) and additional directions are set, the operator can
save the flight plan for future use by pressing the File button in
the Plan menu.
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