About

Using the terrain following feature comes with its own set of best practices. Ensure that these recommendations are followed for successful operation of PHX with terrain following.

Planning

When planning a mission with the terrain following feature enabled, do not assume that all terrain elevation and obstacles are accounted for automatically (see Limits section for information on the limits of the terrain following feature).

Trees, power lines, and fences are not accounted for in the terrain elevation database.

Check the backside of hills and tree lines for obstacles that may be hidden from sight.

Plan accordingly and check the area(s) that will be flown over during the mission to ensure there are not obstacles that may interfere with the drone while in flight.

Ground Setup & Area of Operation

Take into consideration where the drone will be set up, launched, and operated from. Varying terrain can cause loss of visual line of sight and reduced or lost communications between the drone and the CommsBox. For example, the drone may fly over the back side of a hill where it cannot be seen.

Set up the area of operation in a location that gives the most consistent line of sight for visual observation and communications signal. This location is often an area at the highest terrain elevation, such as the top of a hill.

In-flight Operation

Always maintain visual line of sight. Ensure the drone is ascending and descending as expected.

Deviation from nominal flight may be grounds for using emergency procedures to land the drone or terminate flight. Prioritize the safety of the operator and others in the surrounding areas.

Landing

The landing portion of the flight plan does not use terrain elevation data during execution. Always plan the landing on a flat stretch of ground. Never land into the face of a hill. Landing on the back side of hill may cause the drone to overshoot the planned landing zone.