Installation basics #
For the GeoTagging mode the AIR Commander Entire must be connected to the Camera via Sony Multiport Cable. Multiport cable was included in your geotagging cable set.
There are few options about triggering of the camera during mission:
a) Using DJI Remote (RSS) (suggested) – in this option you MUST use the HotShoe sensor and you can skip lines marked *.
b) Using the Entire’s internal functions of timed triggering or distance trigger functions (also suggested). You can skip lines marked *.
c) Using F port triggering. In this mode you have to follow all lines of bottom process.
If system does not behave as described, check again wiring and configuration.
Installation #
STEP 1
- Remove the top plastic cover of DJI M600 Center Frame
- *Connect SBUS cable to the F3 port of your A3/N3
- Connect API cable to the API connector of your A3/N3
SEE THE PICTURES ➜
STEP 1a
Thread the cables down through the body of the drone
STEP 2
- SBUS and API Cables threaded through the center frame now must be connected into the Extension BOX. Use UNI-1 for SBUS (PWM) and any of ports UNI 2/3/4 for DJI API cable.
- DATA port of the Extension BOX needs to be connected by UNI cable to the Entire
STEP 3
- UNI Cable from the Extension BOX DATA port needs to be connected to the Entire r3 port UNI A, B or C. For the Entire r2 only PORT A is suggested.
- Because UNI Cable is usually not long enough to pass the distance from the drone body to the gimbal, you can use Joining unit to interconnect two UNI cables.
- Joining units also does a safety guard to avoid wire interruption.
STEP 4
- Remember to configure PORT A, B or C (depending on your selection) in the Entire’s menu to “Extension BOX” mode.
- Once Extension BOX is properly connected and configured in the Entire, STATUS LED of the Extension BOX will start blinking GREEN and Entire overview page will show selected port highlighted as “Online”. Also you will get four new ports available for input.
If port ststus become orange for FW update – DO NOT DISCONNECT
STEP 5 – optional
- Insert HotShoe connector into HotShoe of your Camera
- Connect HotShoe cable to EXT port of the Entire
- Red wire from the cable connect to the pin of HotShoe connector.
- IR LED should be mounted at the Camera IR sensor. If not necessary, you can disconnect pins of the LED from the EXT connector and use single red wire only.
- Remember to turn ON the HotShoe sensing in the Entire’s configuration
STEP 6
- Connect the drone via USB to DJI Assistant
- Select A3 / N3 unit
- In the MENU select “SDK”
- Configure Baud rate 230400 (default)
- Timestamp 1Hz
- Attitude Quaternions 100Hz
- Position 100Hz
- RTK 100Hz (If RTK is used)
- Gimbal Data 100Hz
- Flight Status 100Hz
- All other fields set as “Do Not Send”
- Click to Enable API if not enabled
notice: This step is critical, majority of issues is caused by wrong settings of API.
STEP 6a – OPTIONAL
If you would like to add FIX TYPE and HDOP value to the TEXT LOG geotagging output, then you need to additionally enable:
- GPS – 1Hz
STEP 6b – OPTIONAL
If you would like to use DJI -> JETI telemetry conversion, you need to additionally enable:
- Velocity – 1Hz
- GPS – 1Hz
- Battery Level – 1Hz
STEP 7 *
- *In the MENU select “Tools”
- *Switch to “Function Channels”
- *Select port F3 as Shutter
STEP 8 *
- *Switch to “Shutter” page
- *Configure
- Shutter Trigger PWM to 1900
- Shutter Default PWM to 1000
- Shutter PWM frequency 50Hz
- Shutter PWM Active 400ms
*for DJI M300 PWM triggering is not available
STEP 9*
- *Switch UNI-1 to PWM mode
- *Open Menu – SBUS mapping
- *Select “Trigger photo” in “Functions” section
- *Assign Cannel to #1 (channel one is PWM input)
- *Configure trigger to upper half of the range
- *When shutter button on DJI Transmitter is pressed, white arrow should move into blue part of slider and the Entire should now trigger photo.
STEP 10
- Click to “UNI port 3” bar and in new window select DJI. Port should become “online” in few seconds.
STEP 11
- Connect the Entire’s WiFi
- Open configuration page
- Open MENU -> (geotagging) Settings
- From the list select “GPS data preview”
- In the popup you should get similar data if the GPS / RTK has enough signal.
- Data preview popup is real-time and should change as drone / gimbal moves.
STEP 12
- Open the MENU -> Miscellaneous
- Scroll down to GeoTagging features
- And insert X, Y, Z offsets.
- When GPS is used, offset is counted from body center (if correct offset is configured in the FC). If your flight controller does not have configured antennas offsets, configure offset from the camera to the antenna.
- When RTK is used, offset is counted from body center (if correct offset is configured in the FC). If your flight controller does not have configured antennas offsets, configure offset from the camera to the antenna A.
Offset is in millimeters!
STEP 13
- Turn the camera USB mode to MASS STORAGE
- Navigate to Camera MENU -> SETUP->USB Connection
- Set to Mass Storage
- confirm OK
- For newer cameras (like A7RIV) is this step bit more complicated:
- Check if MENU->NETWORK->Ctrl w/ Smartphone is OFF
- Check if MENU->NETWORK->PC Remote Function is OFF
- Navigate to Camera MENU -> SETUP->USB Connection
- Set to Mass Storage
- confirm OK
STEP 14
- Your setup is ready to be used at this point
- Entire has Self-Test routines for GeoTagging to easily check if all wiring is working well
- Make sure that all equipment is turned ON and camera is set to MASS STORAGE MODE
- Click to MENU->Configuration test and let the Entire to do a self-test
- At the beginning of the test, one photo will be triggered
- Entire will check if HotShoe sensor has properly recognized trigger
- Entire will check all necessary input data connections
- In case of any problems, result will provide hints to solve the issue
- Test photo will not be geotagged in the test method!
