The following guide is a recommended checklist to consider before your first flight with Vesper. Please review this document and familiarize yourself with the steps described and make them part of your first and subsequent flights with Vesper. 

Warranty Disclaimer:  Please note that all products come with a one-year warranty when flight data logging is enabled and provided to Vantage Robotics when a claim has been submitted.  Failure to provide flight logs will void this warranty.

Even experienced pilots can use some initial familiarization assistance, and our expert and dedicated staff are ready to assist. Feel free to contact Vantage Robotics Support at support@vantagerobotics.com for assistance. 

Further details and instructions are available via download in the Vesper UAS - Vision GCS Operator’s Manual and the Vesper and Vision Quick Reference Guide.

Before you fly

• Register Vesper 
• Load Offline Maps
• Charge all batteries
• Set Return To Launch (RTL) settings
• Check/set units
• Enable Vehicle Telemetry and SD Card Logging

Preflight Checklist

• Check the mission site for any controlled airspace restrictions 
• Always secure required airspace approval from the appropriate authority when required (e.g. FAA LAANC Authorization and Notification)
• Inspect propellers for loose screws and damage
• Inspect lenses for dust and dirt. Clean as needed
• Confirm battery capacity is greater than 20%
• Re-Pair Vesper and Vision (if necessary)
• Give Vesper time to download ephemeris GPS data. This may take 15-30 minutes prior to first flight ( > 10 satellites visible and HDOP < 0.09)
• Confirm Vesper tail LEDs are pulsing Green indicating GPS lock
• Ensure no people are within a 20-foot perimeter of the takeoff/landing area
• When flying under low-light conditions change the video resolution with pixel binning

Special First Flight Considerations

• Re-Pair Vesper and Vision (If necessary)
• Check Vesper GPS Ephemeris Data
• Calibrate Compass

Before You Fly

1. Register Vesper according to your local, regional, and national rules and regulations
2. Charge Vesper and GCS batteries
3. Check your Return to Land Settings
4. Check/set your units (by default these are set to imperial)
5. Enable SDCARD logging
6. Load Offline Map data onto Vision GCS
   

Register Vesper with your National Aviation Authority 

• Refer to your National Aviation Authority for specific drone registration requirements
• For USA drone registration details refer to the FAADroneZone
• For Canadian drone registration details refer to the Transport Canada Drone Registration Overview
• For Australian drone registration details refer to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority drone registration page
• For European Union drone registration details refer to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency Civil Drones page

Check or change Return to Launch (RTL) Settings

1. Connect to vehicle
2. Tap “Q” in the upper left of the GCS screen
3. Select “Vehicle Setup” from the menu on the left
4. Select “Safety” from the menu on the left
5. Scroll down to “Return to Launch Settings”
6. Update the number to the right of “Climb to Altitude of:” to the desired value
7. Tap “Q” and select “Fly” to return to the Fly View

Check/set units

1. Power up Vesper and Vision GCS.
2. Log in to Vision if necessary
3. Tap the “Q” at the top left of the Vision screen
4. Tap “Settings”
5. Tap “General”
6. Select “Distance” units from the associated drop-down menu
7. Select “Area” units from the associated drop-down menu
8. Select “Speed” units from the associated drop-down menu
9. Select “Temperature” units from the associated drop-down menu
10. Tap the “Q” at the top left of the Vision screen

Enable Vehicle Telemetry Logging 

1. Turn on GCS & Vesper
2. Allow GCS to connect to Vesper
3. Select the QGC “Q” icon in the top left corner of the screen
4. From the drop-down menu, select “Vehicle Setup”
5. Now Select “Safety”
6. Scroll down to “Vehicle Telemetry Logging”
7. Select “Enabled” from the drop-down
8. Acknowledge the pop-up that appears
9. Allow vehicle to automatically reboot
10. Manually power cycle if the reboot does not trigger within 1 minute
11. Repeat steps 2-6
12. Verify “enabled” is still selected 
13. Contact Customer Support if the parameter did not save
    

Loading Offline Map data onto Vision GCS

By default, Vision arrives preloaded with a low-resolution world base map. Before flying we recommended that operators download and install map tiles for the area(s) the operator is expected to fly. Adding new maps requires adding an internet connection to Vision before maps can be downloaded. Follow the directions below to add a WiFi network to Vision before downloading maps. 

Add a WiFi network to Vision GCS

1. Power on Vision GCS
2. Log into your Vision (if necessary)
3. Triple-tap the top of the Flight Controller screen to get access to the Vision Desktop
4. Tap  “Show Applications” at the bottom left of the screen
5. Tap  “Settings”
6. Tap “Wi-Fi”
7. Make sure that “Airplane Mode” is disabled
8. Look for your wireless network name in the “Visible Networks” list
9. Tap the network name that you want to add
10. Enter the Network password in the Password field that appears
11. Tap “Connect”
12. Tap the “Red X” at the top right to close the window. 
13. Restart Vision GCS

Add Offline Map Data onto Vision GCS

1. Tap the “Q” icon at the top left corner of the screen
2. Tap “Settings” at the bottom left corner of the screen
3. Tap “Offline Maps”
4. Tap “Add New Set” to open a map view 
5. Move the map via finger dragging and pinch and zoom to navigate to the position you would like to locally store on Vision 
6. Preview the Min and Max zoom levels you have chosen via the insets on the left side of the screen
7. Name the Map Set in the “Name” field in the “Add New Set” dialog box on the right side of the screen
8. Adjust Min Zoom level and Max Zoom levels via the sliders 
9. Tap “Download” to add the set
10. Repeat from step 4 to additional maps

First Flight 

Pairing Vesper and Vision (Pair Vision and Vesper (if necessary)

1. Power on Vesper
2. Power on Vision GCS
3. Log in to Vision if necessary
4. Tap the “Q” at the top left of the Vision screen
5. Tap “Settings”
6. Tap “OOB Pairing”
7. Tap “Regenerate OOB Pairing Details”
8. Tap “Continue” when prompted to continue or go back
9. Flip/invert the Vesper fuselage 180 degrees so that the battery points to the sky 3 times to put it in pairing mode. If successful a short chime will play.
10. Hold the tail end of Vesper up to the screen so the VIO sensor can scan the QR code. A short chime will play to verify that the scan was successful Note: The tail may need to be moved around slightly for the VIO camera sensor to successfully scan the QR code; lowering the Vision screen brightness may be helpful.
11. After the pair scan completes, move Vesper and Vision at least 2m from each other to avoid radio saturation. Wait until you see the Vesper camera view on the GCS screen to verify successful pairing.
12. Tap “Q” at the top left of the Vision screen.
13. Tap “Fly” and verify that the Vesper camera view is visible on the Vision screen to verify that Vesper and Vision have been paired.

Check Vesper GPS  Ephemeris Data

1. Power on Vesper
2. Power on Vision GCS
3. Make sure the aircraft has connected to Vision
4. Tap the GPS Status Icon at the top of the Vision screen
5. Confirm that more than 10 satellites are in view
6. Confirm HDOP is less than 0.09

Calibrate Compass

1. Power on Vesper
2. Power on Vision GCS
3. Tap “Q” at the top left of the screen
4. Tap “Vehicle Setup”
5. Tap “Sensors”
6. Tap “Compass”
7. Ensure that “ROTATION_PITCH_180” is selected in the drop-down menu
8. Tap “OK”
9. Follow the onscreen “illustrated instructions” and progress bar
1. Rotate Vesper as shown in the horizontal plane
2. Rotate Vesper as shown in the vertical plane
10. Restart Vesper and Vision before flying

Change Video Resolution for low-light conditions

1. Power on Vesper
2. Power on Vision GCS
3. Log in to Vision if necessary
4. Tap the Camera “Settings” icon below the red camera shutter button
5. Locate the “Video Resolution” section in the Video Settings dialog box
6. Select “1920 x 1080 12-Bit Binned 10fps” from the dropdown menu
7. Close the Video Settings dialog box