How to use Crosshair Coordinates DTED on Skydio X2D

Published: Updated:

  1. Skydio
  2. Skydio X2D - Offline
  3. Skydio X2D Flight

Crosshair Coordinates - Beta

Crosshair Coordinates uses Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) maps to display the real-time coordinates on the fly screen of the ground-level position at the center of your crosshairs. To use this feature, you must have DTED map data loaded for your flying location. Location accuracy will vary for the point of interest based on vehicle altitude, position offset, and gimbal angles. Skydio is offering pilots the opportunity to use and provide feedback on this Beta feature.

Quick Steps 

To determine the coordinates of an object using DTED Crosshair Coordinates:

Step 1 - Load a DTED dataset onto your drone

Step 2 - Select Begin Flight

Step 3 - Select the Device settings menu and the Controller Tab

Step 4 - Select On Screen Display and toggle On Crosshair Coordinates

Step 5 - Launch

    • fly using the Manual skill
    • Using terrain data, X2 will display the real-time coordinates of the ground-level position at the center of your crosshairs.
crosshair Coordinates.gif

[note text="If this is your first flight after inserting the SD media card with the DTED maps, select the Review menu to prompt the file transfer to the X2 internal storage."]

In-Depth

To generate and load a DTED dataset:

Step 1 - Navigate to https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov and create an account

    • this is one way to generate DTED maps.
    • There are other sites available.

 

Step 2 - Select the Polygon tab

 polygon.png

Step 3 - Click on the map and set the coordinates points around the area to define your dataset

  • the area will be highlighted in red
  • edit or delete any of the point’s coordinates

 

 DTED_red_map.png
[tip]Zoom out if the area is not displayed in red to prompt the action.[/tip]

 

Step 4 - Select the Data Sets menu tab at the top of the page

    • scroll down and expand Digital Elevation
    • expand the submenu SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission)

 

 

Step 5 - Select the type of data required for your use case

    • there are four choices to select from
    • select the info icon for more information about each data set and how they are derived
    • Expand Digital Elevation and SRTM and SRTM 1 Arc Second Global
Snip_-_EarthExplorer_-_Google_Chrome__2_.png

Step 6 - Select the Results button

    • results may generate multiple scenes 
    • Select DTED 1 Arc-second (XX.XX MB)
    • When the download is complete, the DT2 file will be saved to the designated download folder.
    • Skydio supports Level 2 with a file extension of .dt2 and a resolution of approximately 30 meters
    • the dataset cannot exceed 150 MB in total

Step 7 - Select the scene that you want to download and the download icon

    • create a new folder and title it DTED
    • add the downloaded file to the DTED folder
 DTED_download.png
Step 8 - Remove the SD media card (#2) from the X2 media_and_log_card_slots_drawing_X2.png

Step 9 - Access the SD media card on your computer

    • using an SD card reader
    • drag the DTED folder onto the SD media card
    • safely eject the SD media card

Step 10 - Insert the SD media card back into the Skydio X2

Step 11 - Power on the drone

Step 12 - Select the Review menu to prompt the file transfer to the X2 internal storage

    • the transfer will fail if there is not enough storage on the drone to import the files, and no files will be imported

If all files successfully transfer to the drone:

    • the dataset files inside the DTED folder on the SD media card will be gone
    • DTED coordinates will display when the Crosshair Coordinates in toggled on
    • DTED maps will persist across flights and power cycles
    • loading a new DTED dataset file will overwrite the previous maps
    • logging out of the controller will delete the DTED maps

Explore More 

Access Skydio X2D INTL Manuals, Checklists, and Guides

How to Use the Triangulation Skill on Skydio X2

 

 

Skydio, Inc. A0355

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