Terrain Visualization

A guide to using the Terrain Visualization feature, which provides an estimate of the terrain features along your flight path, helping you plan and execute your flights safely.

Overview

• The Terrain Visualization feature is a powerful tool designed to enhance flight safety and optimize mission planning. It provides operators with a clear view of the terrain along the drone’s flight path, highlighting key elevation changes and potential obstacles.

• This feature allows operators to plan with confidence by visualizing altitude variations, waypoint elevations, and safe flight thresholds.

• The terrain visualization panel gives you a real-time view of the flight path against the ground below before you launch a GTL or a Mission. You can now see the terrain profile directly in the left panel, and click the expand button ([ ]) to open a larger, detailed view.

Terrain Profile Graph

The Terrain Profile Graph displays elevation changes along the planned flight path of the drone. This helps operators assess altitude variations during any particular flight. Following information is displayed as part of the Terrain Profile Graph:

• Dock Altitude: This is used as the reference for all altitudes displayed on the graph

• Waypoint Altitudes: Height of each waypoint is displayed along the flight path

• Go To Safe Altitude (GTSA): Altitude set for GTSA action is marked on the graph

• Return to Home (RTH): Altitude set for RTH action is visible on the graph

• Maximum Altitude Limit: The upper limit of flight altitude is marked on the graph

• Task Alt: The default task altitude used by GTSA‑related maneuvers. Shown as a cyan line.

The Terrain Profile Graph uses these units on its axes:

• X-axis: Distance along the flight path (meters, feet, or yards)

• Y-axis: Altitude relative to the Dock (Relative to Takeoff, RLT) (meters, feet, or yards)

• The Terrain Profile Graph is available before executing Path, Grid and Waypoint Missions.

• This allows users to have an extensive overview of the terrain along the mission path and also provides them caution and warning information before executing a mission.

Terrain visualization showing altitude caution and terrain profile

Terrain Profile in the Left Panel

Once you drop a GTL pin, the terrain elevation graph loads automatically in the right panel. You can use this to compare the planned flight altitude against the terrain below. To get a full-screen detailed view of the terrain profile, click the [ ] expand button in the top-right corner of the terrain graph.

• The Terrain Visualization information is also available before performing Go To Location (GTL) flights.

• Here operators will be able to choose between Relative to Takeoff (RLT) and Above Ground Level (AGL) as the reference altitude before setting the GTL parameters.

The terrain information regarding the possible NFZs on the flight path will not be reflected in the Terrain Profile Graph.

Terrain Profile Graph preview before giving Go To Location (GTL) command