Aero-M

Operation Manual

Thank you for purchasing an Aero-M! This manual contains important information about your 

aerial mapping platform. Please read these instructions before your first flight. 

1 Plan 1

2 Fly 20

3 Process 37

Appendix 41

V.1 2014

©3D Robotics

DCT0010

Online information portal: 3DR.com/Aero-M

3DR support: help@3DR.com

Terms and conditions: 3DR.com/terms

Pix4D instructions: support.Pix4D.com
1

1 Plan

Parts 2

Flight Battery 3

Charging 3

Safety 3

Powering the Aero 4

Camera Setup 5

3DR EAI 5

Charging 5

Starting a Mission 5

Mounting 6

Ground Station Setup 7

Download Software 7

Connect to Radio 7

Mission Planning 8

Operating Parameters 8

Load Maps 9

Draw Polygon 10

Configure Survey 11

Save and Write Mission 19
2

Parts

Aero

wings propellers (1 

plus 1 spare)

camera

RC controller and 

accessories

battery guard bag

batteries (2)

charger and 

accessories

ground station radio

micro-USB cable

Pixhawk micro-SD 

card adapter

hex keys (?)

propeller wrench

horizontal stabilizer

wing spar

spare camera 

mount filters (2)

spare control horns 

(2)

wing rubber bands 

(4 plus 2 spare)

spare servo rods (2)

FPV/OSD System 

If you selected to receive a FPV/OSD system, those components 

will be included with the Aero’s accessories. See page 34 for 

parts and instructions.

registration card and 

Pix4D license key
3

1 

Connect the charger to the power adapter cable 

and a wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the + 

port and the black cable to the - port.

+

–

2 

Set the charger to LiPo and 3A.

LiPo 3A

3 

Connect the white connector to the 4S port, and 

join the two yellow connectors together. 

4S

4 

Secure the battery inside the guard bag, 

and charge until the status indicator 

displays green.

Charging

Complete

The Aero is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. 

Charge the battery before your first flight.

!

Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the 

battery permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged 

battery. 

Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger 

only. Always monitor the battery while charging. Protect the 

battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing, and 

flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store the 

battery in the guard bag.

Inspect the battery for damage before and after flying. If you 

observe any swelling of the package or the battery ceases 

to function, do not use the battery; locate your local battery 

recycling center, and dispose of the battery. In the US and 

Canada, visit call2recycle.org to find a location. Do not 

dispose of the battery in the trash.

Flight Battery

Charging Safety

Charger with power cable and 

split-wire charging cable

Charger settings

Flight battery charging wiring Charging in process
4

1

Turn on the controller. To avoid triggering 

the controller’s startup alarm, ensure that 

all switches are set back (away from you) 

and the throttle stick is set fully down.

!

It is important to establish communication before 

powering on the Aero. Always turn on the controller 

before connecting the battery. When powering off 

the Aero, disconnect the battery before turning off 

the controller.

3

Insert a charged battery into the battery slot, 

and attach the yellow connectors. This will 

power on the Aero.

 

Hold the Aero still and level while it powers on.

Attach the velcro above the battery slot to the 

velcro on the battery. Close and secure the lid 

onto the battery compartment.

!

2

Open the battery compartment by 

sliding the knob on the orange switch 

forward and lifting out the lid.

Powering the Aero

RC controller

Throttle stick

Switches

Aero: battery compartment lid

battery slot

battery 

connector

Aero: battery compartment interior

flight battery
5

Camera Setup

The Aero includes a Canon PowerShot SX260 HS running the 3DR EAI script.

SD card locked

Load 3DR EAI

» Fly a mapping mission

SD card unlocked

Load default Canon software

» View images on camera

» Save images to ground station

» Update script

3DR EAI (Exposure-Aperture-ISO)

3DR EAI runs on the Canon Hacker Development Kit (CHDK), a powerful opensource tool that expands the functionality of Canon point-and-shoot cameras. 3DR 

EAI optimizes image exposure and integrates with the Pixhawk autopilot to enable 

distance-based imaging.

This software is designed to load off the camera’s SD card, leaving the original Canon 

programming intact. The yellow switch on the side of the SD card allows you to lock 

or unlock the card. Lock the SD card to run 3DR EAI; unlock the SD card to save 

images to your ground station or to boot the camera with its original programming.

For more information about 3DR EAI, see page 43.

Charging

Charge the camera battery before your first flight. Once 

fully charged, insert the battery into the camera.

status indicator

Starting a Mission

To prepare the camera to fly a mapping mission, ensure 

that the mode dial is set to P (program) mode. Power on the 

camera using the silver button on the top. 3DR EAI will start 

automatically, and you will see the script messages on the 

camera display. Check to see that the last line of the script 

reads waiting on USB signal. The camera is now ready to map!

power button

Camera ready to map: waiting on USB signal

Canon battery charger

Power off the camera before removing the SD card. !

Camera running 3DR EAI Camera running Canon software

mode dial
6

Mounting 

autopilot integration cable

The camera mounts to the Aero inside the battery compartment 

and connects to the autopilot using the mini-USB cable. When the 

camera is ready to start the mission, insert the camera into the 

mount inside the battery compartment as shown below, connect 

the mini-USB cable to the camera, and secure the camera in place 

using the velcro strap.

Connect mini-USB cable inside 

battery compartment here.

The camera mount includes a lens cap that protects the filter during 

travel. Make sure to remove this lens cap before you fly, and check 

that the filter contains no foam particles, dirt, or scratches that could 

affect image quality.

It is expected that the filter will accumulate scratches after significant 

use. If you notice any damage to the filter that could affect image 

quality, unscrew the filter and replace with one of the extra filters 

provided with the Aero.

UV filter

Aero battery compartment: camera mount

Camera (side)

Camera mount (bottom): cap removed

Camera mount (bottom): cap attached

The camera mount is fixed to the inside of the battery compartment 

and is not intended to be removed from the Aero.
7

Mission Planner

Your license key for Pix4Dmapper can be found on the registration card 

inside the documents package. 

Visit mapper.pix4d.com/license-redeem to create an account and redeem 

your license key; then visit pix4d.com/download to download Pix4Dmapper 

Discovery. Pix4D will automatically upgrade from the Discovery edition to 

the LT 3DR Edition (or Pro Edition if you selected to upgrade) when you 

log in to the program with your Pix4D account information.

Mission Planner is a full-featured ground station application for planning 

missions and monitoring the Aero in flight. Download Mission Planner 

from 3DR.com/download_software.

If you already have Mission Planner installed, make sure you’re running 

the most recent version: Select the Help tab and Check for Updates.

Mission Planner: Help tab

Ground Station Setup

Pix4Dmapper LT 3DR Edition

To connect the Aero to Mission Planner, connect the ground station radio 

to the laptop, and power the Aero.

1 

Connect the ground station radio to your 

laptop using the micro-USB cable. Open 

Mission Planner.

3 

Select Flight Data to view live data from the Aero.

2 

Select 57600 and AUTO, then select CONNECT. 

(When connecting directly to Pixhawk’s 

micro-USB port, set the rate to 115200.)

Download Software Connect to Radio

Mission Planner allows you to turn a Windows laptop into a full-featured 

ground station for configuring and monitoring autonomous missions. You will 

need to take this laptop into the field when you fly the mission. As part of the 

mission procedure, you will use the Pix4D Rapid Check to verify the quality of 

the image set before leaving the field.

Ground station laptop with radio connected

Mission Planner Connect tool (top-right corner))

Mission Planner Flight Data tab: connected to aircraft
8

The Aero is a complete solution for creating 

high-resolution visual-spectrum aerial maps. 

Pixhawk 

autopilot 

system

Pix4Dmapper 

LT 3DR Edition

Canon SX260

3DR EAI

To create a map, the Aero flies an autonomous mission over 

the survey site, using the integration between the Pixhawk 

autopilot and custom-programmed camera to capture images 

at a consistent distance interval. Pix4Dmapper then stitches 

these images together into a georeferenced, orthorectified 

mosaic.

The accuracy of the map depends on the configuration of the 

mission. Planning a mission that captures high-quality images 

requires balancing the Aero’s operating parameters with the 

environmental factors at the survey site.

Operating Parameters

Camera Canon SX260

Camera Orientation Portrait (side facing forward)

Operating Altitude 80-120 m

Standard Operating Altitude 100 m

Low-Wind Conditions 0-6 m/s

High-Wind Conditions 7-10 m/s 

Maximum Wind Conditions 10 m/s

Operating Speed 8-20 m/s

Default Speed 15 m/s

Estimated Maximum Flight Time 40 min

Estimated Ground Resolution 5 cm/pixel

Estimated Maximum Survey Area 1 km2

Minimum Photo Interval 2 seconds

Mission Planning

Operating Parameters

Mapping system diagram
9

1

Open Mission Planner, select Flight Plan, and 

zoom to your flying location. 

2

Right-click on the map, select Map Tool and 

Prefetch, and accept the defaults prompts. 

Mission Planner will download the maps 

for the selected location to your computer. 

3

Mission Planner will attempt to load the map data from the current level of zoom down to the 

closest level of zoom available. However, it can take hours to pre-fetch every level of zoom, 

and it is unlikely that the closer levels will be useful in planning the mission. To shortcut this 

process, check the slider on the right side of the map. The levels of zoom are represented by 

this slider from 0 (bottom) to 25 (top). Press the ESC key to skip levels of zoom at a greater 

detail than you need for mission planning.

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: zoom to mapping location Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: Select Prefetch

Load Maps

Mission Planner allows you to plan the mission away from the mapping location; 

however, it is important to assess the environmental conditions on site at the time 

of the mission and adjust the flight plan if necessary. Alternatively, you can plan 

the entire mission at the mapping location. To create or alter the mission, Mission 

Planner requires an Internet connection to access the maps. If you’re unable to 

access the Internet on site, follow the instructions below to pre-fetch the maps 

within Mission Planner while you have Internet access.
10

2

Right click on the map. Select Draw Polygon and 

Add Polygon Point. Click and drag to add points 

around the area you want to map. 

3

Right click on the polygon. Select Auto WP and 

Survey (Grid) to open the Survey Tool.

Units

The Survey Tool uses metric units. If your Mission Planner is 

set to imperial units, please change the settings to use metric 

to plan the mission. Support for imperial units in Mission 

Planner is coming soon; check 3DR.com/Aero-M for updates.

Draw Polygon

To begin planning the mapping mission, select the area you want to map using 

the Polygon tool. You’ll be able to adjust the size and shape of the polygon later in 

the mission configuration process.

1

Select Flight Plan, and zoom to your 

mapping location.

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: zoom to mapping location

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: draw polygon

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: open Survey tool

!
11

Set Camera

Canon SX260-SX280

Set Camera Orientation

Uncheck the option for Camera top 

facing forward.

Set Default Speed

15 m/s 

Apply Survey Speed

Check the option for Use speed for this mission. 

If unchecked, the mission will use the Aero’s 

default speed of 15 m/s regardless of the 

speed selected in the Survey Tool.

Configure Survey: Set Default Parameters

Mission Planner Survey tool

The Survey tool allows you to configure a mapping mission according to the 

Aero’s operating parameters and the current environmental conditions at the 

mapping location. First, set the default values for the Aero.
12

Set Angle

Wind Direction

In environments with winds of less than 6 m/s, set the angle so that 

the Aero flies into the wind. In winds from 7-10 m/s, configure the 

flight path to travel perpendicular to the wind so the Aero flies crosswind.

No. of Strips 

Adjust the angle so that the Aero makes as few turns as possible to 

complete its course. The No. of Strips parameter shows how many 

passes the plane will make as you adjust the angle. 

Review Wind Conditions On-Site

Always assess the wind conditions at your survey site at the time of 

the mission and adjust the mission accordingly.

Mission Planner Tip: Adjust Polygon

Click and drag the red polygon points to adjust the size 

and shape of the polygon from the Survey Tool. 

Configure Survey: Set Angle

wind

Configure the flight path perpendicular to the 

wind in high winds (7-10 m/s).

Configure the flight path parallel with 

the wind in low winds (1-6 m/s).

wind

wind

Use caution when flying in winds over 10m/s. Mapping results 

may degrade as a result of inability to make headway or maintain 

appropriate groundspeed.

Mission Planner Survey tool

Next configure the angle of the flight path for the current wind conditions.

!
13

Set Altitude

Standard operating altitude: 100 m

Operating altitude range: 80-120 m

Increasing altitude decreases flight time, allowing you to cover more area 

per minute. Decreasing altitude improves ground resolution. Set the altitude to get the best ground resolution while keeping the flight time under 

40 min and the altitude under 120 m.

Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is appropriate for 

your flying area and local regulations.

Check Flight Time

Flight Time estimates the duration of the mission. The total estimated flight 

time must be under 40 min for a fully charged Aero battery. To decrease 

flight time, increase altitude or speed.

High winds, humidity, high altitude, and extreme heat can affect power 

consumption and reduce flight time. Consider the environmental factors at 

your site when configuring flight time.

Check Ground Resolution

Ground Resolution is the centimeters per pixel that you will have 

in the map and corresponds to the amount of detail that you 

will see.

To improve ground resolution by decreasing the number of 

centimeters per pixel, decrease altitude.

Configure Survey: Set Altitude 

Mission Planner Survey tool

The survey altitude determines the duration of the mission and the ground 

resolution of the final map. Adjust altitude to balance flight time and power 

consumption with the current environmental conditions.

!
14

Check Photo Interval

Photo Every must be longer than 2 seconds for the SX260 camera.

Altitude

Increasing altitude increases photo interval.

Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is 

appropriate for your flying area and local regulations.

Speed

Decreasing speed increases photo interval. 

Ensure that the Use speed for this mission option is checked.

Configure Survey: Check Photo Interval

Mission Planner Survey tool

With the basic parameters in place, verify that the photo interval calculated from 

the altitude and speed complies with the operating parameters for the camera.

!

!
15

Takeoff and Land WP’s

For automatic takeoff and landing

Check the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option.

Uncheck the Use RTL option. 

This will create a takeoff waypoint and a placeholder waypoint for the landing pattern. After accepting the survey, configure the automatic landing pattern by following 

the instructions on page 20.

For automatic takeoff and manual landing 

Check both the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option and the Use RTL options. 

This will create a takeoff waypoint so the Aero will automatically climb to the survey 

altitude before heading to the first waypoint. The Aero will return to circle over the 

launch point after completing the mission. 

For manual takeoff and landing

Uncheck the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option

Check the Use RTL option. 

For this option, take off manually then initiate the mission in flight. The Aero will 

return to circle over the launch point after completing the mission.

Configure Survey: Set Takeoff and Landing 

Mission Planner Survey tool

Now select a takeoff and landing pattern, either manual or automatic.
16

Check Advanced Options

to view the Survey Tool’s advanced configuration options.

Set OverShoot

The Aero has a minimum turning radius of 90 degrees. To accommodate the 

sharp angles of the survey mission, set both OverShoot parameters to 50 to 

have the Aero overshoot the waypoints on either side of the polygon by 50% 

to ensure that the complete area of the polygon is covered by the images.

OverShoot will affect flight time. Ensure that the total estimated flight time is 

less than the Aero’s maximum flight time of 40 minutes.

Adjust Overlap and Sidelap

Overlap and sidelap are set to 50% and 60%, respectively, by default. See 

page 42 for an in-depth discussion of these parameters.

Adjust StartFrom

During the mission, you will maintain contact with the aircraft through the RC 

controller and ground station signals. If your mission is likely to experience a 

loss of signal, it is best practice to start from the corner of the mission farthest 

from the launch point. In this example, TopLeft is the corner of the mission 

farthest from the launch point.

Configure Survey: Advanced Options 

Select Grid Options

Camera Config

The options under the Camera 

Config tab allow you to configure 

a camera other than the SX260 

and won’t be used for operating 

the Aero.

!

The Survey tool includes the following advanced configuration options. These options 

allow you to customize the mission to comply with best operating practices.

Mission Planner Survey tool: advanced options

Mission Planner Survey tool: advanced options
17

Before accepting the survey, verify that the mission complies with the 

Aero’s operating parameters. 

Camera

Canon SX260-SX280

Altitude

80-120 m

Camera top facing forward

unchecked

Flying speed

9-15 m/s

Use speed for this mission

checked (optional if speed set to default speed of 15 m/s)

Photo Every

greater than 2 s

Flight time

under 40 min depending on environmental conditions

Do not accept the mission if any of the parameters 

exceed the Aero’s operating limits.

Operating Parameters

Configure Survey: Accept Survey

Accept

Select Accept to create this mission. After accepting, you 

will need to reconfigure the survey completely to make any 

adjustments.

If Mission Planner prompts you for a home altitude, enter 

the altitude that you specified in the Survey tool.

Mission Planner Survey tool

!
18

Configuring Automatic Takeoff and Landing

If you selected automatic landing in the Survey Tool by checking the Add Takeoff and Land WP’s option and unchecking 

the Use RTL option, you will need to configure the landing waypoint pattern manually at this step in the mission planning 

process.

To begin, determine the direction of the wind and select an unobstructed area 200-500 m in length leading to the 

launch point, into the wind. On the main Flight Plan screen, create a series of waypoints along this path to decrease 

altitude gradually from the survey altitude to 0, ensuring that:

» Turns along the flight path are greater than 90 degrees.

» The altitude decreases by a maximum of 20 m between waypoints

» There is at least 20 m between each waypoint

» The Grad % does not exceed 20% 

To add a waypoint, right click on the map in the location of the waypoint you would like to add, and select Insert WP. For 

each waypoint you add to the mission, Mission Planner will prompt you for the new waypoint’s place in the script: Add 

the series of landing waypoints immediately before the LAND waypoint in the script of events. For the first waypoint in 

the pattern, add it to the mission immediately following the DO_SET_CAM_TRIGG_DIST waypoint at the end of the mission. 

Specify the altitude of each waypoint and check the distance and gradient angle in the waypoints table.

To add a waypoint, right click on the map in the location of the waypoint 

you would like to add, and select Insert WP. For each waypoint you add to 

the mission, Mission Planner will prompt you for the new waypoint’s place 

in the script: Add the series of landing waypoints immediately before the 

LAND waypoint in the script of events. For the first waypoint in the pattern, 

add it to the mission immediately following the DO_SET_CAM_TRIGG_DIST

waypoint at the end of the mission. Specify the altitude of each waypoint 

and check the distance and gradient angle in the waypoints table.

Set altitude.

Check Grad %.

Mission Planner Tip: Configure Waypoints

Measure the distance between waypoints by right-clicking at one 

end and selecting Measure Distance; then right-click on the other end 

and select Measure Distance again. A dialog box will open with the 

distance between the two points.

Double-click on a field in the waypoint table to edit the parameters 

for a waypoint.

Use the Up and Down arrow icons to re-order the waypoints.

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: Correctly configured automatic landing pattern Use the Delete option to remove a waypoint from the mission.

Locate the Takeoff waypoint in the mission script and set the 

first option in the row to assign the takeoff angle.

Set the takeoff angle to 20-25 degrees depending on the 

length of your takeoff area.

Takeoff angle
19

Select Write WPs

to save the mission to the Aero.

Select Save WP File

to save the mission file to your computer. To 

repeat this mapping mission, load the saved 

WP file from your computer.

For the Aero to run the mission, write the waypoint file to the autopilot. 

Don’t forget to save the waypoint file to your ground station for future use.

Save and Write Mission

Mission Planner Flight Plan tab: Save and write mission
20

2 Fly

Safety 21

Aircraft Operation 22

Components 22

Assembly 23

Controls 26

Modes 27

Arming and Disarming 28

LED Indicators and Tones 28

GPS Lock 28

Preflight Checks 29

Manual and Automatic Takeoff 32

Manual and Automatic Landing 33

FPV System Operation 34

Flying Mapping Missions 35

Takeoff Checklist 35

Initiating 35

Monitoring 35

Failsafes 36