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Mission Planning – Using geoPDF and geoTIFF

These instructions will help you overlay geoPDF files to the map display of your GCS. This feature is useful because it expands the capabilities of live tracking to specialized or custom maps. This conversion process is made simple in Flight Deck Desktop, which can be downloaded here.

We recommend making a folder titled “geoPDF” on your desktop or somewhere easily accessible. Place all files you wish to upload to your Ground Control Station (GCS) here. 

Warning sign Note: Your GCS automatically creates the proper file tree for your Micro SD card, but you must power cycle the GCS first. You must complete this step before moving on.

Remove the Micro SD card from your GCS and insert it into your computer.

Open the desktop version of Flight Deck, then click the Vision Aerial logo in the top left corner, followed by Application Settings.

Click on Geo Photo to access the options.

After navigating to the Geo Photo menu: 

  1. Specify the folder to convert. This is the same geoPDF folder from your desktop.
  2. Specify the output location to your Micro SD card. The file path should be:
    > USB Drive > FlightDeck > GeoPhoto
  1. Start Conversion. This process allows for multiple file conversions. Depending on size, some files may take several minutes to complete. 
  2. Once your files have been converted, close out of FlightDeck Desktop.

Warning sign Note: Prior to removing your Micro SD card, REMEMBER TO CLICK “SAFELY REMOVE HARDWARE.” Failure to do so may result in corrupt files.

Insert the Micro SD card into your GCS and power cycle it, because Flight Deck will not see the new files until the device has been restarted.

Reopen Flight Deck on your Ground Control Station and navigate to the mapping tab.
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  1. Select Geo Photo
  2. Select Load New Geo Photo
  3. Select the file you want to overlay.

Note: A black rectangle may appear until the file finishes loading. Additionally, the files will load in a lower resolution to conserve device memory on the GCS. To increase resolution, click “See Full Resolution.”

Navigating back to the Geo Photo tab, you will see:

  1. Device memory remaining.

Warning sign Note: IT IS ADVISABLE TO KEEP AVAILABLE MEMORY ABOVE 20%.

  1. Opacity adjustment. This feature allows you to overlay several maps on top of each other.
  2. Delete tab.

Warning sign Note: This button does not delete the map from the device, but simply removes it from the screen.