QGC Mission Planning Expedited

A basic step-by-step on planning a mission in QGC.

STEP	ACTION	INFO
1	Begin by opening the QGC App.
2	Navigate to the Mission Planner section of QGC, highlighted & circled in red.
3	When entering Mission Planner there are many options. Here we'll be focusing on creating a quick survey. Click on “Survey” highlighted in red.
4	After you’ve chosen “Survey” click on the “Mission Start” tab on the top right. Next, click on the two drop-down tabs right below it: “Vehicle Info” and “Launch Position”. Here we can set the global waypoint altitude for our mission, the speed we will fly our mission and our launch altitude. (Notice altitude is in meters, either change your default units or convert your desired altitude) Typically, it's safe to leave Launch Position alone as it will default to the aircraft's position when you’re going to fly. Tap on the Mission Start tab again to collapse it.
5	“Takeoff” tab. Depending on your mission, this tab can get in the way of data you would like to collect, it's advised that if you do not require it to delete it. Do this by simply pressing the small garbage can in the top left corner of the tab.
6	"Survey" tab. Once you click it you will be given a bar at the top of the map with different options for the type of survey you would like to create. For this guide we will choose Basic.
7	Once you've chosen the Basic option, QGC will drop a generic polygon onto your map. You can edit the shape and size of your survey by moving the white circles at the vertices. You can also add more vertices by clicking on the “+” symbols between the white circles. This will allow you to create a polygon that covers your desired survey area. When you’re finished editing your survey area click “Done with Polygon” on the right.
8	Once finished with your polygon you will have access to more nuanced settings for how you would like to acquire your data during the survey. These parameters are dictated by the hardware you are using to gather data, as well as, your desired mission altitude, among other things. Refer to your hardware manual for specifics.
9	The last setting to change before uploading the mission to your aircraft will be the Return to Launch or RTL setting. This can change depending on your AOO or mission requirements. Be sure to think through your whole mission before uploading. However, if something needs to be changed you can simply come back to the mission planner, make your changes, and then re-upload the new mission to the aircraft. The default mode returns the aircraft to launch after the mission is finished.
10	Lastly, you need to upload the mission to the aircraft. Click the flashing “Upload Required” button in the top right corner. There will be a short green loading bar followed by a “DONE” prompt at the top of the screen. Head back into the main flight mode by clicking the purple paper airplane and you will see a “Start Mission” slider at the bottom of your screen. You're ready to go!