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Week 01 Basic practice of Nadir

Introduction

The purpose of this lab was to familiarize ourselves with the Skydio S2 Enterprise platform and demonstrate basic flight skills that we will continue to build on throughout the semester. During this session, we practiced flying in manual mode and executed several pre-planned and automated mission modes. We specifically focused on capturing nadir imagery at multiple flight altitudes, conducting a waypoint flight mission, and recording video using the One-Shot cinematic skills feature. This initial exercise was designed to develop understanding of safe operations, platform capabilities, camera orientation terminology, and standardized data collection habits expected in future labs.

Study Area

The data collection took place at the Purdue Turf Farm, located approximately ten minutes from campus. Upon arrival, weather conditions were clear and sunny with light winds. The field surface was dry and visibility was excellent. A potential hazard was identified immediately: a grounds crew member was actively mowing the grass about ten feet away from our initial setup area. To mitigate risk, we relocated to a portion of the field that had already been mowed to ensure the Skydio and operator were well clear of the mower. Additionally, another AT 209 class arrived during our session, which increased airspace awareness requirements. Overall, site conditions were safe once we repositioned and clearly identified our operating space.

Figure 1. Study area screenshot with marked flight zone (Insert screenshot here)

Methods

Once on site, we formatted the SD card and verified the geofencing and airspace compliance requirements. A LAANC authorization was filed as standard practice for the turf farm operating region.

We launched the Skydio S2 and began collecting nadir (straight-down, gimbal at 90° downward) images at incremental altitudes. Images were captured at 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 feet. The Skydio was responsive, but we noted some input lag, which made holding exact altitude slightly tedious. To maintain consistency, each altitude was confirmed on the display before image capture.

After completing the nadir imagery, we transitioned to planning a waypoint mission. While preparing this mission, the Skydio displayed an overheating warning due to being placed on a black case in direct sunlight. To resolve this, we powered down, removed the battery, and placed the drone in the shade on the grass. Once cooled, we executed a square-pattern waypoint flight to avoid trees on the right side of the field and the restricted turf area. The final flight time was between 30 seconds and one minute, as required.

Finally, we used the One-Shot cinematic flight mode. We selected Rocket Launch, where the drone maintains camera focus on a subject while ascending vertically. This was my first time using Skydio’s automated cinematic skills, and it provided a smooth and visually appealing video capture.

Data Collection Outcomes

The data collected during this lab included eight nadir images at increasing altitudes, one waypoint mission video, and one One-Shot cinematic video. The following table summarizes time and collection details:

Table 6

Table 6

Task

Approx. Time

Notes

Drive + Setup

~10 minutes

Included hazard evaluation

Nadir Image Collection

~8 minutes

8 altitudes recorded

Waypoint Mission

~5 minutes

Drone cooling required before flight

One-Shot Skill Flight

~2 minutes

Rocket Launch mode video recorded

There are no rows in this table

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Video and imagery files were reviewed onsite to confirm proper capture and stored to shared group storage for future lab use.

Data Deliverables

Below are the nadir images taken at increasing altitudes. Each image should include a caption describing visible field of view differences and pixel resolution quality.

Figure 2. Nadir at 25 ft (Insert image)

Figure 3. Nadir at 50 ft (Insert image)

Figure 4. Nadir at 75 ft (Insert image)

Figure 5. Nadir at 100 ft (Insert image)

Figure 6. Nadir at 125 ft (Insert image)

Figure 7. Nadir at 150 ft (Insert image)

Figure 8. Nadir at 175 ft (Insert image)

Figure 9. Nadir at 200 ft (Insert image)

Figure 10. Waypoint mission video screenshot (Insert screenshot and file reference: S1006395.MP4)

Figure 11. One-Shot Rocket Launch video screenshot (Insert screenshot) (Note: Issue submitting video due to Word software malfunction. Video will be resubmitted once file compatibility issue is resolved.)

Conclusion

This lab provided valuable hands-on experience with the Skydio S2 platform and introduced the flight, imaging, and data management workflow expected in later course assignments. I gained familiarity with the term nadir, practiced altitude-based image capture, executed a waypoint route, and learned how to use Skydio’s cinematic One-Shot feature. Additionally, I learned the importance of monitoring equipment temperature and environmental hazards, as well as the need for organized data storage and redundancy across team members. These foundational skills will be essential as we progress into more complex mission planning, mapping, and remote sensing applications in future labs.

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