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Lab Overview
This lab focused on flying a 2D mapping mission using the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and comparing its workflow and autonomy to a previous Skydio 2 mission. The flight was conducted at the William H. Daniel Turfgrass Research and Diagnostic Center in West Lafayette, Indiana. The goal was to understand how different UAS platforms and mission planning software affect field operations, autonomy, and overall data collection.
The mission was flown on September 23, 2025, and used the same mapping area and flight pattern as the prior Skydio mission to keep conditions consistent. The main variable being evaluated was the use of DJI’s native system combined with the DroneDeploy app, rather than Skydio’s Enterprise software.
Study Area
The mapping took place at the Turfgrass Research and Diagnostic Center, which served as a controlled and familiar test site. The team focused on the same primary area used in the Skydio mission and flew only the lawnmower pattern section of the site. Keeping the same boundary allowed for a direct comparison between platforms while minimizing outside variables.
Figure 1: 2D Mapping Occurred in Red Square
Weather conditions during the flight were favorable. Temperatures were warm, winds were light at the surface, and visibility was good. The crew also completed a hazard assessment before flight, identifying nearby trees, power lines along Cherry Lane, and aircraft traffic above the operating altitude. Weather forecasts showing possible rain later in the day were also considered during mission planning.
Weather Conditions
Temperature
80 Degrees Fahrenheight
Dewpoint
64 Degrees Fahrenheit
Wind (According to KLAF METAR)
9mph gusting North
Precipitation
0% Chance
Visibility
10 statute miles
Clouds (Observed at Site)
Overcast
Wind (Observed at Site)
Light wind at surface
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Methods and Flight Setup
Unlike the Skydio 2, the Mavic 2 Pro requires a third party application to conduct automated 2D mapping missions. For this lab, DroneDeploy was used. This required creating a mission plan while connected to the internet and then linking the app to the aircraft after setup.
The mission was flown at 200 feet AGL with 80 percent frontlap and sidelap. The planned flight time was just over five minutes, and the mission was fully autonomous from takeoff through landing. One challenge noted during the flight was the transition of control between the DJI GO 4 app and DroneDeploy, especially when regaining manual control after landing.
Figure 2: DroneDeploy Mission Settings
Figure 3: DroneDeploy Boundaries
Data Collection Outcomes
The mission was completed efficiently with minimal issues. The total flight time was approximately six and a half minutes, and over one hundred images were captured during the flight. The resulting dataset was just over one gigabyte in size. All required metadata was collected and logged in the field to support proper processing and documentation.
Key Takeaway
This lab showed how mission planning software plays a major role in UAS mapping operations. While the Mavic 2 Pro is capable of producing strong 2D datasets, it requires more setup and app coordination compared to the Skydio platform. Overall, the lab highlighted the tradeoff between flexibility and ease of use, and reinforced the importance of understanding both the aircraft and the software being used in professional UAS mapping workflows.
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