Mission Scenario: Drone Light Show (Swarm)
Objective
Coordinate 50 drones to launch simultaneously and form a geometric shape in the sky. Timing must be synchronized to the millisecond to prevent collisions and ensure visual coherence.
Vehicle Configuration
- Type: Small Quadcopters (RTK GPS required).
- Payload: RGB LED Module.
- Comms: Broadcast MAVLink over Wifi (UDP).
Key Concepts
- UTC Synchronization: Using
NAV_DELAYwith absolute UTC time ensures every drone executes the next command at the exact same instant, regardless of boot time or minor GPS variances. - Geofencing: Strict
NAV_FENCE_POLYGONboundaries prevent "rogue" drones from leaving the performance volume.
Mission Plan (Drone #12 of 50)
| Seq | Command | Parameters | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NAV_DELAY |
Time: [20:00:00 UTC] | Wait for the "Show Start" time. |
| 2 | DO_SET_SERVO |
Ch: 5, PWM: 1500 | LEDs: RED (Standby). |
| 3 | NAV_TAKEOFF |
Alt: 30m | Climb to formation altitude. |
| 4 | NAV_DELAY |
Time: [20:00:15 UTC] | Wait for entire swarm to reach altitude. |
| 5 | DO_SET_SERVO |
Ch: 5, PWM: 1900 | LEDs: GREEN (Formation Start). |
| 6 | NAV_WAYPOINT |
Lat/Lon: [Shape Pos 12] | Move to assigned vertex in the "Star" shape. |
| 7 | NAV_DELAY |
Time: [20:00:45 UTC] | Hold shape for 30 seconds. |
| 8 | DO_SET_SERVO |
Ch: 5, PWM: 1100 | LEDs: BLUE (Transition). |
| 9 | NAV_SPLINE_WAYPOINT |
Lat/Lon: [Helix Pos 12] | Fly a curved path to the "DNA Helix" shape. |
| 10 | NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH |
- | End of show. |
Pro-Tips
- RTK is Mandatory: For swarm spacing of < 2 meters, standard GPS (accuracy 2.5m) is dangerous. RTK (accuracy 0.02m) is required.
- LED Control: Use
DO_SET_SERVOif your LEDs act like servos (PWM). If you use WS2812 LEDs connected to a flight controller output, use Lua Scripting andDO_SEND_SCRIPT_MESSAGEto trigger complex animations like "Rainbow Fade" or "Sparkle" which are stored on the drone itself.