Free tool · ArduPlane, QuadPlane and ArduCopter

Drone mission validator

Upload your Mission Planner or QGroundControl mission and check before flying the height above terrain along the whole path, the ENAIRE UAS zones it crosses, the take-off and landing structure, distance and endurance. The mission is analysed in your browser.

Your missionChoose fileMission Planner .waypoints or QGroundControl .plan

Aircraft Speed (m/s) Endurance (min)

The file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.

What it checks

Height above terrain

Converts each waypoint height (relative, AMSL or terrain) to height above ground along the whole path, with the terrain profile: above 120 m and sections below 10 m.

ENAIRE UAS zones

Which zones the path crosses at mission height, with what each requires: coordination, request or notice.

Structure

TAKEOFF or VTOL_TAKEOFF first, VTOL commands only on QuadPlane, RTL or landing at the end, valid DO_JUMPs, 0,0 coordinates and zero heights.

Distance and endurance

Path length, time at your speed (with loiters and repeats), maximum distance from take-off for visual line of sight and battery reserve.

Guide: how to check an ArduPilot mission

How to check a mission before flying it

Export the mission from Mission Planner (Plan → Save file, .waypoints format) or from QGroundControl (Plan → Save, .plan format).
Upload it and choose the aircraft: QuadPlane, plane or multirotor. The take-off and landing check depends on the type.
Check the profile: the orange line is the mission height and the brown one, the terrain. The dashed line marks 120 m above ground.
Fix the problems in the list and, if it crosses UAS zones, do the coordination each one requires before the flight.

Relative, AMSL and terrain heights

Planners store each waypoint’s height in a frame: relative to the take-off point (the most common), above sea level (AMSL) or above terrain. A mission at 100 m relative over a hillside can be 40 m above the ground at the top or 160 m in the valley. The validator works out the real height above ground along the whole path with a terrain model and tells you where it exceeds 120 m or flies too low.

Take-off and landing in ArduPilot

Multirotor and plane: to start the mission in AUTO from the ground, the first navigation command must be TAKEOFF.
QuadPlane: VTOL_TAKEOFF to take off vertically and VTOL_LAND to land; the autopilot transitions to fixed wing on its way to the next waypoint.
End of the mission: finish with RETURN_TO_LAUNCH, a landing or a DO_LAND_START sequence so the ending is predictable.

UAS zones and distance

A mission can start from an unrestricted point and later cross controlled airspace or an aerodrome’s surroundings. The validator checks every section at the height it flies and gives you the zone’s requirement. It also warns you if you go so far that in the open category you could not keep the aircraft in sight; to fly further, see the SORA assistant.

Other free tools

Where can I fly my drone?Map of ENAIRE UAS zones with a plain-language summary: how high you can fly without paperwork and what to request above that.Open →Can I fly today?Wind and gusts at your flight height, rain, Kp index, daylight and UAS zones at a point, with the best window of the day.Open →.bin log analyzerBlack box diagnosis of your ArduPilot flight: possible faults, likely cause and what to do, with interactive charts. The log is not uploaded.Open →.param analyzerCheck your ArduPlane, QuadPlane or ArduCopter configuration against the official documentation: failsafes, outputs, battery and tilt.Open →QuadPlane setupStarting .param for your VTOL: frame, tilt-rotor or tailsitter, outputs, battery, failsafes and airspeeds.Open →ArduPilot firmware upgradeConvert your .param to 4.6 or 4.7: renamed parameters with their value, removed ones and those that change meaning.Open →GSD calculatorGSD, footprint, photo and line spacing, number of photos and blur-free speed for photogrammetry.Open →SORA assistantOpen category, standard scenarios or SORA 2.5: GRC, ARC and SAIL of your specific category operation.Open →Operations manualDraft operations manual with checklists, emergency procedures and response plan, ready to adapt.Open →

Questions

Which formats does it accept?

Mission Planner .waypoints (QGC WPL 110 format, also .txt) and QGroundControl .plan files, including Survey grids.

How does it work out height above ground?

With a digital terrain model of about 30 m resolution: for relative heights it adds the take-off elevation and subtracts the terrain at each point. It does not include trees, buildings or power lines.

Is my mission uploaded?

No. The file is read in your browser. Only terrain height tiles and zone data for the area of the path are downloaded.

Does it replace checking ENAIRE Drones?

No. The zones are a copy of ENAIRE data included in the website. Before flying check ENAIRE Drones and the NOTAMs and do the coordination each zone requires.

Can I fly the mission in a simulator?

Yes. In the AIRLAB FPV simulator you load AUTO missions into the planner and, with AIRLAB Connector, fly them with real ArduPilot (SITL) before doing them in the field.

Does it check grid (Survey) missions?

Yes. In QGroundControl .plan files it reads the waypoints generated by the grid, and Mission Planner already saves grids as normal waypoints.

Does it account for obstacles?

No. The terrain model does not include trees, buildings or power lines: sections below 10 m are flagged so you can check them in the field.