Events

An event is a condition, or set of circumstances, that must occur to trigger determined actions. All the events can be combined to create a custom event, using the boolean operations provided by the software (AND, OR, NOT).

../../../_images/boolean_operations.png

Events options

The following table depicts the meaning of each one of the boolean operators.

Logics

Description

AND

All events grouped on an AND should be accomplished simultaneously in order to activate the automation.

OR

One of the events in the group should be accomplished for activating the automation.

NOT

The event will be active meanwhile the event or event group is not accomplished.

When there is only one event, clicking on the boolean command will create another event linked to the other one according to that operation. By right clicking on an event and selecting Wrap in allows the creation of an operation as if it was inside brackets, i.e it will be evaluated first. Let’s consider the following event group as an example.

../../../_images/events_wrap.jpg

Events wrapped

The first operation that is evaluated is the NOT, then the OR between Event2 and the result of the NOT, and finally the AND between Event1 and the result of the OR.

When creating a new event it is possible to choose from one of the previously created on the system or to create a new one.

../../../_images/new_event.png

New event

  • To add an event already created, select the desired event and click Accept.

  • By default, when a new event is created, it is assigned with the consecutive ID.

    However, if the user wants to create a new event with a specific ID, the New event ID option can be “unlocked” by holding down lock until the process is fully completed (during the unlocking process this icon lock_progress is “painted”).

    Once unlocked (when it appears as lock_open), the user can assign the desired ID to the new event.

    Finally, click Create and the new event will be added.

../../../_images/new_event_id.png

Automations menu - New event ID

Caution

When the user enters an ID that is already assigned to an event, the following confirmation message will appear:

../../../_images/new_automation_confirmation_message_event.png

Automations menu - New event confirmation message

Then, if the user presses ‘OK’, the existing event will be removed and a new event with the entered ID will be added.

The user can also rename the event with the name of his choice.

../../../_images/event_name.png

New event - name

The different types of events that can be created are presented below.

Alarm

This kind of automation allows the user to add any bit of the system as an alarm. Depending on the mode in which it is configured, it will be activated in one way or another.

../../../_images/events_alarm.png

Alarm event

The two possible modes are the following:

  • Fail one: it is triggered when one of the bits is set to false.

  • All ok: it is triggered when all bits are set to true.

A common alarm event is the Position not fixed in fail one mode, which is triggered when there is not GPS signal in the autopilot.

Area

The action is triggered when the aircraft is inside or outside an area defined in the mission. For more information on mission creation, take a look at the Veronte Ops manual.

This event allows to select more than one area, in this case, the action will be triggered by being in any of the selected phases, i.e. acting as if an OR had been defined between them.

../../../_images/events_area.png

Area event

  • Type: Inside or Outside.

  • Object of interest: The user has to select which object is the one that should fulfill the event.

  • Selected areas: To select an area, first define the desired areas (prims, cylinders or spheres) in the Operation elements panel of the UI menu.

When the event has been labeled (“Event area” in this case) and saved, it is possible to link it to an area drawn on the map with the Operation panel (see more about this at the Veronte Ops manual) .

Button

This option creates a button in Veronte Ops software that will trigger the action when it is clicked.

../../../_images/events_button.png

Button event

The following options are available:

  • Icon: The user can select the most appropriate icon for the event from a list of icons provided by the software.

  • Time Control: This functionality estabilshes the time the button must be pressed to trigger an action.

    Note

    The time must be specified in seconds.

  • Confirmation: A pop-up window asking for confirmation will be displayed after pushing the button, so it is a safety measure.

  • Range variable and range colors options are used to make the button change its color according to the value of a variable. To do that, select a variable and then indicate as many points as desired, each one with its corresponding value and color.

    Warning

    For the buttons to be colored, it is necessary that the chosen variables have been added to the mandatory telemetry, adding it to the complementary telemetry is not sufficient.

Note

  • If a button event triggers an action that consists of a change to a determined phase, the button will be displayed in the Veronte Panel of Veronte Ops with the name of that phase on it.

    • To create the button for changing to a determinated phase, it is only needed to link the button event to the corresponding ‘Phase’ action.

  • If the button event is linked to a different action (servo movement, variable, etc.), it can be displayed both in the Veronte Panel and as a independent Action button input.

Mode

The event is triggered when the aircraft is in one of the modes selected.

../../../_images/events_mode.png

Mode event

These modes have been created previously. See section Modes, for more information about creating modes.

The compliance time option could be interesting in this type of event.

Phase

The event is triggered when the aircraft is in the phases selected by clicking on add, being in any of them will trigger the action.

../../../_images/events_phase.png

Phase event

These phases have been created previously. See section Phases, for more information about creating phases.

Important

Note that when more than one phase is defined in this event, the action is not only executed if the platform is in one phase or another, but also when switching between the added phases.

That is:

  • Platform is in Phase 1 \(\Rightarrow\) Action is executed

  • Platform is in Phase 2 \(\Rightarrow\) Action is executed

  • Platform switches from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and vice-versa \(\Rightarrow\) Action is executed

Therefore, if the desired behavior is that the action is only triggered by being in one phase or the other, the automation must be defined as 2 different phase events (or as many as desired) linked with an OR.

That is:

../../../_images/events_phase_example.png

Phase events

Route

This event is related with the patches and marks defined by the user in the Operation elements panel of the UI menu and to those created in the mission (in Veronte Ops, see more about the creation of marks and patches in the Veronte Ops manual).

../../../_images/events_route.png

Route event

The following options are available:

  • Activation: The user can choose between two modes in this event.

    • Fly to waypoint: Triggers the action when the platform is flying towards that waypoint (patch).

    • Mark achieved: Triggers the action when the vehicle has reached the selected mark.

  • Selected marks/points: To select a mark/waypoint (patch), first define it in the Operation elements panel of the UI menu.

  • Icon and color: It is possible to change the appearance of the waypoint, selecting an icon from the icon list and a color, so the user can identify easily the waypoint linked to that automation.

Timer

This event will check the status of the timer selected in the menu. That timer should have been previously configured on the action side of another automation (action type Periodical).

../../../_images/events_timer.png

Timer event

In the Timer parameter, users must select the number that identifies the timer (previously created with the periodical action) that is evaluated in this event.

For example, if it is desired to take a photo 10 seconds after the takeoff, two automations are required:

  1. The first automation should have the event of Phase Take Off, with the correspondent Periodical action that will start a timer that lasts 10 seconds.

  2. The second one should have a Timer event with the timer previously created and then an action to take a photo when the timer event is triggered.

Variable

This event is triggered when a variable selected is between a range established.

../../../_images/events_variable.png

Variable event

  • Variable: The user can select the variable to be evaluated.

  • Max/Min: Maximum and minimum values of the threshold are established here. Custom threshold can be established by clicking on the gears icon.

  • Invert range: This option will change the interval (the blue area will be gray, and the gray one will be blue).

As an example consider the event of the figure. With that parameters, the event is triggered when the IAS is between 5 and 20 meters per second. If the invert range option is unchecked, the event will be triggered when the IAS is lower that 5 m/s or greater than 20 m/s.