Waypoint icon greyed out

Just downloaded the latest release for Mac 4.1.2 - very nice new look - I like it! I am connecting to the current release of Ardupilot Plane and trying to plot some waypoints on the map, but the waypoint, pattern and land buttons are greyed out. Any idea what I might be missing?

Thanks, Paul

Hi Paul.

In Plan menu.
Click file >>> survey.

Now you will have access to waypoint and pattern buttons.

Many thanks. Is there documentation describing the different file options? Blank, Survey, Corridor Scan. Its not obvious what these different options are for.

https://docs.qgroundcontrol.com/master/en/getting_started/quick_start.html

Have a look

I checked the regular documentation, but found nothing on these new options - nothing describing the new File menu screen with Blank, Survey, Corridor Scan. I guess the documentation is still catching up. I have just had a good play with the features and really like the planning tools. Seems a little strange that the Mission start panel is only configurable (for ‘above terrain’ in my preference) when the File menu has the ‘Blank’ option selected, then you can’t add waypoints until you subsequently choose ‘Survey’ (which then blocks you from changing the mission start panel options) - not entirely intuitive to be fair. I really like the landing options for glide slope though and the optional loiter. Very nice!

Ah, I’m slowly getting there - your suggestion for the need to select Survey is not entirely correct. Certainly it does enable the waypoint button, but its use is to configure the mission specifically as a Survey mission, I found that if you just want a basic mission, starting with the ‘Clear’ option on the File menu will allow insertion of waypoints (un-greying the waypoint button) after you have first clicked the takeoff button - which creates the first takeoff waypoint on the map then allows subsequent waypoints to be added to the mission. I reiterate my earlier point - not entirely intuitive, but very powerful and clear to visualise the mission. I especially like the terrain chart at the bottom. Very nice feature - way ahead of Mission planner in this respect.

But what about a mission which you want to simply start during an existing flight? What does it do with the takeoff point you have in the plan if you are already airborne?

Edit: I now realise that you can delete the takeoff point from the mission. So if this is allowed then when we are creating a new mission, why make us first select a takeoff point before we can place waypoints?

Colleague and I stumbled into the same issues. The “Blank” create plan menu is not very intuitive…

I followed these instructions and still can’t ‘un-grey’ the waypoint button. I just want to create a simple mission going from one point to another. Any other tips?

Hey, not sure if anyone managed to fix this bug, but I was able to bypass it on mine by going to Application settings > General > Plan view, and toggling the “Missions do not require Takeoff item” checkbox. (QGC version 4.2.3)