Operational Failsafes

Hovermap has been engineered to operate autonomously when attached to a compatible robot or vehicle. It can take these platforms into unsafe places, or where it is simply impossible to go with other systems. In response to a failure during Autonomy-assisted missions, Hovermap has a range of operational smart failsafes to ensure safe and reliable operation.

Only one failsafe can be active at any given time. Therefore, failsafes are ordered in a prioritized list as indicated by the priority number in the table below. In case multiple failsafes are triggered, the one with the lowest priority number will be prioritized.

When a failsafe is triggered, it will be displayed as a notification in the Active Failsafe area beside the Notification button. Click that notification to see more detailed information about the failsafe. All other notifications (if any) are shown below the failsafe in order of severity.

When a failsafe is active, no other notifications will appear in the Main View. They can still be shown by clicking the Notification button.

Once the failsafe has been completed, it will be removed from the Active Failsafe area and notifications are displayed as per normal operation.

Robot Link Loss

Priority: 1

Description	The link between the robot and Hovermap has been lost.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will try to re-establish a connection with the robot and take control of the robot.
Operator Action	Take manual control of the robot and land immediately. Do not take off if the robot is on the ground.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	This failsafe will self-abort when the connection to the robot has been re-established.

Control Authority Denied

Priority: 2

Description	The robot is not allowing Hovermap to take control.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will keep requesting control of the robot.
Operator Action	Land the robot immediately. Do not take off if the robot is on the ground.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The failsafe will self-abort when the robot allows Hovermap to take control.

Control Authority Loss

Priority: 3

Description	Hovermap has lost control and authority over the robot.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will attempt to re-acquire control of the robot
Operator Action	Take manual control of the robot and land immediately. Do not take off if the robot is on the ground.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The failsafe will self-abort when Hovermap re-acquires control of the robot.

Robot Control Not Take-able

Priority: 4

Description	Hovermap indicates that it can’t take control of the Robot.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will monitor the state of the robot to check when it can take control.
Operator Action	Land the robot immediately. Do not take off if the robot is on the ground.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The failsafe will self-abort when Hovermap assesses that it is safe to do so.

Hardware Integrity

Priority: 5

Description	Hovermap has detected that the robot has sustained physical damage.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will attempt to put the robot into a safe state.
Operator Action	If safe to do so, take manual control of the robot, land, and disarm the motors immediately.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

Launch Error

Priority: 6

Field	Details
Description	Hovermap has aborted a take-off.
Hovermap Response	Monitor the drone as it disarms or lands. Ensure that the shield settings are set appropriately, there are no objects in the vicinity of the robot, and attempt to re-launch.
Operator Action	N/A
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

State Estimation Critical

Priority: 7

Description	Hovermap has lost all of its navigation sources (SLAM and GPS).
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will Land the robot.
Operator Action	Take manual control of the robot and land immediately. Do not take off if the robot is on the ground.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

Battery Critical

Priority: 8

Description	Hovermap has detected that the robot’s battery source has reached a critical level.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will land the robot.
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

Path Planner Stuck (Heavy Dust)

Priority: 9

Description	Hovermap has detected that it is not able to navigate through the environment.
Hovermap Response	The robot will retrace its path back through the environment for 30 meters or until it gets to home. During this period, Hovermap is unable to register any new obstacles that have moved into its path. After Hovermap has re-traced its path for 30 meters, it will initiate a Return to Home sequence.
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode twice (double toggle).

Lidar Data Integrity

Priority: 10

Description	Hovermap has detected that its lidar points are starting to not be able to reach the objects around it due to atmospheric conditions.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will start to Return to Home immediately to remove itself from the atmospheric conditions.
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode twice (double toggle).

Once the Lidar Data Integrity failsafe triggers there will be a constant notification advising to return home immediately. This notification will persist for the remainder of the mission, even after the Lidar Data Integrity failsafe has been aborted by the user.

State Estimation Degraded

Priority: 11

Description	Hovermap has lost its primary source of navigation.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will wait for up to 10 seconds to regain a navigation source (SLAM or GPS) If a navigation source is acquired, Hovermap will initiate a Return to Home. If after 10 seconds a navigation source is not acquired, the ‘State Estimation Critical’ failsafe will be triggered.
Operator Action	Monitor Take control in Pilot-Assist mode and land as soon as possible.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode twice (double toggle).

Once the State Estimation Degraded failsafe has been aborted, it will not trigger again until the robot has landed and disarmed.

Battery Low

Priority: 12

Description	Hovermap has detected that the robot’s battery source has reached a low level.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will initiate a Return to Home sequence
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode twice (double toggle).

Once the low battery failsafe has been aborted, it will not trigger again until the robot has landed and disarmed.

GCS Link Loss

Priority: 13

Description	Hovermap has detected that it has lost its connection to the Commander App and has reached its final waypoint with no further instruction.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will initiate a Return to Home sequence
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	The GCS Link Loss failsafe will only trigger if the robot arrives at the last user-defined waypoint and the GCS link has been lost
Abort-able	The failsafe will self-abort when Hovermap regains connection to the GCS and arrives at either the Home point or the Rally point. The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app after the GCS link has been restored. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode.

RC Link Loss

Priority: 14

Description	Hovermap has detected that the robot no longer has a link to its remote control unit and is being operated in Teleoperate mode.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will initiate a Return to Home Sequence
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	The RC Link Loss failafe will only trigger if the robot is being operated in Pilot Assist mode and the RC link is lost.
Abort-able	The failsafe will self-abort when Hovermap regains an RC connection and arrives at either the Home point or the Rally point. The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app. The user can abort the failsafe at any time by toggling the flight mode switch out and back into Hovermap mode.

Data Recording Stopped

Priority: 15

Description	The remaining data storage is below 2GB.
Operator Action	Land
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

Data Storage Critical

Priority: 16

Description	The remaining data storage is below 5GB.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will initiate a Return to Home Sequence
Operator Action	Monitor
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	The user can abort the failsafe at any time via the Commander app.

Not Ready to Arm

Priority: 17

Description	Hovermap has detected that it is not yet in a state for the robot to be armed.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will send a notification to the user.
Operator Action	Do not attempt to take off.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

CPU Temperature High

Priority: 18

Description	Hovermap has detected that its CPU temperature is reaching a high limit.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will send a notification to the user.
Operator Action	Take care when handling the Hovermap payload. The heatsink on the payload may be hot.
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able

Data Storage Low

Priority: 19

Description	The remaining data storage is below 20GB.
Hovermap Response	Hovermap will send a notification to the user.
Operator Action	Monitor Consider returning to home before data storage is exhausted
Prerequisite	N/A
Abort-able	Not abort-able