Flight Events

Out of all of the menus in Blockly, the one you will be using the most is flight commands. This is where you will find blocks to have your CoDrone fly in different directions and, probably most important, take off and land! To find the takeoff() and land() blocks, click on the flight commands menu. The takeoff() and land() blocks should be at the top!

Any code that has your CoDrone in the air will start with the takeoff() block. This will make your drone launch from the ground and fly vertically in the air. Your CoDrone should then hover for about three seconds before moving on to the next block in your code. 

Let’s make your CoDrone take off now! Drag the takeoff() block from the flight commands menu to your workspace.

If you want your CoDrone to hover for more than three seconds, there is a way to do that! Find the hover (_ sec) block in the flight commands menu and connect it to the bottom of the takeoff() block. Next, type in the number of seconds you would like your CoDrone to hover for.

The land() block brings your CoDrone to the ground gently. When you’re finished with everything else in your code, attach the land() block to the bottom of your program.

There might be times when your CoDrone is about to crash into something and you need to have it make an emergency stop before it does serious damage. If you want your CoDrone’s motors to stop without crashing into the ceiling first, program a kill switch by dragging a rounded when _ key press block from the gray logic menu into the workspace. This should be the block that doesn’t have a connector on the side! Pick the key you would like to use to stop your drone from the block’s drop-down menu, but as a warning, using the backspace key can sometimes delete blocks of code! 

Next, go to the flight commands menu, find the emergency_stop() block, and drag it into the when _  key press block. 

Note: this will be a separate program but will be in the same workspace!

Your workspace should look something like the picture.

Want to see what it looks like in a text-based coding language? Click either the Java, Python, or Arduino icon on the right-hand side of your workspace to take a glimpse into your programming future!

Challenge: CoDrone Pushups 

Try to make your CoDrone take off and land 5 times in a row with one code! Currently, your CoDrone can do one pushup with the code you have. 

Rules: 

1. The CoDrone must completely leave the ground on takeoff. 
2. The CoDrone must be completely back on the ground on landing. 
3. Don’t forget an emergency stop! 

See who can do the most CoDrone pushups in 10 seconds OR who can use the least amount of blocks in their code!