Motion

Introduction

The VEX AIR Hornet features four propellers, allowing it to move in any direction and rotate independently. Motion provides methods for movement, turning, speed adjustments, and position tracking.

Below is a list of available blocks:

Actions – Move and turn the Hornet.

• take off - Lifts the Hornet to a specified height.

• land - Lands the Hornet.

• hover - Keeps the Hornet at its position.

• climb - Moves the Hornet in a specified vertical direction.

• climb for - Moves the Hornet in a specified vertical direction for a specific distance.

• climb to altitude - Moves the Hornet to a specified altitude.

• move – Moves the Hornet forward, reverse, left, or right.

• move at angle – Moves the Hornet in a specified direction using an angle.

• move for – Moves the Hornet in a specific direction for a set distance.

• move at angle for – Moves the Hornet at a specific angle for a set distance.

• turn – Rotates the Hornet left or right.

• turn for – Rotates the Hornet for a specified number of degrees.

• turn to heading – Rotates the Hornet to face a specific heading.

• move with controller – Allows the Hornet to be driven using the controller.

Flight Control – Adjust flight settings.

• set steering POV – Sets the POV for steering the Hornet.

• set movement – Sets the movement style of the Hornet.

Settings – Adjust movement and turn speeds.

• set climb velocity – Sets the default climbing speed.

• set move velocity – Sets the default movement speed.

• set turn velocity – Sets the default turning speed.

Altitude – Track and modify the Hornet’s maximum altitude.

• altitude – Returns the Hornet’s altitude.

• set maximum altitude - Sets the maximum altitude.

Position – Track and modify the Hornet’s position.

• position – Returns the Hornet’s current x, y, or z coordinate.

• set drone position – Manually sets the Hornet’s x, y, and z position.

Values – Check movement status.

• safe mode? - Returns the Hornet’s propeller lock state.

• climb active? - Returns whether the Hornet is currently climbing.

• move active? – Returns whether the Hornet is currently moving.

• turn active? – Returns whether the Hornet is currently turning.

• hovering? - Returns whether the Hornet is currently hovering.

• taking off? - Returns whether the Hornet is currently taking off.

• landing? - Returns whether the Hornet is currently landing.

Actions

take off

The take off block lifts the Hornet into the air.

move forward stack block

    take off to [500] mm ▶

Parameters	Description
distance	The distance the Hornet will fly to in millimeters.
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Example

Example coming soon!

land

The land block lands the Hornet.

move forward stack block

    land ▶

Parameters	Description
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Example

Example coming soon!

hover

The hover block makes the Hornet hover in the air.

move forward stack block

    hover

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

climb

The climb block moves the Hornet in a specified vertical direction.

move forward stack block

    climb [up v]

Parameters	Description
direction	The direction in which the Hornet will fly: up down

Example

Example coming soon!

climb for

The climb for block moves the Hornet in a specified vertical direction for a specific distance.

move forward stack block

    climb [up v] for (500) [mm v] ▶

Parameters	Description
direction	The direction in which the Hornet will fly: up down
distance	The distance the Hornet will fly for.
units	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Example

Example coming soon!

climb to altitude

The climb to altitude block moves the Hornet to a specific altitude.

move forward stack block

    climb to altitude [500] [mm v] ▶

Parameters	Description
altitude	The altitude, as an integer or decimal, the Hornet will climb to.
units	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Example

Example coming soon!

move

The move block moves the Hornet in four specific directions using the current move velocity.

move forward stack block

    move [forward v]

Parameters	Description
direction	Move the Hornet in one of the following directions: forward right left reverse

Example

Example coming soon!

move at angle

The move at angle block moves the Hornet at a specified angle using the current move velocity.

move at 90 degrees stack block

    move at (90) degrees ▶

Parameters	Description
angle	The angle, as an integer or decimal, at which the Hornet moves, ranging from 0 to 360 degrees.
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Examples

Example coming soon!

move for

The move for block moves the Hornet in four specific directions for a specific distance using the current move velocity.

move forward for 200 mm stack block

    move [forward v] for (200) [mm v] ▶

Parameters	Description
direction	Move the Hornet in one of the following directions: forward right left reverse
distance	The distance, as an integer or decimal, that the Hornet will move.
unit	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Example

Example coming soon!

move at angle for

The move at angle for block moves the Hornet at a specific angle for a specified distance using the current move velocity.

move at angle for stack block

    move at (45) degrees for (200) [mm v] ▶

Parameters	Description
angle	The angle, as an integer or decimal, at which the Hornet moves, ranging from 0 to 360 degrees.
distance	The distance, as an integer or decimal, that the Hornet will move.
unit	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Examples

Example coming soon!

turn

The turn block turns the Hornet in a specific direction using the current turn velocity.

turn right stack block

    turn [right v] 

Parameters	Description
direction	The direction in which the Hornet turns: right left

Example

Example coming soon!

turn for

The turn for block turns the Hornet in a specified direction for a set distance relative to its current facing direction using the current turn velocity.

turn right for 90 degrees stack block

    turn [right v] for (90) degrees ▶

Parameters	Description
direction	The direction in which the Hornet turns: right left
angle	The angle, as an integer or decimal, at which the Hornet moves, ranging from 0 to 360 degrees.
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Examples

Example coming soon!

turn to heading

The turn to heading block turns the Hornet to face a specific heading using the current turn velocity.

turn to heading 90 degrees stack block

    turn to heading (270) degrees ▶

Parameters	Description
heading	The heading that the Hornet will turn to face from 0 to 360 degrees.
expanding arrow	By default, this is a waiting block, so the Hornet will finish moving before running the next block. To make the Hornet start moving and immediately run the next block right away, expand the block to say and don’t wait.

Examples

Example coming soon!

move with controller

The move with controller block lets you drive the Hornet using the VEX AIR Controller. To use the controller, you need to put the block inside a loop - such as a “forever” loop. If the loop stops and there are no other blocks telling the Hornet to move, the Hornet will keep going in the last direction you pushed the joystick.

    move with controller

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

–>

Flight Control

set steering POV

The set steering POV block sets the viewpoint that is used when steering the Hornet.

move forward stack block

    set steering POV to [pilot v]

Parameters	Description
style	Sets the viewpoint that is used to steer the Hornet: drone – The Hornet moves relative to where it is facing. pilot – The Hornet moves relative to where it was facing at the start of the project.

Example

Example coming soon!

set movement

The set movement block sets the Hornet’s movement style.

move forward stack block

    set movement to [sport v]

Parameters	Description
style	Sets the speed that is used to steer the Hornet: tracking – The Hornet moves at a normal speed. sport – The Hornet moves at a faster speed.

Example

Example coming soon!

Settings

set climb velocity

The set climb velocity block sets the default climbing speed as a percentage for all subsequent movement blocks in the project.

move forward stack block

    set climb velocity to [100] %

Parameters	Description
velocity	The velocity at which the Hornet will climb as a percent.

Example

Example coming soon!

set move velocity

The set move velocity block sets the default movement speed as a percentage for all subsequent movement blocks in the project.

set move melocity to 50% stack block

    set move velocity to (100)%

Parameters	Description
velocity	The velocity at which the Hornet will move as a percent.

Example

Example coming soon!

set turn velocity

Documentation Coming Soon

Altitude

altitude

The altitude block returns the Hornet’s altitude.

move forward stack block

    altitude in [mm v]

Parameters	Description
units	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches

Example

Example coming soon!

set maximum altitude

Documentation Coming Soon

Position

position

The position block returns the Hornet’s current x, y, or z-coordinate as an integer.

x position in mm reporter block

    [x v] position in [mm v]

Parameters	Description
coordinate	The coordinate axis, which can be one of the following: x y z
unit	The unit of measurement, which can be one of the following: mm (millimeters) inches

Example

Example coming soon!

set drone position

The set drone position block sets the Hornet’s current position to specified values in millimeters (mm).

set position stack block

    set drone position x: (0) y: (0) z: (0)

Parameters	Description
x	The x-position to set for the Hornet, in mm.
y	The y-position to set for the Hornet, in mm.
z	The z-position to set for the Hornet, in mm.

Example

Example coming soon!

Values

safe mode?

The safe mode? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the propeller lock is enabled on the Hornet.

• True – Propellers are in locked.

• False – Propellers are not locked.

move forward stack block

    <safe mode?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

climb active?

The climb active? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is climbing.

• True – The Hornet is currently climbing.

• False – The Hornet is not climbing.

move forward stack block

    <climb active?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

move active?

The move active? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is moving.

• True – The Hornet is currently moving.

• False – The Hornet is not moving.

is move active report block

    <move active?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

turn active?

The turn active? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is turning.

• True – The Hornet is currently turning.

• False – The Hornet is not turning.

turn active reporter block

    <turn active?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

hovering?

The hovering? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is hovering.

• True – The Hornet is currently hovering.

• False – The Hornet is not hovering.

move forward stack block

    <hovering?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

taking off?

The taking off? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is taking off.

• True – The Hornet is currently taking off.

• False – The Hornet is not taking off.

move forward stack block

    <taking off?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!

landing?

The landing? block returns a Boolean indicating whether the Hornet is landing.

• True – The Hornet is currently landing.

• False – The Hornet is not landing.

move forward stack block

    <landing?>

Parameters	Description
	This block has no parameters.

Example

Example coming soon!