Phormio

I found this thread because I am working on the same thing. I am not a very good KSP pilot but I like to design things and let the computer fly them. The best way I have found (there may be a better solution, and I would be surprised if this method this is original) is to use two mods in conjunction: mechjeb (MechJeb 2 -- 2.9.2.0) and TCA (Throttle Controlled Avionics -- 3.7.1) both available thru CKAN. It took me about 40 minutes + infinite fuel to figure out how to make the two auto pilots play nice, so maybe this will save someone some trouble: 1. start with the sky crane and the module (whatever you are picking up) landed near one another on the surface, and as the sky crane controller, execute steps 2 - 12 2. disable TCA but leave MJ enabled, and ensure your primary lifting engines are online & fueled (but throttled to zero) 3. configure TCA like this (in the GUI, YELLOW means off; GREEN means ON): a. VTOL Mode > OFF b. VTOL Assist > OFF c. Stabilizer > OFF d. CPS > OFF! (this is collision avoidance) e. AutoGear > OFF f. AutoBrakes > OFF g. AutoStage > OFF i. AutoChute > OFF j. Modules > OFF h. Hor. Thrust > OFF i. RCS Translation > ON j. RCS Rotation > ON k. Autotune engines' .... > ON l. Hover > ON m. Follow Terrain > ON n. Auto Throttle > ON o. Smart Engines > OFF 4. Switch MechJeb Smart A.S.S. to OFF 5. click the downward-facing docking port on the sky crane and "control from here" 6. target the upward-facing docking port on the module to be lifted and "set as target" 7. enable reaction control system; make sure the RCS light is illuminated on the navball 8. enable TCA (enable button on the biggest TCA window . .. TCA layout is a bit of a mess, but this is due to it being pretty involved; it makes me wish KSP supported multi monitor without having to do a rain dance). ***If the engines fire at this point, or if random unactivated engines activate themselves, you've misconfigured TCA somewhere*** 9. in the "hover" TCA toolbar, make your altitude 10 meters: this should cause the engines to fire and the sky crane to hover ten meters above the surface 10. open the MJ "docking autopilot" menu and enable autopilot: this should cause the sky crane to use RCS to position itself over the module and align the docking ports 11. wait until you see that the sky crane is motionless relative to the target; you should see the MJ autopilot starting to fight with the TCA autopilot as MJ tries to use RCS to push the docking ports together and TCA increases thrust to maintain the 10m altitude 12. as soon as this fight starts to happen, click the "-10" button on the TCA hover toolbar, making your desired altitude zero / RED : this should cause TCA to move downwards toward the target, and allow MJ to dock the sky crane to the module If you want to make sure that MJ has enough authority to slow the final decent and docking maneuver to less than a meter per second, it is a good idea to put lots of RCS thrusters pointing DOWNWARDS; this way mechanical jebediah will be able to cancel the remainder of the vertical speed that is leftover from what TCA thinks should be a typical landing velocity. Or just set TCA speed limit to .05. I have not figured out the best way to precisely place my building blocks yet.. I only can pick them up and crudely place them down so far. But the picking up part I have down. Maybe this saves someone 40 minutes. Cheers.