Latest Activity

R J Hamlett replied to Craig Elder's discussion APM Copter 2.9.1.b has been released
"Problem is that a ferrous material, can itself become magnetised. Park the copter for a long time in a static magnetic field, and the plate will be causing the problem, not stopping it. It can also be magnetised by physical deformation (knocking it…"
5 minutes ago
Alfred Alan jr commented on Alfred Alan jr's video
Thumbnail

UAV Delta Wing over Turrialba Volcano

"Gracias Anderl, yo estoy muy contento pues soy dichoso en tener de mi hobby un trabajo. Es una combinacion muy reconfortante."
12 minutes ago
Forrest Frantz replied to Forrest Frantz's discussion Building Copters with Round Tubes - Stronger, Lighter, Easier to Mount Motors than Square Tubes in the group ArduCopter User Group
"On ABS -  I use .060" (1/16") thick fiberglass for the motor mount back plate that gets bonded to the motor mast.  The motor mount back plate doesn't have to be stiff because it is directly bolted (I use nylon bolts) to the…"
17 minutes ago
R J Hamlett replied to Craig Elder's discussion APM Copter 2.9.1.b has been released
"Spot on. The only material you could use that would give magnetic shielding, is mu-metal. This though should be heat treated after cutting and bending. Best Wishes"
21 minutes ago
Forrest Frantz replied to Forrest Frantz's discussion Building Copters with Round Tubes - Stronger, Lighter, Easier to Mount Motors than Square Tubes in the group ArduCopter User Group
"On motors and props - Your instincts on motor choice is good, going with low kV motors.  I've went through test data on over 2000 motors, bought the top 20, paired those with 60 different props, and tested for lift efficiency. Why on…"
22 minutes ago
Drone Savant posted a blog post

(Acro Mode Anyone?) Today in 1927, Lt. James H. Doolittle performed the first known successful outside loop.

In 1927, Doolittle was the first person to successfully execute an outside loop — previously thought to be a fatal maneuver. Carried out in a Curtiss fighter at Wright Field in Ohio, Doolittle executed the dive from 10,000 feet, reached 280 miles per hour, bottomed out upside down, then climbed and completed the loop.…See More
25 minutes ago
Georacer commented on Georacer's blog post Altitude Comparison: barometer vs GPS
29 minutes ago
naish88 commented on Marco Robustini's group ArduCopter Italian Group
"Ciao Alberto,  Ho comprato un Arduflyer da Rctimer per un amico, e l'ho testato prima io. Devo dire che è perfetto e ne vale la pena."
30 minutes ago
Tom Rieckhoff replied to Tom Rieckhoff's discussion 9xr radio and throttle failsafe?
"thanks Hugues, I think I am doing the same as you. I don't understand the model copy. It seems to me that resetting the low throttle setting is the same as re-selecting a different model. Unless I missed something there. Will I will…"
35 minutes ago
Georacer commented on Georacer's blog post Altitude Comparison: barometer vs GPS
"@CrashingDutchman, After further inspection, I believe that what you describe, measurement matching during climb, GPS lag during descent, isn't happening. Instead, this is what happens: The GPS has a time lag of a few seconds while resolving…"
36 minutes ago
Massimo V. commented on Simon Howroyd's blog post Hydrogen Fuel Cell UAV
"Simon, you told that "Flying wings ... are normally more aerodynamically efficient since you do not need a tailplane creating downforce, and all the structure to support it." I don't think it's true. The profile of a flying wing…"
42 minutes ago

Developer
Randy replied to Craig Elder's discussion APM Copter 2.9.1.b has been released
"very interesting.  I think I will have a talk with fridge who wrote the drivers to see what he thinks about this.  nice analysis!"
52 minutes ago
Harley Engholm replied to Randy's discussion ArduCopter 2.9 / 2.9.1 released
"When I initially flew my quad it was extremely twitchy and in fact I could not get it off the ground. My quad is also very overpowered and hovers below 40%, which I didn't realize makes for problems with the control. I always thought over…"
1 hour ago

Developer
Randy replied to Randy's discussion ArduCopter 2.9 / 2.9.1 released
"aha!  rob Lefebvre had a bad experience with one of those and I have one as well that i would like to get flying.  I think super soft is perhaps not good.  that means slow start which means slow response... "
1 hour ago

Moderator
Hooks commented on Hooks's blog post APM 2.5 from hobbyking
"This reminds me too much about how ppl behaves at rcgroups. I Will close the post ASAP I have my hands ón a PC. Should there be an admin please close this debate before WW3 begins. Now get your asses out flying your birds! Have a nice Day.."
1 hour ago

Developer
Randy replied to Craig Elder's discussion APM Copter 2.9.1.b has been released
"Edward, if wind blowing on it makes it climb or descend then in could be an aerodynamic effect but I'm pretty sure you have the foam over the bark right?  all APM 2.5s come in a case now with foam already installed over the baro. I'm…"
1 hour ago

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Forum

9xr radio and throttle failsafe?

Started by Tom Rieckhoff in Unassigned category. Last reply by Tom Rieckhoff 35 minutes ago. 2 Replies

esc:telemetry via apm 2.5

Started by Daniel M. in ArduCopter 2.x (multicopter). Last reply by Daniel M. 4 hours ago. 4 Replies

PPM Encoder

Started by Muhammad Sohaib in 8 Channel PPM Encoder hardware: tech support. Last reply by CyberCrash 5 hours ago. 4 Replies

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Welcome to DIY Drones!


This is the home for everything about amateur Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Use the tabs and drop-down menus above to navigate the site. (About us/Site rules)

This community created the Arduino-based ArduPilot, the world's first universal autopilot (planes, multicopters of all sorts and ground rovers). The APM 2.5 autopilot hardware runs a variety of powerful free UAV software systems, including:

  • ArduPlane, a pro-level UAV system for planes of all types.
  • ArduCopter, a fully-autonomous multicopter and heli UAV system.

I'm new to all this--where do I start?                    Are amateur UAVs legal? (yes)

Examples of civilian uses of drones                   Glossary of confusing terms

Blog Posts

(Acro Mode Anyone?) Today in 1927, Lt. James H. Doolittle performed the first known successful outside loop.

Posted by Drone Savant on May 25, 2013 at 6:28am 0 Comments

In 1927, Doolittle was the first person to successfully execute an outside loop — previously thought to be a fatal maneuver. Carried out in a Curtiss fighter at Wright Field in Ohio, Doolittle executed the dive from 10,000 feet, reached 280 miles per hour,…

Continue

How to connect 3DR GPS uBlox to Raspberry Pi

Posted by Rogelio Nunez on May 25, 2013 at 5:45am 1 Comment

Here is my connection (You can check GPIO pinout here):

I used theFTDI GPS adapter cable, solder pads can be used also, just have…

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3 axis brushless gimbal

Posted by Jack Crossfire on May 25, 2013 at 3:56am 4 Comments



The key…

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First test of targeting system.

Posted by vis.asta on May 24, 2013 at 3:30pm 8 Comments

First test of targeting system. All calculations are done in the air.

Camera provides two streams. Highly compressed (rigth window) and detailed (left).

3 axis BL gimbal. In low light conditions and excessive vibration.

 

test at…

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Thirty Days (#18): NIR camera conversion

Posted by Joshua Ott on May 24, 2013 at 3:30pm 9 Comments

John modified a point-and-shoot camera to capture near infrared images. This is half the puzzle in building NDVI images for analyzing crop health.

Information on the conversion can be found here: …

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Understanding Fly-By-Wire B Mode Altitude Behaviour

Posted by Bill Bonney on May 24, 2013 at 2:44pm 2 Comments

A couple months ago I was testing ArduPlane and some of the different modes. I was not getting on very well in FBW-B* mode. If you look at the image below. You will see the purple track. I was loosing altitude and I couldn't understand why. You can see just before the path goes red, I'd lost a lot of…

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My two birds...ready for flight now

Posted by Euan Ramsay on May 24, 2013 at 1:30pm 4 Comments

Nicknamed "Laurel and Hardy", for reasons that should be obvious.

Everything calibrated...time to get the PID's done! Well..once it stops raining and snowing here in Switzerland. :-(

Some build annoyances, which I'll go into in an additional post.

 

 

 

Laurels bits…

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mapping with condor drone and apm 2.5

Posted by jim C. on May 24, 2013 at 8:30am 9 Comments

Because the latter one of condor drone tests went very well in the navigation, I decided to mount the camera aboard the condor photography for mapping and the results appear promising.

 

 …

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Interesting-sounding drones conference in NYC in October

Posted by Chris Anderson on May 23, 2013 at 10:27pm 3 Comments

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Contests

Season Two of the Trust Time Trial (T3) Contest has now begun. The fourth round is an accuracy round for multicopters, which requires contestants to fly a cube. The deadline is April 14th.

A list of all T3 contests is here

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UAV news from sUAS News

CU-Boulder organizing effort to establish unmanned aircraft test site in Colorado

CU-Boulder organizing effort to establish unmanned aircraft test site in Colorado

Jim Scott, CU-Boulder media relations A state application organized by the University of Colorado Boulder has been submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration for the development of one of six unmanned aircraft systems test sites slated to be established across the United States. Submitted this month, the seventh and final volume of the Colorado application is one of 50 proposals from 37 states for designated Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or UAS, test sites. UAS come in various sizes ranging from hobby airplanes to aircraft with wingspans as wide as commercial jets. While they can be used for tasks ranging from forest fire support and search and rescue missions to oil and gas exploration and military operations, a growing number of science efforts are being undertaken using UAS, said CU-Boulder aerospace engineering sciences Associate Professor Eric Frew. CU-Boulder has one of the most comprehensive UAS science programs in the nation, said Frew, who directs CU’s Research and Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles, or RECUV. CU-Boulder’s UAS projects have included monitoring seal populations in the Arctic and charting sea ice changes near Greenland to intercepting storm cells associated with tornadoes in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska and measuring gaping holes in Antarctic sea ice known as [...]

Infragram: the Infrared Photography Project

Infragram: the Infrared Photography Project

A simple, cheap infrared camera which can measure plant health — for geek gardeners, farmers, and open source DIY scientists. What could farmers, gardeners, students or environmental activists do with an infrared camera that costs as little as $35?What is Infragram? Infragram is a simple, affordable near-infrared camera produced by the Public Laboratory community in a series of collaborative experiments over the last few years. We originally developed this technology to monitor wetlands damages in the wake of the BP oil spill, but its simplicity of use and easy-to-modify open-source hardware & software makes it a useful tool for home gardeners, hikers, makers, farmers, amateur scientists, teachers, artists, and anyone curious about the secret lives of plants. What can you do with Infragram? Take pictures to examine plant health in backyard gardens, farms, parks, andnearby wetlands Check on the health of your crops, especially from a balloon or a kite Monitor your household plants Teach students about plant growth and photosynthesis Create exciting science fair projects Generate verifiable, open environmental data Check progress of environmental restoration projects Document unhealthy areas of your local ecology Pretend you have super-veg-powers Near-infrared photography has been a key tool for planning at the industrial and governmental level: it is used on airplanes and satellites by vineyards, [...]

Google acquires kite-power generator

Google acquires kite-power generator

Well I did’nt see this coming. Using lots of UA tech Google invests in yet more cutting edge stuff (ed) Google has acquired a US company that generates power using turbines mounted on tethered kites or wings. Makani Power will become part of Google X – the secretive research and development arm of the search giant. The deal comes as Makani carries out the first fully autonomous flights of robot kites bearing its power-generating propellers. Google has not said how much it paid to acquire Makani, but it has invested $15m (£9.9m) in the company before now. In a statement posted to its website, Makani said the deal would “provide Makani with the resources to accelerate our work to make wind energy cost competitive with fossil fuels”. Rather than use fixed turbines to generate power, Makani has been experimenting with “flying wings” adorned with several smaller turbines that act as propellers as the craft takes off. Makani claims that mounting the turbines on a wing is more efficient as large numbers can be built with fewer materials than traditional tower-based turbines. In addition, the robot wings can land to avoid damage if wind speeds are too high or during bad [...]

Unmanned aircraft can protect crops from locusts

Unmanned aircraft can protect crops from locusts

by Gabino Martinez Serrano The world population is growing at a rapid pace. Today we are almost seven billion people and it is estimated that the figure will exceed 10 billion in 15 years. The world’s need for food will double, but the world’s arable land remains the same. Experts say that to increase performance, it is important to plant each crop where it can best develop, increase the yield potential of plant varieties and to reduce adversity posed by pests which have become a real problem. Failure to protect crops from pests would reduce harvests to just over half. Locusts are unique because they undergo a phase change. This means that under certain circumstances related to climate and population density, their behaviour changes and they move, eat and behave as a group, forming gigantic clouds and can travel great distances devouring crops in their path. These pests can affect 20 per cent of the surface of the earth, spreading through Africa, the Near East, and Southwest Asia. More than 65 countries may be at risk of swarms, invasion and reproduction. The last powerful plague occurred in 1988-89, threatening as many as 43 countries, one fifth of the world as [...]

ESCC to use donated unmanned aerial vehicles for science

ESCC to use donated unmanned aerial vehicles for science

Ted Shockley MELFA — Launching unmanned aerial vehicles from the Eastern Shore could be a financial plus for the area, and Eastern Shore Community College is positioning itself for an associated educational and training partnership. A link between the two was seen recently when an Aerosonde aerial vehicle donated to the college was unveiled in front of a gathering of staff members and industry experts. “We have something tangible, real, that the students can see,” said College President Linda Thomas-Glover of the unmanned airplane, which from wing to wing was bigger than a typical dining-room table. The particular model was used for years out of Wallops to gather weather data and has flown into hurricanes, said Jon Borcik, a program manager for AAI Corp., which oversees the Aerosonde program. He called it a “coming home mission” for the plane, a fitting place for an aircraft based at Wallops to continue its ­service. The plane will be used to stimulate an interest in science and also be studied by various college classes. The donation was arraigned by Peter Bale, board chairman for the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and a former program manager for Aerosonde North America at Wallops. At a [...]

UAV news from Flight Global

Maritime Heron UAV supports European airspace trial

Europe has advanced a project to prove the feasibility of using satellite communications to enable UAS operations in non-segregated airspace ...

Brazilian navy begins UAS evaluation

The Brazilian navy has begun to evaluate two Israeli-made unmanned air systems for maritime surveillance missions ...

Indian air force to launch micro UAS evaluation

The Indian air force is to evaluate several micro unmanned air systems from around 10 companies in early May ...

VIDEO: Eurocopter demonstrates unmanned EC145

Eurocopter has unveiled an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV), based on its EC145 light twin, which has been in development since September 2011.

Israeli F-16 downs another Hezbollah UAV

An Israeli air force Lockheed Martin F-16 has shot down an unmanned air vehicle launched from Lebanon by Hezbollah militants ...

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