Latest Activity

Frank Bernd posted a discussion

auto drift correction problem

Hello,I´m on the way to build a very special copter for aerial video shoots. So for me the the best possible stability is very important to get a good result.So tow years ago I started to build a Copter that always fly in a horizontal alignment, using extra props for the vertical acceleration.The first one I build was based on MultiWII FlyDuino that is flying well.Now I build a bigger one based on Arducopter. But with that software I have a problem.For me it look´s like there is a function in…See More
24 minutes ago
Tony Foate replied to Randy's discussion ArduCopter 2.9 / 2.9.1 released
"TAKEOFF STABILITY WITH 2.9.1b I have an issue with run up and takeoff stability. My F330 is difficult to get off the ground nicely i.e. with no pitch/roll manual interaction. Once it is in the air, it works well. Alt_Hold also works smoothly. It…"
24 minutes ago
Steve Monro left a comment for Richard Thompson
"Hi Richard, I'm still getting the hang of this board/community. Kind of cool. Well as much as I'd like to say that construction is complete, I'm not quite there yet. I as much as I've wanted to, it's just been a very busy…"
39 minutes ago
Hari Shankar R.L. replied to Petrus Botha's discussion How do you calculate quadcopter lifting capability?
"hmmmmm... i am using 330 size Brushless Outrunner, 1400kv motor and Thunder Power 2700mAh 2S 7.4v 25C battery.... can any1 say wat vl be the thrust and lift"
40 minutes ago
Burkhard rieck commented on Burkhard rieck's blog post The Ardupilot controlled transducer boat part 2
"@ Harry: I guess the oxigen levels and the themperatures are an important factor as well, but i cant measure them, when the there is ice on the water. I can only measure the depth in summer. But the temperature also depends to a certain point on the…"
48 minutes ago
Euan Ramsay posted discussions
50 minutes ago
Euan Ramsay commented on Hooks's blog post APM 2.5 from hobbyking
"re: 3DR APM's: I should be clear that overall I am a happy customer. However...their production standards "vary". For example, I have 2 APM2.5+ units. One from March, one from May (from Greece reseller). - They both report different…"
1 hour ago
Euan Ramsay commented on Hooks's blog post APM 2.5 from hobbyking
"Lol - is it just me, or does anyone else have the uncontrollable urge to take the cutters to the aerial cable on the UBLOX...? Must...cut...wrong...cable...:-)   My soldering might be utter crap, but I'm definitely good at cutting cables.…"
1 hour ago
Rino Orlando commented on Marco Robustini's group ArduCopter Italian Group
"Per quanto mi riguarda ho una configurazione molto simile alla tua. il GPS e'un uBlox (il 6H) fissato in modo rigido (distanziali in plastica) alla basetta porta accessori che sta sopra al controller, la scheda e' una VRBrain ma il…"
1 hour ago
Phil Gordon commented on Hooks's blog post APM 2.5 from hobbyking
"Hell I`m still trying to get a refund or credit from Hobbyking which has taken me ages already to no avail. I have done everything they have asked for,and some.  STILL NOTHING. MY POINT? DON`T EXPECT ANY HELP FROM THEM IS THIS UNIT FAILS…"
1 hour ago
Angus Allen replied to iskess's discussion Looking for best laptop screen to see in the sun in the group ArduPlane User Group
2 hours ago
MV Reddy replied to Chris Card's discussion Pitot Tube Question
"Deja vu a la hobbyking. Would be less buggy to have discrete (separate) static and dynamic probes. Would the DIY TEK probe work? http://www.pitlab.com/skyassistant-articles/24-tek-probe-design.html "
2 hours ago
Gustav Kuhn commented on Gustav Kuhn's blog post Drastik 50cc Build Log
"Hi Eduardo, it has 950ml tank, at half throttle it will do at least 45 minutes. But it can carry at least 5 Kg ..........."
2 hours ago
Angus Allen commented on Hooks's blog post APM 2.5 from hobbyking
"@ Soviet87 mmm copy-pasta yum :-)  On a serious note, I hope HK gets a good slap on the knuckles for smashing the window and running off with the name in broad daylight !  I guess you know your product is good when a major company wants to…"
2 hours ago
ULI SURATOS replied to Craig Elder's discussion APM Copter 2.9.1.b has been released
"thanks, here are the logs I could get hope its the right stuff i need."
2 hours ago
Soviet87 commented on Chris Anderson's blog post Here's the page for local DIY Drones fly/meetup groups. Add yours (or make one)!
"Or just Southwest. Not sure why I attached the "ern" to it. lol. Thanks! "
2 hours ago

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Forum

How do you calculate quadcopter lifting capability?

Started by Petrus Botha in AeroQuad. Last reply by Hari Shankar R.L. 40 minutes ago. 11 Replies

"Y" cable for telemetry

Started by Euan Ramsay in OSD 50 minutes ago. 0 Replies

Pitot Tube Question

Started by Chris Card in Sensor hardware: tech support. Last reply by MV Reddy 2 hours ago. 33 Replies

Drones Cooperativos

Started by Jorge Antonio Saldaña Rosales in Wireless communications 2 hours ago. 0 Replies

Alexmos and APM

Started by Euan Ramsay in Aerial photography 4 hours ago. 0 Replies

Alt_hold and loiter acting crazy

Started by Frank Thingelstad in ArduCopter 2.x (multicopter). Last reply by Euan Ramsay 4 hours ago. 11 Replies

Mission planner 1.2.51 problems?

Started by Euan Ramsay in APM Mission Planner. Last reply by Euan Ramsay 4 hours ago. 3 Replies

RTF Quad Drone $400 and ARF Helicopters

Started by Carl Campbell in Buy, Sell, Trade. Last reply by Carl Campbell 5 hours ago. 8 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

Data Bus mbed baseboards: Tindie Fundraiser

Posted by Bot Thoughts on May 21, 2013 at 2:30pm 0 Comments

Data Bus mbed baseboards are now available on Tindie as a fundraiser! I figured maybe some folks wanted to experiment with their own algorithms and want a head start on their 2014 AVC ground vehicle entry.…

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The Ardupilot controlled transducer boat part 2

Posted by Burkhard rieck on May 21, 2013 at 12:00pm 4 Comments

As I already mentioned on the first page, mygoal was to construct a boat that could drive for at least 4 hours without charging while I could catch some fish :-). To reach that goal, my boat should weigh around 4 kg and the capacity of the batteries should be quite high. After a lot of searching in the internet, I…

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The Ardupilot controlled transducer boat part 1

Posted by Burkhard rieck on May 21, 2013 at 12:00pm 1 Comment

In this blog I would like to share my experiences with my new project, an autonomous transducer boat, controlled by an Ardupilot. 

After a long time of reading blogs, searching parts online and planning, I started my project. My plans are to…

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APM 2.5 from hobbyking

Posted by Hooks on May 21, 2013 at 11:33am 35 Comments

Hmmm Now hobbyking is selling:

ArduPilot Mega V2.5 Flight Controller USB/GYRO/ACC/MAG/BARO

 

72 USD for the hobbyking APM 2.5…

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Video and Datalink Antenna for airborne and ground tracking systems

Posted by Gisela & Joe Noci on May 21, 2013 at 8:52am 6 Comments

Some developments on 2.4GHz video link and 868MHz datalink antenna systems:

          Measuring the 2.4GHz Antenna SWR

                         The Ground Tracking Antenna…

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ROS, APM and the Kinect

Posted by David Gitz on May 20, 2013 at 10:00pm 3 Comments

For a University Robotics class I completed a project that integrates ROS (Fuerte), an APM and a Kinect Sensor.

For some reason all the text that I had written was lost when I posted this.  I didn't really say anything besides what I didn't already say here:  …

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How to program Expo on the Throttle channel for Open9x

Posted by Bill Bonney on May 20, 2013 at 9:00pm 4 Comments

A member the other day asked how to program expo on the throttle channel to help with hover in stabilize mode. So I made this short video on how to do it.

How to Improve Throttle Response by adding Expo to your RC Transmitter Control from Bill Bonney on Vimeo.

or…

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DIY Drones News - Weekly #1 - Venturing Forward

Posted by Joshua Johnson on May 20, 2013 at 6:00pm 3 Comments

Venturing Forward: The Sky’s Not the Limit for UAV Enthusiasts
By: Kevin Solar of DIYDrones.com (DIY Drones News Journalist)
 

We live in a uniquely dynamic age influenced heavily by technological advances surging in every direction. It’s a time…

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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

Rocky Mountain AUVSI “Unmanned Aerial Systems – 2013 Annual Symposium”

Rocky Mountain AUVSI "Unmanned Aerial Systems - 2013 Annual Symposium"

Date: May 30th, 2013 Proposed Agenda (subject to change) 7:30 – 8:30: Registration 8:30 – 8:45: Opening Remarks 8:45 – 9:30: Keynote Speaker 9:30 – 10:30: Break/Expo 10:30 – 11:15: Presentation 11:15 – 12:00p: Presentation 12:00 – 1:30: Lunch/Expo 1:30 – 5:00 Presentation 5:00 – 7:00: Networking/Expo Where: Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum 7711 East Academy Boulevard Denver, CO 80230 Register now for the Rocky Mountain AUVSI 2013 Annual Symposium. Join us and do some networking!  Includes Lunch! There are a limited amount registrations available so please sign up ASAP.  Please follow the link below (pay via PayPal). Admission: $65- AUVSI Member  $95 – Non-Member $145 – Non-Member (includes AUVSI Membership)             Sponsorships: $2,000 – Platinum Corporate (Includes short presentation, primary venue sponsor, name on main banner and advertising.  Includes 3 emplyee registrations.) $1,000 – Diamond Corporate (Sponsorships available for: 1) Registration (Lanyards) 2) Beverages (coffee, juice, water) all day. 3) Lunch 4) Networking event.  All the above includes a booth 2 emplyee registrations and printed advertisement recognition.) $395 – Gold Exhibitor Participant (Includes 2 emplyee admissions, booths space and attendace to all daily activities) http://www.auvsi.org/Rocky_Mountain_Chapter_of_AUVSI/Home/ Bookmark It Hide Sites

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Environmental Monitoring

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Environmental Monitoring

By Rodolfo Quevenco, IAEA Division of Public Information It’s a sight you don’t often see at the headquarters of the IAEA in Vienna. With a whirr of its 6 rotors and a puff of dust, a remote-controlled vehicle takes off and hovers above the heads of Agency officials and staff, and then flies along a pre-determined path. The cylindrical, clover-shaped aerial vehicle with a mounted camera on board is one of the latest breed of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) – commonly known as “drones” – available today. The demonstration was held as part of a consultancy meeting on the parameters for using UAVs for rapid environmental monitoring held at IAEA headquarters from 14 to 17 May 2013. The consultancy meeting was organized by the IAEA’s Physics Section within the framework of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. One of the aims of theAction Plan is to ensure the ongoing protection of people and the environment from ionizing radiation by facilitating the use of available expertise and techniques for environmental monitoring. The meeting was attended by environmental mapping and UAV experts from Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the USA to review and evaluate the current state of detector technology and methods, particularly in [...]

OSU Students Design Storm-Penetrating Drones

OSU Students Design Storm-Penetrating Drones

STILLWATER, Oklahoma - Engineering students at Oklahoma State University have designed storm-penetrating unmanned aircraft. School officials say the drones are designed to fly into thunderstorms, including the super cells that spawn tornadoes and obtain meteorological data vital for weather forecasting. “Oklahoma, along with many regions in the U.S., has to deal with severe weather year-round, but the often violent thunderstorms witnessed in the springtime are particularly worrisome,” said Jamey Jacob, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor who supervised the project. “Better prediction methods can save lives, but this also requires more data about how storms form.” The aircraft were designed by students in the school’s MAE department. The drones will collect information about weather systems that can be used for both immediate forecasts of the storm’s path and strength and for predictive models. Three teams of students, the Barnstormers, the Flying Honey Badgers and the Stormtroopers designed an aircraft with corresponding onboard sensors, ground control, launch and recovery systems that could be deployed from a catapult or unimproved surface, such as a dirt road. The drones are controlled by a pilot on the ground and relay data back to a ground crew. Bookmark It Hide Sites

Prince William Panel Talks Use of Unmanned Drone Aircraft

Prince William Panel Talks Use of Unmanned Drone Aircraft

By CONNIE MOSER For Potomac Local News LAKE RIDGE, Va. – A recent Prince William Committee of 100 meeting on Wednesday addressed the topic of small, unmanned aircraft. You may refer to them as drones, but according to a one member on a panel of experts, moderated by Ben Wolfgang, from the Washington Times that term; “drone” is equivalent to a four letter word. Carl Schaefer, Director, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Products, Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., Manassas, VA prefers the acronym; “UAS”. Most residents who at expressed concerns regarding privacy when the FAA declared UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) are ready for prime time. The Federal Government is not running rampant, without oversight regarding UAS, as there are many watchdogs ensuring that no one tramples the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, according to those who spoke at the meeting. Ben Cline, R-Lexington, a sixth term representative to the Virginia House of Delegates, is one of those watchdogs. Cline is concerned the government not overstep the boundaries set forth in the Constitution. Cline showed a healthy skepticism when an audience member asked, “Why should we trust the government?” Delegate Cline’s response was, “You shouldn’t!” Additional concerns about privacy were addressed by Amie Stepanovich, Director, Domestic Surveillance [...]

Ar.Drone 2.0 joins the Royal Air Force

Ar.Drone 2.0 joins the Royal Air Force

Parrot is supporting the RAF Rally Championship for 2013 with a Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadcopter. As serving members of the Royal Air Force the team know a thing or two about aviation, aircraft and drones and they think the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadcopter is a magnificent flying machine and perfect for capturing the unique action from the RAF Rally Championship. This started recently when the RAF Rally Team has its pre-season training camp in Rorbacksnas, Sweden. They spent 5 days driving rally cars at full speed around a purposely designed ice stage — the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 was used in the sub-zero conditions to capture unique footage from angles that other cameras just don’t allow. Bookmark It Hide Sites

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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