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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on February 18, 2012 at 11:51pm

Yes, it's actually not that hard. The "dynamic waypoint" feature is already built into ArduCopter, and just needs a Python script on the ground to drive it via the Mission Planner. The Mikrokopter developers have been showing a similar feature for a while (see video), and later this year we're going to be releasing a wireless groundstation with GPS that you carry in your pocket that does the same thing with ArduCopter. 

MikroKopter - Follow Me from Holger Buss on Vimeo.

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Permalink Reply by Guustaaf Damave on February 19, 2012 at 1:03pm

Wow! This is absolutely friggen awesome! That does it, I am going to build one.

Am I right in thinking that I can start by building the ArduPilot Mega while I think about how many rotors I am going to want?

Thanks for your reply and that video.

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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on February 19, 2012 at 1:09pm

Yep!

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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on February 20, 2012 at 12:08am

Actually, it turns out ArduCopter already supports this, right out of the box!

In the Mission Planner, hit control-f, which will bring up this screen:

Click on Follow Me (circled) and that will bring up this screen:

Now all you need is any USB or Bluetooth GPS module plugged into your laptop. Select the serial port, wait for lock and click "Connect". Your copter will now follow you as you carry your laptop around!

Our wireless ground station will be smaller and lighter, but it will do the same thing.

Cool, huh?

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Permalink Reply by Guustaaf Damave on February 20, 2012 at 11:17pm

Chris, thank you so much for this information. I will definitely get started with this. This is super cool!

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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on February 20, 2012 at 11:22pm

Excellent. Details are in the manual. 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin LeRoy on May 11, 2012 at 10:46pm

this is supber news .. I liked the feature , but not so much carrying your laptop with you while ...Skiing for example :)

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Permalink Reply by Wesley Chuen on May 12, 2012 at 6:31pm

Nice!  What altitude does it hover to follow?  At where it was enabled?

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Permalink Reply by spagoziak on March 19, 2013 at 6:33am

Chris,

Will Follow Me be made available for arduplane as well?  I suspect the only difference in behavior would be that the plane would loiter on the target if the target's speed were less than some amount.

 

Putting APM on a fast wing to get video of chasing snowmobiles would be excellent.

 

Thanks,

spag

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on May 12, 2012 at 9:19pm

I enjoyed the music.

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Permalink Reply by Sebastian Papenkort on January 17, 2013 at 1:00am

Hi Chris,

is there already a date for releasing the Pocket Ground Station and will there be an option to let the copter fly X meters in front / beside / behind the moving station? And can these parameters be tuned in flight? Would be great!

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