Why did the DIY Drones team make the design decision to mount the GPS module on the board directly instead of using the JST type wire cable to allow external mounting of the GPS?
If the plane is made with carbon fiber shielding or other GPS signal blocking materials, it would enforce some physical constraints of where to put the APM 2.0 autopilot.
Are there plans to sell a separate SD card breakout (instead of the one with GPS module) for those who preordered the APM 2.0 and want to switch to an externally mounted GPS?
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Maybe they thought the GPS signal would penetrate carbon fiber?
Lots of planes have the access hatch on the bottom, so maybe they thought it best to put the connectors on the GPS side so that it would help keep it all the way to the bottom of the plane.
Personally, I think GPS tends to work better with a clear view of the sky. Does anyone know if the module connector is through hole so the whole thing could be swapped to the other side?
Otherwise I'll have to desolder and resolder the headers onto the other side so that the GPS isn't forced to the bottom of the plane and buried under a mess of noisy wires.
Steve, look closely at the photos here, and the ordering details. They're on it.