Roadmap Ardupilot Mega
Since it is only a question of a few weeks maybe a bit more, I guess, before the new Mega is released I'd like to start speculating on what that will be like. Chris and team feel free to chime in as you wish ;)
We know its AtMega 1280 and it will be IMU based. The new AHRS was launched today, congratulations to Jordi on a spectacular achievement, we know you have been working on this dream for a few years :)
It is reasonable to expect that the existing AHRS was developed with the Mega in mind. The sensors was selected at the best price performance point. Will the new Mega use the existing IMU or will it be integrated on the board? I would vote for keeping the IMU as a module, easy then to upgrade the IMU or its sensors, as well as add Magnetometers in future.
From things Chris has dropped here and there, I expect 2 way comms via XBee, waypoint updates on the fly, maybe OSD and full coordinated flight control with ailerons.
Maybe we get PID tuning in flight, a way to trigger camera/video or other payload say from waypoint data or even intervalometer settings to do survey work by calculating the coverage for the camera at height with resolution to give us perfect coverage with overlap ;)
Any other ideas?
We know its AtMega 1280 and it will be IMU based. The new AHRS was launched today, congratulations to Jordi on a spectacular achievement, we know you have been working on this dream for a few years :)
It is reasonable to expect that the existing AHRS was developed with the Mega in mind. The sensors was selected at the best price performance point. Will the new Mega use the existing IMU or will it be integrated on the board? I would vote for keeping the IMU as a module, easy then to upgrade the IMU or its sensors, as well as add Magnetometers in future.
From things Chris has dropped here and there, I expect 2 way comms via XBee, waypoint updates on the fly, maybe OSD and full coordinated flight control with ailerons.
Maybe we get PID tuning in flight, a way to trigger camera/video or other payload say from waypoint data or even intervalometer settings to do survey work by calculating the coverage for the camera at height with resolution to give us perfect coverage with overlap ;)
Any other ideas?
Replies to This Discussion
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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on -
Just a clarification: ArduPilot Mega won't be released into beta until the end of the year at the earliest. I'll update the planned feature list as we go, but please do use this thread for your wishlist and we'll take that into consideration.
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Permalink Reply by Jorn Anke on -
Whish list... in addition to what allready mentioned, output to camera stab. servos. (And perhaps some egg-frying capabilities) ;-) With greetings from 78 deg. north
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Permalink Reply by shawn vatcher on
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i was thinking a dual setup. thermopile sensors for daylight navigation and IMU for nightime flying. what do you guys think of that.
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AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on -
shawn,
Any Ardupilot configuration that has to rely on thermopile sensors attached to the outside of the fuse is a liability due to the possibility of damage to the externally mounted sensors.
Just a thought.
Regards,
TCIII
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Permalink Reply by Greg Fletcher on -
@ Shawn
I think thermopiles work at night. Maybe even better. Would be a good back up if done properly.
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Permalink Reply by Sarel P. Wagner on -
Thermopiles was viable because AHRS was until a few days ago very expensive solution because Kalman filter requires PHD to apply. Apart from PHD it also took a long time to implement. Since DCM is much easier, and open source algorithms, and sensors technology made huge advances, Jordi could buld the DIY Drones IMU and use DCM to make the AHRS.
There is no comparison, AHRS is used in aviation for a reason, it works. Response times are very fast, its very small and for RC it is all inside, not easily damaged. Also very reliable as it has no moving parts.
The choice is easy, every time AHRS.
Rgrds
Sarel Wagner
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Permalink Reply by Sarel P. Wagner on
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A few software ideas:
The pseudo terrain following idea. Instead of real terrain following requiring large memory and digital terrain storing and radar/lidar altimeters on board, we can provide the checks in the programming utility. Once we have 2 waypoints we can check the terrain height in between the 2 points, if any point in between is higher than a selected percentage of our AGL altitude, we can create a new waypoint at this point. Only really needed in hilly country or for longer distances.
Waypoint upload via comms. This may be helpful if you see something in FPV mode on video and want to hang about loitering for a while, you can then reprogram the mission on the fly. This is more efficient than having to land first and then reprogram and take off again. The same is true for the remote PID tuning via 2 way comms.
Rgrds
Sarel
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3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on -
Yes, of course.
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Permalink Reply by christian mulder on
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My preferences are ; an osd so i can fly manual and then switch to autopilot.
Hardware; one board if posible to keep instalation simple and mounting holes on the corners of the board so it can be mounted secure into the model.
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