So what does it do!?

I've gotten the impression that this radio is nearly an all around better choice than an Xbee for telemetry, but as I have never actually worked with either, I can't say for myself. My only remaining question between this and an xbee is which can monitor more aspects of a flight. I've seen the documentation and instructions for the 3dr radio on the wiki and it seem like something I should be able to handle given the clarity of directions there (to give you a sense of my ability with these things, I am fully able to handle and comprehend 90% of the wikis, instructions, blogs and whatnot, but don't know how much I can do without it's guidance).

Anyways....back to the Xbee vs 3dr...the cost of 3dr really appeals to me, but I really don't know what exactly I'll be able to keep tabs on (ex. Airspeed, altitude, battery voltage, etc..), how exactly the 3dr does it (do the respective sensors for the previously mentioned data speak to the 3dr or the APM 2?), and will it give me, for example on-screen functionality with an FPV setup?

I feel like all the sensors talk to APM and the 3DR just sends all of that information to my ground station

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Permalink Reply by Gabriel on April 18, 2012 at 9:07pm

basically the APM sends all it's data from sensors to the ground station so you can see what's going on. also  experimentally you can control the UAV with the ground station and set mission planner locations.

as for what's best it depends on your country as the 3DR radio isn't certified and if you don't know what your legal limits are and how to set them you may get in trouble with anyone from your civilian regulator to the deference department.


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andrew Tridgell on April 18, 2012 at 10:14pm

Hi Frankie,

They both will give you the same logging ability. The only exception is that the 3DR radio can log your radio signal strength and radio noise levels. We can't get that information from an Xbee.

Cheers, Tridge

Permalink Reply by Frankie Davis on April 19, 2012 at 9:30am
Thanks for the info. Just to be clear...would this allow me to send commands to the autopilot (APM) or is that through something else

DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andreas M. Antonopoulos on April 20, 2012 at 6:05pm

Yes it allows bi-directional traffic, so you can send commands. All the radios do that. 

Permalink Reply by Paul Marsh on April 20, 2012 at 5:29pm

Is there a summary of what telemetry is available, or can someone provide a list?  How is the data displayed, i.e. what software is needed?  Any screen shots available?  If I missed any of this in the documentation, I apologize.

Also, if you are using an OSD system, is the radio telemetry system redundant?

Thanks,
Paul


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andreas M. Antonopoulos on April 20, 2012 at 6:07pm

It is everything you see in Mission Planner when connected via USB. No difference from the USB connection. 

You use Mission Planner or anther GCS to connect. Instead of using say port COM10 which is the USB cable, you use port COM11 which is the xbee or 3dr radio. Then it behaves exactly the same as a very very long USB cable ;-)

Only things you cannot do from Mission Planner (or other GCS) I think are:

- Firmware upload

- CLI menus

Everything else you can do, and it looks identical

Permalink Reply by Paul Marsh on April 20, 2012 at 6:14pm

Thanks Andreas.  I actually did dig a little deeper and realized in was in the Mission Planner.  I was focused on just the radio documentation.  I came back to delete my questions, but you beat me to the punch!

I was curious, though, if the OSD system makes the 3DR radio redundant.  It looks like the Remzibi OSD also sends telemetry.


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andrew Tridgell on April 22, 2012 at 8:00pm

Hi Andreas,

One minor correction, you can in fact do the CLI menus over a 3DR radio (or XBee) if you have an APM2. The reason for the difference between APM1 and APM2 for CLI is that on the APM2 the same UART is used for both USB and telemetry.

To use the CLI over the radio link on an APM2 you need to connect with a serial program before any MAVLink commands have been sent (ie. straight after reboot), and hit enter 3 times.

Cheers, Tridge


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Andreas M. Antonopoulos on April 22, 2012 at 8:47pm

oh cool! did not know the CLI was on!

Permalink Reply by JeffBetts_KK4MTC on April 25, 2012 at 9:40am

Can someone show me how to wire this to a APM1 board/oilpan? The directions show only the APM2 board. This is possible, isn't it?

Permalink Reply by Gabriel on April 25, 2012 at 4:39pm

yeah follow the xbee instruction you just need to put a 4 header on the telemetry port and plug in.

Permalink Reply by JeffBetts_KK4MTC on April 29, 2012 at 6:47pm

Done. Works like a dream.

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