Updated for ACM 2.5.3 and APM 2.3.0 - Unified Ardustation 2 With Parameter Editing, Antenna Tracking and Auto Detection of Arducopter or ArduPlane
This is an update from the original blog post in October 2011:
I've updated the Ardustation 2 source code to allow compilation with Arduino 1.0 Relax and the latest libraries for ACM 2.5.3 and APM 2.3.0. This update also includes a modification of parameter names for PID editing that match ACM and APM. The updated version is 2.0.12.
The download zip file also includes the libraries used to verify compilation of the software. The software has been lightly tested with ACM and 2.5.3 and has not been tested with APM 2.3.0. If you find any issues feel free to comment here or post an issue at the Ardustation 2 Google
The software is available here:
http://code.google.com/p/ardustation-ii/downloads/list
Download 2.0.12 for ACM 2.5.3 or APM 2.3.0 - compile with Arduino 1.0 Relax
Download 2.0.11 for ACM 2.0.48 or APM 2.24 - compile with Arduino 0022 Relax
Heino R. Pull
The original 10/2011 info follows:
With the help of Jeff E and Hai Tran, I've updated the Ardustation 2 Antenna tracker code to support the detection of the UAV platform from the Mavlink heartbeat. Parameter download and editing is automatically configured for ArduPilot 2.24 or ArduCopter 2.0.48 when Mavlink connects. The key parameters available for editing is modifiable in the source code with the PID gains set as the default for both platforms. A number of bug fixes have been made to previous versions of Ardustation 2 including a more standard Mavlink interface for the latest libraries distributed with APM 2.24 and ACM 2.0.48.
This version has been ground tested with APM 2.24 and ACM 2.0.48 with parameter editing, but testing is still needed to verify that the appropriate parameters are changed correctly. Please be cautious if you try this software out and verify the parameter changes with the Mission Planner. I don't have a fixed wing setup to test APM in the air, but I plan to test ACM 2.0.48 while tuning my loiter values on my quad this week. I've included the libraries used to compile the code in the zip file.
A video describing the original antenna tracking functionality is available here: Original Ardustation 2 Antenna Tracker Post and Video
The updated code is available here: Ardustation 2 ACM/APM Version 2.0.11
This software is based on Phillip Anthony Smith's Mavlink Ardustation. Thanks also to Jeff E and Hai Tran for their code additions and suggestions.
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Comment by Heino R. Pull on February 15, 2012 at 7:44am -
The Ardustation blue led will light up when the XBEE detects a valid data stream from the A/C. Therefore, you have to have MAVLINK up and running to tell that your Ardustation XBEE is working. Once you have the XBEE receiving data you can see my previous post above to help you get the antenna pointing working.
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Comment by steve F11music.com on February 15, 2012 at 12:50pm -
OK got a little further. I put on the xbee and started up the copter. Xbee on copter seems fine and when I use the ground side xbee with mission planner it works. When I put it on the ardustation and plug in the ftdi I get a green light and flashing red light but nothing displaying on LCD. When I plug in only lipo I get just the solid green light. I never get a blue light and never anything on the LCD. How can I be sure it's receiving mavlink data? The quad is on but not armed but should be sending mavlink data stream. It does work because when I use the xbee on the mission planner it works fine.
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Comment by Heino R. Pull on February 15, 2012 at 1:15pm
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Once you upload the code, it should display a menu on the LCD whether the XBEE is installed or not. Have you adjusted the LCD contrast? By default after soldering, the contrast control can cause nothing to be visible on the LCD. After I finished building my Ardustation, there was nothing on the LCD and adjusting the contrast caused the characters to be visible.
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Comment by steve F11music.com on February 15, 2012 at 1:59pm
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Contrast! doh!! Now it's working :) Well it was but I couldn't see :)
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Comment by steve F11music.com on February 15, 2012 at 2:04pm
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I have it working but only when I plug in by USB. When I plug 11v lipo only, I only get the red light. With USB I get green and flashing red and antenna moves. Well I'm looking at your video now but it doesn't make sense why it only works while plugged into USB.
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Comment by Heino R. Pull on February 15, 2012 at 2:13pm
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Check your voltage regulator - it should be supplying 5 volts when hooked to the lipo. My guess is that there is some soldering issue or it is installed backwards.
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Comment by steve F11music.com on February 15, 2012 at 4:26pm
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Maybe the problem is in the regulator. I checked the main and it's 12.44 and then I checked the regulators pin closed to board edge and it's 11.7 and middle pin of reg is 2.5v and other pin 1.26v. Is that right?
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Comment by Heino R. Pull on February 15, 2012 at 8:22pm
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No - that doesn't sound right. I measured mine and it was:
board edge - 11.69
middle 5.08
top 3.83
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Comment by Heino R. Pull on February 15, 2012 at 8:28pm
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The middle pin is your +5 output and yours is really low. I'd check the set resistors - R2 (732 ohm) and R1 (240) ohm to see if they are the right values for the voltage regulator.
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Comment by steve F11music.com on February 16, 2012 at 7:44am
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The two resistors above the regulator are both reading 225 ohms each. They are both labeled 241. Is that the R1 and R2 resistors? They are SMD so were already mounted. I think if they are wrong, I will need to send back.
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