APM2 Flies to 100k Ft.for 7 1/2 hours 300 miles !
On 4/14/12 we flew an APM2 ardupilot in a balloon to over 100000 feet for 7 1/2 hour 300 mile + flight !
The flight originated near Albuquerque NM and landed near Trinchera ,CO. The flight was over 300 miles and lasted far longer than we planned. The flight was so long the 5 on board cameras ran out of memory and battery before the flight ended.
The chase crew went 225 miles before giving up because there was no data from the Digi M10 Satellite modem. The crew was almost back into Albuquerque when all of the sudden three phones got e-mails from the Digie modem at the same time.
ET CALLED HOME !!!
It gave us the Lat, long, and altitude of where it was. Several emails later we realized the package landed. We quickly put the coordinates into google maps and could not believe where it was ! It was in Colorado! And it landed 7 1/2 hours after launch !
I will download the data from the APM2 SD card and see the flight.
Here are some pictures.
Could have landed here in Colorado
But it landed 10 miles further 50 feet from the edge of a farm road !
Some of the equipment flown...
I will post more pics and some videos later when I get back to Albuquerque. My car motor seized up out in the boonies right after retrieving the package. Got to get rental car and find way to get new motor in 2006 Saturn Vue.
Earl
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Comment by Alain on April 19, 2012 at 11:58am -
Hi Earl,
Congrats for your flight!
You stated in an earlier post, that you managed to get connection with Xbee 2.4 at 23 miles? With a rubber duck antenna o/b the balloon and a 23dbi circular on the ground? Would you be so kind as to give me a link where I could find such antennas?
Thanks a lot
Kind Regards
Alain
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Comment by Evie Alani on April 19, 2012 at 10:48pm -
I love adventure stories like this. Bravo gents!
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Comment by Earl on April 20, 2012 at 4:18pm -
I think the GPS is from the gps unit and the hud is from the ardupilot based on the pressure sensor ??
I think the pressure sensor data was recorded. I will go back and look at the data
Earl
yea....arduloon !!!!
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Comment by Earl on April 20, 2012 at 5:28pm
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HUD is from baro.
Earl
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Comment by Earl on April 20, 2012 at 9:28pm
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ArduLoon
Recorded data on data logging card for >6 hours:
Latitude
Longitude
Altitude in feet or meters/km
Time
Temp inside/outside
Rate of Climb/Descend feet/min or meters/second
Ground Speed 0 to 800 mph or meters per second
Compass heading/bearing
Distance to Launch point in miles or km
Use of 9 degrees of freedom to keep camera pointed at horizon.
Program-ability of camera servos direction (10 sec horizon 10 sec up 10 sec down)
Cut loose function based on time / alt / command
use of APRS to track balloon in real time.
live video tx of 1 watt on 439.25 mhz (cable ch. 60)
Anyone want to add any other functions ??
Earl
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Comment by Earl on April 20, 2012 at 10:56pm
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My 3DR 433 Mhz radios are on the way. Shipped 4/20/12
Earl
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Moderator Comment by Gary Mortimer on April 20, 2012 at 11:10pm -
Could'nt you use the downward acceleration as your cue to cut away the balloon?
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Comment by Earl on April 21, 2012 at 12:25pm
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Being a ham radio operator (N8TV) I have several 433mhz amps around. 100mw in 1 watt out. That should do it with the 10w 144mhz APRS unit and 1w 439.25 video tx. Need lots of batteries for this power tho.Li-po's are light. 6000mah 11.7vdc on each should work.
Earl
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