Ardu-IMU-Pilot firmware ready for beta test!
I have completed ground testing on the new firmware I have written for ArduPilot to use ArduIMU in place of the thermopiles. It has been snowing here and I probably won't get to fly the code for a bit, but figured others might be interested in giving it a try at this point. This firmware will probably exist on a temporary basis, with the code getting incorporated into the regular ArduPilot firmware in the future. If there is sufficient interest in this approach I will consider working on a ArduPilot shield board that would add the pressure sensors to ArduIMU and package it all as a shield.
I will maintain the code for a while in a repository at http://code.google.com/p/ardu-imu-pilot/
If you try it out give me your feedback. It is similar to ArduPilot 2.4 but uses a different header file.
To interface ArduIMU to ArduPilot you connect the gps (ublox only) to ArduIMU, provide common power and ground to ArduPilot and ArduIMU, and connect the serial output pin of ArduIMU to the serial input pin of ArduPilot.
I will maintain the code for a while in a repository at http://code.google.com/p/ardu-imu-pilot/
If you try it out give me your feedback. It is similar to ArduPilot 2.4 but uses a different header file.
To interface ArduIMU to ArduPilot you connect the gps (ublox only) to ArduIMU, provide common power and ground to ArduPilot and ArduIMU, and connect the serial output pin of ArduIMU to the serial input pin of ArduPilot.
Comments are closed for this blog post
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Comment by Dr Mike Black on December 6, 2009 at 3:30pm -
Doug,
Inspired!!!!! better get an IMU to test yout theorys with...Superb!!!
Doc.
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Comment by Benjamin Lanehart on December 6, 2009 at 4:58pm -
What IMU do you use, V1, V2, or can it be used with both?
Secondly, I see you need to wire the Pilot to the IMU, voltage, ground, and out from IMU to the in on the Pilot. It doesn't need out from the Pilot to the in on the IMU?
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Developer Comment by Doug Weibel on December 6, 2009 at 5:59pm -
@benjamin - I should have noted that you need to use the most current version of the IMU code - not the latest .zip file but the latest files in the source code repository (R17 or later). Jose Julio has added a #define parameter for the board type so it should be OK with either, but I have not tested at all with the V1. V2 flat I have ground tested and it looks good.
In the IMU source look for the parameter for board type and also the parameter PRINT_BINARY, which must be set to 1.
You do not need to connect the serial out of ArduPilot to ArduIMU. You may continue to use ArduPilot serial out for telemetry.
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Comment by Benjamin Lanehart on December 6, 2009 at 6:03pm
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Gotcha... I have both right now IMU's, and my Ardupilot is in the mail, just need to get home this week. Hopefully I might be of some help with this, as I was going to try programming the IMU's for the AP. But you beat me to it!! lol :]
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Comment by Paul Mather on December 7, 2009 at 6:59am -
Awesome.... You guys.... seriously.... someone needs to slow down all this development. Too many cool things to try all at once!
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Developer Comment by Doug Weibel on December 7, 2009 at 8:17am -
@Happy - I know exacly the feeling, and me trapped here with nothing to do but push around the snow blower :( If we don't get some nice weather soon you will be able to eat off my shop floor....
@Benjamin - the code uses the airspeed sensor so you will need the ArduPilot shield kit also. You didn't list it but hopefully have that as well. If you want to try it without airspeed you will need to modifly the elevator control and I can help you with that.
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Comment by Benjamin Lanehart on December 7, 2009 at 10:57am
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@ Doug, 10-4... I was kinda thinking that since the GPS is in the IMU, couldn't we parse the speed code from the IMU and use that instead of a pressure sensor? In theory if we could eliminate the use of a pitot, then we could open up a wider range of UAV platforms. Push, pull, magnalev, & ion propulsion systems would be easier to adapt. lol @ last two... Boring day @ the office... =]
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Moderator Comment by Morli on December 7, 2009 at 4:09pm -
@ Doug , This is really getting exciting, like Happy said , too many things got speed boost recently and many projects have gone to higher gears now. I so far resisted my impulse to order Ardupilot with excuse that it does not have IMU and Now.... You have almost wiped out my excuse :-( :-))))) , Lets see if "waiting for Mega" can be used as excuse LOL . Good work. Keep it up , you inspire people like me to wakeup . Cheers.
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Developer Comment by Doug Weibel on December 7, 2009 at 4:45pm -
@benjamin - We could get speed from the gps, however I have used different control laws for elevator and throttle than you find in Arupilot V2.4. Mine are ones I wanted to test out for the turn limiter workgroup. Basically elevator is used to maintain target airspeed and throttle is used to maintain altitude. This approach would not work well using gps speed due to the latency and wind. However, you could adjust the code to use different control algorithms if you do not want to use airspeed.
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Comment by Benjamin Lanehart on December 7, 2009 at 5:47pm
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@Doug, Gotcha... I'll stick with the shield, for testing. I have a tendency to modify many things at once, and when things start falling apart you have no idea were to begin to fix the errors. =]
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