Ardu Hardware Roadmap

In reference to the comments in "DIY Drones team at Maker Faire" posting, I will start a new discussion about the future of Ardu Hardware Development.I think it is time for a more powerfull processor to execute our nice Arducode.There are a lot of benefit we would get from it. With faster Code execution we could use better mathematic solutions to make (as example) the arducopter more stable.Has anyone some suggestions which processor we should use ?I'm a fan of Cortex M3 processors wich are build from different companys, different periphery but all with the same core. The LPC1768 is one I 'm working with at the moment, but the STM32F103 is one which is more used in the ArduCopter scene (like OpenPilot,MP32, and AutoQuad5). I think Atmel has produced nice processor series, but at the moment there is't any cpu I would really like (compared to others).

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  • 3D Robotics
    The Arduino project will be adding 32-bit later this year, and we'll be part of it. You'll be very pleased with the power and hardware choices. More news after the Arduino team makes the formal announcement this summer.
  • @ThomasB

     

    Here's a video of a Mikrokopter using what I understand to be a fairly basic processor:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvH2f-AewX8

     

    I may be wrong, but I can't equate computational performance with stability. It may in some extreme circumstances, but good PID tuning, balancing props and motors etc seems to play a far bigger role in stability.

  • I asked a while ago about using ARM based processors and Chris said they use Atmel chips. This caused me confusion at first as Atmel produce ARM based chips but that was not the meaning. Arduino currently only use Atmel AVR based chips and as Ardupilot/Arducopter use them solely the link was clear. As Arduino and Atmel seem to be intimately linked and with Chris' clues of more power perhaps Arduino are spreading further into the Atmel spectrum of chips and giving us ARM based chips now. Fully compatibility with Arduino IDE would seem almost mandatory but will it be possible given such difference in processors.

    I see two approaches occuring:

    1. Mega power flagship model with intermediate ones later one.
    2. Incremetal power releases until "the beast" is released about 6 months after initial announcement.
  • I have been keeping an eye on Robero's work and it is very interesting (well done Robero!), it may be useful in the future to be able to increase loops to 800hz or more, BUT! I can't see what Ardu doesn't do at the moment that would be possible through a more powerful processor?

     

  • Moderator

    Hi ThomasB,

    I agree with your opinion , the big problem isn't the hardware but the lib and firmware . I'm working a lot on Multipilot32 platform and at the moment all the apm library are supported . ArducopterNG / Ardupirates are yet available on MP32 and compatible with Oilpan and his accessories , mag , gps ecc .

    Arducopter 2.0 is yet ported to Multipilot32 with his library I need only some time to test it.

    At the startup of MP32 project i share my vision with Chris and he told me that support my vision. I think that there're the space also for other approach as the new official Arduino platform .

    Best
    Roberto

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