Dear All,
I see the above new version. I still couldn't figure out whether the above would replace part or all of the "ArduPilotMega IMU Shield/OilPan Rev-H" in the hardware kit.
I'm going to buy the APM kit, hence this curiosity.
A non RTFM answer would be highly appreciated. I've been reading, but couldn't figure out :-(.
best regards,
Japi.
Replies
Seeking a little clarification...
Once the IMU V3 firmware is finished and the code released (I read somewhere that should happen next month?)
Will it be possible to plug the V3 IMU into the Ardupilot Mega 2.0 board and have a functional autopilot? I recognize that there will be missing features that the oilpan offered, but will it fly? And will it fly with arduplane 2.7 code or will the arduplane code need to be modified to work with the V3 IMU?
I'm on the fence between picking up the ardupilot mega 2.0, or the ardupilot mega 1 with the v3 IMU. I've already got a GPS module, and I like the modularity of going with the mega 1 and the v3 imu, both because I could update IMUs in the future, and because I like to tinker with all sorts of projects and can see both times when I might use the ardupilot board without the imu for projects, and times when I might want to use the imu with other processors as well.
But that flexibility is secondary, of course, to whether or not it works for the intended purpose at the moment, which is getting a drone in the air! :) Will I be cursing myself for trying to hack the two together and make it fly instead of just buying the ardupilot 2.0 and having a ready-made solution? I don't mind SOME tinkering but I don't want to have to completely recode either device!
Art
My impression of the distinction:
The APM/Oil Pan are a highly integrated and plug and play system. The ArduIMU V3 is an AHRS/IMU which should be thought of as a more modular and "platform agnostic" sensor package. Fewer features than the oil pan, but compatible with the ArduIMU V2 pinout. This makes it a potential upgrade for legacy hardware and offers a product which doesn't include hardware that may not be needed or desired for your application.
The ArduIMU V3 is one of the first boards on the market which uses the MPU-6000 chip from InvenSense. This chip is a combination MCU, 3 axis Accelerometer, & 3 axis Gyroscope. The on-board "MPU" handles the InvenSense "Sensor Fusion" equivalent of the Ardupilot project's DCM library. This should in theory free up resources for the onboard Atmega328 which was previously used on the ArduIMU V2 to handle the DCM.
For more info, this is the video which got me so excited about this board:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7JQ7Rpwn2k
Hi Rapi,
The ArduIMU V3 is not a replacement for the ArduPilot Mega IMU shield or the ATMega boards. You can find a full list of features on each board in the product descriptions online, but to summarize: the V3 lacks many of the features that are included on the oilpan, such as the USB connector, the relay, dip switch, slide switch, pressure sensor, and many of the ports (for telemetry, airspeed sensor, etc.) to name a few. You will not need the ArduIMU V3 in addition to the oilpan if you are looking to use the ArduPilot Mega codes, and currently, the ArduPilot Mega codes work with the APM+IMU setup.
From the product page for the V3: "ArduIMU is not an Autopilot it's just an orientation solution (the heart of an Autopilot) and can be used on anything you want to know it's orientation in respect to the ground, like boats, cars, rockets or even your dog. To know more about IMU's read here.
ArduIMU V3 features the new MPU-6000, that includes 3 axis gyros & accells built-in and process everything internally that is some kind of dual core power (24-bits ADC sampling and sensor fusion is handled inside the MPU), the latest 3 axis I2C magnetometer HMC-5883L and the classic but very robust Arduino Atmega328 running at 16Mhz"
I hope this helps!