Not many people know but we have an piece of open source software for controlling an Antenna Tracker. It's been built by Tridge (Arduplane lead developer) for use in the outback challenge.
Sadly we have no documentation and, as far as I know, nobody except Tridge has used it. Still given Tridge's track record on building great software I suspect it works well and if it doesn't, I'm sure we can fix it. So to not let this piece of code go to waste, I'd like some help from people who are interested to give it a try and help me figure out how it works.
Here's the little that I know:
- It runs on any of our supported board (APM1, APM2, PX4, Pixhawk, Flymaple and perhaps VRBrain)
- For APM1/APM2 users building the code is as easy as opening our hacked ArduinoIDE and selecting File > SketchBook > Tools > AntennaTracker and then building in the normal way. For PX4/Pixhawk, our autobuilder doesn't automatically build a binary but I can provide one if people are interested.
- It can control a Pan and Tilt gimbal like this or this found on servocity.com.
- It may or may not require a GPS
- It must somehow receive vehicle position updates from the ground station which has the telemetry radio that is connected to the vehicle. Maybe through a USB cable. Tridge probably uses the python ground station, MAVProxy, to passthrough the vehicle position data to the AT but perhaps we can get MichaelO to build out a similar feature in Mission Planner.
- I imagine this antenna tracker could also be used to keep a camera focused on the vehicle which might be good for easing the burden on creating videos of our vehicles.
So if you want to give it a try please do and stick any findings, questions or issues below. Alternatively Issues can go into the issues list.
I'll start sticking things into the wiki as they become clear.
Replies
first it hast also permission deny here I hope the File works.
I can't download them either.
that is strange! The Permission is denyed from "https://api.ning.com/.....", my file has no restricted permission.
Now I send the file from another PC, I hope it will work.
edit:
still no permission!
Try this link: AT_rar
Could someone download my files?
did you solve this issue, i am having the same problem, still cant download the files btw
Unable to download.
Randy,
I attached images of Telm1 to Drone parameters; Telm2 to GCS; And Mission Planner Setup. See all three images below.
I performed a couple tests.
1. First was a connection to Pixhawk to GCS via USB cable.
Connect time to synch up with Drone took about 30 seconds. HUD display was near real time show no latency with attitude information.
2. This test was with 3DR radio set up as default using SiK 1.9 to the Pixhawk on Telem2 and GCS. Connection and synch time was about 15 seconds to Antenna Tracker.
The second set of 3DR radios were set up with NetID of 33 using all other default settings on Telm1 talking to Drone also setup with same parameters. Connection and synch time was about 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
I am able to successfully connect to the drone, but the latency is a huge issue. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, the aircraft updates its orientation approximately 10 seconds after its moved.
I researcher the SR0 thru SR2 and wasn't able to find much support documentation in helping me to make changes, so I left them alone.
What advice do you have for me?
Doug,
I think it would be good to remove the AT from the setup as a test. Basically I think the issue is not the antenna tracker but rather the radio that is being used to connect the AT and vehicle.
So connect the PC to the vehicle's pixhawk using the 3DR radio that is currently connecting the AT to the vehicle. Is that perhaps the one with netid 33? Is it fast or slow?
Next connect the PC to the vehicle's pixhawk using the 3dr radio that is currently connect the PC to the AT (netid 25?). Is it the same speed as above?
I used this tracker since v0.2 and I know telem2 doesn't work and don't use it. I use two pairs radio one pair connect vehicle and pc and one pair for AT and pc, first connect vehicle and pc, then press "CTRL F" pop up a window , Click "mavlink" button for connecting AT radio. this way data flow Vehicle - PC -AT and it work fine. but you have to fine tune AT's parameter manually.
What controller I use is pixhawk
Dick,
Thanks for that info. I've never personally done it that way but I guess that works too. What's happening when configured the way you describe is the mission planner is acting as the mavlink message passthrough. In the wiki-described-way it's the antenna tracker that's doing the pass through.
MP-in-the-middle-method: Vehicle <-> PC <-> AntennaTracker
AT-in-the-middle-method: Vehicle <-> AT <-> PC
My personal preference is the AT-in-the-middle way because it's less wires attached to the PC, and works with GCS besides the mission planner but I'm not trying to push that on anyone and the AT is a bit rough around the edges stll.
The telem2 is now working by the way in AT0.4.
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