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.
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I certainly agree that we should stabilize the software more. I'll try and put some more effort into that.
As for the hardware, it would certainly be good if some hardware manufacturer came up wit h something that we could agree on as "the standard". I wouldn't hold my breath for 3DR to step in and provide that standard though 'cuz they're all wrapped up in Solo with no end in sight.
There is an easy and budget DIY option:
a pair of these + a rotary tool to make cut outs for
2x Corona metal gear servos $12 + servo reverser $2.70 + 2 strips of aluminum will give you strong and solid pitch (2x servos so you do not have to mess around with hinges, servo reverser since AT firmware supports only one pitch servo)
Another Corona $11.xx + a Quick Release Plate $1.99 + some bolts/nuts/imagination will give you equally strong and solid yaw.
so for under $30 it is possible to build a decent quality pan/tilt with enough space inside the boxes to install APM, servos, BECs, 3dr radio+bluetooth and even a videoRx, with enough space on the outside to mount 1.2ghz patch and a 915mhz patch.
will post pictures when done :)
p.s. is there any way to make max_yaw_servo unlimited? (continuous rotation)
Its a fair question Keith. What it means is depending on which version of AT that the GCSs see they will handle the text severity differently. All versions will still work. Just that from .3 onwards its different and more bettera :-)
Thanks, Grant.
Forgive my ignorance but, does that mean no other version will work properly?
The version update from .2 to .3 was done because of the text severity change. The GCSs need a unique version from which they can be sure the severities have changed.
Other then that there was just a handful of internal development changes.
Thanks, Grant.
jDrones has started 2 years ago an antenna tracker that never arrive...
Ardustation mega was forgive to.
Lot of people have tweak the MFD antenna tracker.
I understood that guys from Quantracker with VBI and PlayUAV-OSD project are working on a good tracker with VBI instead of telemetry (like Eagle Tree use).
PlayUAV OSD (I'm using it) is really so good that we could hope Quantracker will be to...Thanks Randy to have help Tom from playuav-osd to resolve issue with Arm status.
Must wait ....
(nb playuav-osd vid sample test under HIL : https://youtu.be/K_rhIYWg0L0 and https://youtu.be/J-fHLHofqTc)
I flashed my tracker with 0.73 today.
On/off servo mode works fine as it did before, but I can´t get CR mode to work.
I am testing with a SITL copter flying around the tracker on a auto mission or joystick control.
At first it works with a few degrees offset in yaw. I try different PID and PWM settings to get rid of the offset and suddenly the tracker follows the simulated copter with a huge offset (up to 180°). I change the settings back to the previous ones, but the offset remains. I switch to on/off mode and the tracker is back on target immediatly.
I am using +/- 20us PWM for yaw and pitch speed, because my servos are really fast (50rpm max). My PID settings for on/off are:
P: 9
I: 4
D: 0.05
IMAX: 4000
Rate: 0
This is for yaw and pitch, because my pitch axis is balanced around the pivot point and both servos are the same.
I had similar results when my YAW servo was reversed. Try reversing it
Jon,
If I understand correctly you are confusing AntennaTracker with tracking function built into Mission Planner. AntennaTracker is a firmware that runs on hardware (APM or Pixhawk) and is independent - it doesn't need any instance of Mission Planner to operate. Classic tracking build into Mission Planner needs an "actuator" connected via USB (for example Pololu controller).
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