Hi there,
I am embarking on building my own quadcopter. I started out by buying a small $40 one off Amazon and I loved it. I now want to try my hand at building one.
There are a couple of requirements that I want out of my own quadcopter.
First:
I just want to be able to turn it on, hookup a simple R/C controller and just start flying.
Second:
I want to be able to expand on it; GPS, video, wifi/cellular connectvity, barometric, ultrasonic/infrared
Third:
Program it via language and/or GUI interface
Now I'm guessing the biggest decision on starting this project would be which platform to use (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.). I have no allegiance to any platform in particular so I am open to any and all suggestions. At this point in time money is not a factor.
Replies
Hi, Bryan,
I have not really looked into what you would need to write a custom program to control the APM or Pixhawk. All I know is that the software for both controllers are open source so the code is available for you to look at to figure out how to program them.
Or, you can use the existing point and click interface in the Mission Planner software to program the waypoints into the APM, and then tell the APM to fly the waypoints you have programmed.
The first time I programmed my multi-copter using the Mission Planner to fly a route by putting waypoint pins on the Flight Planner map and it took off, flew the route, and returned and landed within a few feet of the takeoff location was extremely cool.
Bryan, the documentation provided through this blog post may be useful for your planning. More links on this page and this page. I am assuming that you have already found this wiki page for those who want to build their own multicopter, where you can find some comparison information.
Hi, Bryan,
You may choose to buy a kit with pre-packages parts, or get a frame and use the suggested parts, or you may pick and choose parts from various vendors. Since you want to build but this is your first time, i would suggest finding a kit you like and order that and assemble it. There are many vendors out there with various frames and configurations. Tri-copters, quad-copters, hex-copters, octo-copters, and variations on those. 3D Robotics has some nice kits which can be used as starting points http://store.3drobotics.com/t/diy-kits/arducopter. At least it gives you an idea of the parts that are available and required to assemble a multi-copter.
There are also a number of controllers out there with various capabilities and price points. Some controllers like the APM, Pixhawk, and DJI Naza have some serious advanced features. Other controllers like the KK2 board are more for just flying.
The APM controller from 3D Robotics is flexible and capable. Way points, Return to Landing (RTL), and other fun features are all available for a quite reasonable price on the APM.
If you want a good trainer frame (because you are going to crash this thing) you might consider something like the SimpleCopter V-tail http://www.simplecopter.com/simplecopter-v-tail-the-tilt/. It is nice because it is made of wood so the replacement parts are extremely inexpensive, and the design is made to fold up rather than break. And even when it does break, I have glued the arms on mine back together multiple times and it still flies great.
Anything large enough for GPS, video, and other features should probably be flown at an RC field. Check with the AMA chartered RC clubs in your area http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx. Also please note that certain of the features you mention like FPV video transmission may require a Ham radio license depending on where you are located. You are also likely to find others with similar interests who can encourage you with your build.
Have Fun!
Hi. Thank you for all the great info. However I'm really interested in which board I should by. I saw you mentioned the APM and Pixhawk. Will either of these boards meet my requirements that I am looking for?
Both the APM and Pixhawk are capable of supporting what you list. They have many off the shelf components available for them and plenty of inputs and outputs for you to be creative in adding additional custom components. The source code for both the APM and Pixhawk software is available for you to see, modify, and compile yourself. They each have a graphical computer interface for managing the software, configuration and parameter tweaking. There are a lot of parameters to play with for performance tuning.
Both the APM and Pixhawk are open source projects so in general the documentation can be challenging, but that is part of the fun with open source.
Good to know. So for example the Pixhawk, can a Wifi and or Cellular module be installed? What I am thinking is writing a program to send GPS coordinates to it from a device (PC, phone, etc.) and then it goes to it. Is this possible?
A connection using WiFi would have a relatively short range, about 300 meters. Cellular is probably possible but I have no experience with it. There is, and I have installed on my APM and Pixhawk copters RF radio modules to remotely control and program the copter in flight. The default radio module available from 3DR http://store.3drobotics.com/products/3dr-radio has about a 2km capability without adding advanced antenna or power amplifiers. The radio module allows you to use the Mission Planner software from a PC to point to places on a map (supplied by Google maps) and the copter will fly to that point using GPS. There is an Andropilot app for Android tablets which can use the 3DR radio to control the copter as well. You could write your own software to use the 3DR radio for controlling the copter too.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next