It seems that it isn't possible to connect multiple UAVs to Mission Planner. What would be required to allow one ground station to monitor multiple UAVs in the air? It seems like there was some intention to implement this because each UAV can have a unique system ID. Even if the firmware will support this feature, is it possible to receive telemetry from multiple UAVs over a single XBEE receiver? I realize that using the same frequency for multiple telemetry communications may produce a lot of interference, but can it even be done with XBEE modules?
You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!
Replies
I built a system that hops
www.4stateuav.com/product/long-range-hd-fpv/
xbee support mesh network. i able to connect two 2 mission planner with 1 mav. The principal is similar using mission planner with ardustation simultaneously. Mission planner has it own ID, APM also has it own ID. To modify mission planner ID required to modify the source code. For APM, just edit in under Full Parameter list. But mission planner only have 1 GUI. So it required a lot of programming to modify the mission planner source code to accept multiple mav. So, i choose QGrondControl.
I am using Xbee for multiple UAV. Can any one tell me how we can connect multiple uav in QGroundControl using Xbee.
Hi David,
Did you see this post which may be of interest.
On Xbees it all depends on what sort you use and how they are set up, we mainly use series 1 xbees in simple pairs acting like a point to point wire over the air however they can be differently configured into complex addressable mesh networks (this book is a good introduction if you're interested in taking it further)
Paul
Operating two or more rovers at the save time could be a reasonable proposition.
One way to have two or more simultaneous vehicles connected to your GCS is to run two instances of Mission Planner.
Without a second monitor , though, you may have a bit of difficulty arranging the view since the MP window will only reduce about 2/3 the size of maximized window. 'Popping' (double clicking) the HUD window out will provide more flexibility in arranging the view.
The radios will have different addresses or there will be chaos.
The two radios that are ground-side do need to have some distance between their antennas.
The 3DR radios would be a much better choice for than X-Bee radios because the with the 3DR (or RFD900) radios there is a lot more control over radios configuration features that can aid in keeping the two telemetry links from interfering with each other. Such as adjusting the frequency bands & the number of hopping channels. AND they don't get "bricked"!
All the things you have suggested are theoretically possible, but none of them will "just work", they will require someone with development skills, and the desire to write/test these features.
For example, I have previously written some code to support having two in-air devices with different mavlink ID/s share the same telemetry link to the ground, but I did not then use the MP for both of them.... instead I used some python code to separate the packets once they reach the ground, and forward them over tcp to multiple MP instances. :-)
I don't believe it's possible to operate multiple devices from a single XBee module at the control computer, since, as I understand it, a single serial data link is established with a pair of modules. So, to operate multiple vehicles from a single ground station, you'd need to set up multiple XBee pairs, one pair per vehicle, and connect them to the control computer using a powered USB hub. And to avoid interference, you'd need to use XBee pairs on separate frequency bands. That's my understanding, anyway, and it may well be completely wrong!
With those caveats being said, it seems to me that QGroundControl is built with this functionality in mind. (Disclaimer...I am not affiliated with the QGroundControl project.) Someone with more resources and experience than myself would need to verify that, though.