Dear DIY Droners,I just joined this forum seeking for some help on DIY UAVs. I've got interested on it because of many applications I have dreamed for years. Now technology seem to have brought it to my grasp, it is just the time aside for my normal job that does not allow me to spend as much time as I used to. Besides, just aeromodelling seem to me a bit dull nowadays, a drone opens new perspectives to the hobby I love.Well, as an engineer (typical isn't it?) I am quite versed in computers, programming in fortran, C, etc. (sorry guys, I am older than the matlab generation). I could approximate navier stokes, FEA and other numerical analysis including fuel combustion, but that is no fun, one cannot see actually what happens because experimental setup was always too expensive.As a intensive DIYer, I have done almost everything, from plumbing, repairing washing machines, TVs, rebuild my aircooled Volks (I was a student, could not afford many things), made furniture and house DIY (for the missus you know), etc. All this on top of all the science projects of my kids, stupid volcanoes...jajajaja, well some circuits and wind generators too.My main interest in this site started by autopilots as a help to teach how to fly an heli or aeroplane (like a panic 'save my plane' button) but i see that is just a little bit of what can be done. After all these years, my brain is a bit rusted and I was wondering if I could download any tutorial of drones control. I've seen some references in the forums but cannot find them!!!I would like to develop this in stages:Stage 1 - Take off and landing via RC, but some autonomous flying and photo stream, maybe video and some telemetry to a device, such as iPod, computer or PDA, I even have ideas of how to measure (or calculate) the amount of fuel, NRP, etc.Stage 2 - Take off and landing via RC with a some sort of video stream (I have seen some options), like I am actually sitting in the plane or helicopterStage 3 - Take off and landing via computer (with corresponding control link-transmitter of course), maybe using some joystick or nintendo like control, maybe totally software controlled.Stage 4 - take off and landing via computer (or ground base as some call it) but a data stream via Iridium or Inmarsat.I live in the UK, but I would like this to photograph or video in two places: the Sahara were I have some friends that have offered me help with the local goverment and the rain forest in the border between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela, well, maybe when I retire....;-) I've got this idea of UAVs in Libya, we needed to locate a pipeline, try to do that from an aeroplane or an offroad vehicle!!!!My question is, Am I being too ambitious? I have set up some funds from this and my next contract may allow me to spare some money to learn this. there are some commercial guys out there offering ready made platforms, but with all respect, I would like to do this as cheap as possible, not those super douper ultra expensive units...the army already have those...I guess I would need about a year to learn the basics, any literature that can be recommended apart from the whole electronics engineering program at Uni?Thank you in advance for any help and/or suggestions.Jose
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thanks, they are pretty good, but they don't seem to have the actual plane (going with the guide and looking for a multiplex easystar) or any of the RC equipment, i can find all of the stuff in different sites, but i would prefer to be able to buy most things from one UK based site/shop (for less posting charges etc.)
Welcome to the site!
Your laundry list of stages is very impressive but attainable. (most of us have very similiar goals)
You have come to the right place for sure... Chris created this site with open-source and low cost in mind.
Many of us have made the conversion from FPV (frist-person-video) so video streams are second nature, and a part of the UAV world as well.
Most of the projects which members are working on involve telementry and various sensors as well as autonomous landings and takeoffs.
One major difference is that most projects use imbedded controllers, rather than gound based computers (there are those, but not as widespread), especially given the current state of miniturization. Drones are still controlled by computer, but the computer gets to come along for the ride.
The GCS (Ground Control Station) you may see here is mostly graphical interfaces for the streaming data from the plane, not the ground actually controlling the flight in real time.
That brings up your objective of using satellite phone networks for control...because of the lag/burst nature of the sat phones, this would be difficult for real-time direct control.
Downlinking the data would be cheaper using the current crop of data modems versus the airtime of a sat phone.
Replies
Your laundry list of stages is very impressive but attainable. (most of us have very similiar goals)
You have come to the right place for sure... Chris created this site with open-source and low cost in mind.
Many of us have made the conversion from FPV (frist-person-video) so video streams are second nature, and a part of the UAV world as well.
Most of the projects which members are working on involve telementry and various sensors as well as autonomous landings and takeoffs.
One major difference is that most projects use imbedded controllers, rather than gound based computers (there are those, but not as widespread), especially given the current state of miniturization. Drones are still controlled by computer, but the computer gets to come along for the ride.
The GCS (Ground Control Station) you may see here is mostly graphical interfaces for the streaming data from the plane, not the ground actually controlling the flight in real time.
That brings up your objective of using satellite phone networks for control...because of the lag/burst nature of the sat phones, this would be difficult for real-time direct control.
Downlinking the data would be cheaper using the current crop of data modems versus the airtime of a sat phone.