Android OS/handsets seem like the perfect platform to leverage for lots of the hardware I see here. Obviously I am missing something, what is the reason for little to no reliance on mobile OS Platforms?
- Hackable
- 2 cameras/videos
- GPS
- Compass
- Network ready
- Gyro
- Temp
- Barometrics
Why no integration with these systems?
TIA
Replies
It would probably have to be done like an app on the operating system. Those apps do not have full control over how the hardware gets configured, which may well be necessary.
Apps on the iphone usually get loaded through the appstore. Apps will only be allowed there if the software isn't used for autonomous vehicle control *directly*. So you could still develop apps to do routing and interfacing remotely with them.
Then there's the issue of receiving calls, making the app disappear into the background. What should happen?
Some of these apps actually run within a virtual machine environment and do not have full control over the nature they are run.
You can't (easily) plug in servos or servo connectors and interface with other actuator hardware on the plane. Some of that hardware also generates relatively large currents which the phone is (certainly) not designed for.
The hardware itself (sensors, etc) cannot be upgraded unless you talk to the manufacturers. The market size will be so little that it doesn't make sense to do that.
Phones are usually heavier than bare PCB's and the screen becomes utterly useless once in the air.
An android isn't always cheaper than a PCB specifically designed as autopilot.
All that makes clear that the disadvantages don't weigh up against designing an autopilot yourself with the right resources and group size. It started out pretty expensive and since then, costs have gone down (and gone up a bit due to better, rigid quality control measures). There's a bit of dynamics at the moment going on due to increases in volume (driving down the price) and increases in expectations (driving up the price).