Hello,
I am new in developing with Arduino. I bought an DFRduino MEGA 2560 and an URM37 V3.2 Ultrasonicsensor to get my first experience with this topic. After all I am able to let an LED shine when my hand is in a specific distance range in front of the ultrasonicsensor. Sure, it is a simple step for you, but I am glad about this first step.
My dream is to build an tricopter as the Terminator flying robots. I want that the tricopter move away when I am approaching from a side.
I found a project which is exactly the tricopter I want to build.
Does everyone know more about this copter? Both propeller in the front are able to turn, in contrast to an classic tricopter configuration. Is this an option witch the ArduPilot have already?
I have an DFRduino MEGA, is there a shield which I could use to extend the MEGA to an ArduPilot?
I want to extend my project step by step, but if I get an ArduPilot, then I have a complete system to build an Copter. Is it nonsensical to built an ArduPilot out of pieces? My wish is to build an understand step by step, but if the way to build this out of pieces is to difficult, then I get an complete ArduPilot.
I don't want to say that it is very easy to build an copter with an ArduPilot, but I think I step over so many steps.
I hope you could understand my problem/questions.
Please let me know your opinions.
Kind Regards
Gerd
Replies
Hi,
now I am a few step further. I decided that I want to build the tricopter of my own. I want to develop, hardware and software. If I will find some examples to the problems I have to solve in every step, I am not shy to use it, but I want to understand every singel function. I don't know if I can this, but I have time for this.
The first five steps in my List are solved:
1. I have an Arduino MEGA and I can give him a program and it works. Sure, first examples and some first programs of my own.
2. I bought a URM37 V3.2 ultrasonic sensor. I found a example with this sensor to measure the distance.
http://milesburton.com/URM37_Ultrasonic_Distance_Measurement_Librar...
So with this I can let shine a LED on the Arduino if my hand is in a specific distance range from the sensor.
3. I builded up a DC motor controller with a H-Bridge. For this I looked at the instruction here:
http://www.arduino-tutorial.de/2010/06/motorsteuerung-mit-einem-h-b...
So I could control the motor an understand the way to build a program for the Arduino.
4. In the end I want to control my tricopter with my Samsung Galaxy S II. So I bought a Bluetooth interface an put it on my Arduino. The interface, the instructions an the example programs for this I found here:
http://www.chetanpatil.info/1/post/2011/12/android-talking-to-ardui...
and
http://www.chetanpatil.info/1/post/2011/10/11th-post-testing-blueto...
So now I could control some LEDs on the Arduino with my Samsung Galaxy S II via Bluetooth. It's great!
The excurse to Anroid on this point is to early, but I got the Bluetooth module (BlueLink) from India and if I had it here I want to know if it works. I did only first steps in programming Android and there is a lot to learn, but I know that it is possible.
Could you imagine to control your copter with your Android handy? With the gyro in it you can control the copter only by bow down you hand.
5. For a copter I have to use brushless motors with an ESC. So I have to know how to control this type of motors with the Arduino. I have a traditional heli
Skya 450 with
- Transmitter: Futaba T12FG
- Receiver: Futaba R6014FS
- ESC AEX 40 A
- Motor AMX Skya Air max X4.8
So I want to test with what I already have. I take it apart and connect the ESC to my Arduino. A example sketch I have found here:
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1226292633
>> Re: Controlling A Brushless Motor Reply #9 - 27.11.2008 at 11:46:55
With this sketch I could start the motor, but it works not as I thought it have to. The motor starts spinning very late. I want to spinn it up very slowly, but it starts with a high rotation and it was in a few steps too fast. I don't understand why. Then I read something that gave me an idea about it. The ESC have a range within it works and the motor could be to less sensitive. I do not have a datasheet to the ESC so I had to figure it out, but the I thought I had to get an other motor.
6. I bought a Hype AL28-1400XS motor and a cheap ESC. For the ESC I already have no datasheet with the information about the range, but it works. I could start the motor smooth. With some experimenting I found some paramarters to control the motor quite good. Ok, I don't know the parameters which are absolutely correct, but I don't found a datasheet for any ESC with this informations.
7. Next, I combine point 6 with point 2. I built a arm with a hinge. At the end of the arm I placed the motor with a propeller. I an few distance behind the motor I placed the ultrasonicsensor. This sensor is for measuring the distance of the arm from the ground. Then I combined the example sketch from point 2 with the motor controlling from point 6. Then I expand the program to control the motorspeed in dependence of the measurement of the sensor. The goal was/is to speed up the motor slightly even if the arm is hovering. If I bring my hand under the sensor the motor have to speed up and bring the arm higher. So it has to be always the same distance between the ground and the arm.
At this time it works not quite good, because the arm is swinging and the motor does not speed up if I bring my hand under the sensor. So there I have to develop a better program.
Ok, if I get point 7 to work I want to expand my project with this.
I want to let the arm rotate like a fire ladder. The motor have to be able to nick for this, so I have to extend with a servo. I want that the arm made a sidestep if I come close to it. For this I have to add an second or third ultrasonicsensor for both sides.
The goal to get a copter which is flying alone is far away and I don't know if this way is crowned with success, but I think it is a way to understand the technic.
to be continued....
Gerd
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