RC through telemetry

Posted by Fausto Coletti on December 28, 2012 at 1:24pm

Hello all,

I was thinking about the possibility to connect the transmitter to the pc to control the model through telemetry.

For example, use a normal remote control at 2.4 GHz, which transmits the signal to a receiver connected to the pc, placed a few feet away.

You could use the PPM signal extracted directly from the receiver or through the PPM external encoder or, use the PPM signal obtained directly from the transmitter.

Any idea on how to interface the PPM signal to the PC?

All this in order to have less transmitters and receivers on the model and less frequencies used.

 

Fausto

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Replies

  • Delfin Magote III December 30, 2012 at 5:12am

    RClink is supposed to be mounted on RFD900. Here is what Seppo said:

    "RCLink, is in the "not-so-stealth-development-mode", It is a separate board which screws together with an RFD900, providing 12 channels of RC PWM IO and PPM IO ports.  As it gets closer to release will make some more announcements :)   -- It will be designed to fix with current RFD900 boards so you can have great telemetry now and soon, ultra long range RC control !"


    It was posted in the RFD900 discussion.

    EDIT:

    Additional info from another RFD900 discussion.

    "In the works is a project called RCLink - it is a long range RC system (LRS) that accepts PPM or PWM, sends it across the RFD900 link, and outputs PPM and PWM at the remote end.
    It is designed to work with existing RFD900 modems, so the same modems can be used for telemetry and RC control."

  • Fausto Coletti December 29, 2012 at 1:06pm

    Thanks for suggestions,

    I found a diagram of a converter PPM> USB with the source code. I'll try to build it then I will see the performance.

    My intent is to have a good range of the radio link with a directional tracking antenna on 433 MHz, perhaps with a pair of bi-directional amplifiers, one on GCS and one on the model, without having too many radio frequencies on the air.

  • John December 28, 2012 at 3:54pm
    Wont latency be a big issue? Also, My telemetry link is a fraction of the distance of the LRS 433 link. Maybe cause im on 900mhx for TL? Hope to get my dronecell up on the LTE network soon?
  • Scott Fuller December 28, 2012 at 2:20pm

    I was trying this out with a x52 and then a Real Flight RC Controller. It's possible to control the craft doing so. I was going to try it in my Skywalker but never got around to it. The only PitA is the fact you have to drag your laptop out to the field. 

    There's a couple PPM to USB converters out there on the market. I just didn't feel like paying $100 to buy one. You figure the same price you're half way to a LRS setup. 

  • Hans Miller December 28, 2012 at 1:35pm

    There is a much easier way. Simply use a decent quality joystick connected to your PC and enabled in the Mission Planner. Depending on the telemetry hardware you use, there may be  the option of raising the data speed to 115kbps which has been, in my experience, entirely satisfactory for a smooth remote control. I tend to use the joystick as a means of controlling my FPV camera gimbal and as a means to revert to manual control in the case of technical trouble with the aircraft.

    While I do realise that you looking for a way to omit the 2.4Ghz altogether, personally I don't think this is a great idea. It is my opinion that the more ways of controlling your aircraft, the better (redundancy in case of a failure)

This reply was deleted.