ArduRover without steering servo

Posted by Alain Sutter on November 11, 2012 at 10:47am

Hi, I would like to build a rover without a steering servo but rather with 2 motors (left+right) for the steering, just like a tracked vehicle.

Is there an ArduRover firmware that supports that kind of setup.

If not, can someone tell me where in the ArduRover code I have to make the necessary changes.

Thx

Cheers

Alain

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • Admin
    Thomas J Coyle III March 19, 2013 at 6:56am

    @Alain,

    The latest ArduRover2 v2.30 alpha code now supports skid steering. Check the Comment Wall for the latest code.

    Regards,

    TCIII

    • Johannes > Thomas J Coyle III September 15, 2014 at 5:25am

      @Thomas,

      I just activated the skid-steering on the latest Ardurover version, now both controllers are running the same direction when steering forward/backward as needed, but i am not able to get the rover to turn in manual mode.

      The difference in the 2 outputs is way to less to turn the vehicle. Do you have any hints what to change to make it work?

    • Admin
      Thomas J Coyle III > Johannes September 15, 2014 at 5:53am

      @Johannes,

      The skid (differential) steering in ArduRover2 stable version v2.46 is broken and our Developer/Programmer, Tridge, will not be available to fix it until after the AU OBC.

      Please use either v2.44 or 2.45 from this repository Link

      Regards,

      TCIII AVD

    • Johannes > Thomas J Coyle III September 15, 2014 at 5:57am

      Thanks for the fast reply, this will save me some hours of searching ;_)

      i will try the older release these days.

      Greets

             Johannes.

      P.S. the Ardurover will go on my selfmade Rover: http://der-frickler.net/modellbau/cars/rover_4x4

    • Developer
      Linus > Johannes September 15, 2014 at 7:11am

      Hi Johannes,

      i have a Wild Thumper with those cheap and flashed Brushless ESC's and it works but not as i would like it to do.

      The Tuning is giving me some headaches but that might be just me being not patient enough.


      If you make it work properly please update us on your progress here as well.



      Grüße aus Hamburg,

      Linus

    • Johannes > Linus September 15, 2014 at 11:32pm

      Downgraded to v2.45 and it it working.

      Driving in manual mode is fine.

      Had no time yet to really test the GPS Modes, my terrace seams a bit small for waypoint driving...

      Thanks Thomas.

      @Linus: is the driving working without the APM? Just with mixers in the Transmitter? That should work first.

    • Developer
      Linus > Johannes September 16, 2014 at 1:56am

      Hi Jogannes,

      of course its working in manual mode.Im using a PX4 on my Thumper.

      Will see if i can make it do an autonomous mission soon, feels like im close.

      Just thought i chime in as youre using almost the same HW im having troubles with.

      Shoud have some time on the weekend to tinker little more with it.

      Cheers

      Linus

      mode.Im
    • Johannes > Linus September 16, 2014 at 2:09am

      OK, sounded as if you were having trouble with the ESCs in general.

      Hope i will have time to do some outdoor tests on the weekend.

      Goto here via Missionplaner and RTH work just fine on my Arducopter.

      Yes, sure, as the parameters shall be the same for our vehicles, it we should share the information..

  • heliboy January 18, 2013 at 12:43pm

    You can buy a wild Thumper control board. It is set for steer/throttle input to control two built-in motor controllers. You can modify the arduino code to change the mixiing or get rid of it. $ 80 at Sparkfun.

     

    - Vijay

  • Corey McGuire November 19, 2012 at 10:51am

    Another avenue is to use an off the shelf - or finding a code snippet - for a "v-tail mixer"

    This is, in essence, what these motor controllers are doing.

    Here is something I found:
    http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,37638.0.html

This reply was deleted.