Companion: Pi 2/3/Zero

A discussion page to allow me to add my experiences using a Raspberry Pi 2/3/Zero V1.2/1.3 as a companion computer for Ardupilot/APM/Pixhawk flight boards. I will update my experiences as I learn, feel free to comment and offer tips, it's all free here.

I'm building a github for my experiments: https://github.com/benb0jangles/Companion-Pi

Drone Unit: Raspberry Pi Zero V1.3 + Pi Camera Module
img file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1cVb3uX0f0dQTZzSmVISFdYd3M

Ground Unit: Raspberry Pi 2

img file: <to be added>

Goggles Unit: Raspberry Pi Zero V1.3

img file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1cVb3uX0f0dakFpaTAyVF9HV2s

Ardupilot Technical Questions:

Also, if you have any technical code/hardware questions which you feel may take ongoing contributions and help over an extended timeframe, feel free to ask over on Ardupilot.org technical discussion page here: http://discuss.ardupilot.org/t/companion-pi-2-3-zero/9460

I will update as I get by, please contribute by offering your 'plug & play' wifi adapters using Raspbian Jessie. Also, if you happen to pick up this project, and are working faster than me, then please send us your own .img file experiments. Thanks.

Hi benbojangles.

OK, thanks.

benbojangles said:

Hi Radioelf this setup using RaspberryPi is to implement digital video, telemetry, and scripts - outside of - the APM flight controller platform (or at least that's what I thought of when I imagined the idea). I wanted to be able to have digital fpv + telemetry, and to be able to take geotagged photos for mapping.

I guess one could use a third raspberrypi zero with pxfmini + RT as a flight control board too, but flight control is not in my plan for this (just now). My plan is to spend as much thought and time as possible implementing a video system (and learning as I go).

:)

Radioelf said:

Hi.

"APMpi_Jessie_Lite_V1_0.img" It is valid for PXFmini ?

"APMpi_Jessie_Lite_V1_0.img" it real-time operating system RT?

Regards.

Replies

Radioelf August 9, 2016 at 7:11am

Yes, it is a complex problem !!

Patrick Poirier said:

No that would not really be optimal because the CSI lines must be balanced, and the cable you show is not.

The best is inserting the Flat Ribbon Cable into a shield jacket, but these are hard to find, and the camera has to be shielded as well, so I decided to go with the complete EMI filtering and shield the whole shebang with MuMetal like that:
Jon August 9, 2016 at 7:06am

Patrick

That shielding is impressive! Is it very effective and do you know the approx weight?
Patrick Poirier August 9, 2016 at 6:50am

No that would not really be optimal because the CSI lines must be balanced, and the cable you show is not.

The best is inserting the Flat Ribbon Cable into a shield jacket, but these are hard to find, and the camera has to be shielded as well, so I decided to go with the complete EMI filtering and shield the whole shebang with MuMetal like that:
Fnoop August 9, 2016 at 6:35am

@Radioelf - wow, does that cable fit straight into the connectors on the pi/camera? I tried making a shielded cable from an ebay kit which did work but drove me insane putting it together - took over a day and an awful lot of swearing and deep breathing.

Have you tried slug tape?
Radioelf August 9, 2016 at 6:22am

You can use a shielded cable. And filter power to camera...

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/22054O/3mtm-rnd-shld-jckt-flat-cable-mass-term-3659-series-ts008…
Patrick Poirier August 9, 2016 at 6:07am

@Radioelf,

The EMI problem I am talking here is related to interference caused by the camera Flat Cable that is not shielded. The high frequency video signal coming out of the camera CSI serial interface are generating noise in the GPS frequency band (1575 Mhz),
Radioelf August 9, 2016 at 5:19am

Hi Patrick, it is advisable to use a filter to "clean" EMI, in all power...

Patrick Poirier said:

You can do it all with a single RPI Zero, actually I a m running at 60% load with ArduCopter & Gstreamer - this is oubiously including the mavlink telemetry.

The problems aI am experienciing are pretty commons: EMI from the camera and Wifi -vs- RC on same frequency band, I am working on it.

benbo: The shielding I am using for the moment is MuMetal, (see picture on mini zee) and it is quite efficient on getting the noise down so that the GPS gets full 3D(+DGPS)
Patrick Poirier August 9, 2016 at 4:01am

You can do it all with a single RPI Zero, actually I a m running at 60% load with ArduCopter & Gstreamer - this is oubiously including the mavlink telemetry.

The problems aI am experienciing are pretty commons: EMI from the camera and Wifi -vs- RC on same frequency band, I am working on it.

benbo: The shielding I am using for the moment is MuMetal, (see picture on mini zee) and it is quite efficient on getting the noise down so that the GPS gets full 3D(+DGPS)
Radioelf August 9, 2016 at 2:22am

Hi benbojangles.

OK, thanks.

benbojangles said:

Hi Radioelf this setup using RaspberryPi is to implement digital video, telemetry, and scripts - outside of - the APM flight controller platform (or at least that's what I thought of when I imagined the idea). I wanted to be able to have digital fpv + telemetry, and to be able to take geotagged photos for mapping.

I guess one could use a third raspberrypi zero with pxfmini + RT as a flight control board too, but flight control is not in my plan for this (just now). My plan is to spend as much thought and time as possible implementing a video system (and learning as I go).

:)

Radioelf said:

Hi.

"APMpi_Jessie_Lite_V1_0.img" It is valid for PXFmini ?

"APMpi_Jessie_Lite_V1_0.img" it real-time operating system RT?

Regards.
benbojangles August 9, 2016 at 1:50am

Hi, Is it worth lining the gps puck with copper foil?

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Companion Computer Working Group

Replies