Video speaks for itself...
HappyKillmore does it again! :P
Max's Posts (12)
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Watch live video from UAV Outback Challenge 2010 on Justin.tv
Streaming as much as possible @ http://justin.tv/uavchallenge
Ok, I didnt build it all myself, credit goes out to my mate Kim who cut holes and spent a fair bit of time with me on the build :)
So anyway, I wanted a UAV that did something... useful...
Live video is a pain, really easy to do if you dont go the legal route, but when it comes down to it, 10mw is just no fun in the city.
The next best thing has got to be mapping, strap a camera and trigger the shutter, too easy.
Other than that I wanted something under 1kg which isnt too much of an ask if you plan the build properly.
So here is a list of the parts which I ended up using for the aircraft:
- WindRider EleBee Flying Wing
- High power metal gear servos... cant remember the name unfortunately
- MicroDan motor
- Castle 25A ESC
- Castle 10A BEC
- Xtend900 Radio Modem
- AttoPilot v3.0 AHRS IMU
- Samsung WP10 digital camera
- Futaba R319DP RX
- 2100mAH Lipo's
So after flying it manually we went down to some farmland to try autonomous, test the Millswood GCS / data link & give the autopilot some photo triggers.
All went very well but the photos were rather bland, blurry and meh.
I wasnt expecting too much from that camera, I thought I may have picked the wrong type. The lens was internal and small but it was shock and dust proof.
Regardless, the flight went great and as expected.
Up early the next day to go flying with the guys, brought along Batto for another test. Exactly the same flight plan as yesterday, but today the AttoPilot was setup to cut the motor, level off & snap the picture every 70 meters.
Video below.
So, very happy with the results today!
The uncompressed 12meg photos from the camera look fantastic, alot better then I would have thought.
Hopefully ill get a chance to head out to a friend’s property and let Batto loose over his crops.
If anyone can think of a better canopy than the coreflute one ive installed let me know, it works great but looks very cheap :)
Max
Here is a sneak peak at the the new AttoPilot v2.0
AttoPilot v2.0 will be replacing v1.8 & v1.9 and be available in 4 flavors.
AttoPilot 6DOF IMU
AttoPilot v2.0 Thermopile
AttoPilot RTL
(Same as above...)
AttoPilot PPK
Pricing is still being confirmed, you can expect price drops across the complete range starting at around $250 for the PPK.
RTL will be cheaper than the v2.0 waypoint unit.
IMU system is looking at coming down significantly also.
Documentation & specifications should be ready within the week, once everything has been confirmed and stock has arrived the AttoPilot International website will be updated with all the new info.
Cant wait to try the RTL in my Multiplex Fox ;)
KML screenshot of 2 separate flights.
Once the airframe is tuned sufficiently the SET file will be added to the AttoPilot website for download.
When RTL is engaged the aircraft will complete a rectangular path before its return home, this can be triggered as many times as you like in the same flight.
AttoPilot's Geo-referencing / camera trigger options can be used to provide detailed overhead mapping.
This is the first AttoPilot which can be shipped without any export restrictions.
Part 1 - http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/testing-amp-tuning-the
This is the new RTL which features a rectangular return to home path, when you engage RTL the aircraft will cover a 500m x 200m path centered around the area where you switched on RTL.
Once this path has been flown the aircraft returns to home and loiters above.
My grand idea is to have the Skywalker fitted with a nice 10megapixel camera looking straight down, along with a nice FPV setup to remotely fly and trigger the RTL at an area. The system would then just map the area automatically, once its done I can choose to fly it to another area and repeat the process straight away.
Anyway, the Atto-Funjet is just to get some experience tuning the autopilot & see how nicely we can get it flying the RTL path.
I'll post up all the onboard video, KML's and SET file changes as I go along.
Here is the latest flight with the AttoPilot IMU 6DOF flying a Stryker delta wing.
Autonomous hand launch straight into the mission, rudders also added for yaw stabilization.
Tuning isnt quite complete yet but very close! :)
KML file attached also.
Enjoy :)
Hey all, here is the new AttoPilot website which is almost complete.
Just want to get some feedback as to what everyone thinks.
Outback Challenge featured in tonights show of Catalyst in Australia
"A group of aeronautics enthusiasts are attempting to meet the challenge of unmanned flight. Paul Willis dropped in to check out the annual UAV challenge in Queensland. Planes will crash and burn, some won't leave the ground, but will Outback Joe be saved for the very first time?"
Click link for the video
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2836783.htm
