Beagleboard.org has released the BeagleBone Blue some days ago, a Linux-enabled computer for robotic applications.

The BeagleBone Blue is an open hardware platform that include a large array of sensors and IO; IMU, Baro, PPM for RC input, 8 channels PWM output to Servos, DC motor driver, analog input, PRU, GPIO, LEDs, buttons, serial, CAN, I2C, SPI, USB, WiFi, Bluethooth, 2-cell LiPo charger and wide input voltage range.

Jason Kridner has designed the BeagleBone Blue and he contacted me to implement the ArduPilot Flight Controller Software on BeagleBone Blue and make it a full blown Linux-enabled autopilot. Based on my previous experience with a similar project called the BBBmini, a BeagleBone Black or Green coupled with a sensor cape of my own, that has been successfully built and flown by numerous DIYers around the world, the BeagleBone Blue is natural extension of my design with the benefit of having a single board solution.

Experimenters can now have their copter, plane, rover, submarine being controlled with ArduPilot software powered by a versatile Linux platform with enough power to add cameras, additional sensors and use a large array of available robotic language like ROS, dronekit-python and Mission Control suites for just 80$.

https://github.com/mirkix/ardupilotblue

https://beagleboard.org/blue

I am not related to TI or beagleboard.org. BBBmini and BeagleBone Blue ArduPilot support are both pure hobby projects.

I am happy to announce that my DIY project BBBmini won Third Prize in The SeeedStudio BeagleBone Green IoT Contest. BBBmini is a DIY Cape to put on a BeagleBone Board.

BBBmini in combination with a BeagleBone gives you:

• DIY state of the art UAV autopilot / flightcontroller
• Easy to build, no SMD soldering necessary
• Free hardware, free software
• ArduPilot flightcontroller software
• Real-Time Linux Kernel 4.1.X or 4.4.X
• DIY friendly connectors 0.1” pin header
• 12 x PWM out with individual frequency for each channel
• RC in connector for PPM, S.BUS or spektrum satellite input
• MPU-9250 IMU 9 x DOF
• MS5611 barometer
• HC-SR04 ultrasonic rangefinder
• GPS for full autonomous flights
• Voltage and current sensing
• I2C / GROVE connector for Status display and additional sensors
• SPI connector for second redundant IMU
• UART / GROVE connector for GPS
• UART / GROVE connector for telemetry
• CAN connector with on board CAN bus transceiver
• USB connector used for WiFi, Laser rangefinder or cameras
• Excellent cost-performance ratio

Best regards

Mirko

Since first introduction of the BBBMINI and then BBBMINI-PCB beginning of the year, there are a lot of improvements and test flights done. As the result we get a low-priced, reliable and up-to-date DIY Linux Autopilot runs ArduPilot software.

With the merge of EKF2 (Extended Kalman Filter) in ArduPilot master, you can add easily a second IMU as its own instance to the BBBMINI. I tried that and attached a second MPU-9250 (GY-9250 breakout board, about 6$) to the unused BBBMINI SPI0 pin header. With a small patch I get the second IMU (and compass) up and running. After changing the ArduPilot configuration, both IMUs appears at the GSC and in the log files. Finally I have to do a compass and accel calibration.

After some “flight” checks with dismounted propellers my “250 BBBMINI Indoor Test Quad” was ready for the first dual IMU flight.  

The Quadcopter is not yet tuned, but it fly much better than expected. I flew indoor 7 minutes in Alt-Hold and the Quadcopter only moves about +/- 50cm in height, I only did some small pitch and roll commands to keep the Quadcopter in position. I am happy with EKF2 dual IMU and I am looking forward to test it outside (with GPS) when the weather conditions allow it.

The film below shows what happens when you unplugged one IMU “in flight”, the Quadcopter should be still flyable, but that is not tested ;-)

https://youtu.be/MDNFQ95zwZg

Best regards

Mirko

Just want to tell that the DIY Ardupilot Cape for the BeagleBone Black (BBBmini) is now Open Hardware. You can get the KiCad sources here BBBMINI-PCB. I will not sell the PCBs, but I add some lines how to get 10 PCBs for less than 30$.

The BBMINI-PCB is updated to Rev 1.4, here some improvements:

• Connector for Ultra Sonic Range Finder HC-SR04 (2$, range 3cm to 400cm, 1cm accuracy)
• Voltage divider at pin RC_IN (RCIN) to connect 5V signals to RC_IN (RCIN), now it is possible to connect a 5V RX to the BBBmini without an external level shifter.

I also started a new project with is in an early stage of development, a Self Balancing Robot based on the BBBmini and Ardupilot software. AP_AHRS will be used to to get the pitch angle and AC_PID to balance the robot. It runs at 400 Hz, there are two Stepper Motors and there is a PRU Code inside the BeagelBone which can create up to 200000 steps per / second to the Stepper Motors.

Here is the first very early stage of development video, it balancing fine.

https://youtu.be/7Ow5aKap_sI

Best regards Mirko

About three months ago I introduced the BBBMINI  a DIY Cape for the BeagleBone Black. The BBBMINI should make it easy to start with Ardupilot running on Embedded Linux. It also keep the DIY spirit, so it has no SMD parts to solder and only 0.1” pinheader to connect external hardware. So you do not have to struggle with DF13 connectors if you want to change the cable pinout.

I got good feedback, so I decided to make things easier which seems some people stuck with, when they build a BBBMINI.

The first thing is wiring a BBBMINI up on a Proto Cape board. It is prone to errors and remote support is difficult. The Proto Cape wiring is also not so reliable. So I get familiar with KiCad and designed the BBBMINI PCB.

BBBMINI PCB:

0.1” / 2.54mm pinheader

Use GY-9250 and GY-63 sensor breakout board (about 5$ to 9$ each with shipping from china)

Free SPI connector for additional sensors like a second IMU, ...

Free I2C connector for additional hardware like external Mag, LED Controller, Ultrasonic Rangefinder, ...

Free UART for additional hardware like Telemetry Radio or second GPS

CAN Bus TRX so BBBMINI is UAVCAN ready

12 PWM OUT

Extra PWM OUT for X-Quad

1 RC IN

All necessary parts to build a BBBMINI PCB is less than 35$ including the sensor boards

There is now a Rev 1.2 version of the PCB which fix a power issue of the Rev 1.0. The Rev 1.2 boards should receive me next week. After successful testing  all necessary files will be released on the BBBMINI GitHub page.

Also some people can not get all the Device Tree stuff to work or can not get a RT-Kernel up and running. So there is now a prebuild Image which you can write to a sdcard and direct boot from the sdcard with RT-Kernel and Device Tree already loaded at startup.  

Debian 8 with BBBMINI support:

GCC 4.9 so you can compile Ardupilot direct on the BeagleBone

Kernel 4.0.4 RT PREEMPT already installed and loaded at startup

Device Tree for BBBMINI already loaded at startup

Further information is available on the BBBMINI GitHub page.

Best regards

Mirko

I want to introduce the BBBMINI.

BBBMINI is for people who want to build a Linux autopilot based on ArduPilot themselves. BBBMINI is based on a BeagleBone Black connected to a MPU-9250 IMU and a MS5611 barometer. Both the IMU and barometer sensor can be purchased ready soldered on a breakout board by many manufacturers.

Objectives of the project:

- DIY project, build a Linux autopilot based on ArduPilot with a minimum of hardware

- no SMD soldering required

- DIY friendly 2.54 mm pin header to connect external hardware (other can also be used)

- connection to ground station via (wireless) LAN, or other telemetry radio

- easy start to develop ArduPilot for Linux

- inexpensive

First successful test flight already done.

BBBMINI is already a build target in the ArduPilot master branch:

https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot

ArduPilot for Linux is experimental, so please take care, it comes with absolutely no warranty.

For more information please check:

https://github.com/mirkix/BBBMINI