SokilLink Software Suite is a complete solution for unmanned vehicle operation. It runs on both ground and on-board PCs and delivers most required features for modern drones. The software allows users to control their drones in manual mode, observe real time digital video from on-board cameras with telemetry displayed on top, control the cameras using exposed APIs.

The solution is extremely flexible thus it allows to customize each feature and easily add new ones. For example, a vehicle can carry more that one camera, making it more suitable for professional operations, when an operator should be able to see UAV flight direction and observable object at the same time.

It also comes with powerful logging and monitoring features which are very helpful for hardware development, performance monitoring and troubleshooting

Key features

• One digital data link for all kinds of data (video, telemetry, control)
• Digital video streaming
• Hardware video coding acceleration for low latency streaming (100-160ms)
• Bi-directional telemetry streaming
• UAV/ UGV manual control using gamepad or other input device
• Connecting Ground Control Station software on a separate laptop
• Cameras control (start/stop recording, still shot)
• Multiple cameras support
• Multiple video streams support (limited by radio link throughput)
• Mesh networks support (WIP)
• Multiple vehicles operation support (in Mesh and WiFi AP mode) (WIP)

Typical diagram

Video output application

While most of applications are background services, thus have no user interface, this one is responsible for video output and telemetry drawing. It uses hardware video acceleration so video feed is displayed with minimal latency

Configurator application

This application is aimed for software configuration and recording/displaying (real-time) system logs, what is very helpful during end product development and integration

Customization

Although the solution has support for all important features to build a modern drone, it is also highly customizable. Many other hardware (cameras, radio links, various payloads and even autopilots) may be supported on a request. Feel free to contact us if you need any kind of customization!

Learn more

You can find more on the solution page or by reaching us via e-mail contact@sokil.aero.

We are pleased to announce our latest development: SokilLink!

It is a complex both software and hardware solution for Mavlink-powered autopilots.
In short, our solution will allow you to build a modern drone with features available only in leading products. Main features are:

• Using only one digital data link (e.g. WiFi)
• Remote control from an USB gamepad or conventional RC using USB dongle
• HD video streaming from drone
• Displaying video stream on ground receiver with telemetry overlay and touch screen support
• Various cameras control (Sony, Z Cam E1)
• Possibility to connect a laptop with GCS

GCS app which runs on ground PC:

There is also configurator app available for those who want customize all these features:

Hardware consists of ground and on-board Linux-powered boards equipped with high-power WiFi cards.

On-board PC (on image) has HDMI input, USB where you may connect your camera or other devices and two UARTs.

Ground PC (on image) has HDMI output for video and telemetry overlay displaying, USB for game pad or trainer dongle and Ethernet.

We're still polishing SokilLink so at this stage we expect to establish connections with advanced users and drone makers interested in our product.

There are also planned many other cool features:

• Backup link support: RFD900 (only for Mavlink) or 3G/LTE (also for video)
• Multiple cameras or even UAVs connected to one station
• Sony block cameras support (with precise zoom control and other features acessible through API)

The software runs not only on mentioned boards but also on other compatible ARM ones and of course Raspberry Pi.

If you think that WiFi would not satisfy your needs we're happy to tell that we are also working on integration with another digital link which gives up to 25km range!

Write us on contact@sokil.aero if you are interested :)