Just received the newsletter that DroTek is finally ready to release it`s Pixhawk compatible flight controller made in France! So no more NSA style regulation from our "friends" and no more DF-13 connectors ;-) They release a hole bunch of modules as well, for example a neo-7 GPS...
More information available on their page and here.
I have been looking into the possibility to operate an antenna tracker with the APM software and found that the only options are the ground stations or a laptop + missionPlanner + a servo controller. Because I want to take with me as little as possible and have a system which is housed in one single case I decided therefore to build something on my own.
I ended up using a MinimOSD by modifying their software and connecting additional pins directly on the chip. This way, the tracker worked great. One remaining problem is that the OSD shuts down all the time with "REQUESTING DATA STREAM" although droidPlanner is connected all the times. Which is a bit strange and maybe I have just deleted a bit to much while shrinking the code down to fit in my additions ;-)
The above problem disappears by setingt the "enable_mav_request" variable to 0. Seems that because of the additional code some Mavlink data get dropt since the "enable_mav_request" seems to be triggered by the "waitingMAVBeats" var?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqejb8E9oyQ
Features:
- 433/915 or in my case 868 telemetry
- MinimOSD - OSD
- 2x RX5808 modules in a RSSI diversity config.
- Bluetooth link / HC-05
- 5.8GHz TX module to send the video on a different channel to my goggles...
Planed features:
- Switch-mode power supply&filtering, battery monitoring
- Shielding of the analog video parts and of the telemetry module & metal casing
- Automated channel switching (DJI for example lets you change your channels in-flight)
- Serial links (GPS, ADS-B/FLARM receivers etc.)
- Exposed pins/connectors for more internal & external expansions
At the moment the hole ting is very hackt together but I plan to make a custom board to place all the components on it and to fit into some sort of case. A couple max7465 are ordered to test the minimOSD software on a 1284 and a 2560 first, which would allow more functionality since they have more IO`s and additional uart ports.
However, if somebody has more suggestion what should be included or even better would be interested in participating, the project is hosted on github.
Hi there
Just a quick post of my Bixler v1.1 build and some mods I`ve done in the last weeks! The main goal was to fit in an APM 2.5 and a MinimOSD / Telemetry as well as the GPS, the FPV gear and all the standart RC gear "inside" the plane in an attempt to make this plane more aerodynamic. I didn`t see this setup so far, so I thought somebody might find it useful / has any suggestions.
The camera, the 5.8gHz TX and the MinimOSD are protected under the cockpit casing, which I have sprayed from the inside and attached with black tape on the canopy. The openings of the camera and the TX outlet allow enough air to pass trough, but make the hole cockpit area much more aerodynamical! (The TX could be mounted further down, but then there is no access to the channel switches anymore...).
The cockpit is secured using a 5x9x 60mm pice of wood glued on the cockpit and a rubber band around the fuselage.
Some pics:
The APM is mounted upside down between the two foam horns under the cockpit. I used some more rubber bands and some double sided tape.* See this post for additional informations: http://www.diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/mounting-an-apm-on-a-bixler2-upside-down-using-ahrs-orientation
The Servo cables and the Power wire is coming from the back of the plane along the battery all the way to the nose (30cm extension wires) and around the front of the plane. Almost everything is attached to this bunch of wires, the RC RX, the power filter etc. This way the cables stay where they belong, and the cockpit can be removed (to change the battery without worrying about the APM to much) and all the wires and attachments could still be easily taken out for repair/inspection/modification etc.
For the GPS (as soon as it arrives) I will cut a space just 5-8cm from the nose in the styro, insert the GPS and cover the section with tape.
Last but not least, the Radio module is stuffed way back besides the servos and behind the battery.
* I use "Plastik 70" on almost every board I own, http://www.conrad.at/ce/de/product/814169/CRC-Kontakt-Chemie-207436131201-PLASTIK-70-Hochisolierender-Schutzlack-400-ml for isolation and general protection. COVER THE BARO BEFORE SPRAYING!
