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Adding 3DR radio telemetry to the Quanum Nova APM-powered copter

Posted by Chris Anderson on June 14, 2014 at 9:30pm

3689600537?profile=originalI just got a Quanum Nova, which is a fantastic APM-powered copter that in many way outperforms the DJI Phantom for less than $300.  Although it's capable of full autonomy, just like any other ArduCopter, the one thing it's missing for easy field mission planning and DroidPlanner compatibility is telemetry. 

In this great tutorial, Jean-Louis Naudin shows how to add that:

Here an explanation for connecting the real time telemetry to the CX-20 or to the Quanum Nova

The telemetry port is located on the I/O board of the APM (the second board at the bottom and pluged to the main CPU board) where all the I/O plug are connected. The telemetry port is fully compatible with all the telemetry transmitter (3DR and all the compatible boards) and also with the Bluetooth boards commonly used with the APM boards.

alt text

Below the pinout which shows the telemetry port I/O (back to the I/O board).

Note from the comments: depending on which radio you're using, you may have to reverse the TX and RX lines. Dmitry in the comments reports: "You must connect RX from the radio to TX on the APM! And vice versa for Radio TX. So I've changed green and yellow wires and it works!"

 alt text

sold 4 cables on the telemetry ports alt textthen protect the connections with hot glue alt text

Check the functioning alt text

The 4 pins telemetry plug is installed on the back of the fuselage alt text

Check the connection (at 57600 baud) with the mission planner or the Droid Planner 2 alt textalt text

Then, you may enjoy to use the telemetry... alt text

NEXT CHAPTER: Full autonomous mission with the Cheerson CX 20

 

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Comments

  • Jeff Colhoun September 29, 2014 at 1:03pm

    That is the cause.  Keep in mind 3.2 is in beta.  http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/arducopter-3-2-beta-testing?id=70...

  • Manuel Ribeiro September 29, 2014 at 12:16pm

    Still running 3.1.2 may be that's the cause ?

    didnt saw anything related to follow me at the changelog so never thought that could be the problem

  • Jeff Colhoun September 28, 2014 at 8:10pm

    Mine just holds the altitude ive engaged follow me at.   Are you running a version of 3.2?

  • Manuel Ribeiro September 26, 2014 at 8:48pm

    @Chris Anderson : How can I set the altitude for followme mode ?

    Cause I was in Loiter mode at an altitude of 10meters  then activated FollowMe mode on my cellphone and the quad  almost hit the ground (I switched to manual mode very fast and was able to recover it from hitting the ground :/)

  • prof.avi.levy September 22, 2014 at 11:33am

    Hello

    I followed the procedure of connecting the 3dr radio to the quantum nova.

    I have 1st version of the 3DR radio.   When one radio connected to the quad and the other to the PC, while using the 3DR radio within the initial setup tab both are communicating and I can get the setup of the pair connected to the quad.

    However when connecting the mission planner the connection is falling after time

    I had only one event when it start to get the parameters and it failed (so I believe that the TX and RX are right)

    Any suggestion how to solve the issue?

     

    Thanks

    Avi

  • PF August 28, 2014 at 7:25am

    3701816752?profile=original

    My board (reloaded with AC 3.1.2) has Free RAM 1809, while the Nova original FW only has 1645. This may indicate the extra lines of code that is included in the Nova FW. If anyone know where I can get the original FW I would be most happy. 

  • PF August 28, 2014 at 2:12am

    Thank you for the link to the hex-file. I have loaded it into the NOVA, but telemetry is still gone. The link itself is working but it does not talk to the NOVA FC anymore. Also, the compass calibration using the rc controller will not work. I guess there are additional code for the NOVA (non-AC) that I erased when I upgraded. I wonder if it is possible to get a hold of the original NOVA FW?

    Again, thank you for great support. Sorry that I messed up a system that actually worked great!

  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin August 27, 2014 at 10:42pm

    @Hans: You will find a micro-USB extension at:

    http://www.rctimer.com/product-964.html

    JL

    Micro USB Male left right angle to Female micro USB
    RCTimer - the world's, No1 Online Hobby Store. We stock a huge selection of RC products from Planes right through to Quadcopters and all accessories.…
  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin August 27, 2014 at 10:39pm

    @PF: You will finde hex code of ArduCopter firmware in my GitHub at:

    https://github.com/jlnaudin/x-VTOLdrone/blob/master/Firmware/ac312.hex

    Right-click with the mouse on the RAW button and choose "Save as..." to download the fiwmare code

    idem for the Param_file:

    https://github.com/jlnaudin/x-VTOLdrone/blob/master/param/CX20_PID_...

    Right-click with the mouse on the RAW button and choose "Save as..." to download the param file

    I hope this will help you...

    JL

    jlnaudin/x-VTOLdrone
    Vertical Take Off and Landing drone experimental research and development area - jlnaudin/x-VTOLdrone
  • Hans Jakob Bosshard August 27, 2014 at 3:06pm

    Hi Jean-Louis,

    Just another question:

    I have seen your description on the CX-20. On my side I want to build an original APM 2.6 in my Walkera QR x350 Pro, as the Walkera flight controller is not a good choice. Do you where I can get an extension for the Micro USB cable? I want to have access to the USB connector of the APM 2.6 from outside the QR x350 Pro Frame. I have seen in your pictures, that in the CX-20 exists an USB micro extension for an outside access.  

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