Developer

Adding more features to IOBoard

jdrones_ioboard_mavlink_frsky.png

IOBoard Let's make it better... We need testers...

Awhile ago we made first translating program for IOBoard and since that people have been using it as it was and/or modifying its open software. Now that we have more and more devices supporting FrSky telemetry, converting becomes more fun.

So let's make it. Current roadmap for IOBoard is:

- Have full support for MAVLink/FrSky conversion

- LED driver with configurable patterns

- OpenTX, er9X support

- TLD-02 display support

- Updated Configurator

Currently tested features on Taranis radio:

Heading, Temperature 1, Temperature 2 (shows satellites/fix type), Armed/Disarmed and Throttle values,

Lat/Lon, Altitude, Voltage, Cell volt (avg), Speed

jD-IOBoard can be found from jDrones store

Latest MAVLink/FrSky software is IOBoard_FrSkyMAVLink.v03a 

software can also be found from arducodes repository at google code

Let us know how it works and if you have ideas, post it on..

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Comments

  • Sorry for the double posting!

  • Okay, I have tried several Mavlink Converters, but with this one I have several things working now! I ordered a Arduino Pro Mini Clone and installed it in my Quanum Nova with APM 2.7 flightcontroller.

    I managed several values like armed/disarmed (but only get 2 values: 3220 for disarmed and 6220 for armed. No changes when throttling), satelites/fix, GOS coordinates, heading, accelerations....

    I only was not able to get a value for the current!

    I do get a value for the Fvas, but it is not near the Voltage value I expected.....

    Does anybody know if I can solve this? Doe it has to do with settings within Mission Planner?

  • Okay, I have tried several Mavlink Converters, but with this one I have several things working now! I ordered a Arduino Pro Mini Clone and installed it in my Quanum Nova with APM 2.7 flightcontroller.

    I managed several values like armed/disarmed (but only get 2 values: 3220 for disarmed and 6220 for armed. No changes when throttling), satelites/fix, GOS coordinates, heading, accelerations....

    I only was not able to get a value for the current!

    I do get a value for the Fvas, but it is not near the Voltage value I expected.....

    Does anybody know if I can solve this? Doe it has to do with settings within Mission Planner?

  • I see this thread is pretty old, but does this still work with the next setup:

    Quanum Nova Pro with APM flight controller with firmware 3.2.1

    FrSky D8R-II Plus receiver (reflashed to D8R-XP)

    FrSky Taranis 9XD Plus with open TX (2.0 or newer)

    If yes, I would like to order an IOBoard. Is THIS one still usable?

    Best Regards from The Netherlands

    jD-IOBoard v1.1, MCU controlled IO Board for driving LEDs, Relays, Servos
    R/C UAV and ArduCopter manufacturer and one stop shop. We make your FPV come true.
  • Cool project.

    Today, I have similar fuctionality using Graupner HoTT - except with HoTT I have 2-way option (called "textmode") - where I can tune PIDs , select missions etc from the transmitter.

    Is there any chance for FrSky/OpenTX telemetry to be able to do so ?  (basically: display text from flight controller, and forward TX button inputs to the flight controller ?)

  • I have connected the IO-board to the APM and to the FrSky receiver according to Jani's diagram ( http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/adding-more-features-to-ioboard... ). But I'm not getting any data through to the Taranis.

    I have also configured the IO-board with the Configurator and everything there looks normal.

    Is there any way to monitor to see if APM is transmitting data on the Telemetry port?

    Any suggestions anyone?

  • Developer

    ah another thing that you can do is to have heatsink on it to make it cooler and that way it can handle some extra load. 

    Comment directly from TI technician about adding more rating for those darlington drivers is: "For manual modifications you may use a glue on heat sink or stack a second IC on top or increase air flow."

  • Developer

    Jason, basically you can solder those high voltage pins together but then you need to modify software to support that too. As per datasheet every pin can support up to 500mA of current and this current it Drain current eg towards GND which makes it "easier" for the electronics. So joining pins would double it. Or another way is to solder another or multiple darlington chips on top of each other. It's so called "stacking up"

    Having multiple chips would most likely be easiest and best idea to add current rating as then you don't need to worry about output control from micro-controller. 

  • Hi Jani, What output pins are safe to parallel/solder together so as to support more current? I have 1.1 version boards

  • Developer
    I did have it working with a http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardProMini Pro Mini, but i toasted my. Th9X and have added it again to my new setup. i've been using the FrSky LiPo monitor as a backup telemetry system. With MAVLink to a iPhome as the main
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