Announcing ArduCopter, the merger of the ArduPilot and AeroQuad projects!

I'm pleased to announce that we've joined forces with the other Arduino-based powerhouse in the aerial robotics world, the AeroQuad quadcopter team, to extend the ArduPilot platform to whirlybirds of all kinds. The project, called ArduCopter, will use the ArduPilotMega and IMU shield hardware along with a low-cost custom platform that will be available commercially to provide a full quad UAV with both stabilization and GPS waypoint navigation. It builds on the awesome work of Jose Julio in ArduPilot quad development, with the excellent full-systems integration of the AeroQuad team. We expect that first code and hardware will be available this summer.

Another team is also extending this to traditional helis, starting with the Trex 450 heli (and its equivalents), which should be ready for release this fall. Along with Blimpduino, this should make for 100% coverage of all aerial robotics platforms on the Arduino platform, with shared libraries and ground stations across projects. Go Arduino!

We'll be setting up a proper microsite here, along with dedicated tab, for the project in the next few days.

If you haven't already seen this preview of what the ArduPilot/ArduIMU combo can do with quads, check this out:

And here's the impressive work of the AeroQuad team:

Here's the announcement from the AeroQuad team:

ArduCopter - The Full Featured UAV Multicopter!

Hey guys, as many of you know the AeroQuad has teamed up with DIY Drones on developing a very full featured multicopter! Chris from DIY Drones has proposed the name of this new effort to be called the ArduCopter! It will be based on the ArduPilot Pro Mega (APM) and the APM sensor board currently nicknamed the Oil Pan. Here's an initial feature list and software road map. Please chime in! Your input is valuable! I'll keep updating this front page until we agree on the first version of the ArduCopter's capabilities.

ArduCopter Feature List
6 Degree of Freedom IMU stabilized control

Gyro stabilized flight mode enabling acrobatics (loops and barrel rolls)

GPS for position hold

Magnetometer for heading determination

Barometer for altitude hold

IR sensor integration for obstacle avoidance

Sonar sensor for automated takeoff and landing capability

Automated waypoint navigation

Motor control using low cost standard PWM Electronics Speed Controllers (ESC's)

On board flight telemetery data storage

Mounted camera stabilization capability

Wireless command & telemetry for long distance communication

Capability to fly in "+", "x", hexa and octo configurations

Battery level detection

User configurable LED flight pattern

Capability to use any R/C receiver

ArduCopter Configuration and Ground Control Software
Realtime graphs of flight data

GUI for configuration of PID and other flight parameters

On Screen Display integration

Waypoint programming using Google Maps

Mixertable view to auto configure "+", "x", hexa and octo configurations

Software Roadmap
Initial baseline using Jose Julio's v3 software
Provides absolute angle PID flight control

Obstacle avoidance

Waypoint navigation

Generalize basic ArduCopter functions (ie. Separate PPM receiver input and motor control functions into separate libraries. Allows future coding of PWM vs. I2C ESC's)

Emphasis on developing new capability into easy to use C++ libraries

Integrate user defined EEPROM storage capability

Develop/optimize AeroQuad serial real-time command/telemetry for ArduCopter

Integrate AeroQuad Configurator for external software configuration of ArduCopter

Rename Configurator to Ground Control Station and integrate graphical programming of waypoint navigation

Integrate AeroQuad rate PID control

Integrate mixertable configuration for multicopter configurations

Integrate AeroQuad camera stabilization

Integrate I2C motor control

Develop capability to wirelessly control ArduCopter directly from Ground Control Station (USB joystick controller from laptop or through waypoint programming)

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Comments

Developer

Jani Hirvinen June 30, 2010 at 8:24pm

Thank you Earl, but first we are making basic software working so we can have some nice and steady base level. After that we can start adding more features on it :)
Earl June 30, 2010 at 8:08pm

And here is an interruptSonarPing.pde driven one..
Earl
Earl June 30, 2010 at 8:03pm

How about the Parallax Ping sensor ? good to about 3M also. I used it with the Wii Quad code and the sonar works good. Here is the code. Think we can integerate it to the ArduCopter for takeoff and landing ?
Earl

ping_adruino.pde
Developer

Jani Hirvinen June 30, 2010 at 5:54pm

@Amin, Ultrasonic has always so noise but we are filtering that noise a lot. Measurements are quite accurate between 20cm - 3m at least what I have been testing.

We are using Maxbotix LV-MaxSonar EZ0 and EZ1 sonars. http://www.maxbotix.com/MB1000__LV-MaxSonar-EZ0.html
Developer

Jani Hirvinen June 30, 2010 at 5:43pm

@Ken, that horizon hydrocell actually produces electricity. They have nice little powerstation that you can mount on top of your RC-Car for example.

@Niall, yes I know that project and been following their progress. I really like that small powercell that they have installed on that car. It's really cool and I have been thinking to get one just because it's so cool :)

I actually think that I mentioned here on my earlier posts when someone proposed solarcells. Idea is good but power output / weight ratio is still a bit too little. Maybe in future when they get it better. Would be really cool to have just powerfull of hydrosticks that you stick in your quad and off we go :P
Amin June 30, 2010 at 4:14pm

Did you have any problem using the ultrasonic Range sensors like vibration prop noise or specially when you get close to the ground ?

Can I ask you what part did you use ?
Ken McEwan June 30, 2010 at 2:55pm

Hydrogen fuel cells produce Hydrogen from electrolysis not electricity. Those hydrostiks produce hydrogen to burn in a fuel engine. You could convert a glo engine to run on hydrogen, but I believe the weight of the system would be prohibitive.
alele peter June 30, 2010 at 12:40pm

hey jani what will the maximum ground range of video/radio trnsmission? and i saw some other australian company design a quad with protected rings for the propellors reducing damage to bldes incace of a crushor proximity to obstacles.i dont remember the site coz it was not so user friendly but what do you say about it?
Niall June 30, 2010 at 12:02pm

http://www.horizonfuelcell.com/hobby_rc.htm How about one of these? :)
Developer

Jani Hirvinen June 30, 2010 at 11:03am

@Craig,

All those features are basically in software already. Camera mount we do not have on basic kit but it can be optional.

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