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.
And here's the impressive work of the AeroQuad team:
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 ListSoftware Roadmap
- 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
- 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)
Comments
When I receive mine... I can imagine the advertising scene: the volumetric light spreading out by openings on the box with a intense glow inside it... The child face illuminated... hahaha
I'm currently on mobile away from computers so cannot test in corel. Adobe illustrator, turboCAD, google sketchup they all import those ok.
Randy, you know best for the best people ;)
I wanted to print them out on a paper and then mark and cut the plates.....
But those DXF files you have uploaded I am unable to open them both with Corel and AutoCAD
When I try to open in AutoCAD 2008 I get this error " Invalid or incomplete DXF input -- drawing discarded "
Can you tell me the reason...??
Wow, I knew you were working on this but had no idea it would look so professional. Really great.
-Randy
I try to get them all done during beginning of next week. Tho I wonder what you could you have on PDF document? Unless you print it our to paper and then mark by pen to your plywood or some...
Can you please send the frame design of accurate dimensions in .pdf format...???
Few answers to you and others:
Where: DIY Drones shop will handle USA area and parts of Europe, PhiFUN Shop will handle other parts of Europe and Asia and as backup for DIY Store. There will be a local distributors too, where and when that we don't know yet but we have some queries already and naturally we are open for new queries.
What: Among frame it self, there will be a full set of spare parts, addon parts like higher landing gears, camera holders, magneto holders, xbee holders, low noise switching regulator on power board and others. Future needs will show what all extra parts there will be. There will be also frame for hexa and octo setups.
When: We are trying get full retail production running in 1-1.5 months from now.
Price: Final price is still a bit open but I can say that it will be under 500 USD for full kit (w/o radio, rx, battery). Retail price for full frame kit will be around 130-150 USD depending on feedback that we will get from beta frames. We have been thinking to include polished and anodized arms on kit but naturally it will add some extra cost, if users want it. We will sure do it.
RTF/ARF: There are some plans to make ARF/RTF packets of ArduCopter, when and what is the price that is still unknown.
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