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
In function 'void Rate_control()':
error: 'read_adc' was not declared in this scope In function 'void setup()':
In function 'void loop()':
In function 'void sendSerialTelemetry()':
Am I doing something wrong? I have downloaded all the new libraries.
Vid 1. camera on ground, testing responses, stable mode and gyro/acc responses. 3S 2200 mAh Zippymax battery, flight time around 9 mins, quad weight 1008gr, wind 0-4 m/s
Vid. 3 Camera on board, lens pitched down about 2°, Zippymax 3S 2650mAh, weight about 1400gr, flight time again 9mins or so. Highest altitude about 60-80meters where i had rather lot gusts
ArduCopter - Onboard camera test 2/2
On my youtube channel there are total of 4 videos from today, check out if you like.
Overall really happy about todays flight tests. There are some issues that we need to solve soon but I'm really happy of it.
Btw. Been testing our latest r376 code and it works great. Stable mode is again stable, acro well.. J dot even know was enjoying stable so much but it works too :)
Had videocam onboard and highest alt today was about 50-70meters. Nice and steady, yes i had some drifting due did not use gps. We are still working on position hold so I don't wanna risk my camera.
Overall really satisfied of performance. Will post videos later today, now enjoying freezing cold coffee due on park where I was flying there was only +38 and maybe +50 on sun :)
Motors and esc's performen really well on this heat. After constant flying of 3 batteries mots were warm and esc too, could easily touch them. Mots were a bit warmer than esc's maybe +55c and esc's 50..
@Jared and others. Yes our ultimate goal is to have camera mounts for bigger and heavy payloads. Will it happen in 2 months, maybe not. Will it happen 6 months, possilbe. Will it happen in 1 year, absolutely. Main plan is to create a multifunctional platform that can be used for many different things. Can we do it with basic ArduCopter, it is possible to do with optional parts that has been planned. Are we going to have GPS hold, naturally.. We have it already tho it's on it's beta stage now but it will come 100% guaranteed and it will have also navigation. Along with many other things. Just look our software roadmap and you can see
We are working also on hexa setup that gives a lot more redundancy, stability and payload. And we are on constant look of new high efficient "thrust devices".
@Dan, we are still waiting feedbacks from beta frames and I would say that next manufacturing run still start in about 1 week or so. Lead times for parts varies from 2-4 weeks, after that they should start to appear on shops. You know it is not so easy to start manufacturing lines from "scratch" and find all those suppliers :)
@Sgr Ric correct. Like he said this is a DIY community so we cannot do everything for everyone. If you want or need something else that we can offer, you are most welcome to build it by your self. We just provide base systems for users and develop those. Sure if you have a great idea, we are always open for new ideas.
If your idea is doable and usefull for others....you newer know, your idea might get trough. That's how this community works.
Like Chris said on his post on how to help this community "Just Do It!" :)
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