DroidPlanner fans,
Over the life of DroidPlanner, we've received many requests to add features that push the limits of autonomous drone operation. As a result, you've helped create a world class Android GCS app. We wanted other developers to be able to easily create Android apps based on our vehicles, ArduPilot flight controller, and DroidPlanner.
To that end, we've taken the last month to separate out the DroidPlanner backend to "3DR Services". Think of 3DR Services as the Google Play Services of the drone world.
We're opening up the first beta of DroidPlanner 3 built on top of 3DR Services. On the surface, this beta DroidPlanner is identical to the last 2.8.x beta release. Over the next month or so, we'll incorporate UI changes, polish, and changes based on your input.
To access the 3DR Services beta, please join the mailing list, or the Google+ community. Then, you can signup to download 3DR Services here: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/org.droidplanner.services.android.
Over the life of DroidPlanner, we've received many requests to add features that push the limits of autonomous drone operation. As a result, you've helped create a world class Android GCS app. We wanted other developers to be able to easily create Android apps based on our vehicles, ArduPilot flight controller, and DroidPlanner.
To that end, we've taken the last month to separate out the DroidPlanner backend to "3DR Services". Think of 3DR Services as the Google Play Services of the drone world.
We're opening up the first beta of DroidPlanner 3 built on top of 3DR Services. On the surface, this beta DroidPlanner is identical to the last 2.8.x beta release. Over the next month or so, we'll incorporate UI changes, polish, and changes based on your input.
To access the 3DR Services beta, please join the mailing list, or the Google+ community. Then, you can signup to download 3DR Services here: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/org.droidplanner.services.android.
To access the DroidPlanner 3 beta, please join the mailing list, or the Google+ community. Then, you can find the beta for DroidPlanner 3 here: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/org.droidplanner.android.
We created 3DR Services to accelerate the development of drone apps. We have a few new apps built on top of 3DR Services which we'll release early next year. We'll also be working with developers to get a new generation of apps published for your vehicles.
If you want to get started developing on top of 3DR Services, you can find more information here: https://github.com/DroidPlanner/3DRServices.
If you want to get started developing on top of 3DR Services, you can find more information here: https://github.com/DroidPlanner/3DRServices.
If you are interested in contributing to DroidPlanner 3, you can find more information here: https://github.com/DroidPlanner/droidplanner.
Thanks!
DroidPlanner Devs
Comments
I really loved the primary flight display (PFD) of the original Droidplanner. Is there anyone else that still uses that function? I use my Ardupilot for fixed wing aircraft, and reading numbers those numbers takes too long to interpret. Seeing a gauge or PFD makes it much quicker to interpret. The functions of the new Droidplanner are great, but I feel it is better suited to multicopters.
Could you please bring back the PFD display?
DroidPlanner3 connect via usb ok, but when I use Xbee-bluetooth bridge to connect my APM2.6 Ver3.2 quadcopter, I get the error message:
"connection failed:read failed, socket might closed or timeout, read ret:-1"
PS:The bluetooth works for DroidPlanner 2.
Thanks Fredia, got it today and will be giving it some test flights in the next several days.
@Michael Beaubien, the 3DR Services app is the backend layer. You need to separately download the DroidPlanner 3 front end app to make use of it.
"To access the DroidPlanner 3 beta, please join the mailing list, or the Google+ community. Then, you can find the beta for DroidPlanner 3 here: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/org.droidplanner.android."
And downloaded 3DR Serivices App but get nothing...
@Fnoop Dogg, i think you're referring to 'DroneShare'. DroneAPI includes some of the apis used by DroneShare. Do note however that droneshare's implementation is open source as well. Only the data is not available since, of course, you wouldn't want to have user data easily available to external parties.
I think I get the message that Hugues would like some documentation...
After spending weeks researching and trying to glean what I can from all kinds of fragments from comments, code, questions and replies from all over the place, I would have to agree.
Documentation is essential, but something that programmers seem to be particularly bad at doing, probably because writing code is more interesting than explaining it to non-programmers, or interested programmers.
Yes, I'm a programmer too for over 30 years but my expertise is really in Linux, perl, php, but I began with 6502 assembly.
Unfortunately, it seems that you have to be 14 years old to be able to write android applications now, as all the good stufff is abstracted way below behind APIs...
With all the baggage I have, learning new APIs and environments is frustrating.
@Hughes your comment is 100% correct. Without documentation, the apis provided are close to useless, and we understand that very well.
Do note however that this announcement is for the beta releases for these projects. Our objective for this blog is to announce to the community the future direction for DroidPlanner, and get more beta testers so we can get both projects ready for a stable release.
One of the requirement for the stable release however is to include enough documentation to guide non-experienced programmers. Additionally, adding documentation is more efficient near the stable release since at that point in time, the apis and code are less likely to drastically change.
Regarding DP documentation, we'd love contribution to improve its state :)
Okay okay, so I have made an app or two previously.
I also have Droidplanner and an APM2.6 board.
I learned about the Arducopter code using a Crius AIOP board and loading Arducopter *megapirateng using the Arduino IDE (Which I have been using since my first led blink test in 2008).
I also learned to use MITapp inventor to make android apps, specifically I wanted to learn to use TX & RX serial data & commands such as a camera shutter control via bluetooth etc etc.
Which leads me to making a simple app for Arducopter that will switch flight modes...Let's call this the "Hello World" of the Arducopter app environment.
What would help me achieve my goal for making an Android app for Ardupilot: simple. Like Hugues states, simple documentation for things such as command codes.
I'm using MIT app inventor because it saves me tons of time and is super simple.
Will there be a "hello world" ardupilot tutorial? Or are you relying on seasoned app developers only?
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