Hi everyone, I'm very happy to announce something that 3D Robotics has been working on since late last year in cooperation with a few very talented developers. Today we are announcing the 3DR Radio telemetry system, an open-source alternative to XBee telemetry set-ups, with superior performance, great range and a much lower price (half the price of the equivalent Xbee kit).
This is a 2-way, half-duplex wireless communication system with a standard TTL UART interface, based on HopeRF's HM-TRP data link modules, and custom firmware that improves upon the module's original features and performance.
The SiK firmware includes a bootloader that permits radio firmware updates over the serial interface, and radio firmware with configurable parameters. Updates and configuration are fully supported in the APM Mission Planner (press control-A to bring up the window below), and also possible through AT commands.
From the wiki:
- light weight (under 4 grams without antenna)
- available in 900MHz or 433MHz variants
- receiver sensitivity to -121 dBm
- transmit power up to 20dBm (100mW)
- transparent serial link
- air data rates up to 250kbps
- MAVLink protocol framing and status reporting
- frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)
- adaptive time division multiplexing (TDM)
- support for LBT and AFA
- configurable duty cycle
- builtin error correcting code (can correct up to 25% data bit errors)
- demonstrated range of several kilometres with a small omni antenna
- can be used with a bi-directional amplifier for even more range
- open source firmware
- AT commands for radio configuration
- RT commands for remote radio configuration
- adaptive flow control when used with APM
- based on HM-TRP radio modules, with Si1000 8051 micro-controller and Si4432 radio module
Kit price is $74.99:
Individual radios are $35.99 (USB) and $31.99 (pins):
Kits and radios are available for purchase today, and they will start shipping next week.
Coming soon: a 3DR Radio XBee footprint adapter for both frequencies, compatible with our USB XBee adapter and Sparkfun's XBee Explorer boards.
We will also be releasing a version of the radios on both frequencies with an Xbee-compatible footprint, so you already have Xbee adapters, you can use them.
We hope you enjoy using these radios as much as we have during development, the simpler hardware and configuration tools compared to XBee provide a much smoother experience. We look forward to hearing your comments!
Huge thanks to the developers who made this happen: Team leaders Andrew Tridgell and Mike Smith along with Michael Oborne, Seppo Saario, Marco Robustini and others.
Comments
HI, I was wondering is could be possible to use the ground station receiver as a UHF spectrum analyzer like this http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,93777 and http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1617297
??
So as I understand it, I can operate this gear at 900 mhz concurrently with 900mhz (actually 910) video gear? With no signal degradation for either, assuming proper separation of transmitters?
yeah, if we have an adaptor that not only has usb but a ppm input also, then we can plug it in some rc unit. it could use bluetooth instead of usb too.
but is it so hard to build a complete RC unit? the controller and software don't look complicated. and there alredy is an ArduStation. add some more buttons, switches, and a pair of sticks - wouala, we have a radio. hmmmmm. looks rather simple if one knows the code well.
It would be fantastic to have a radio system that combines two-way telemetry to normal RC controls among with digital controls for things such as mode selection. The hard part is that it's not quite so straight-forward to integrate that to existing radios; it might require custom controller hardware and thus much more investment than a "simple" radio module that does serial ports transparently.
Although... if one just made otherwise conventional RC Tx/Rx modules that accept normal PPM pulses from any existing radio on one input pin and then had the rest (telemetry serial port, digital input pins) separately available, many of us would jump at it I'm sure. Perhaps such an undertaking could be built on the success of this one!
aren't you guys going to make a complete two-way control+telemetry system based on these modules some day? why use a separate RC transmitter at all? is it faster? is there a reason to use one more radio band?
Will the radios with the XBee footprint be in a kit form as well? I would like to have the XBee footprint on the ground but the FTDI version in the air. Keep it light in the plane but just plug right in to existing hardware on the ground.
can't order because of "Our apologies, but although this product is listed as in stock, there is actually one component (6 Pin Right Angle Male Header)" :-( I have a pile of these on my desk can't work out how to order it without the part. any suggestions or do I just have to wait ?
@Martin: thanks!!! :-)
@falvin: ne parlerò con Sam, prima provo la versione 433. Per il logo concordo, lo ha fatto un utente, se fai qualcosa di meglio lo cambio! :P
Il modulo HM-TRP è quello usato nei 3DR Radio, quindi la versione 868 è ovviamente contemplata.
@ Marco :do you ask your friend Alan/Sam to build a prototype 868 Mhz version.... (just soldering a 868 Mhz module...instead one 900 Mhz ... soldering by itself a RF module is a bit noisely, without a good RF test unit - - - http://www.hoperf.com/rf_fsk/app/HM-TRP.htm)
It is will a good project developing also 868 Mhz
Do yuo have ever tested JeeNode 868 Mhz: http://jeelabs.net/projects/hardware/wiki/JeeNode.
A good useful link for 868 Mhz setting:
http://www.ulrichradig.de/home/index.php/avr/rfm22-und-atmega88
ps: ti vedo occupato anke come Maker nel gruppo italiano ...ahahh li sarà dura ;-)
(tip x il logo:il quadrcopter meglio se stilizzato nero e contorno + spesso)
Hello Marco,
The Compass left here on Thursday to come to you, so I hope you will see it in the next day or two! :)
Thank you for looking at the testing on the 433 MHz units too, I hope there is some good results from them!,
Regards
Martin.
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
of 14 Next