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
Martin: Industry Canada takes a similar straight stance. Its up to a 25k fine for using the frequencies without a license.. and god knows what else for importing an illegal radio device. I'm not about to test their limits.
For people wondering about getting caught, my local industry Canada guy eluded to using triangulation to find the spot where a broadcasted transmission is coming from. It sounded like a common occurrence.
Simon: I got a response from sales@diydrones the other day stating that the Xbee's "will not be available until further notice" and was provided links to sparkfun to pickup the parts.
Your local noise floor and RF environment impacts the quality of the link you can achieve. If you can, find out which spectrum is less noisy generally.
If one could use either frequency, is any reason why one should choose one frequency over another?
Yes, I've been reading through this stuff and you basically draw up documents that accompany the device stating that the product is up to spec. It's the responsibility of the importer or the reseller, if it should turn out not to be so. If I personally import a radio transmitter to the European Economic Area (EEA), it would probably be up to me to find any and all relevant technical data on the device - and test it too according to the R&TTE rules.
There is no need to actually submit anything or any documents to anywhere, and as long as the device behaves as designed and is used within the regulations, there are no problems. There's just that looming "responsibility" of you (as the importer, or the retailer if you bought it from one) guaranteeing that the device is indeed properly behaved, should anyone ask. With a niche device nobody will probably make note; with mass market products the competing manufacturers on the market are probably the ones that most often keep track of most their competitors' products and their quality.
@Helldesk:
In Europe, the CE Mark is the responsibility of the importer.
They sign a document saying "it complies with the appropriate regulations", or otherwise place the mark on the product.
There's no central certification department or anything like that.
So you don't actually have to test, however if someone else (usually a competitor) decides to test it and finds out that the equipment doesn't meet the requirements then the importer gets in trouble.
However, if the unit is not a "finished product" then it doesn't require a CE mark, because it's going into another product that will then be tested.
- Hobbyist parts are still quite a grey area - there are arguments both ways, and in Martin's place I'd be nervous about risking that one.
Great news! Apart from being easier to configure for APM applications and more flexbiliy does this mean the times of constant Xbee shortage are over?
@ Helldesk, Grips & Tridge:
@Grips, same for the UK user / seller, there is a need for approval before importing / using and radio equipment, it’s the importer & user that will be responsible for the fines and prison if they are using them without the correct paperwork / approval… :(
As Grips said to the Canada users… UK users please make sure you are covered before using these radios!
@ Helldesk, It’s the same here for the “CE” approval in the UK, it’s illegal to use or sell any radio equipment which has not been through the “CE” approval process, it also extends into the EU under the “EEA” & “R&TTE Regulations”. Ofcom make it clear that you need to have all the paperwork to meet...
I do like the idea Grips had about looking into the “Approval” and seeing if there could be a way to split the cost of gaining the paperwork needed, as it’s Easter here I will not be able to ask / speak with anyone until Tuesday next week……
“I wonder if it's better to ask for forgiveness rather than for a not-easily-forthcoming-permission from the regulators”
I would not like to do this here Hell, I have been checking Ofcom, they seem to take a dim view in the UK:
“Failure to comply may constitute a criminal offence punishable on conviction by a fine and/or imprisonment.”
Not sure if they are a little more forgiving there with you.....
@Tridge:
Thank you for your replies on the Duty Cycle, do you know the range at the 10Mw power setting?
Here are some links I have found which might help us all move this forward, I would be happy to hear from other potental users / sellers here in the UK / EU to try and make a group effort to gain appoval and look at costings involved.
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/spectrum-management/resea...
http://www.rsgb.org/spectrumforum/vhfuhf/432mhz.php
http://www.etcc.rsgb.org/
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/3144/made/data.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/rtte/documents/notified-bodies/
I hope this information helps, If you need anymore information Tridge please let me know, I'm keen to have these in the store here in the UK asap, just need to tie down the loose ends! :)
Regards
Martin.
www.buildyourowndrone.co.uk
Ordered 2 kits :) Great work guys! really excited for this!
Seems nice, ordered a pair.
You could always build one from scratch! I've had pretty good success with my quad and I built it with no plans. Good luck! Cheers,
Rick
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