APM Oilpan Rev. H, Version 1.0 now in production!

The new ArduPilotMega Shield "Hotel' Version 1.0 has finally replaced our old and problematic Foxtrap 2.2, many of the changes are just to accelerate the assembly process and reduce production failure rates, working in conjunction with the very supportive Invensense Team (Thanks guys!).

Note: if you are a user with the current boards, they're fine. The problems were in the production process, which required us to go through extra steps to ensure they passed QA. The new board is more for our sake than yours!

Manufacture changes:
-Improved gyro pads.
-The boards now came with Lead-Free Silver Immersion for an even surface (Turns goldy when baked).
-Added one 0603 resistor pad on voltage divider for automatic machine placement. I should have added it to all the resistors. =/

User Experience:
-Now that is easy to assemble, boards availability will be improved.
-Solder jumpers to optionally enable/disable gyro low pass filters.
-Added labels that suggest where the female headers should be placed.

Bugs fixed:
-Reset button now works under any condition.
-Analog supply for the pressure sensor is now attached to the analog 3.3 voltage regulator.

By the time I wrote this post I still had some Oilpan in stock, please hurry because we are moving to a new warehouse and we may be out for around one week again, just in time to start production with our new Japanese made Manncorp 7722V. Many thanks to the Mancorp team that is also located next to us in San Diego,CA!

Eagle Files:

ArduPilotMegaShield_H_v10.brd

ArduPilotMegaShield_H_v10.sch

Also many thanks to Star Wars (TM)!

Jeffrey, yes it might be possible to do it for $100 but it also means that you need to buy all compoments and other stuff in quantities of 10.000 or more and that way start negotiate pricing from manufacturers. That's how big boys are doing it but it also means that you need to make $ 500.000 investment on components (I doubt that none of us can do that). What I know and been reading from Jordis twitter feeds. Jordi / Chris has already invested rather big amounts of their money to keep it even on level of $160. If you start calculating all those components at street price, i bet price will be way over $200-250. :)

I'm "fighting" with this same issue when building ArduCopter frames and base electronics. When dealing with manufacturers like motor / esc or so. Minimum order qty is 1000 - 2500 units to get even some level of reasonable price. Or just like aluminum square tube that we are using on ArduCopter frames, MOQ 600 meters. (I got another really low and great price for that from China but problem was that MOQ 10 Metric tons ;) )

So If you can get better pricing or deals, like Chris said... We are more than happy to hear about it.

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Comments

Öncü Kayalar September 19, 2010 at 10:31am

Nice sign on the board.. May the force be with you :)
Developer

Jani Hirvinen September 19, 2010 at 10:07am

I think that Jordi said it on topic and on first sentence of this posting :)
Jeffrey batista September 18, 2010 at 8:57pm

Is there an exact date on the release of the new board hotel?
Jeffrey batista September 17, 2010 at 6:09pm

Yea i been following Diydrones for almost 1 year and i still haven't managed to make my own UAV. i will but it when the new board hotel comes thinking on build a quad
Andrew Robinson September 17, 2010 at 3:21pm

Congratulations Jordi on getting this new version together! Doing things in small quantities is a PITA, I've learned from working with a smaller manufacturing operation which deals in lower quantities that short run production just sucks. Component shortages can make or break you, and getting the board design right the first time is vital.

I look forward to purchasing another board once I can catch them available in the web store (ahh! makes me so mad to learn that some were available the other day. I've been ready to purchase for weeks)

Personally, I think the price you guys have right now is untouchable, unless someone with some serious capital had some deep enthusiasm for UAVs.
Developer

Jani Hirvinen September 17, 2010 at 1:53pm

Jeffrey, yes it might be possible to do it for $100 but it also means that you need to buy all compoments and other stuff in quantities of 10.000 or more and that way start negotiate pricing from manufacturers. That's how big boys are doing it but it also means that you need to make $ 500.000 investment on components (I doubt that none of us can do that). What I know and been reading from Jordis twitter feeds. Jordi / Chris has already invested rather big amounts of their money to keep it even on level of $160. If you start calculating all those components at street price, i bet price will be way over $200-250. :)

I'm "fighting" with this same issue when building ArduCopter frames and base electronics. When dealing with manufacturers like motor / esc or so. Minimum order qty is 1000 - 2500 units to get even some level of reasonable price. Or just like aluminum square tube that we are using on ArduCopter frames, MOQ 600 meters. (I got another really low and great price for that from China but problem was that MOQ 10 Metric tons ;) )

So If you can get better pricing or deals, like Chris said... We are more than happy to hear about it.
Jeffrey batista September 17, 2010 at 12:55pm

Am sorry Chris :) am trying to be a wise man .. so the new board will be the same price 160?
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson September 17, 2010 at 12:44pm

Indeed. Jeffrey, the design is open source and licensed to allow commercial reuse. If you think you can make them cheaper, I very much encourage you to do. The community would thank you and we would be delighted to learn from your example.
Developer

Jordi Muñoz September 17, 2010 at 12:41pm

Jeffrey

Based on what you calculated the price for the oilpan to be at least $100? ;-) With profit for you and at least 30% for re-seller's/distributors...
Jeffrey batista September 17, 2010 at 12:28pm

Will the price decrease, 160 dollars for the current one is to much.
It should be atleast 100 dollars the most

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