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Ardu-IMU-Pilot firmware ready for beta test!

Posted by Doug Weibel on December 6, 2009 at 1:30pm
I have completed ground testing on the new firmware I have written for ArduPilot to use ArduIMU in place of the thermopiles. It has been snowing here and I probably won't get to fly the code for a bit, but figured others might be interested in giving it a try at this point. This firmware will probably exist on a temporary basis, with the code getting incorporated into the regular ArduPilot firmware in the future. If there is sufficient interest in this approach I will consider working on a ArduPilot shield board that would add the pressure sensors to ArduIMU and package it all as a shield.

I will maintain the code for a while in a repository at http://code.google.com/p/ardu-imu-pilot/

If you try it out give me your feedback. It is similar to ArduPilot 2.4 but uses a different header file.

To interface ArduIMU to ArduPilot you connect the gps (ublox only) to ArduIMU, provide common power and ground to ArduPilot and ArduIMU, and connect the serial output pin of ArduIMU to the serial input pin of ArduPilot.
Tags: arduimu, ardupilot, code>sourcebrowse#svntrunk
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Comments

  • Developer
    Mark Colwell January 20, 2010 at 8:33pm
    Yves, HappyK has added uBlox data out to GPS Emulator v1.2 try to use uBlox data with your set up, without any NMEA changes to ArduIMU code, see his blog
    I hope this helps...
  • Developer
    Doug Weibel January 20, 2010 at 8:04pm
    NMEA messages are not recommended with ArduIMU as the large size slows the DCM algorithm and reduces performance.

    I am not supporting the ArduIMUPilot code any further as use of ArduIMU will be supported in ArduPilot 2.5.1 and I am very busy working on that. Also, the code version for ArduIMU supported by ArduIMUPilot is not current with the latest developments.

    2.5.1 Beta is weeks away, but if all goes well the pre-beta code in the repository may be ready for flight test in a week. Just be warned that the code will be changing rapidly still, but it will probably be at least as good as ArduIMUPilot.
  • Yves Gohy January 20, 2010 at 11:18am
    ArduIMUV2_DCM_V10_MNEA.zip

    https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3692001538?profile=original
  • Yves Gohy January 20, 2010 at 11:12am
    Hi, I added a section GPS_NMEA in the code Ardu-imu-pilot to use a GPS emulator . In fact, is it of the OSD Remzibi. Enable NMEA messages in Ublox5. Here is the configuration file of GPS.
    caution, it excites a problem with radio decoding in some cases. (the team try to find)
    The servos oddly agitated in the automatic flight modes.
    For me it's not very clear, and I think I can not make changes in the code.
    ublox5_nmea.txt
    https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3692001194?profile=original
  • Fouad January 16, 2010 at 7:36am
    I will give it one more day or so , in general it is getting me more experienced with the code and the tools.
    Meanwhile I'll stay very excited until 2.5.1 is released.
    Very good job and good luck.
    Thanks
  • Developer
    Doug Weibel January 16, 2010 at 7:02am
    @Fouad - I got the ArduIMUPilot firmware just far enough along that I could fly with it, but I am not supporting it any more. I am working with the development team to integrate the ability to use ArduIMU with ArduPilot in the regular ArduPilot code. ArduPilot 2.5 has been released as beta. It has some support in it for the IMU, but really I am focusing my efforts on 2.5.1 which is the point where I really plan to support use of ArduIMU with ArduPilot.

    You are welcome to continue trying to use ArduIMUPilot, but if you would like support I suggest you wait just a little bit for ArduPilot 2.5.1.

    Best Regards,
  • Fouad January 16, 2010 at 6:56am
    Sirs,
    I tried ArduPilot 2.4 and every thing worked very well. (Station, xbee, ...)
    when I switched back to ArduImuPilot every thing is still the same.
    The following was the output of the arduimu to the pilot:
    imu out
    !!!RLL:-2.07,PCH:-6.51,YAW:-13.15,***
    !!!RLL:-2.14,PCH:-6.45,YAW:-13.03,***
    !!!RLL:-2.31,PCH:-6.41,YAW:-12.81,***
    !!!RLL:-2.24,PCH:-6.33,YAW:-12.86,***
    !!!RLL:-2.15,PCH:-6.29,YAW:-12.91,***
    !!!RLL:-2.01,PCH:-6.25,YAW:-13.03,***

    where the following was the output to the serial port when the debug option was on.
    dump
    +++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***
    +++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***
    +++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***
    +++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***
    0!!!LAT:0,LON:0,SPD:0.00,CRT:0.00,ALT:0,ALH:0,CRS:0.00,BER:0,WPN:999,DST:0,BTV:0.00,RSP:0,***
    ,THH:0+++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***
    +++ASP:0,RLL:0.00,PCH:0.00,***

    these same values repeats regardless if I got a solid blue (gps fix on the arduimu) or not.
    I'm now trying to trace the code itself to see where it is going wrong.
  • Developer
    Doug Weibel January 13, 2010 at 7:08am
    @fouad - you might try moving back to ArduPilot 2.4 and see if you get groundstation data. That firmware should run and output data even if you do not have thermopiles attached.

    You do not need to have waypoints loaded..
  • Yves Gohy January 12, 2010 at 9:11pm
    hello, have you a solid blue led on the ardupilot?. if not, I thing that the Ardupilot do not receiving good data from arduimu.
  • Fouad January 12, 2010 at 4:30pm
    I tried that, this is what happens:
    I connect the FTDI first to the laptop
    Connect the power to the pilot.
    The station speed meter runs around and the current waypoint indicator sets to 999 , all of this happens during the initialization of the ardupilot
    Then nothing happens?
    I did not set any way points (yet) is this the problem?

    Regards
This reply was deleted.