As far as i know calculating bearing and distance to destination directly using floats
(because 64 bit floating point accuracy is required) and sin etc from the math library will not give accrate reults.How ardupilot has overcome this problem.
Or it is using some kind of interpolation with lookup table or CORDIC ?
@Noth666: thanks for the feedback, I am following the work of autopilot.sourceforge.net, but as you mentionned yourelf, development is not at the level where it could be used for heli stabilization.
@Gary Mortimer: yes Helicommand is the only affordable ticket, I own a 3D version in fact, the only drawback lays in position hold at higher than 10 feet altitudes. I am currently seeking for a solution to this, it is why I am following the work being done here.
Like Davor, I would like to express how impressed I am with what has been accomplished lately on this matter, when you think this would have seemed impossible to realise just a few years ago.
Thanks to all those who have taken on their spare time to get were we are today :-)
autopilot: Do it yourself UAV
Autopilot for model helicopters, with 3 axis IMU/INS+GPS
hi everyone,
...just wanted to express my support and happiness when I see so many developments in small D-I-Y UAV market.
My plan is to install the new FS 8 (STILL waiting for revolectrics to release them) in my Hirobo Sceadu 50 size heli and expand from there. I really like RC blimps and those big models 6 to 9m would make great platform for some serious playing around! Keep up the good work!!! I admit I take notes.
@jan lukas: well most hobby development in UAV's is still for fixed wing aircraft, was thinking of a heli myself at a point but I was deterred by costs mainly, crashing a heli always costs money and while developing control code you will crash it plenty.
There are a few projects out there like http://autopilot.sourceforge.net/rev2.2.html but they are not at the level where fixed wing autopilots are yet (no hover and other stuff).
autopilot: Do it yourself UAV
Autopilot for model helicopters, with 3 axis IMU/INS+GPS
thanks fro the feedback, eventhough I'm a bit disappointed :-
Sorry if this might be in the wrong place, but what could you recommand then for a helicopter, do you have ant idea?
MUX in, are the other two multiplexer (of four) inputs, the other two are connected to the atmega168, if you want to expand ardupilot you can do it with this pins. The Batt goes directly to the power regulator to supply the board, you must give 6 or more volts to board. Mode Led is the middle position of the fail safe system, only work with three state switches (on the remote control) is connected to the attiny45 if you look the video in this post you will get it.... The LOCK led turns on when you fix GPS... But you can control it as you wish!
The I2C port is located in analog pins 4 and 5 (but is not marked, because they are General Purpose I/O pins, they have many functions), there is an arduino I2c library's called Wire . The Serial/FTDI/UART port is the same, and the FTDI port share the GPS port, that's the reason why you have to disconnect the GPS in order to upload code. This is possible thanks to the bootloader. Yes you also have SPI port..
Before using ArduPilot i suggest you first learn and very well understand Arduino platform, in the original web page you will find a lot of well explained tutorials, with examples codes and code references. The first year i was stick with Arduino references. =)
Actually there is an example code that uses an I2C magnetometer...
And don't forget to visit arduino PlayGround, and get fun! I did!
Pins as used in ArduPilot on ATMega168:
d0 = serial IN Rx - used for serial communication
d1 = serial OUT Tx - ''
d2 = servo 1 IN
d3 = servo 2 IN
d4 = MUX IN (read pin from code to determine if autopilot is ON)
d5 = Mode IN (set by ATTiny45 if you have 3-state switch on RC transmitter for enabling autopilot, and it is centered), free for your own use
d6-d8, d11 = IN/OUT, free for your use
d9 = servo 1 OUT
d10 = servo 2 OUT
d12 = Lock LED
d13 = Stat LED
a0 - a5 = analog in pins, free for your use (can be used also as digital in/out)
ATTiny 45 is controlled by CTRL IN, and it just switches signal on servo OUT 1&2 pins either from servo IN 1&2 pins or from AT168 (autopilot) and sets MUX pin on AT168. So by servo signal on CTRL IN you enable or disable autopilot. Servo signal switching is done by multiplexer chip. MUX LED lights when autopilot is enabled. All the autopilot code is in AT168 chip.
Comments
(because 64 bit floating point accuracy is required) and sin etc from the math library will not give accrate reults.How ardupilot has overcome this problem.
Or it is using some kind of interpolation with lookup table or CORDIC ?
@Gary Mortimer: yes Helicommand is the only affordable ticket, I own a 3D version in fact, the only drawback lays in position hold at higher than 10 feet altitudes. I am currently seeking for a solution to this, it is why I am following the work being done here.
Like Davor, I would like to express how impressed I am with what has been accomplished lately on this matter, when you think this would have seemed impossible to realise just a few years ago.
Thanks to all those who have taken on their spare time to get were we are today :-)
...just wanted to express my support and happiness when I see so many developments in small D-I-Y UAV market.
My plan is to install the new FS 8 (STILL waiting for revolectrics to release them) in my Hirobo Sceadu 50 size heli and expand from there. I really like RC blimps and those big models 6 to 9m would make great platform for some serious playing around! Keep up the good work!!! I admit I take notes.
Davor
There are a few projects out there like http://autopilot.sourceforge.net/rev2.2.html but they are not at the level where fixed wing autopilots are yet (no hover and other stuff).
thanks fro the feedback, eventhough I'm a bit disappointed :-
Sorry if this might be in the wrong place, but what could you recommand then for a helicopter, do you have ant idea?
MUX in, are the other two multiplexer (of four) inputs, the other two are connected to the atmega168, if you want to expand ardupilot you can do it with this pins. The Batt goes directly to the power regulator to supply the board, you must give 6 or more volts to board. Mode Led is the middle position of the fail safe system, only work with three state switches (on the remote control) is connected to the attiny45 if you look the video in this post you will get it.... The LOCK led turns on when you fix GPS... But you can control it as you wish!
The I2C port is located in analog pins 4 and 5 (but is not marked, because they are General Purpose I/O pins, they have many functions), there is an arduino I2c library's called Wire . The Serial/FTDI/UART port is the same, and the FTDI port share the GPS port, that's the reason why you have to disconnect the GPS in order to upload code. This is possible thanks to the bootloader. Yes you also have SPI port..
Before using ArduPilot i suggest you first learn and very well understand Arduino platform, in the original web page you will find a lot of well explained tutorials, with examples codes and code references. The first year i was stick with Arduino references. =)
Actually there is an example code that uses an I2C magnetometer...
And don't forget to visit arduino PlayGround, and get fun! I did!
d0 = serial IN Rx - used for serial communication
d1 = serial OUT Tx - ''
d2 = servo 1 IN
d3 = servo 2 IN
d4 = MUX IN (read pin from code to determine if autopilot is ON)
d5 = Mode IN (set by ATTiny45 if you have 3-state switch on RC transmitter for enabling autopilot, and it is centered), free for your own use
d6-d8, d11 = IN/OUT, free for your use
d9 = servo 1 OUT
d10 = servo 2 OUT
d12 = Lock LED
d13 = Stat LED
a0 - a5 = analog in pins, free for your use (can be used also as digital in/out)
ATTiny 45 is controlled by CTRL IN, and it just switches signal on servo OUT 1&2 pins either from servo IN 1&2 pins or from AT168 (autopilot) and sets MUX pin on AT168. So by servo signal on CTRL IN you enable or disable autopilot. Servo signal switching is done by multiplexer chip. MUX LED lights when autopilot is enabled. All the autopilot code is in AT168 chip.
It also helps to study ATMega 168 product sheet,
board PCB, ATtiny45 product sheet and multiplexer product sheet. You can learn from these what are actual pins on the chips, their connections, etc.
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