Blogs

3D Robotics

ArduPlane home page

Posted by Chris Anderson on May 1, 2010 at 3:30pm

3689354430?profile=original

3689312509?profile=original

 

Convert any RC airplane into a fully-autonomous UAV!
Just add the APM 2 autopilot to any RC aircraft and it becomes a fully-programmable flying robot with a powerful ground station and Mission Planner.  

 

Features include:

  • Return to Launch with a flick of your RC toggle switch or a mouse click in the graphical Ground Station
  • Unlimited 3D GPS waypoints
  • Built-in camera control
  • Fully-scriptable missions
  • One-click software load, and easy point-and-click configuration in the powerful Mission Planner. NO programming required!
  • Replay recorded missions and analyze all the data with a graphing interface
  • Supports two-way telemetry with Xbee wireless modules. 
  • Point-and-click waypoint entry or real-time mission commands while the UAV is in the air
  • Fly with a joystick or gamepad via your PC--no need for RC control!
  • Built-in failsafe will bring your aircraft home in the case of radio loss

 

All instructions and software are here.

 

 

3689354391?profile=original

3689354242?profile=original

 

APM 2 is an open source, Arduino-compatible, pro-quality autopilot. It is the most advanced IMU-based open source autopilot available today, and provides an entire UAV control system with scriptable missions with 3D waypoints, in-flight uploading of commands and powerful ground station software. 

 

APM 2 supports any kind of of vehicle with a one-click change of code. Available code include ArduPlane (fixed wing), ArduCopter (rotary wing), ArduRover (ground vehicles) and more.

 

Everything you need to create an ArduPlane UAV:

 

*  APM 2.5 autopilot with GPS ($179)

*  [Optional] Telemetry kit ($75).

3689354459?profile=original

 

You'll also need a at least a five-channel RC radio setup, a soldering iron, a mini USB cable and of course something that flies!3689354440?profile=original (We're partial to the SkyFun delta wing (right) and
Bixlee 2   powered glider (left) or its equivalents ourselves).

 

 

 

 

Resources:

Manual
Source code/firmware

Note: ArduPilot Mega requires no programming, but it's open source and you're welcome to modify it if you'd like. If you are going to play with the code, you can use the free Arduino IDE to edit and upload the code to the ArduPilot board.

 

 

E-mail me when people leave their comments –
Follow

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

  • Gustav Kuhn April 9, 2012 at 9:58am

    Ok, reloaded firmware, deleted, erased eeprom, reconfigure every thing.

    Still no values in the Yaw block, but what the heck, it flew3692392896?profile=original beautifully :-)

  • Gustav Kuhn April 8, 2012 at 11:11am

    Hi Chris, yes I did redo the config process.

    No, I didn't save the previous config, it was default anyway.

    Wev'e just had a weekend of storms, but tomorrow appears ok, so I reloaded everything tonight, test again tomorrow.

    Still a bit confused about the lack of data in the yaw block, anyone else flying ST Models Discovery or similar, that can share configs?

  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson April 8, 2012 at 11:00am

    Gustav: Did you go through the config process again? Did you load your config file from your previous settings?

  • Gustav Kuhn April 8, 2012 at 8:10am

    Hi guys, I loaded the latest firmware, and the previously well behaved plane flew like a dog.

    I noticed that there are no PID values for yaw in the config window, and can't remember what was in the older firmware.

    Other than being an idiot, what did I do wrong ?

  • Martin Szymanski February 9, 2012 at 8:59pm

    I am not sure of the Freq of your Xbee but adjacent interference, from the Xbee, to a receiver can cause problems.

    Front end overloading being a xmitter is to close can be a problem. Inverse distance square in inches or any other unit has a rule with RF. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law

  • Ed Stewart January 8, 2012 at 3:23am

    Adi,

    Welcome to the group.  It's my understanding that a 'shield' in this case is basically a daughter board attached to the main processor board to add additional functions, a Gyro would measure degrees of rotation in any particular direction and an Accelerometer would measure changes in speed and the rate of change in any particular direction.

  • Julian Davidson November 20, 2011 at 10:16am

    Thanks Chris!

  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson November 20, 2011 at 10:13am

    You should have used https://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/  (you forgot the "s)

     

    You can find the details of what you need to enter on the source code top page. 

     

    We can't do Git support here beyond what's in the manual. There are loads of Git tutorials out there

  • Julian Davidson November 20, 2011 at 10:06am

    Hi,

    Any Idea what I've done wrong? In using the GitGUI after select Clone Existing Repository:

     

    Source location:http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/

    TArget Directory : c:/users/JLT/Desktop/APM

     

    After press ENTER ... I have a new window and state "working... Please Wait..." (And been waiting for hours..nothing happening...normal?)

     

    Wanted to follow the MP development... what is the Source location should I enter?

     

    Thanks in advance... :)

     

  • Julian Davidson November 20, 2011 at 8:44am

    Hi Chris,

    For the Magnetic Declination, e.g 14 13 EAST .... is enter as "14.13"

    What if it is 0 -6 EAST ..... Enter as "-0.6" ?

     

    Thanks!

This reply was deleted.