ArduPlane home page

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.

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).

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! (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.

OK I am now ready to declare myself completely incompetent and am considering committing myself to the local institution. I have the MTK GPS from your store as well as the Ardupilot-MEGA and IMU oilpan. I am conducting what I think are preliminary checkouts and I am lost. The work you guys are doing here is really cool but I am not up to speed in troubleshooting. With the oilpan connected and running alpha 1.0.1 code, gps disconnected, the oilpan lights indicate I have GPS lock (lights A and C on the IMU are on solid). Connecting the GPS there is no change and the serial port shows

Init ArduPilotMega 1.0.1 Alpha
min / max from eeprom -1 -1
Offsets -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00
##FBW A
XXX Startup: AIR
XXX invalid home position
XXX invalid home position
XXX invalid home position
The GPS came in NMEA mode and I tried to switch it using

void setup()
{
Serial.begin(38400); // FTDI on APMega
Serial1.begin(38400); // GPS port on APMega

Serial.print("Begin GPS Mod");
Serial1.print("$PGCMD,16,0,0,0,0,0*6A\r\n"); // Custom binary protocol
//Serial1.print("$PGCMD,16,1,1,1,1,1*6B\r\n"); // NMEA
}

void loop()
{
// Incoming from GPS
if(Serial1.available()>0) //Ok, let me see, the buffer is empty?
{

delay(30);
while(Serial1.available()>0){
byte incoming = Serial1.read();
//Serial.print(incoming,DEC);
Serial.print(incoming,BYTE); // will output Byte values
//Serial.print(",");
}
//Serial.println(" ");
}
}

If I put it back to NMEA mode I can use the NMEA test program and read

GPS NMEA library test
GPS: Time:22241000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:0.00
GPS: Time:22241100 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:0.00
GPS: Time:22241200 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241300 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241400 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241500 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241600 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241700 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241800 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241900 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242100 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242200 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242300 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242400 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242500 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242600 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242700 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242800 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242900 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22243000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40

hElP Am I stupid or what?

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

Join diydrones

Comments

Developer

Sandro Benigno August 8, 2010 at 11:59am

Xbee and GPS are in other ports at 38400.
The speed 115200 is used only at the USB/FTDI port.

Xbee you will attach on TelemPort (IMU Shield/Oilpan)
Please, more infos here: http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/wiki/Wireless

GPS on APM GPS Port

More info here:
UBLOX: http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot/wiki/ublox
MediaTek: http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot/wiki/MediaTek

;)
Darren August 8, 2010 at 10:35am

[QUOTE]The Xbee modules ship with a default of 9600bps, which you must change to match the APM's serial speed of 38400bps; set your Xbee modules to match this speed. [/QUOTE]

In current download of ArduPilotMega?_1_0_1 and in all revisions since that I can see. the file APM_Config.h is setting the baud rate of Serial1 and 3 to 115200.

But according to the docs its saying to use X-CTU to set it to 38400... Also according to the Ublox docs has been 38400 as well.

So should we be setting ublox and xbee's to use 115200 or change config to 38400 for Serial 1 and 3?

my config is an APM Beta w/oilpan, ublox, mag, airspeed, and xbee pro (900)
hoopty August 6, 2010 at 5:14am

Sorry if I double posted. Can the APM support GAS powered speed adjustments?
Developer

Michael Smith August 4, 2010 at 1:38pm

flying toh, check out the system connection diagram here:

http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/wiki/RC

APM wants to see the throttle channel, and control motor speed, so you should connect the ESC to APM.
Daniel R Ramirez Rebollo August 4, 2010 at 12:08pm

Will the config tool work with this board? or should we change some programming?
flying toh August 1, 2010 at 11:10pm

Hi, I would like to ask is my connection below correct? I could not use my 6 channels RC to control it. so the ESC should plug on to the receiver or the APM?

Thanks 
hoopty August 1, 2010 at 4:19pm

OK If you say I am not crazy I believe you. However, my wife does not :) I can wait I will find a way. If I can contribute in documentation let me know.
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson August 1, 2010 at 3:51pm

@hoopty. You're not stupid--we're just in alpha! The code, documentation and everything else is all under construction and it's just for the very brave (or crazy) who want to follow along for now. As we've said all along, we don't recommend regular user try this code until we release Beta at the end of this month.

I know it's frustrating and you'd like to get started right away, but you'll have a much better experience if you can wait another 3-4 weeks.
hoopty August 1, 2010 at 3:26pm

OK I am now ready to declare myself completely incompetent and am considering committing myself to the local institution. I have the MTK GPS from your store as well as the Ardupilot-MEGA and IMU oilpan. I am conducting what I think are preliminary checkouts and I am lost. The work you guys are doing here is really cool but I am not up to speed in troubleshooting. With the oilpan connected and running alpha 1.0.1 code, gps disconnected, the oilpan lights indicate I have GPS lock (lights A and C on the IMU are on solid). Connecting the GPS there is no change and the serial port shows

Init ArduPilotMega 1.0.1 Alpha
min / max from eeprom -1 -1
Offsets -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00
##FBW A
XXX Startup: AIR
XXX invalid home position
XXX invalid home position
XXX invalid home position
The GPS came in NMEA mode and I tried to switch it using

void setup()
{
Serial.begin(38400); // FTDI on APMega
Serial1.begin(38400); // GPS port on APMega

Serial.print("Begin GPS Mod");
Serial1.print("$PGCMD,16,0,0,0,0,0*6A\r\n"); // Custom binary protocol
//Serial1.print("$PGCMD,16,1,1,1,1,1*6B\r\n"); // NMEA
}

void loop()
{
// Incoming from GPS
if(Serial1.available()>0) //Ok, let me see, the buffer is empty?
{

delay(30);
while(Serial1.available()>0){
byte incoming = Serial1.read();
//Serial.print(incoming,DEC);
Serial.print(incoming,BYTE); // will output Byte values
//Serial.print(",");
}
//Serial.println(" ");
}
}

If I put it back to NMEA mode I can use the NMEA test program and read

GPS NMEA library test
GPS: Time:22241000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:0.00
GPS: Time:22241100 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:0.00
GPS: Time:22241200 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241300 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241400 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241500 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241600 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241700 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241800 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22241900 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242100 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242200 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242300 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242400 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242500 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242600 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242700 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242800 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22242900 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40
GPS: Time:22243000 Fix:1 Lat:392611900 Lon:-768347733 Alt:110.20 Speed:0.00 Course:18.40

hElP Am I stupid or what?
Javier Robaina July 31, 2010 at 4:45pm

Hello, I try to APM and connected to the rx, just what I do is disconnect the positive cable to the RX led to the APM, and avoid carrying current from the RX to APM and USB

of 59

This reply was deleted.