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.

I have not been able to follow developments as closely as I used to in the recent months, because I had to move from overseas and back again.

I am contemplating, if I should go ahead and buy the ArduPilot Mega + IMU shield or go with the ArduPilot with shield and IMU+? I already have the Ardu Pilot and shield. I would like have a fully featured setup (speed sensor, altimeter, magnetometer, etc), but also fully tested setup. My understanding is that the ArduPilot Mega is only on its first version and not all the sensors are functional. Is it worth to wait another month or so and save my money until the ArduPilot Mega becomes as stable and full featured (sensor interface) as ArduPilot, or that that will be still a ways off?

Thank you for your advice.

Tom

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Comments

George October 31, 2010 at 7:53am

Hmmmm..........Page is havn' a wobbly

Chris, just further to your comments on 'software development', just wanted to know if you had any info regarding groundstation development for the APM/IMU? Really keen to get both the ArduStation and the laptop into full swing.

Thanks.

George.
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson October 31, 2010 at 7:41am

Tom: understood. The APM/IMU hardware is in the second rev already, so that's not in beta. It's just the code, which improves daily as is the norm for these things.
Tom in NOVA October 31, 2010 at 7:21am

Thank you, Chris. Just didn't want to buy all the hardware now and have it changed because some features are still beig developed. Happened to me during the original ArduPilot's development. Albeit those original AurduPilot beta boards are probably worth some money now as museum pieces :)

Tom
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson October 31, 2010 at 7:08am

Tom: Beta just means that it's a newer code base and still evolving rapidly. Right now it does everything ArduPilot does and more, but because it's a much more powerful hardware platform there is even coming over the next versions.
Tom in NOVA October 31, 2010 at 6:17am

Chris,

The downloadable ArduMega code says "Beta" so I assumed it's still being tested and bugs are still being worked out, in comparison with a full public "Release" such as for ArduPilot.

Tom
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson October 30, 2010 at 9:59pm

All APM sensors are functional and it is in full public release. I'm concerned that you got the impression that it's not ready for prime time. Where did you read that, so I can correct it?
Tom in NOVA October 30, 2010 at 9:15pm

I have not been able to follow developments as closely as I used to in the recent months, because I had to move from overseas and back again.

I am contemplating, if I should go ahead and buy the ArduPilot Mega + IMU shield or go with the ArduPilot with shield and IMU+? I already have the Ardu Pilot and shield. I would like have a fully featured setup (speed sensor, altimeter, magnetometer, etc), but also fully tested setup. My understanding is that the ArduPilot Mega is only on its first version and not all the sensors are functional. Is it worth to wait another month or so and save my money until the ArduPilot Mega becomes as stable and full featured (sensor interface) as ArduPilot, or that that will be still a ways off?

Thank you for your advice.

Tom
Dean October 30, 2010 at 7:06pm

Thanks Chris!
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson October 29, 2010 at 10:41pm

Dean, you need to update your MediaTek firmware. Instructions are here.
Dean October 29, 2010 at 7:24pm

In preperation to move on to guided modes, I ran the GPS test (in the CLI test suite). I have a MediaTek GPS module and it is reporting: Lat:44.4065475463 Lon:128.9610748291alt 170m, #sats: 0 The Lat is right, but the Lon is not (and it does not appear to be an E lon vs W lon problem), Also #sats is reported as 0. The LED on the MediaTek is solid blue, which I seem to recall means that it has a position fix. Any suggestions? Thanks!

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