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ArduPilot now available to buy!

Posted by Chris Anderson on January 6, 2009 at 9:00am

Great news! ArduPilot is now available to buy at Sparkfun. The price is $24.95 (or buy 100 at $19.96 each ;-)). Note: there is a limited number available now, but Sparkfun can make more pretty quickly so get your order in now and they'll be filled from backorder in the order they were received.

[Update on availability from Sparkfun: ~15 coming out of production today/morrow. 63 more PCBs ready. Waiting on xtals (probably about a week).]

You'll also need an EM406 GPS module, and for all but the most stable planes, an FMA Co-Pilot, so unless you already have those items, the total cost of the autopilot will be around $155.

Huge thanks to Nathan Siedle at Sparkfun for helping us get through the production snafus and otherwise taking this project under his wing. Now let's win his autonomous vehicle competition with an ArduPilot-guided plane!

Tags: ardupilot
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Comments

  • Moderator
    Sgt Ric January 16, 2009 at 1:34pm
    I remember in 2002 when the IARC aerial robotics competition came to calgary, and several teams had there UAVs seized at the border because of export regulations.

    I din't want my ArduPilots to suffer the same indignity.

    P.S. I'm gloating again by saying my 2 were also in the the first batch.
    I can't wait to get them in the air, but 3 feet of snow and -20 Celcius weather isn't helping the outlook.
  • Moderator
    Sgt Ric January 16, 2009 at 12:37pm
    I rec'd my 2 ArduPilots and GPS'es on Tuesday... and thats in Canada!

    Amazing speed, especially since CanadaCustoms takes forever for anything electronic.

    Incredibly Sparkfun had declared them to be UAVs on the Customs documentation, so how they snuck through and were not siezed, I don't know.
    I thought Chris had said something a while ago about maybe being exported as an electronic kit of parts, and therefore not sounding like a full UAV might work, but apparently someone was asleep at US Customs this week and let them through. Yeah!
  • Michal B January 16, 2009 at 12:25pm
    I was fast enough to order one of first 7.
  • Reto January 16, 2009 at 12:21pm
    Micheal B, if You got Yours today, does it mean they are in stock at Sparkfun right now? Or else how did You get it? Thanks for infos.
  • Michal B January 16, 2009 at 12:17pm
    I got it today into hands, soldered, and playing with that. So far LEDs are flashing in a simple test, but I'm happy to see it running.
    One has to get used to compile/upload process. Shame that there's no automatic reset by cable as upload starts. I have to hold reset button, start upload on PC, and release reset, this is best sequence to upload new software to the board.
  • tychoc January 13, 2009 at 7:36pm
    Code successfully uploaded! Now I just have to wait for the GPS daughterboard and the Digi-Key shipment. By the way, do you have some better pictures on how to hook up the GPS to the daughterboard than what is shown on the top of that thread?

    thanks,
    -tychoc
  • tychoc January 13, 2009 at 6:09pm
    Well, mine arrived today! I just soldered on the pins and now I need to see if I can find three servo extension cords. Still waiting for the GPS daughter board.

    -tychoc
  • unicorn January 12, 2009 at 1:40am
    Hi,

    Is there are any way to get flight data out from the autopilot module?(GPS, Current etc.)
    If yes we can connect modem and manipulate data in to GCS software.

    Regards
  • Remco Bos January 11, 2009 at 1:58am
    Hi Chris,

    Great news.orderd one right away.the software found on the side is it already for europe.
    I have already a rvosd "super autopilot" but the firmware needed a fix for europe.

    Remco
  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson January 10, 2009 at 2:58pm
    I doubt we'll release them as kits. It will probably be just instructions and code. There are pretty good Xbee adapter boards out there already, and all you need is a cable to connect them to ArduPilot.
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