ArduPilot Pro home page

[UPDATE Jan, 2009: The description below is our original conception of ArduPilot Pro. However, we were able to achieve all of these features with the basic ArduPilot, so we are now reconsidering what additional features to add to a future dual-core ArduPilot. Things we are considering include SD-card datalogging and on-screen displays for first-person view flying. In the meantime, the below is provided as a reference platform for a dual-core Arduino-compatible autopilot, but should not be viewed as a forthcoming product as described here.] ArduPilot Pro is a low-cost, full-function autopilot based on the open source Arduino platform. It incorporates two Atmega 168 processors (for navigation and stabilization) and one ATTiny45 processor (for the failsafe) onto one board, along with a GPS module. It has all the functionality of the basic ArduPilot, but includes its own thermopile sensors and processing so it does not require a third-party stabilization unit. The thermopile sensors are on two daughterboards, one with four sensors for X-Y axis stabilization, and the other with two sensors along the z axis for calibration and upright/inverted orientation. These are modeled after the open source Paparazzi sensors. ArduPilot Pro will eventually be available as a commercial kit. At the moment it is a development project with the aim of going into beta in mid-2009. Basics:

If you want to build your own, the necessary files and component lists are here.
Autopilot code (for the board's two main processors, Atmega168s) is in development and will be posted here.
Latest multiplexer code (for the board's third processor, an Attiny, which runs the failsafe system) is here. (If all you want is to load our code, rather than modify it, just use AVR Studio to burn the antifail_system.hex file in the Default folder to the Attiny chip)

The following is a chronological list of posts describing the development of the project. Unless you're very keen to get started on this before it's released as a commercial project, we do not recommend that you order these boards, since they're sure to have some bugs. But if you're interested in autopilot development and want to know more about ArduPilot features, they will give you some insight into the evolution of this project.

We have just built our first ArduPilot and we have 9 more un-populated boards. I manage 5 teams of students who hope to use ArduPilot. We are thinking about fully populating one ArduPilot board and attaching to it another partially populated board to give us something similar to ArduPilot pro. We are hoping to do something better than a rudder turn. I have a number of very able students who want to experiment with stabilization we already have UAVs which use co-pilots. Would it be possible to get a copy of your stabilization code as a starting point. I believe that this is at an early stage but it would be useful to know how you have approached the problem. Does it use PID control and if so how is it tuned.

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3D Robotics

Chris Anderson January 8, 2009 at 7:22am

It won't be available commercially until mid-year at the earliest. But in the meantime you can make your own with the instructions above.
Jay January 8, 2009 at 2:44am

when will the ArduPilot Pro be ready?i'd like to purchase one asap
Michael December 3, 2008 at 8:44pm

Any idea when there may be be a beta release of the ardupilto pro?

Michael
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson November 27, 2008 at 2:31pm

We're still pre-alpha on ArduPilot Pro, but the ArduPilot software (no stabilization) is in public beta.
trifasico November 27, 2008 at 1:17pm

Hello

I'm working in a UAV Solar from my University final project. I'm interested to use yours autopilot. I´m planing to add a modem and maybe some other sensors. Then build a ground station to control and receive the sensor´s information.
How the software is going?
Moderator

Sgt Ric November 7, 2008 at 5:48pm

David...
A gyro and thermopiles are different animals for different applications.

Chris has put together a very good FAQ about this very topic.

One of the many threads which led to the FAQ, is
http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/705844:Topic:41122
Gordon Manson November 7, 2008 at 10:37am

We have just built our first ArduPilot and we have 9 more un-populated boards. I manage 5 teams of students who hope to use ArduPilot. We are thinking about fully populating one ArduPilot board and attaching to it another partially populated board to give us something similar to ArduPilot pro. We are hoping to do something better than a rudder turn. I have a number of very able students who want to experiment with stabilization we already have UAVs which use co-pilots. Would it be possible to get a copy of your stabilization code as a starting point. I believe that this is at an early stage but it would be useful to know how you have approached the problem. Does it use PID control and if so how is it tuned.
David November 4, 2008 at 2:31am

the 328's are supposed to work with IDE >= v.11 however im having issues in v.12
but i see your point about the the speed increase needed.

I have an Align 450 se that im wanting to mount one of these on and it has a dedicated digital gyro on it can that be used in place of the thermopile?
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson November 3, 2008 at 8:46pm

@David. No, the3 Atmega328 only has more memory, not faster speed, which is why we needed dual core in the first place. (And if it did run faster, it wouldn't work with Arduinio IDE).
David November 3, 2008 at 7:12pm

would it be possible to make this with a single Atmega328 chip instead of two Atmega168 chips?

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