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ART-TECH AUTO PILOT

Posted by Gagarien on March 23, 2009 at 8:27am

They call it an Auto-pilot but are a copy of the FMA Co-pilot.Looks like it does everything Co-pilot does butwithout servo reverse function.I have no idea on pricing either and got the following specs. on it:Voltage: +4V to 6VReaction Time: 1/60 of a secondWithin 2 degrees accurate.
Tags: co-pilot, fma, stabilization
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Comments

  • Mark Pratt August 31, 2009 at 11:28am
    but does it work
  • T3
    Sami Finnila April 11, 2009 at 10:02am
    FWIW: I'm doing a presentation of my Lego NXT Autopilot and I found out while doing research on autopilots that IR sensing of the horizon for stabilization has been used in satellites for decades before FMA patented their sensors. So basically FMA has probably only patented the use of thermopiles as a way of detecting IR for stabilization. So as far as you use some other method for detecting the IR wavelenghts you don't violate FMA's patent.. Just tried it out and even the basic NXT light sensor with a visible light blocker can do the trick although it is not even nearly accurate enough for any kind of flight stabilization but consider it rather as a POC......
  • Gagarien March 24, 2009 at 4:37am
    FMA Manual page 2 bottom say - US Patent xyz and other country's patent pending or some thing like that.
  • T3
    Sami Finnila March 24, 2009 at 3:56am
    "This product was selled last year (a lot of EU shop and ebay shop) but now it's hard to find."

    This seems to confirm that it probably violated some patent or that some other leagal issue arose. IMHO it sounds rather too 'general' to be allowed to patent "the use of IR sensor for stabilisation"; it's like patenting a car as mean of getting to work.. Well not quite but anyways... :)
  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson March 23, 2009 at 5:05pm
    No, I think the Art-Tech one uses IR but probably violates FMA's patent. The Futaba one is indeed visible light and not good.
  • T3
    Rory Paul March 23, 2009 at 4:47pm
    You will probably find that FMA's the patent on IR is for the US maybe Canada only so the Art-Tech would not be available in the US?
  • T3
    Krzysztof Bosak March 23, 2009 at 4:43pm
    "Does that mean that the Art-tech is visible light like the Futaba"
    ultra high probability since FMA patented the use of IR sensor for stabilisation.
  • Moderator
    Sgt Ric March 23, 2009 at 3:11pm
    Does that mean that the Art-tech is visible light like the Futaba?

    That would be dissappointing.
  • Roberto March 23, 2009 at 11:14am
    This product was selled last year (a lot of EU shop and ebay shop) but now it's hard to find.
    I know people that use it, it's accurate but they say FMA CPD4 is better.

    An alternative is Futaba Pilot PA-2, but it can work with sun low at the orizont..

    futabaPar2.gif

  • Gagarien March 23, 2009 at 11:10am
    This store looks like it is a Norwegian or Danish of origin at KR499 +/- $90 if I'm not mistaken but could be wrong and this site
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