Ziphius
So I have been obsessed with robotics for quite some time and up until this year it was all based on walking - Humaniod, quad & hex walker robots. I have put together kits, pulled together parts from Lynxmotion - I have stuff all over, I am constantly tearing apart updating as new controller boards, sensors and the like come out. I even worked on a very slick robot from Japan like 5 years ago - Speecys SPC-101C which unfortunately never made it into production - you can check my Chuck Durham Youtube Channel for some of my robot videos. I was all about servo control and interfaces via Bluetooth, ZigBee and Wifi
Last year I had the AR Drone 1.0 and I got the Minds-i Kit and started learning more about ESC, R/C transmitters/Receivers - I owe most of this knowledge to this site. I have followed Arducopter for a while but never had the nerve to try. I got the AR Drone 2.0 this year and found myself wanting. So I have dug into the RC world like a mad man, I want to try everything so I have been buying up all kinds of things to try. Now I think most of you will find when you start a project, it's good to have a few to do, while you wait for parts to come back in stock. So in the quest to build the Arducopter (APM:Rover), I have stepped into the ArduRover (APM:Rover) figuring APM 2.5+, Mission Planning and Telemetry would be smart to start on the ground, the minds-i is also not a super fast platform with the single motor option I have setup, so I can out run the rover.
So today, I am waiting for parts, I got 3D Robotics order for the Telemetry to try on the Rover. I am waiting for a replacement motor from 3D Robotics and some parts coming from China from Hobby King. So we have air, land and (wait we are missing something) - Sea.
Found a water based Drone - Kickstarter: Ziphius: The Aquatic Drone. They have a decent way to go, I am going to keep my eye on it and become a backer to get one of these. I read and earlier article and there was mention of $25K to fund, but it is actually $125K, they are at $38K. Anyway this may be something to rally the community around for a possible hackable base for ArduAquatic.
There is also another more open project out there for a submersible: OpenROV
What could be the potential with this community and the APM 2.5+ on something like these. How will the GPS work underwater, thinking of other type of sensors to integrate, etc
Comments
Sounds interesting. I've got an IMU but not a GPS unit, any you would recommend
@Matin,
You can set your position by GPS before you dive, then use an IMU and a compass to provide guidance from waypoint to waypoint knowing the exact speed of the ROV underwater.
Regards,
TCIII
OpenROV is a bit more than just a toy. It's good value for the cost. GPS unfortunately doesn't work underwater.
http://www.homebuiltrovs.com/rovforum/index.php?sid=aaffd0a5035a881...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1Z70K78039&...
This one's $950. I'd say if you can develop a commercial/serious hobbyist level unit for under $300 you would capture a large share of the market.
So are there any "borderline" commercial/hobby submarine units that could support APM/FPV, etc.
@Euan,
The literature, as far as I can tell, says surface only.
Regards,
TCIII
I think the developers of Ziphius "Screwed the Pooch" when they limited their Kickstarter project to just 25 backers for the basic entry. But I digress.