About three months ago I introduced the BBBMINI a DIY Cape for the BeagleBone Black. The BBBMINI should make it easy to start with Ardupilot running on Embedded Linux. It also keep the DIY spirit, so it has no SMD parts to solder and only 0.1” pinheader to connect external hardware. So you do not have to struggle with DF13 connectors if you want to change the cable pinout.
I got good feedback, so I decided to make things easier which seems some people stuck with, when they build a BBBMINI.
The first thing is wiring a BBBMINI up on a Proto Cape board. It is prone to errors and remote support is difficult. The Proto Cape wiring is also not so reliable. So I get familiar with KiCad and designed the BBBMINI PCB.
BBBMINI PCB:
0.1” / 2.54mm pinheader
Use GY-9250 and GY-63 sensor breakout board (about 5$ to 9$ each with shipping from china)
Free SPI connector for additional sensors like a second IMU, ...
Free I2C connector for additional hardware like external Mag, LED Controller, Ultrasonic Rangefinder, ...
Free UART for additional hardware like Telemetry Radio or second GPS
CAN Bus TRX so BBBMINI is UAVCAN ready
12 PWM OUT
Extra PWM OUT for X-Quad
1 RC IN
All necessary parts to build a BBBMINI PCB is less than 35$ including the sensor boards
There is now a Rev 1.2 version of the PCB which fix a power issue of the Rev 1.0. The Rev 1.2 boards should receive me next week. After successful testing all necessary files will be released on the BBBMINI GitHub page.
Also some people can not get all the Device Tree stuff to work or can not get a RT-Kernel up and running. So there is now a prebuild Image which you can write to a sdcard and direct boot from the sdcard with RT-Kernel and Device Tree already loaded at startup.
Debian 8 with BBBMINI support:
GCC 4.9 so you can compile Ardupilot direct on the BeagleBone
Kernel 4.0.4 RT PREEMPT already installed and loaded at startup
Device Tree for BBBMINI already loaded at startup
Further information is available on the BBBMINI GitHub page.
Best regards
Mirko
Comments
Hi Enrico,
there is one issue with the 4.9 spi dev naming, but that should be solved soon.
Regards
Mirko
Hi Mirko,
Why don't we move to 4.9 kernel ?
Bye, Enrico.
Hi Jon,
feel free to join the BBBMINI User Group. There is also a buyers thread.
Best regards, Mirko
Hello all, I am working with some Teens in an after school program, and this project is on the top of our list.. We would also like to pitch in on a group of buyers. We will watch this thread for updates,, thank you
RcHobbyBuddies
@Mirko Thanks for sharing your project. I am interested in your pcb too: so I am open to consider to join to a group of buyers together with others guys. Please let me know.
Well thank you very much for the offer Mirko! I'll PM you with my details!
If anyone wants to do a group buy for some more PCB's I'm in btw.
i used my own program based on open source solutions.
I connected PRU 30 pin (i used only 8 pins) to an isolator ( i tried different isolators).
the same issue like :
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/FGeL6jzOcB0
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/aXv6An1xfqI[1-25]
i think the HDMI pins created more inpedence (i'm not good on electronic) ...
With RI A+ i decided to use an external SPI/PWM module and i'm working on.
@hamadivo
Can you explain that a little bit more. Seems to me that you wire your board the wrong way. How do you create 12 x PWM with RI A+ without external hardware?
Hi,
the big issue with BBB the power management. i have lost more than 3 boards when i tried to use PRU/PWM.
I'm using PI A+ instead!
Thanks.
@khancyr
Unfortunately Kernel 4.0.X does not have any capemanger support (there is capemanger support in 4.1.X ). So you have to modify the main dtb file which passes the bootloader to the kernel at boot time.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next