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Copter-GCS: Android ground station for ArduCopter

Posted by Bart on June 8, 2011 at 6:00pm

GPSSample.png?width=420Hello all,

After some field testing, i'm finally ready to release a copy of the Android based, bluetooth GCS for ArduCopter into the wild.

For all the details go to the site.

Its available in 3 ways:

  • Install from Android Market ($5, largely to offset publishing costs/support development) Copter-GCS
  • Install the APK from the download section (Free)
  • Build from source, following these instuctions.

The reason for the market version is for those who would like to just install in the easiest way possible / receive automatic updates or would like to support development costs (thanks you) such as the fee required to publish on the market.

connected.png?width=200gpsModeStatus.png?width=200offsets.png?width=200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current features:

  • GPS plotting of phone and GPS, quad path rendering and logging of the track to the SD card.
  • Sensor graphing
  • Status display, such as current mode and GPS state
  • Setup
    • PID Tuning
    • Accelerometer Offsets, both traditional and using the drift direction
    • Transmitter Calibration

Let me know how it works for those that try :)

Bart.

 

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Comments

  • Bart July 6, 2011 at 5:35am

    Hello all,

     

    Yes, MAVLink support is in beta on SVN, hopefully a release by the weekend. I would not suggest using the svn code at the moment, as I'm still working on the final touches, and I also need to update the wiki for it. I uploaded to svn as a backup, not thinking anyone would be monitoring the code :) Stable releases go to the download section for easy access, so unless you feel like testing, don't use it yet.

     

    @Jose, any module with serial should work fine, I just liked the smirf module since I knew it would work. Direct connect is certainly possible as well.

     

    Cheers.

  • Roterdan Macedo July 6, 2011 at 4:51am

    Jose,

    You can attach this module directly in to xbee port

  • Jose Angel July 6, 2011 at 4:50am
    Thanks Sebastian.

    Bart uses bluesmirf bluetooth module from sparkfun (64$). Anyone using cheaper alternatives like this one (20$)? Any cons?
    http://www.blueskyrc.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath...
    BlueSkyRC -- Now Closed
  • Sebastian Gralla July 6, 2011 at 4:46am

    yes you can connect directly, but only if your module is set to the correct baud rate

    bluetooth range could reach up to 100m, depending on your module, standard modules reach 10m

  • Jose Angel July 6, 2011 at 4:42am
    In the MegaPirates thread on rcgroups some users say that Mavlink is working, so this solution would work with current ACM2 code.
    Anyone can confirm this?

    My xbee is not working at the moment, so I think if it would be possible to connect the bluetooth module directly to telemetry port in APM and be able to interact with APM in the bluetooth range area (maybe 10m). Usefull at least to tune PIDS....
  • Jeff E June 20, 2011 at 11:42pm
    This is a very interesting project. This is the closest I have seen so far (i might be wrong) of having a GCS on Android. But imagine this, if you removed the Bluetooth adapter complete and have the Xbee connected to android device that would be great. Motorola Xoom with Honeycomb 3.1 has a USB host support with proper driver we could very well make a portable GCS. But then again I'm just a spectator i have no idea in programming ( i wish I have that skill)
  • Bart June 19, 2011 at 7:58am

    @Peter

    I have the stubs in place for MAVLink, but the past two weeks have turned out to hectic with work, so I haven't fleshed them out yet. Fear not, I am looking to move to AC2 for my own copter as well, so it is certainly coming. I'll try to make time ASAP.

     

  • Peter June 19, 2011 at 1:52am

    @Bart

    Sorry i didn't see your post 4 above mine. :-)

    Can yout tell me something about the state to integrate AC2/Mavlink?

  • Peter June 19, 2011 at 1:05am

    @Bart

    I really like your work, but i'm using the MeadPirate Project and the MavLink protocol.

    Your act. Version doesn't support MavLink, or do i'm something wrong?

    In the Source I can't see the MavLink Parser.

    do you want to integrate tehe MavLink Parser?

     

  • Roterdan Macedo June 13, 2011 at 5:23pm
    Hi friends!
    I built one cheap Bt2Xbee bridge using some stuff from seeedstudio.
    1. http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/bees-shield-p-672.html
    2. http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/bluetooth-bee-p-598.html
    3. http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/solar-charger-shield-p-594.html -- Not really necessary, but I want solar power+battery :P
    And the xbee module!
    I just wired TX/RX from one to other, and I already can connect with APM Planner through BT... w´ll post photos latter
    Now I´m searching for one case to fit it and waiting MAVLink Support.
    Very Nice work Bart!
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