DJI have released a detect sense and avoid system with their Guidance unit and a new quad in the Matrice 100
Nothing too earth shattering about them. The new developers and ideas that might flow in DJI’s direction is interesting though.
Not quite so many DJI systems are being used by universities and research institutions as other open source projects. By their very nature open source autopilots can be fiddled with and changed to suit whatever is being researched. That code is fed back into the eco system and the open source autopilots gets cleverer.
A rising tide lifts all ships.
DJI need a hand keeping up.
Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Xdf0iEQ6A
Credits to Gary Mortimer from SuasNews :
http://www.suasnews.com/2015/06/36475/dji-matrice-100-and-guidance/
Comments
John,
@John Arne Birkeland, can you provide arguments on why each box should be checked for Solo? Maybe you could offer information that the rest of us do not own yet.
I agree that the DJI Matrice 100 underwhelms and seems a bit half assed compared to a true open-source solution. But the erlerobotics comparison is a joke at best. Solo ticks of all the same boxes and more compared to the erle copter.
Seems to me a bit too much what they offer for what they deliver http://erlerobotics.com/blog/developer-drones-comparison/.
A github was created the 7th June : https://github.com/dji-sdk/onboard
You can find the pdf here : https://github.com/dji-sdk/onboard/blob/master/Onboard_API_Doc/Onbo...
Safety strategy:
"Due to the safety concern, since onboard API enables developer to implement autonomous UAV systems beyond line-of-sight, DJI has to impose more restricted control registration methods for MATRICE 100.
Before using MATRICE 100, a developer must register personal information on dev.dji.com (the DJI server), and then activate MATRICE 100.DJI Server generates App ID and an AES key to the developer.
Most part of the communication between the onboard device and MATRICE 100 is encrypted by this key, which reaches MATRICE 100 separately during activation process.
Authorization levels:
"When a developer register on dev.dji.com, an authorization level will be assigned to the developer according to application needs and programming experience of the developer.
The developer must save this authorization level (app_api_level) to the onboard device. This app_api_level will be checked during activation process. Different authorization levels unlock different commands that the developer can use.
Level 0, activation related commands
Level 1, monitor and non-flight control, including camera and gimbal control, flight data monitoring. This level does not involve direct control of craft motion.
Level 2, flight control. It contains not only motion control, but also some flight mode changing control commands.
In future onboard API, we will release more and more commands with different authorization levels."
This is quite funny and I admire the chutzpah from a closed company such as DJi. I can only expect they will be giving this stuff away to several 'select' universities.
But for me, I like the fulfilment of working on my drones in my dusty old shed and learning so much from open source hardware and devices.
Some things I'd like to see in future -
Open source motor building guides
Open source Esc controller boards
European & American Lithium battery manufacture
This would make me happy.
Ah DJI discovered the CF tubes quad X frame and diy approach.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next