Custom made APM2.5+, APM2.6 specific external compass module
We made easy to use external compass module for APM2.X Flight controllers. If you need to have external compass and you don't want to change your GPSes yet. Here is your best and easiest choice for it.
This module fits directly to your APM2.X boards. If you have APM2.5 board, just disconnect internal compass by disconnecting jumper and add this board.
As board is a standalone board, you can mount it easily places that have least of magnetic interference.
Board comes with connecting cable and it fits directly to external I2C port on APM2.X boards.
Orientation:
If you put components down, connector forward it is same as in 3DR GPS (Manual: Roll 180)
if you put components up, connector forward it is same as standard APM (Manual: None)
Get your from jDrones store: http://store.jdrones.com/APM2_6_Compass_p/jdmagneto02.htm
Price 14.99 USD
Regards,
Jani
Comments
case looks nice. is cable hole in way that it also blocks cable to come out?
Looks good. For Images from another location use Image button and "From a URL". Then it will look like this:
Let me know when your compass case is ready. Below board it's all flat, components are on single side only.
Here goes. I will add this to our document site too
Henri, sure i will ask my staff to arrange dimensions and will post them to here later today when back at office. We are starting to make cases for those too so stay tuned.
Due latest changes on ArduCopter 3.0.1 version compass now plays really important role and even smallest interference from power distribution etc high current cables can cause problems and heading inaccuracy. So that's why external compass was introduced. Interference really depends on how your multicopter has been built. Moving compass further away even 2.5cm (1") can make a big difference and many installation moving Autopilot 2.5cm is difficult.
For example DHI Phantom compass has in landing gears and same goes for many other high-end multicopter autopilots. Some have them far up and some have them far down. Location does not matter as long as it's far enough from sources of magnetic interference like power cables, transmitters, batteries etc that are using high power.
For airplanes this has never been any bigger issue as autopilot already stays quite far from power electronics.
it just seems to me that with each version of the apm you guys a basically reversing what was done previously by integrating everything together,
People used to buy all the different components and link them toggether, then the apm 1 came out and was reasonalbly well integrated, the apm 2 was fully integrated one board and it did it all gps etc then you go to 2.5 by removing gps then 2.6 by removing gps and compass?? what gives?
what us the actual advantage of an external compass that is 15 cm further from the center point where the compass should be?
Supporting third party parts is always difficult as you never know how those have been assembled and what components they have used on their boards. Some boards might have level converter that causes latency issues and some board not.
Also HMC5983 based magnetometer boards are not supported on current software. There seem to be several internal register changes so no any guarantees for those chips. Currently library devs. are busy on HAL and other issues so no ETA for 5983 based compasses. In future things might change but at least I have not heard anything yet.
An external mag is always superior to these GPS+MAG all in one solutions because you can upgrade to a better GPS (like NL-662ETTL). 15$ seem to be reasonably priced for a arducopter special part with special connectors. I see ebay offers for the HMC 5833L with breakout board (incl. voltage regulator) below 3$. Because it is acutally replaced by the next generation: HMC 5983. The key benefit of the new chip is, that it has a build in automatic temperature compensation. So no temperature drift.
Cheers
Rob
@Charlie, thank you for nice comments :)
@Chris, no they are not exactly same. On RCTimer/HobbyKing and other clones are not fully identical for jDrones and 3DR boards.
@Daniel, yes you should be able to use it on RCT board too. Cable should fit on their connectors too.
Orientation:
If you put components down, connector forward it is same as in 3DR GPS (Manual: Roll 180)
if you put components up, connector forward it is same as standard APM (Manual: None)
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