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Finally, my autopilot is "finished"....

Posted by Tj Bordelon on September 24, 2009 at 6:05pm

But is is ever? I define finished as in it works every time I go fly now. I go to the field, turn on my plane and it takes off, flies to waypoints, and lands with no user intervention. It's done this now for the last 4 times I've been to the field! So it feels more "finished" than ever.I didn't use any kits or open source stuff, and built everything from scratch. Except the EZ-Star of course! I also use my own sensor fusion algorithm, which is to be featured in Circuit Cellar early next year. It's inertial based, and all the boards are from the chips up, no modules.

PLUS: I don't use a PC, so now I don't have to worry about overheating or Java updates crashing my plane!

Check out my setup here: http://bordelon.net/ezstar.html

autopilot, bordelon, ezstar, freespace, imu

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Comments

mark February 4, 2010 at 11:31am

I can't find the article. Does anyone have a link to it?
anaximander January 1, 2010 at 3:17pm

Very impressive little drone! Also, it includes a lot of the features that people keep telling me to give up on because they're too difficult, so that gives me hope! I don't suppose you'd consider posting a few details on how you did it? Maybe just an overview of your system as a whole? I think I speak for many of us less-experienced Droners when I say it'd be really useful...
Belli Button January 1, 2010 at 1:40pm

Hi Tj,

Has your article appeared in Circuit Cellar yet?

Cheers
Clarence Hanson October 9, 2009 at 5:58pm

That is so cool!
Kyle Corbitt October 9, 2009 at 5:23pm

Is there any way you could give us some more details? I'm very interested in this setup, particularly things like what chip you used for the digital radio.
Tj Bordelon September 29, 2009 at 8:39pm

Thanks! I love the EZSTAR! I finally got to focus on my autopilot and not my airplane for a change.
Peter Meister September 29, 2009 at 2:22pm

Way to go TJ. Quite an accomplishment. Well done!!!!
Moderator

Gary Mortimer September 28, 2009 at 10:44am

Oh, ok just clicked your site link, sorry should have done that first, 430 it was! All very interesting, theres a competition here with your name missing ;-)
Moderator

Gary Mortimer September 28, 2009 at 10:38am

Wow, what frequency are you using there?? Quite a big yagi, is it in the 400's
SLUGS Team September 28, 2009 at 10:20am

Congrats Tj,
Very impressive. I am really interested in the radio modem part. Will that appear in the CC article also? Do you have plans on making the schematic/layout and source code available?