Blogs

Freewave Radio Moving live H.264 Video, with 10 PWM Channels and GCS

Posted by Eraser on March 10, 2011 at 8:00pm

3689392762?profile=original

Test Airframe: Senior Telemaster 8'


Boards:
APM
Oilpan
Arduino Pro
Freewave Radio
Eflight ESC & Motor
H264 Video Server

Joysticks that work:

Logitech G940 (no yaw on foot pedals yet) - Working on getting trim math working in the code.

Logitech Attack 3 (Tested all control surfaces working)


Other:
2 Cameras, 1 foward facing, 1 PTZ

Using Laptop with UBUNTU and Logitech Joysticks.

Phase 1:

 

a. Working Joystick Controls all surfaces of Airframe, Various buttons on Joystick change APM flight mode.
a. Completed

Added:

 

b. Working on integrating Logitech G940 Flight System

no yaw on foot pedals as off yet, does n't seem to show in the PYGAME librarys.

work to be done.

 

Phase 2: Complete
a. General Test - Live video through radio and video server.

b. Need to test and measure various bandwidth requirements for H264, frame sizes etc...

 

Phase 3: Complete
a. 4 Mile Test - 74db signal level Great video quality control surfaces respond instantly.
b. 15 mile test coming shortly.

 

Phase 4:Working on it.
Test GCS with waypoints.

 

Phase 5: Drop everything neatly back into airframe.

E-mail me when people leave their comments –
Follow

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

  • Eraser March 11, 2011 at 7:54pm

    3692181413?profile=originalJust got the Logitech G940 in today and took the last few minutes testing it out with the python code.

    Got almost everything to come in except the yaw control on the pedals......

  • Eraser March 11, 2011 at 7:48pm
    Unfortunately I no longer own the m7001 as I passed to off in a trade... But I remember tapping some spots on the downside of the voltage regulator just past the magnetics....
  • Scott James March 10, 2011 at 2:55am

    Hi Eraser, Did you have another way to power the M7001 rather than POE?

    If so do you have any details on how? Cheers!

  • Eraser March 8, 2011 at 8:33pm
    @ I.S. I am going to try thaat stop watch thing... Thanks
  • Eraser March 8, 2011 at 8:32pm
    @John I have no way of doing onboard recording at the moment.
  • Eraser March 8, 2011 at 8:23pm
    I have actually done tests with H264 down to 30 kbps at 320x240 pretty blocky but no delay..... it actually looks pretty good around 70 kbps..

    Do you have any H.264 Equipment? what are you using right now for comm gear?
  • Ryan March 8, 2011 at 7:55pm
    @Eraser
    1. Definitely agreed on dedicated radio vs. MiniPCI with software drivers, etc. I certainly don't like all added complexity to support a Mini-PCI. That's why TTL interface is ideal, straight-up byte stream.
    2. Power - Doodle Labs (1.4 A) indeed uses more power than FreeWave (750mA)
    3. Yes, I meant OFDM on the Doodle Labs board.
    4. You're right - Bandwidth is better on FreeWave.  More interference with 5MHz width.

    My emphasis on Transceiver is intentional.  Transceiver is such a crucial decision, as it effects every other aspect of the design.  My goal has been to find a standards-based, high-production, low-cost radio with good range & throughput.

     

    FreeWave looks like an excellent radio platform.  That's why I really looking forward to continuing this conversation.  And it's obvious you've done your homework!  It's main drawback is its price.  $1200 for UAV & base station.

     

    Ryan

     

    PS.1) Some of FreeWave's radios have been out on UAVs as far as 105 miles. Pretty darn cool.

    PS.2) You might be curious to know there's an H.264 that encodes as low as only ~180kbps

     

  • Eraser March 8, 2011 at 6:53pm
    Those are PC based radios, prone to lockups etc... Personally I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot stick..... Not on a remote controlled vehicle. Now if you have multiple links and amplifiers with dishes..... a PLC to cycle power etc...

    Personally I think a dedicated link with its own processor, with a proven track record....

    As far as OFDM I tested Microhard...

    The freewaves aren't OFDM, they are FHSS.

    They are OEM only but I have a fairly local supplier that I can get them from anytime.

    Freewave has so many part numbers that unless you know just which one you'll be hard pressed figuring it all out..

    I'll post that info later.

    Back to the doodle boards:

    For a UAV you would need to run 5 MHz with 6 Mbps compare that to the Freewave 1.5 MHz bandwith and 1.2MBPS.

    The narrower the bandwidth the less throughput,less prone to problems with interference and the more range.

    more to follow....
  • Ryan March 8, 2011 at 9:41am

    @Eraser -

     

    This is an awesome thread. Thank you for getting this started.

     

    Just got off the phone with FreeWave. FreeWave MM2 radio = $600.  Uses TTL or Ethernet interface.  MM2 isn't released for production yet (Eraser probably has a beta board).  Even so - these boards are OEM only, so UAV devs cannot purchase directly.

     

    Check this out:

    900Mhz - 30Mbit @ 25-30 Mile Range, 1000mW OFDM by Doodle Labs

    http://www.doodlelabs.com/products-and-services/ofdm-radio-modules/...

    Sells for only $124

    http://www.xagyl.com/store/product.php?productid=16448&cat=251&...

     

    Problem is - it's Mini-PCI, not TTL / Ethernet.

     

    1.) What other OFDM boards did you look at?   (ie, any way around the Mini-PCI interface?)

    2.) Almost all Wireless ISP / Backhaul people use Mini-PCI radios - should we look in that direction?

    2.a) What IO boards are available with Linux Mini-PCI?

     

    What are your thoughts?   Thank you -

     

    Ryan

  • Dano March 8, 2011 at 7:41am
    We broadcast VDO @ 640x480 just to keep frame rate from lagging and log the higher resolutions on the airframe to a large SD card
This reply was deleted.