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Gumstix releases PX4-compatible Linux flight controller board

Posted by Chris Anderson on April 14, 2014 at 4:51pm

3689586807?profile=originalThanks to Chris Crews in the forums, a new AeroCore from Gumstix. $199

The AeroCore from Gumstix offers everyone from enthusiasts to educators the opportunity to power their very own micro-aerial vehicle. With an ARM Cortex-M4 microcontroller running NuttX RTOS and an integrated connection for award-winning DuoVero series computers-on-module, AeroCore gives users a complete Linux installation on a PX4-compatible platform.

2 x 70-pin Hirose DF40 Connectors

70-pin Hirose DF40 Connectors (Expansion side)
24-Pin Header

8xPWM Outputs
40-pin header

GPIO/Breakout and Power
6-Pin Header

Cortex-M4 SPI Breakout
Accelerometer

3-Axis Accelerometer + 3-Axis Magnetometer
Barometer

Included
Gyroscope

3-Axis Angular Rate Sensor
Processor

ARM Cortex-M4 Microcontroller
USB OTG

USB Micro-AB Connector

Andrew Simpson from Gumstix adds some details in the comments:

I work at Gumstix and the AeroCore is so new that it won't even be officially announced until tomorrow morning!

The AeroCore is a DuoVero expansion board that can also be used standalone; the onboard microcontroller is the same as the one on the PX4FMU (STM32F4 series Cortex-M4), but some of the sensors are different (full tech. specs here).

I'm not very familiar (read: not at all!) with ArduPilot/APM and AP-HAL software, but I'm sure it can be made to work on the AeroCore with a little bit of effort. We're hoping the AeroCore will be a good choice for developers who want to do some interesting, high-level stuff in the air.

Thanks! Let us know if you've got more questions!

Andrew Simpson
Content Developer
Gumstix, Inc.

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Comments

  • Andrew Simpson April 16, 2014 at 8:19am

    Hi @Cronselaar,

    The label in the picture does show a NEO5, but the final version Gumstix selling has a NEO7-M onboard. Thanks!

  • Cronselaar April 16, 2014 at 8:14am

    The GPS module does seem a bit old though... I see a NEO5 on it.. Ublox on 8 already... Come on...

  • Cronselaar April 16, 2014 at 7:59am

    Yes please... Will be awesome for some vision research!!!! And even cheaper than the Pix... :)

  • Curt Olson April 16, 2014 at 6:26am

    Hi Andrew, can I ask a few questions?

    I didn't see any information stating what gps is used on this board?

    I think I saw that the duovero talks to to the sensor 'block' via a uart connection.  What is the max/recommended baud rate?

    How fast is the IMU queried?

    Is there any specific reason you guys didn't pick the MPU6000 but used separate accelerometers and gyros?

    Is there any way to feed in the RC receiver data to read the pilot inputs from the RC transmitter on the ground?  Are specific receivers or receiver hacks required to do this?

    How many duovero uarts are available for communication?  Just the one console link, or are there more uarts exposed and available?

    Thanks! 

  • Andrew Simpson April 15, 2014 at 2:24pm

    @Ian: Thanks for your comment, I did some double checking. The AeroCore can use PX4 software with board-specific patches which we will be submitting to PX4's repository. Our production boards have been tested and fly with QGroundControl (for a demonstration of this, skip to about 1:30 in our video).

    @James Crossfire: The AeroCore is the first ever STM32-based board from Gumstix.

    AeroCore for DuoVero
    The AeroCore from Gumstix offers everyone from enthusiasts to educators the opportunity to power their very own micro-aerial vehicle. With an ARM Cor…
  • Andrew Simpson April 15, 2014 at 1:52pm

    @James Cotton and Gary McCray:

    Thank you both for your comments. The magnetometer is on the same chip as the accelerometer, hence why they are grouped together. @James, very interesting project. We hope the AeroCore makes combinations like yours available to even more users!

  • Andrew Simpson April 15, 2014 at 1:34pm

    Hi @John Moore:

    Thanks for your question! The AeroCore has all the sensors and motor drivers, along with the processor dedicated to stand-alone flight control. The DuoVero provides an optional supervisor-level Linux system.

  • Toby Lankford April 15, 2014 at 8:07am

    I am excited about all the linux development.  The pixhawk/px4 is expanding opportunities exponentially. 

  • John Moore April 15, 2014 at 6:45am

    Cool. Im confused about using this as stand alone vs with a DuoVero. What can it do on its own?

  • Simon Howroyd April 15, 2014 at 3:09am

    mmmm looks power hungry. I like

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