On a super windy day at the Berkeley Marina, we demoed the ArduCopter FollowMe function (which is built in to the Mission Planner). That's me walking around with a laptop (with a $27 USB GPS dongle), and the copter follows me around like a pet robot bird. Then at the end I tell it to land itself, which it does.
Note that there's no RC control at all. This is all autonomous flight, with mission command issued with a point-and-click interface on a laptop. And in some serious wind, too!
Comments
I would love to see a portable ground station box, or an Android / iPhone app. Would be so easy to just transmit the phone's GPS coordinates. Perfect for sports. I can only imagine the cool skiing shots!
Rana: That's on the ground. We picked it up and turned it over to get the props out of the grass.
When did it flip ? it was not there in the video.
Thanks Chris, it was a wonderful experience indeed !
Rana: Here's the log of the mission.
Very awesome Chris, I can't wait to try this out!
Jack, When the copter has it's own eyes on board, then it will be accurate enough for close ups ;-)
Ever since mikcrokopter demoed this, the mane question has been when will it be accurate enough for close up video.
Chris It is very cool to see "Follow Me" working so well (I know that wind at the Marina, great kite flying place).
The forthcoming Follow Me Box sounds great too.
Very happy to see the PX4 Optical Flow available, you mentioned that the APM one would be back soon also, any update. Just asking, I'm probably going to be going PX4 from here on out anyway.
We'll be releasing the "FollowMe box" (small hardware device that you carry, so you don't need your laptop) for under $100 in a month or so.
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