Introducing OpenPilot

Introducing OpenPilot - Open Source UAV Platform

OpenPilot is a next generation Free Software autopilot for small UAVs, including multi-rotor craft, helicopters as well as fixed wing aircraft. It aims to takes the best features of all current enthusiast autopilot systems and combines them into a simple easy to use package. Simplicity does not come with any compromises either, with no hard-coded settings, a complete flight plan scripting language and other next-generation features, OpenPilot is planned to be an extremely capable UAV platform.

Key Features:

Fully Open Source Free Software
Custom built powerful hardware using High Density STM32
8 RC Channel Inputs for PPM (No converter needed)
8 Servo Outputs using standard servo connectors
I2C, CAN & PWM ESC Support
Micro SDCard for settings and logging
State of the art AHRS
Implements the open UAVTalk Protocol for GCS compatibility
Cross Platform Ground Control Station & Set-up tools
Cross Platform Firmware Development

OpenPilot is a Open Source community project and there are many ways you can get involved.

For developers the project has two sub-projects, you can get involved in the Flight Software Development which is the embedded firmware written in C or with the Ground Control Software Development which is written in C++ using the Qt application framework.

Links:

OpenPilot Wiki

OpenPilot Forums

OpenPilot Store

IRC:

There's always developers in the OpenPilot IRC channel which is #openpilot on freenode.

Yes, exactly. PiOS is the abstraction layer between the hardware and the OpenPilot code. We use FreeRTOS as well as a task scheduler.

I really don't like the term OS even though we use it in PiOS; FreeRTOS and PiOS are both very efficient and the hardware access code would have to be written anyway, we just make more modular. Likewise for FreeRTOS, we would need some kind of scheduler anyway so why not leverage an excellent and well proven Open Source project like FreeRTOS.

PiOS can also be built without FreeRTOS as we use PiOS on the AHRS which we need to only perform a couple of tasks but to do them very quickly, in this situation so we don't want the context switching overhead of a RTOS. This is the beauty of a design with a separate AHRS Vs a single board; we can leverage both processors extremely well and we avoid the context switching overhead.

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Comments

MV Reddy May 23, 2013 at 6:33pm

When will the hardware be available?
passunca February 16, 2010 at 3:14am

I am very exited with project. What you guys did is amazing.
Thumbs up Aussies!!
Moderator

Alex February 16, 2010 at 12:31am

from what I have seen/ heard seems pretty exciting!
hypergolic February 15, 2010 at 1:04pm

I have to say I am very excited about this project. I am looking forward to getting the hardware and trying it out. I also hope to be able to contribute at some point in the future.
David Ankers February 15, 2010 at 11:13am

Yes, exactly. PiOS is the abstraction layer between the hardware and the OpenPilot code. We use FreeRTOS as well as a task scheduler.

I really don't like the term OS even though we use it in PiOS; FreeRTOS and PiOS are both very efficient and the hardware access code would have to be written anyway, we just make more modular. Likewise for FreeRTOS, we would need some kind of scheduler anyway so why not leverage an excellent and well proven Open Source project like FreeRTOS.

PiOS can also be built without FreeRTOS as we use PiOS on the AHRS which we need to only perform a couple of tasks but to do them very quickly, in this situation so we don't want the context switching overhead of a RTOS. This is the beauty of a design with a separate AHRS Vs a single board; we can leverage both processors extremely well and we avoid the context switching overhead.
hypergolic February 15, 2010 at 7:05am

Yes it runs FreeRTOS and they have a abstraction layer on top of that called PiOS.
passunca February 15, 2010 at 6:15am

Well I have not heard the podcast yet, maybe my question is already answered in there. anyway here it goes...
Does it run some kind of OS like RTOS on OpenPilot?
Moderator

Gary Mortimer February 15, 2010 at 12:55am

Well done that's an awful lot of work put in already, really want to hear the pod now!

This reply was deleted.