We're delighted to announce the new APM 2.5+, which is the same APM 2.5 board you know and love but surrounded by lots of new goodness! Now, for a new lower price of $179, it comes with all this, right out of the box:
The new APM 2.5 enclosure, available in both top pin (above) and side pin (right) styles. It's designed to keep your electronics safe while looking great at the same time! The enclosure is made of black translucent ABS plastic so you can see the board's LEDs. It protects your electronics while allowing access to all pins and connectors. The inside of the enclosure is lined with ESD safe open cell foam to ensure the barometric pressure sensor is surrounded by static air and prevent unwanted readings due to airflow over the sensor. And the screws that secure the enclosure have been moved to the top for ease of use. It's also available as a stand-alone product for $4.99. (customers who already have an APM 2.5 are eligible for a coupon code to get a free enclosure with their next order. Email sales@3drobotics.com if you don't already have one)
The new APM Power Module, available with either XT60 (shown) or Deans connectors. It's a simple way of providing your APM 2.5 with clean power from a LiPo battery as well as monitoring current consumption and battery voltage measurements, all through a 6-pos cable that plugs in neatly. The board is also shrink-wrapped to protect it (the bare board is shown here so you can see the innards). Been wondering what that "mystery connector" was on APM 2.5? Now you know! This will ensure that you have no brown-outs due to insufficient BEC power from your ESCs, and makes current and voltage monitoring easy! It's also available as a stand-alone product for $24.99
Our new Version 2 of the Mediatek GPS module. This takes all the learning we've had with the Mediatek over the past two years and wraps it up in one vastly improved product. New big ground plane antenna to improve reception! On-board battery for fast lock! New firmware for better performance and datalogging! Also available as a stand-alone product for $37.95.
Oh, and did I mention that we also lowered the price of APM 2.5 by $20 at the same time?? This is all thanks to our new production facilities in Tijuana, which allow us to make an increased volume of products at higher quality and lower prices. We're even adding a new Manncorp four-head pick-and-place machine there to handle even higher volume!
Comments
Robert: That's serious gear. I'm not quite sure how best to monitor the power on that, but you're probably in high-end RC territory. Out of our range at the moment, I'm afraid. We're focused on smaller, less potentially dangerous craft.
Tim: The APM Power Module is just to power the APM and accessories (GPS, 3DR radio), to ensure that they get the most reliable power (and to monitor the battery). You should power your motor and radio/servos with your ESC/BEC as usual.
Chris, that is what my DwarfStar Octo pulls. Actually, it can draw a max of 320 Amps!
Yes, it's a lot. These aren't toys anymore. Yes, you need to consider your wiring structure. Obviously it can't pull that much power for long on 12ga wires. Few seconds. I have 2 batteries minimum, so that's 2 sets of 12ga wires. But that's still not enough, the batteries can't supply enough power. I will be going with 4 batteries of batteries, so that's 4 sets of 12ga. Therefore the average amp draw will be similar a quad with 20A ESC's.
So in my case, I have 2 (or 4) sets of 12ga wires going to the PDB. My PDB in this case is 2 1" OD solid copper washers. From there it splits off to the 8 ESC's. As you can see, it's a practical impossibility to do amperage measurement on this thing. I'd need at least 4 sensors, all reporting to the APM.
Not gonna happen. Unfortunately.
Magnus: what kind of current does you Octo need? Is it 350W*8/14.8v? If so, that's about 190 amps, which sounds like a LOT. That's the kind of current that melts wires.
@Magnus
Perhaps this idea could be easy to make and also works!!
1.- Split the power form the battery in two
2.- Join each one to a sensor
3.- Made a circuit that adds de Intensity signals of both sensors amb adds and divide by two the voltage, thats would be the input for APM.
Thats is only an idea I haven't enough knowledge to made it works.
Boy I sure hope this new case makes my Barometer usable.
I also would like a hi power power meter. I'm buliding ac octo with 350W motors at 4S.
I think I will have to do a dual power system, 3 motors running through the APM and 3 straight by. Will have to double the reading in my head when reading it.
Perhaps that is an idea for the software instead? Make it possible to scale the reading, ie only sensing one or two of the motors and have the software assume that the rest of them are using about the same amount of power... Simpler that getting a 300Amp sensor.
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