This guide provides a fully working, no-extra-documentation-needed solution to integrate:

LD30-S1R → Companion Computer (Raspberry Pi / Jetson / Android) → MAVLink → Pixhawk

It includes wiring diagrams, data parsing flow, ready-to-run Python code, Pixhawk parameter setup, and ground control station verification.

Follow this guide step-by-step and the system will work immediately.

1. Wiring Connections (LD30 ↔ Companion Computer ↔ Flight Controller)

1.1 LD30-S1R ↔ Companion Computer (UART)

Companion computers can be:
Raspberry Pi / Jetson Nano / Industrial PC / Android device with USB–UART

Note: LD30 uses 3.3V TTL UART. Do not connect to 5V TTL UART.
TX is open-drain; internal pull-ups on Raspberry Pi and Jetson work fine.

1.2 Companion Computer ↔ Pixhawk (MAVLink UART)

Use TELEM1 / TELEM2 port.

• Baud rate: 115200
• Protocol: MAVLink2

2. Reading LD30-S1R Data on the Companion Computer

LD30 communicates using a binary command protocol.
The companion computer handles:

1. Open UART port
2. Send “continuous measurement” command
3. Parse frames beginning with 0xAA
4. Extract distance (mm)
5. Convert to meters
6. Pack into MAVLink DISTANCE_SENSOR
7. Send to Pixhawk

2.1 Continuous Measurement Command

From LD30 User Manual (section 14.12):

AA 00 00 20 00 01 00 04 25

2.2 Data Frame Format

Returned data includes:

• Distance: 4 bytes (mm)
• Signal quality: 2 bytes
• Frame header: 0xAA

3. Complete Python Script (Ready to Run)

visit:  this guide

✔ Reads LD30
✔ Parses distance
✔ Converts mm → m
✔ Sends MAVLink DISTANCE_SENSOR
✔ Streams data to Pixhawk in real time

4. Pixhawk Parameter Configuration (Mission Planner)

Go to:
Config → Full Parameter List

Set the following:

If using TELEM2, use SERIAL2_*
If using TELEM3, use SERIAL3_*

5. Monitoring LD30 Data in Mission Planner / QGroundControl

5.1 Mission Planner

Navigate to:

Flight Data → Status → sonar_range / rngfnd1_dist

or:

Ctrl + F → MAVLink Inspector → DISTANCE_SENSOR

You will see:

• Real-time distance
• Update frequency
• MAVLink stream ID

5.2 QGroundControl

Navigate:

Widgets → Analyze Tools → MAVLink Inspector → DISTANCE_SENSOR

TF-Luna can directly be connected with the serial port of Pixhawk. TF-Luna can be used in flight device

for the purpose of altitude holding or obstacle avoidance. This document is suitable to Pixhawk adopts ArduCopter V4.0.0 or higher firmware.

Example for connecting Pixhawk:

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of Connecting TF-Luna with TELEM 2 Interface (Serial Port 2) of Pixhawk

a)MissionPlanner configuration description of TF-Luna for the purpose of altitude hold

Connect the flight control board to MP.Attention:the installation height should be bigger than non-detection zone.Select [Full Parameter List] in the left from the below bar- [CONFIG/TUNING] . Find and modify the following parameters:

SERIAL2_PROTOCOL = 9    [Rangefinder option]

SERIAL2_BAUD = 115    [Choose the current LiDAR baud rate,if haven’t been changed,the default baud rate 115200 should be selected,that is 115]

RNGFND_TYPE = 20    [Same option with TFmini]

RNGFND_MIN_CM = 20    [It could be changed according to real demands and should be bigger LiDAR than non-detection zone,unit is cm]

RNGFND_MAX_CM = 200      [It could be changed according to real demands but should be smaller than

effective measure range of LiDAR,unit is cm]

RNGFND_GNDCLEAR = 15    [expressed in cm, depending upon mounting height of the module and

should be bigger LiDAR than non-detection zone]

RNGFND_ORIENT=25    [face down]

PRX_TYPE=0

Upon setting of these parameters, click [Write Params] on the right of the software to finish.

If the error message “Bad Lidar Health” appears, please check if the connection is correct and the power supply is normal, then restart Pixhawk.

How to see the altitude value from LiDAR sensor: double click the area of the Mission Planner, see the following picture:

Select option sonarrange,see following picture:

The altitude distance from the LiDAR will be displayed in Sonar Range(meters),see the following picture:

b)  MissionPlannerconfiguration description of TF-Luna for the purpose of Obstacle Avoidance

It’s only recommended to be used in Loiter mode, the detail setting is as followings:

Connect the flight control board to MP. Attention:distance between UAV margin and LiDAR should be bigger than LiDAR non-detection zone.  Select  [Full Parameter List] in the left from the below bar- [CONFIG/TUNING] . Find and modify the following parameters:

AVOID_MARGIN=3 [Unit: m, set obstacle avoidance distance as required]

SERIAL2_PROTOCOL = 9    [Rangefinder option]

SERIAL2_BAUD = 115    [Choose the current LiDAR baud rate,if haven’t been changed,the default baud rate 115200 should be selected,that is 115]

RNGFND_TYPE = 20    [Same option with TFmini]

RNGFND_MIN_CM = 20      [It could be changed according to real demands and should be bigger LiDAR

than non-detection zone,unit is cm]

RNGFND_MAX_CM = 200    [It could be changed according to real demands but should be smaller than effective measure range of LiDAR,unit is cm]

RNGFND_GNDCLEAR = 15    [Unit: cm, depending upon mounting height of the module and should be bigger LiDAR than non-detection zone]

RNGFND_ORIENT=0      [It depends on the LiDAR’s real installation direction,0~7 is supported up to

now,see detail in MP]

PRX_TYPE=4        [RangeFinder should be selected for proximity sensor in obstacle avoidance mode]

Upon setting of these parameters, click [Write Params] on the right of the software to finish.

If the error message “Bad Lidar Health” appears, please check if the connection is correct and the power supply is normal, then restart Pixhawk.

How to see the target distance from the LiDAR:(distance from LiDAR in obstacle avoidance can’t be displayed in sonarrange option )press Ctrl+F button in keyboard,the following window will pop out:

Click button Proximity,the following window will appear: 

The number in green color means the distance from LiDAR in obstcle avoidance mode  (the number only refresh when this window open,close,zoom in or zoom out,it doesn’t mean the real time distance from LiDAR and will not be influenced in Mission Planner version under v1.3.48,the problem could be solved by updating Mission Planner)

    Attach:If TELEM 2 port has been used ,SERIAL4/5 interface could be used,the other setting are same

Figure 2 Schematic Diagram of Connecting TF-Luna with SERIAL4/5 Interface (Serial Port 4/5) of Pixhawk

Configuration Descriptions of Mission Planner

Connect  flight  control  board  to  MP,  Select  [Full  Parameter  List]  in  the  left  from  the  below  bar [CONFIG/TUNING] . Find and modify following parameters:

SERIAL4_PROTOCOL = 9 (LiDAR)

SERIAL4_BAUD = 115

Upon setting of these parameters, the other parameters should be same as Mission Planner configuration description of TF-Luna for the purpose of Obstacle Avoidance or Altitude Holding,then click [Write Params] on the right of the software to finish.

The ultimate solution for remote sensing and IoT monitoring applications, this module can be easily used on unmanned systems for research, meteorological applications, wildfire monitoring systems, and security applications.

This Plug and Play module directly connects to the TELEM1/2 port of your Pixhawk system to provide satellite telemetry, easy to set up, and to use with QGC or other ground station software.

This system integrates an Iridium 9603 module to transmit telemetry information wherever on the planet.

Starts at 699€

For more details: heimdallai@gmail.com

Hi, I'm building ArduRover with Skid Steering, The platform are base of DFROBOT Pirate 4WD and using 2 DC Motor L298N

I'm using the firmare for Pixhawk 1 (fmuv3)

4.0.0-FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_OFFICIAL

and according the ardupilot docs for Rover
My config for CH1 and CH 3 are

For “Skid steering” vehicles (like R2D2) these parameters values will need to be set:

• SERVO1_FUNCTION = 73 (Throttle Left)
• SERVO3_FUNCTION = 74 (Throttle Right)

Actualy its depend on your wiring setup at L298N for direction

Here is the schematic of how I wiring it.

The ENA and ENB jumper was remove.

For skid-steering vehicles like the Pirate 4WD from DFROBOT
Set MOT_PWM_TYPE = 3

In my transmitter when throttle is zero the the ch1 push left a quarter, it will rotate the rover to left (left wheel stop - right wheel move) and also the opposite. But if push full it will move fast forward.

If the ch 3 push half more (55%) it will move forward slowly. I'm still setup some parameters for smooth moving.

The main focus of this research is to develop a real-time forest fire monitoring system using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The UAV is equipped with sensors, a mini processor (Raspberry Pi) and Ardu Pilot Mega (APM) for the flight controller. This system used five sensors. The first is a temperature sensor that served to measure the temperature in the monitored forest area. The others sensors are embedded in the APM. There are a barometer, Global Positioning Sensor (GPS), inertial measurement unit (IMU) and compass sensor. GPS and compass are used in the navigation system. The barometer measured the air pressure that is used as a reference to maintain the height of the UAV. The IMU consists of accelerometer and gyroscope sensors that are used to estimate the vehicle position. The temperature data from the sensor and the data from GPS are processed by the Raspberry Pi 3, which serves as a mini processor. The results of the data processing are sent to the server to be accessible online and real-time on the website. The data transmission used the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) system. The experimental setup was carried out in an area of 40 meters × 40 meters with 10 hotspots. The diameter of the hotspots is 0.4 meters with a height of 0.5 meters. The UAV is flown at a constant speed of 5 m/s at an altitude of 20 meters above the ground. The flight path is set by using a mission planner so the UAV can fly autonomously. The experimental results show that the system could detect seven hotspots in the first trial and nine hotspots in the second trial. This happened because there is some data loss in the transmission process. Other results indicate that the coordinates of hotspots detected by the UAV have a deviation error of approximately 1 meter from the actual fire point coordinates. This is still within the standard GPS accuracy as this system uses GPS with a range accuracy of 2.5 meters. 

You can Download this article on Research Gate or Journal of Engineering Science and Technology

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