We will be releasing in a few weeks the first version of MAVPilot. This is a "Ground Control Station for your Pocket". Its target audience is iPhone users (iPad version will come later). Pilots often fly unaccompanied and this can make it difficult to use a laptop at the same time. This is more so when a pilot is using a semi-auto modes like Alt-Hold etc... Using your iPhone instead of a laptop is a great way to keep focused on the MAV and still have all the useful information in reach. With inbuilt text-to-speech support your iPhone will let you know instantly the status of your MAV as you are flying.
MAVPilot will incorporate the FIND MY DRONE feature.
Features Targeted for V1.0 of MAVPilot
- Telemetry Screen showing flight information e.g
- Speed
- Altitude
- Yaw
- Rate of Climb
- Battery Voltage
- Battery Remaining %
- GPS accuracy
- Throttle %
- Mode Control e.g.
- Auto
- Stabilize
- Alt Hold
- Land
- RTL
- Loiter
- Map View with Mission outline
- Mission Waypoint editor
- includes waypoint parameter editing
- Configuration
- Calibration for level
- Commonly used parameter editing
- Tuning of common parameters
The app is also compatible with Bluetooth Low Energy to link to a long range radio like 3DR 915/433MHz Telemetry Radio. Details to follow soon.
Compatibility: ArduPilot (other MAVLink compatible products will be added at a later date)
!!! Wow, thanks for the great response. I now have my initial quota of tester positions filled. You can still register, as I may add more people nearer the release date !!!
To sign-up as a Alpha/Beta tester follow this link
Comments
Bill, I finally got it to install properly (ended up deleting and reinstalling which seemed to make things happy).
What kind of hardware should I be connecting to my iphone to get this talking to the APM?
@Soren: currently it only supports TCP client connection to a host. I hope to add a TCP server and then you can use the phone as hotspot and get 3G connectivity as well (useful when in the field). TCP connections on iOS actively engage the cellular radio. UDP do not. The ideal solution for me though is Bluetooth LE, like this module which can be connected to a 3DR Telem Radio or XBee see http://redbearlab.com/blemini/
Hey
Will it do MAVLink over TCP or UDP also?
Regards
Soren
@ Bill, LOL !!! Now you have two "van Niekerk" waiting in line !!
@ Bill, I have gone through the reg process and it say that i have no apps to test, must we wait for you to add me ?
What is the next step ?
I need to get an xbee adapter and wifly module. Where is it best to buy them? (in europe)
@Stephen: HockeyApp that I am using for testing allows you to either sign-in with your Facebook credentials, or register for a plain hockey app account. So do the second option.
@Scott: "Apps that use location-based APIs for automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other devices will be rejected" I'm not using Apples location APIs for autonomous control of vehicles. The only use of location APIs on the iOS device is to learn the users own position to calculate a bearing to the drone. This feature was in FIND MY DRONE and it was approved by the Apple Team. I read section 4 as strapping a phone to a drone and then using the APIs to control that drone form the on-board sensors. In the case of the APM, this is not the case, the APM is in control of the drone.
Looking forward to this; but as an Apple developer with a few rejections to my credit, I would be concerned that they will reject this based on section 4.2 of the review guidelines. If you plan on distributing in the app store, you might want to get a working version submitted sooner than later before investing too much time in this. Good luck !
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