MR60

3689629267?profile=original

This is a continuation of my previous blog "how-to-write-set-a-pixhawk-parameter-using-the-mavlink-protocol"; where I fixed myself a little technical challenge to create an Excel sheet to set the failsafe parameters of my arducopters (Pixhawk fc).

As explained in the previous blog, on the Excel sheet I'd like to see a list of all of the failsafe parameters of my multirotor AND be able to change their values (by clicking on a write button on this Excel checklist). Indeed none of the available GCS software is practical to do just that : you have to click and navigate through dozens of screens to get to all of these parameters... Therefore I decided to try to build this in a typical DIY way.... It would also be a good Mavlink learning experience.

The first blog was an attempt, not being a developer at all (not even knowing what a python class meant) to understand how mavlink works and its various APIs/Libraries/Modules (Mavproxy, DronApi, PyMavlink, etc...).

This blog shows how the objective was reached succesfully (with a nerdgasm, I must admit).

The solution is an automated flow triggered by the big "Write to Pixhawk" button in the Excel sheet, after you have selected parameters's settings in drop down lists and set values in corresponding cells.

Better than words, a schematic below show what the processing flow does:

3689629098?profile=originalIn order for this Excel application to work, there are three pre-requisites:

-Install win Python

-Install MavProvy

-Unzip MavExcel.zip  in the directory where you have installed win Python (example : in my case that is : G:\APM\WinPython-64bit-2.7.6.4)

The last thing to do, is to indicate in the Excel file, where are your win python install directories and on which com port your telemetry mavlink is connected. That's it !

Cheers,

Hugues

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Comments

  • It must be very interesting project coz it can give a chance for a window based developer to taste firmware developing ^^

  • MR60

    Thx Bill. I would like your opinion about this small project: would there be an easier way to program it or a more direct way to integrate libraries in Excel?

  • Developer

    Indeed none of the available GCS software is practical to do just that : you have to click and navigate through dozens of screens to get to all of these parameters...

    It's one screen in APM Planner 2.0 Failsafe page, all settings are on the right.

    I Like your idea though :-)

    3701890674?profile=original

This reply was deleted.