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Navio+, Awsome flight controller from Emlid. Tested with 4G Cellular communications

Posted by Bernt Christian Egeland on April 19, 2015 at 10:30am

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Hi Everyone.

I would like to share my experience using navio+ as flight controller.

At first when discovered navio i was a little skeptic if this board could really be as good as it looks. I read all the documentation over at Emlid.com and i finally decides to order one for testing.

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When i got my hands on this board, i immediately fell in love. Nice layout and solid connectors and at last, this board fits beautifully on top of the RPI. 

Then i installed Real Time Kernel for RPI and Ardupilot. Installation went painless, just following theirs instruction line by line.

An important note! You dont need to be a linux geek to get this going. Everyone is able to put this togheter.

After the installation is complete, you can launch anyone of the supported vehicles:

  • APMrover2
  • ArduPlane
  • ArduCopter-quad
  • ArduCopter-tri
  • ArduCopter-hexa
  • ArduCopter-y6
  • ArduCopter-octa
  • ArduCopter-octa-quad
  • ArduCopter-heli
  • ArduCopter-single

 

Typical ArduPilot start command:

sudo ArduPlane -A udp:<GCS_DYNDNS>:14550

Then just use Mission Planner and connect using UDP option. 

So after several days with bad and ruff wheatear, the sun was finally shining and i immediately packed up for maden flight.

Today i was flying for 60min using Navio+ as flight controller and 4G for video and telemetry.

I have one word;  Awesome.

My aircraft Skua FPV was rock solid after running Autotune function. 

My setup:

  • Navio +
  • RPI 2
  • 4G USB Cellular adapter
  • Logitech C920 webcam with gstreamer
  • Logitech Gamepad F710
  • GCS ( My Laptop with Mission Planner )
  • Airframe Skua FPV

This brilliant board keeps everything in one piece, specially when using 4G / 3G cellular. There is no need for extra converters as i used before with APM or pixhawk in conjunction with RPI.

I simply connect the 4G usb to RPI2 and start the Ardupilot with UDP telemetry option. Simple as that.

 

Guys at Emlid currently works to get the Odroid-C1 support for  Navio+ .

APM autopilot port for Navio+ currently works with:

  • Raspberry Pi Model A
  • Raspberry Pi Model B
  • Raspberry Pi Model A+
  • Raspberry Pi Model B+
  • Raspberry Pi 2 Model B

 

 

I will post an "HowTo configure RPI, Navio+ and Cellular network"  at my website: UAVmatrix.com

So for those of you that are skeptic, try it. you won’t be disappointed.

Emlid gives you great and fast support at theirs community section.

Regards

Bernt Christian Egeland

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Comments

  • Stephen Gloor April 19, 2015 at 8:24pm

    Mine is in the mail as well.  I have the RPI 2 all setup with 3G working.  I have fixed IP address 3G connections so I don't need the dynamic DNS.  I might add the video later.

    I am running my programs in screens so I can see what is going on by switching to and from the running screens.  I am not sure if the AuduPlane code runs OK in screens yet but I will post when I get it flying in my Penguin.

  • Developer
    Randy April 19, 2015 at 6:50pm

    Looking good!  Glad to hear the install went well because I've got one coming in the mail (so does our EKF master Paul Riseborough).

    I think the main thing we need for large scale adoption is a better method of updating the flight code on the boards (i.e. get the MP's Install Firmware screen working) but we have a vague plan to do that.

  • Samuel Mi April 19, 2015 at 6:09pm

    @Bernt

    a little bit about typo on headline. replace "communucation" with "communication". then would be better.

  • Justice Bentz April 19, 2015 at 3:12pm

    So essentially as long as you have 4g in sight you have unlimited range and unlimited FPV? Is that correct?

This reply was deleted.