New GPS module--Tiny 10Hz Mediatek unit (just $38.95!)

Great news! Jordi has now released the awesome new (and tiny!) 10Hz Mediatek GPS module attached to an adapter that makes it 100% ArduPilot (and ArduIMU and ArduPilot Mega) compatible. All in one--no soldering required--and you won't believe how small it is! (And just $38.95!) It's preloaded with custom DIY Drones firmware so it outputs an efficient binary protocol optimized for UAV use. Sample code is provide here and will be added to ArduPilot, ArduIMU and ArduPilot Mega over the next month.

We like this one a lot. It's nearly as good as the uBlox module, but cheaper and smaller. We'll be supporting it as a recommended GPS module going forward.

Here's the product description:

State-of-the-art 66 channels MediaTek MT3329 GPS Engine

High sensitivity: Up to -165dBm tracking, superior urban performance
USB/UART Interface
Build-in patch antenna for optimal sensitivity
DGPS(WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS) support (optional by firmware)
Maximum update rate : up to 10Hz (optional by firmware)
RoHS compliant

Note that the new MediaTek has custom and exclusive "DIYDrones" firmware that allows the unit to output an efficient and very compressed binary protocol. You can still change between NMEA and Binary protocol with standard MTK messages, and switch the refresh rate between 1hz to 10hz, or set any standard serial baud rate (by default is set to 38400 bps and custom binary protocol).

Features:
-Based on MediaTek Single Chip Architecture.
-Dimension：16mm x 16mm x 6mm
-L1 Frequency, C/A code, 66 channels
-High Sensitivity：Up to -165dBm tracking, superior urban performances
-Position Accuracy：< 3m CEP (50%) without SA (horizontal)
-Cold Start is under 35 seconds (Typical)
-Warm Start is under 34 seconds (Typical)
-Hot Start is under 1 second (Typical)
-Low Power Consumption：48mA @ acquisition, 37mA @ tracking
-Low shut-down current consumption：15uA, typical
-DGPS(WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS) support (optional by firmware)
-USB/UART Interface
-Support AGPS function ( Offline mode : EPO valid up to 14 days )

Jason - During the course of my chat with the manufacturer (I wanted to see if they could provide a point-source solution via a customized MT3329 firmware engine), they informed me that my best bet (for one or two units) was to use the one they had modified for a certain open-source project (not DIYDrones), featuring binary output and a modified clustering algorithm. Out of courtesy, I didn't ask them if that was the same modification that the DIY store claims is "exclusive to DIYDrones." I thought it best to let you guys try and explain your sales and marketing tactics, after the facts were collected.

There's also code which closely resembles that of some open source projects (except for names and credits stripped out), and (to be clear about it) where the open source project code came first. Would you guys care to comment on the use of other peoples' open-source code with credits stripped out? It would appear to me that you're making at least $250,000/year in revenue from this, from derivative works that were not intended to be commercialized.

It's not just this one thing, by the way. I also see things like this, where the board is available without the pin headers for $139.95 or here for $149.95 with FREE (highlighted in red, all-caps) pin headers. Since when did the meaning of "free" change to "$10 more?"

XV - Yes, I have several good points actually, some of which I'm saving for the right time. I would rather let the DIY retail group first make certain claims (as was the claim with the "exclusive" firmware) before showing all of my cards. It's a shame that people like Torin start crying whenever someone is critical of a business. By that same token, people who receive the wrong product from the store (like Thomas Coyle did here) should just shut up. After all, they're "doing so much for us" and the community. I'd rather live in reality, and realize these guys are out to make a profit, which comes out of the customer's pocket. There's nothing wrong with that, per se, except for how it's done (with claims of "free" when it's $10 more, claims of "exclusive to DIYdrones" firmware, near cloning of boards from other companies, and certain software/firmware practices that leave the original authors without credit).

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Comments

Developer

Jason Short June 25, 2010 at 12:37pm

I don't know which code you're referring to. Can you be more specific? As for v2.5 of Ardupilot I wrote virtually everything from scratch, sans the GPS parsers. Even then, I completely reworked them many times over. Doug has built on 2.5 with his own work.
Lew Payne June 25, 2010 at 12:31pm

Jonathan - Regarding high altitude Operation (100K feet): I'm sure you're probably familiar with FAR Part 101 related to unmanned free balloons (annotated for your convenience). In addition, there are government-set (DOD?) limits on non-military GPS operation above 60,000 feet or 999 knots. From what I've read, most manufacturers treat this as an OR and stop providing data above 60K'. Some others have been trying to find a viable (and legal) solution, in this forum.

From what I'm seeing, the constraints on the MT3329 firmware engine also includes a 60K' limit. I'm under the impression that if the manufacturer removes this constraint, it would be subject to government import regulation. If you find out something to the contrary, please update us here!
Lew Payne June 25, 2010 at 12:12pm

Jason - During the course of my chat with the manufacturer (I wanted to see if they could provide a point-source solution via a customized MT3329 firmware engine), they informed me that my best bet (for one or two units) was to use the one they had modified for a certain open-source project (not DIYDrones), featuring binary output and a modified clustering algorithm. Out of courtesy, I didn't ask them if that was the same modification that the DIY store claims is "exclusive to DIYDrones." I thought it best to let you guys try and explain your sales and marketing tactics, after the facts were collected.

There's also code which closely resembles that of some open source projects (except for names and credits stripped out), and (to be clear about it) where the open source project code came first. Would you guys care to comment on the use of other peoples' open-source code with credits stripped out? It would appear to me that you're making at least $250,000/year in revenue from this, from derivative works that were not intended to be commercialized.

It's not just this one thing, by the way. I also see things like this, where the board is available without the pin headers for $139.95 or here for $149.95 with FREE (highlighted in red, all-caps) pin headers. Since when did the meaning of "free" change to "$10 more?"

XV - Yes, I have several good points actually, some of which I'm saving for the right time. I would rather let the DIY retail group first make certain claims (as was the claim with the "exclusive" firmware) before showing all of my cards. It's a shame that people like Torin start crying whenever someone is critical of a business. By that same token, people who receive the wrong product from the store (like Thomas Coyle did here) should just shut up. After all, they're "doing so much for us" and the community. I'd rather live in reality, and realize these guys are out to make a profit, which comes out of the customer's pocket. There's nothing wrong with that, per se, except for how it's done (with claims of "free" when it's $10 more, claims of "exclusive to DIYdrones" firmware, near cloning of boards from other companies, and certain software/firmware practices that leave the original authors without credit).
Jonathan Lussier June 25, 2010 at 12:08pm

Again about the custom firmware, do you know if it supports High Altitude Operation (100,000ft for balloon launch?)

thanks
XV June 25, 2010 at 11:34am

Lew- good point, I don't get why everyone defends any slight questioning as the diydrones store doing some sort of noble charity for hobbyists. The store did by their own admission $250,000 in revenue in their first year. I am not saying there is anything wrong with this but don't act like it's a burden on them.
This mix of open-source and profit as always comes with its friction points one being in order to protect profit they try to be secretive about some things.

If it helps
This GPS module is a globaltop FGPMMOPA6B http://www.gtop-tech.com/download/datasheet/FGPMMOPA6B-datasheet.pdf
Price ~100units is about $10.
Developer

Jason Short June 25, 2010 at 11:32am

MediaTek did.
Lew Payne June 25, 2010 at 11:20am

Jason - Perhaps you can answer this. Do you know who developed the "exclusive to DIYDrones" firmware that the MT3329 GPS engine runs? In other words, not Ardu board firmware, or Ardu parsers... but the actual MT3329 "customized" engine firmware that is factory-programmed. Thanks.
Developer

Jason Short June 25, 2010 at 11:00am

I'll be updating 2.6 to integrate the MediaTek parser, which was written by Jordi and Jose, over the weekend. I had a look at the custom protocol, which will be documented in the parser. It's extremely concise and outputs only what we need for Ardupilot. This should make it very fast to parse.
Lew Payne June 25, 2010 at 10:04am

Torin - As far as I can tell, the DIYdrones store is a business, not a "fast-paced hobby that changes daily." From what I've seen of the store and its products, its there to make a profit, not to satisfy the desires of the hobbyist community by selling items at-cost. The technology they "bring us" is mostly developed by others (including "free" software) and then integrated by them into hardware products at a profit. You seem to feel that their business, for some reason, should be devoid of criticism. Last I checked, any business (even a non-profit, which they are not) is subject to criticism. I'm particularly curious where the "exclusive to DIYDrones" firmware came from, since I believe the actual answer will surprise everyone.

To add to that, we have comments from Chris Anderson which berate one product and endorse another (which they happen to sell)... despite the fact that Sparkfun did objective testing and concluded otherwise. When asked about his methodology, he responds with sarcasm while admitting to being subjective rather than objective in his testing. That's the type of "technology" and "technological advice" you get, and yet you feel they should be immune from criticism (while running a for-profit business that uses bits and pieces of the free software others develop to power their own products, without so much as crediting those open software projects).
mook June 25, 2010 at 9:39am

I am curious about the binary thing too , can you upgrade regular ones with your firmware?

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