Add a RaspberryPi and a pair of $100 3G modems to Pixhawk and you can have telemetry via text message as far as the cell networks go! The code, based on Dronekit, is here:
Text Messaging Telemetry for DroneKit Control Rovers, Copters, or Planes via inexpensive text messaging from within DroneKit
Dependencies:
-- pip install python-gsmmodem
-- pip install pymavlink
-- pip install pylzma
-- pip install dronekit
How to launch text messaging telemetry between your APM Rover and Ground Station computer:
--Copy project files to your vehicle's companion computer (e.g. Raspberry Pi) and your laptop.
--pip install dronekit-textmessaging
--On your ground station computer enter the following command: LaunchTelemetry.py -ground
--On the vehicle's companion computer, launch the script from DroneKit: LaunchTelemetry.py -vehicle (NOTE: make sure to have AUTOPILOT_PATH set appropriately)
Supported Hardware/Software Configuration:
Ground Station
* Mac laptop/desktop
* APM Planner 2 software
* Sierra 313u (AT&T 313u) GSM modem
* AT&T's $2/day pay-as-you-go unlimited texting plan
Vehicle
* Raspberry Pi "companion computer" connected to autopilot via serial or USB cable
* APM 2.6 or Pixhawk autopilot
* Sierra 313u (AT&T 313u) GSM modem
* AT&T's $2/day pay-as-you-go unlimited texting plan
Comments
@Bill Bonney,
WAP is an old, slow Internet protocol implemented in old smartphones
to let you browse Internet over GPRS (simplified web browser)
and has nothing to do with Drones.
Nice, it does give you much better coverage and at lower signal levels than a Data 2G/3G/4G. Obvious cost is bandwidth.
Not sure why you need the $100 modules you can do the same with GSM modules http://www.robotshop.com/ca/en/cellular-gprs-gsm-data-telemetry.html
I also have a suggestion for a great name Drone Wireless Access Protocol or D-WAP ;) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Application_Protocol
+1 Dairus
If t you already have the hardware I can't imagine using a texting service could be faster, cheaper or better that using the internet instead for near realtime bi-directional telemetry. Maybe the description is misleading and it's not actually using SMS? The only reason I know of to use SMS is if there is intermittent mobile reception.
This would be pretty cool if you're flying with someone else. You can tell it to send the data to them and have them send their data to you.
Text messaging is not a reliable solution or technology since Text Messaging is not real-time.
Delivery of text messages (SMS) can be delayed by network and delay offset can not be known in advance.
If you have 2 3G moddems , you can establish peer-2-peer real-time data link
to work better and real-time, featuring 100 ms pings.
With text messaging pings can be 1-10 s or longer.
Modern 3G modems, LTE/ 4G modems feature server/router functionality to let
modems shake hands and speak directly (no need to set up third party server/router).
Drone telemetry stays for semi-real time functionality.
Text messaging offers off-line functionality, not fit to replace radio in telemetry applications (drone telemetry).
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