Dear Friends,
I'm very happy to present the result of latest VirtualRobotix's development: the new VRX GPS NEO-M8 .
I'ts the first Virtualrobotix's Multi Constellation GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and SBAS), engine, using Ublox NEO-M8 receiver.
The NEO-M8 is a 72-channel high sensitive engine that boasts a Time-To-First-Fix (TTFF) of less than 1 second.
The dedicated acquisition engine, with over 2 million correlators, is capable of massive parallel time/frequency space searches, enabling it to find satellites instantly.
Innovative design and technology suppresses interference sources and mitigates multipath effects, giving NEO-M8 GPS receivers excellent navigation performance even in the most challenging environments.
VRX GPS NEO-M8 is equipped with a Panasonic Amplifier for better reception and a backup battery for quicker warm restarts.
The VRX GPS NEO-M8 also integrates Honywell's latest high precision digital mag (HMC5983).
The HMC5983 can be used either in SPI or in I2C (selectable via a solder Jumper), it has a 200Hz output rate and it's temperature compensated, giving the best experience for our vehicles.
The VRX GPS NEO-M8 is fully compatible with APM:Copter's firmware and it's plug and play on VRBRAIN5, VRuBRAIN5, APM 2.5+, PixHawk and all boards that mount the DF13 connectors.
If you don't have a DF13, you can easly solder standard servo pins on the exposed pads.
Now The order is open at:
VRX GPS NEO-M8: http://www.virtualrobotix.it/index.php/en/shop/accessories/gps-ublox-8-detail
VR uBrain 5: http://www.virtualrobotix.it/index.php/en/shop/autopilot/vrbrainmicro51-detail
The delivery time could be 3/4 weeks
If you are interested in more info to the product send a mail to info@virtualrobotix.com
The VRX GPS NEO-M8 has been tested in the field with our VRX300 "Personal Fly Robot SDK Platform" here are some photos and graphs from latest flights.
Flight Controller: VR Micro BRAIN
GPS: VRX GPS NEO-M8
Compass: HMC5983 mounted on GPS board
ESC: 12 A Kiss ESC
Motors: RCX - ZMR
Propellers: APC 6x4
Lipo: 2200 mAh
Radio: Taranis with SBUS receiver X8R
These are the vibration graphs on the VRX300
The number of satellites during this flight started at 11 and arrived to 15, the hdop was from 1.3 to 1.5.
During my tests we have seen up to 18 satellites with an hdop of 0.7 .
With standard GPS module some times it is possible to see only 5 with an high HDOP
Here is possible to see the Altitude from Baro vs Altitude from GPS is not so bad :)
Some RTL and Loiter tests in the Field with precision of less than 1 meter.
Features and Specifications:
- ublox NEO-8 module
- Concurrent reception of GPS/QZSS, GLONASS, BeiDou
- Industry leading –167 dBm navigation sensitivity
- 3,3V or 5V Inputs, with low noise 3.3V regulator.
- 5 Hz update rate
- Rechargeable 3V lithium backup battery for high efficient warm start
- Panasonic Low Noise Amplifier for antenna signal with high gain (19dB)
- EPCOS SAW high quality low-loss RF filter for GPS application
- 25 x 25 x 4 mm ceramic patch antenna
- Dedicated I2C EEPROM for receiver configuration storage
- High resolution compass (2 milli-gauss) and high speed (2 milli-gauss)
- Power and fix indicator LEDs
- ArduPilot Mega compatible 6-pin JST connector
- Exposed pads for simple soldering connection
- 38 x 38 x 8.5 mm total size, 19 grams.
- Receiver type NEO 8
- 72-channel u-blox M8 engine
- GPS/QZSS L1 C/A, GLONASS L10F
- BeiDou B1
- SBAS L1 C/A: WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS
- Navigation update rate:
- Single GNSS up to 18 Hz
- Concurrent GNSS up to 10 Hz
- Position accuracy: 2.0 m CEP
- Acquisition (NEO-M8Q/N)
- (Default mode, GPS/SBAS/QZSS+GLONASS with TCXO)
- Cold starts: 26 s
- Aided starts: 2 s
- Reacquisition: 1.5 s
- Sensitivity
- (Default mode, GPS/SBAS/QZSS+GLONASS with TCXO)
- Tracking & Nav: –167 dBm
- Cold starts: –148 dBm
- Hot starts: –156 dBm
- Connector : Serial Bus , I2C Bus and SPI as option plug and play fully compatible with : VR Brain , APM 2.x , PX4 and Pixhawk Flight Control . Available also solder pad for OEM Application .
Best
Roberto and Emile
original blog post :
Comments
Where can I order one?
Hi Robert
I'm trying to purchase but the shipping to South Africa is 65 Euro!!! Is that express service?
Is there a case/shell available that will fit this module? Also, it seems like the connectors are on the back side pointing down, does that not make it awkward to fit it?
The temperature compensation of the HMC5983 is disabled by default and must be enabled in configuration register A7 (CRA7) for it to work. I don't see where the Ardupilot code does this, so the HMC5983 is little more than at HMC5883 if its temperature compensation isn't enabled...
Hein, I can answer your Q.
Yes you can plug the GPS and Mag and just fly. You will have to redo mag calibration and eventually compass motor, though!
You will take advantage of the better performance of the mag and superb performance of the GPS.
At the moment, GPS alt is not used to correct the baro. It is ignored, but hopefully in the near future it will be used since the new GPS demonstrates very good accuracy.
For your baro problem, remember that light, heat and air pressure affect readings. It can be that baro shifts a little, so you should always acclimatize the sensors before flying, and cover up nicely the baro with a black sponge.
Cheers,
Emile
Also, my APM Plane's barometer alt reading becomes inaccurate after about 45 minutes of flight, as much as 5 meters in some cases. Is there a possibility that one can use your GPS's more accurate altitude measurement to keep the baro calibrated?
Roberto, I'm very excited and I'm seriously considering ordering right now. Does this mean I can fly my APM pretty much right after starting up?
Hi CSGShop,
i agree with you at the moment for our application is good to have GPS , GLONASS and Galileo , i doing some check but BEIDU is not available at our longitude .
I yet doing some test with our antenna and Galileo with a beta revision of firmware and seem that we receive the signal from it. Now we are waiting to other 8 satellite for use it in production .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beidou_Navigation_Satellite_System
We are working on some research project on Galileo Constallation and for us is important to have these 3 satellite constellation.
Thanks for your suggestions .
Best
Roberto
If you wont use triple band you need another antena
Your antenna designed for GPS Glonnas not for Beidu
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 6 Next