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The TrIMUpter, a VTOL Tricopter with ArduIMU+ V2 Flat

Posted by Jean-Louis Naudin on November 3, 2010 at 2:05am

Today, my TrIMUpter v1.0 has successfully done its first outdoor flight. This is a VTOL Tricopter fully stabilized by the ArduIMU+ V2 flat and (with my firmware TriStab v1.0). No external gyro here, only the ArduIMU on board... The TrIMUpter is able to flight outdoor and indoor.

More photos at: http://diydrones.com/photo/albums/trimupter-a-vtol-tricopter

Stay tuned on: http://diydrones.com/profile/JeanLouisNaudin

arduimu, drone, tricopter, uas, uav, vtol, ardupilot

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Comments

DODY November 3, 2010 at 3:30pm

Bonsoir Jean-Louis, félicitation pour la réalisation du TrIMUpter v1.0:
Je vous ai envoyé un message ce matin sur votre email diydrone, mais je n’ai pas eu de réponse.
Est-il possible d’avoir un plan avec des cotes pour la réalisation ?
Dans le futur, est ce que le TrIMUpter v1.0 pourra voler en auto via un GPS ?
DODY
Developer

Jean-Louis Naudin November 3, 2010 at 9:55am

Below the main parts list of my TrIMUpter v1.0:
- ArduIMU+ V2 flat (a 6DOF IMU)
- HMC 5843 triple axis magnetometer (Sparkfun)
- 3 brushless motors Hextronik 1300 Kv, HXM2730-1300
- 3 ESC Hobbyking SS Series 8-10A
- 1 servo Corona 919 MG 1.7kg/ 12.5g/ 0.06sec
- 1 Lipo battery 3S1P 11.1V 1500mAh
- 3 propellers CCW GWS EP0843
Below some detailled photos which shows the connections to the ArduIMU:
Developer

Jean-Louis Naudin November 3, 2010 at 9:32am

Hello Yves, the magnetometer is required to compensate the Yaw drift in the IMU, without a magnetometer you will observe that the yaw drift slowly during the hovering phase. With a common plane the yaw drift can be compensated with a GPS due to the motion of the plane. With a VTOL type craft which hover it is not possible to use a GPS because the heading can't be computed with accuracy. In my ADAV/VTOL you will notice that I have used a heading Gyro commonly used for helicopter (GY401 or HK401), this device is able to lock the heading...
My firmware is currently in alpha stage, so I need to cleanup the code and conduct more deep tests in flight, as soon as it will be ready for beta, I shall soon release on the web of course... If there are some TrIMUpter beta tester, here, they are welcome...
Regards, Jean-Louis
Yves Gohy November 3, 2010 at 9:23am

Hello,fine, I like your tricopter, simple, cheap. Just a question, why are you using the magnetometer? and the firmware TriStab is new?
Ron Jacobs November 3, 2010 at 8:14am

Would you be able to post your firmware as well? There are others interested in using ArduIMU for tricopters, not just quads.
Geoffrey L. Barrows November 3, 2010 at 7:11am

Congratulations on your work. The fall foliage in the above picture is beautiful- Maybe you can record a bird's eye video from the TrIMUpter as you fly around the trees!
Developer

Jean-Louis Naudin November 3, 2010 at 3:38am

The TrIMUpter, a VTOL Tricopter with the ArduIMU+ V2 from Jean-Louis Naudin on Vimeo.
Here a video of the 1st flight of the TrIMUpter...