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[Update] DroidPlanner v0.7.0

Posted by Arthur Benemann on April 15, 2013 at 6:00pm

Just a quick update on DroidPlanner. The new app (v0.7.0) will be on Google Play shortly.

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The new version has the following updates ( v0.7.0 over v0.5.0):

  • More compatibility with ArduCopter. Like Correct mode selection, an armed/disarmed indicator.
  • More indicators on the HUD like battery voltage and current, GPS fix (with number of visible satellites)
  • HUD layout improvements to better fit more screen sizes and densities.
  • New plane and drone icon (thanks Jared)
  • Code restructure, which improves the app navigation and fix some bugs.

For more information I suggest the DroidPlanner Wiki page. Or older posts on DiyDrones.

Thanks everyone for their support. And as always if you want to help consider donating for the project by buying this app, joining the development team, or reporting a issue/bug/improvement on GitHub.

PS: If someone don't want me to post this updates on DiyDrones please tell me.

Tags: android, droidplanner, gcs
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Comments

  • Developer
    Arthur Benemann April 25, 2013 at 7:53pm

    Awesome video Kevin, nice drones!

  • Kevin Haley April 25, 2013 at 1:31pm

    https://vimeo.com/64785937

  • Developer
    Arthur Benemann April 20, 2013 at 8:59pm

    @John

    Thanks for the feedback John. Here are some comments:

    When I go to the RC screen the Throttle is always in the middle. If I put it to low and then change screen and then come back to it, its then gone back to the middle position...

    All this problems happened because I have not tested the RC override in a Quad (that's why i put a warning on that screen). I have found the cause of the problem, and I'll fix it soon (here is the issue on GitHub).

    Is Throttle max when up or when down?

    It should behave as your standard RC transmitter, Up is full throttle.

    Another good feature it could have is to vibrate when the battery gets low. I use this function on my YS-X6 and I connect it to my phone which I leave in my pocket and then I can fell it when it starts to vibrate. It vibrates every 2 seconds when getting low, then constant when you should land. This is useful if its hard to hear the sound from the GCS.

    My tablet doesn't have a vibration option, so it's hard for me to implement it (but I can try). But I just added an interesting feature, that will be out on the next release, that is battery discharge notification. Every 10% drop on the battery you receive a speech notification like "Battery at 60%". A way you can use it on your pocket is to use a headphone, besides the battery there are notifications for mode change, waypoint completed, GPS signal, armed/disarmed. If you want other notifications please add them here.

    Another is to have an option so it locks screen orientation. The RC control buttons don't readjust size when the table rotates to vertical position.

    Yeah that can be disastrous, issue added.

    A button on the RC screen to arm and disarm might be useful as well.

    Arming and disarming is implemented in the ArduPilot firmware, and it would be a hack to override that in DroidPlanner. I hope you understand that I prefer not to do this since this a safety check from ArduPilot, to arm your copter you must have a functional RC system. And it just takes a couple of seconds to arm it.

    Thanks again for the great work on this App.

    I'm glad to hear that you liked it :).

  • John Campen April 20, 2013 at 7:26pm

    I just did a bench test using the Droidplanner App on my Galaxy Note 10.1 and it works fine with the APM1 using RFD900 telemetry. So you can add this to the list of compatible devices if not already done so.

    I just used a USB come card reader hub that plugs into the tablet and then just plugged the FTDI cable and modem into that and it connected straight away.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Ports-HUB-Card-Reader-Connection-Kit-Fr...

    Just some issues I noted which might already be know, but will mention them in case they aren't.

    When I go to the RC screen the Throttle is always in the middle. If I put it to low and then change screen and then come back to it, its then gone back to the middle position.

    Once Enabling RC I couldn't get the RC to Arm the copter. Then when I Armed it using the Radio TX throttle seems to be full when it was positioned down and less when up, but it would not go to stop.

    After arming when I switch to "Enable RC", where should the throttle on the Radio TX be? At the bottom or in the middle? Is Throttle max when up or when down?

    Another good feature it could have is to vibrate when the battery gets low. I use this function on my YS-X6 and I connect it to my phone which I leave in my pocket and then I can fell it when it starts to vibrate. It vibrates every 2 seconds when getting low, then constant when you should land. This is useful if its hard to hear the sound from the GCS.

    Another is to have an option so it locks screen orientation. The RC control buttons don't readjust size when the table rotates to vertical position.

    A button on the RC screen to arm and disarm might be useful as well.

    I had it connected to the tablet constantly for 30 min and the RFD900 hardly had any drain on the battery. Although testing this in flight where its transmitting a lot more data might change I suspect.

    Ill try bench test it now with GlxNote 10.1 using the APM2.5 board and let you know if there are any differences there.

    Thanks again for the great work on this App.

  • Developer
    Arthur Benemann April 20, 2013 at 1:30pm

    @ John:

    I added the issue (https://github.com/arthurbenemann/droidplanner/issues/83)) and will work on that after the v1.0.0 release.

  • John Campen April 20, 2013 at 4:27am

    Great work Arthur. Thanks. How easy is it to change the stick configuration? My preference is to have the Throttle/Yaw on the right stick and Pitch/Roll on the left stick. I'm going to test run this tomorrow with my Galaxy Note 10.1

  • Kirill April 19, 2013 at 3:00am

    Arthur, this is awesome! Thanks!
    It would be also cool to add percentage of remaining battery near voltage/current. This is battery_remaining value
    of SYS_STATUS message (#1). I will add this to git wiki.

  • Rana April 16, 2013 at 7:02am

    Hi Arthur, sorry for the delayed reply, I am just back from work. Droidplanner 0.70 is working well with Penta IS701 & IS709 tabs via USB port and with Wi-Fly too. I have tested on both. My PIPO S2 is on the way, should reach by 25th April, will test on that too and update.

  • Developer
    Arthur Benemann April 16, 2013 at 5:15am

    @Magnus Persson

    This will answer most of you questions:

    https://github.com/arthurbenemann/droidplanner/wiki/Compatible-Devices

    you who have functioning systems,put out a demo video?

    Take a look at the older post on DroidPlanner for videos. I didn't posted them here so I don't republish information.

    https://github.com/arthurbenemann/droidplanner/wiki/DiyDrones-Publi...

  • Magnus Persson April 15, 2013 at 9:31pm

    very neat and cool systems
    hey what are the system requirements?
    what is a must in order to run the program?
    what version of android is a must?
    minimum working memory and cpu?

    you who have functioning systems, put out a demo video?
    thanks in advance

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