We have been working lately with Jason.J and few other people to create first real Open Source ESC that is based on STM32 RISC processors. Just moment a go courier delivered first PCBs to my desk here at jDrones and we are thrilled to see how they start perform after assembly has done for these. 

OpenESC pcbs are 35 x 25mm and 4 layers PCBs. Power range will be around 20-30 Amps depending on MosFETs in use. 

Software development has already started for these boards and first flights tests are planned to be in about 1 month or so.

Later these PCB boards will be placed on sale for people want to assemble their own ESCs, we will also have component sets for those or you can buy parts from your local stores. Yes, we will also provide these ESCs as fully assembled for people who are not so good with soldering. 

Speaking of soldering. It's time to take your magnifying glasses and start to assemble first boards.

Jani / jDrones

Dear fellow DIYDrones and UAV enthusiasts,

Avetics (Singapore) develops safe and autonomous UAV technology with responsive interface, intuitive software and smart algorithms for providing affordable, on demand, high resolution aerial imagery for non-military purposes.

We are currently in the United States, UC Berkeley  for the Intel Global Challenge 2012. Do help us like the photo at the Intel Global Challenge at UC Berkeley 2012 Facebook page for one of the challenges!

Step 1: Head over to Intel Global Challenge at UC Berkeley 2012 FB page(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Intel-Global-Challenge-at-UC-Berkeley-2012/302903253057575) and like the page 

Step 2: Like our photo!

Thanks!

Khairul Rusydi

One of finalists of the Gates Foundation Grand Challenge competition is this team, which is working on doing the following:

Optimizing Immunization Systems: Delivering Vaccines with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

George Barbastathis and collaborators at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology in the U.S. are developing unmanned aerial vehicles that can be deployed by health care workers via cell phones to swiftly deliver vaccines to hard-to-reach locations.

I found a low cost, easy way to fabricate an electronics stack cover for your ArduCopter. You will need:

1 Ziploc Brand Container, Medium Square size

4 Rubber Bands, 1"-1.5" diameter

Modify the container by cutting 8 "posts" in the lip for fastening the rubber bands. See my closeup:

Then simply fasten the container over your stack by running the rubber bands from one binding post, under the quad arm, and then up to the binding post on the other side of the arm, like so:

Here is a picture of the completed copter. (The two black dots at the top are my arming and GPS status LEDs).

I've got a soft spot in my heart for blimps, which I think are the ideal aerial robotics learning platform for kids. Our original Blimpduino was long ago retired, but we're working on a new version that will use optical flow and advanced image processing for autonomous navigation (look for this in early 2013). 

In the meantime, here's an interesting project for an Arduino-controlled RC blimp with many 3D-printable parts. Still in development, but the prototype scoots!

OpenRelief is a project to build a UAV that can use advanced image processing to quickly identify information on the ground that can help relief workers. It uses APM as the autpilot and Raspberry Pi for image processing. The plan is to be able to quickly identify smoke, roads and people from the air to "help disaster relief efforts see through fog".

You can read more about the technical details in this pdf, but there are some slides and video from that below:

(Thanks to Andrew Zoli for the tip!)

Wired editor Chris Anderson is leaving the magazine after 11 years as its editor-in-chief to run a robotics company he founded, 3D Robotics.

Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2012/11/02/wired-editor-chris-anderson-leaves-magazine-world-to-run-robotics-company/#KX7rpy0vcpO1BG0V.99

This is my Knurrus Maximus FPV Flying Wing, plus the blunt nose. So far its all build, so its time to star to work on the electronics and the APM2 on it.

It has the APM2 board with GPS

1.2ghz 750mhz Video TX on the left wing;

3DR 433mhz on the right wing;

2.4ghz 7ch RX in the centre;

Emax 2810-12 1200kv motor with 10x5 folding prop ( mesured 320w);

40A ESC;

2x 3S 2200Ah lipo in parallel;

Minimosd connected with the APM (remove the TX pin from the APM2!!);

Air sensor;

Some pictures...

http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/blog/2012/11/01/ama-revising-fpv-policy/

The AMA is excited to announce the completion of revisions to its policies for R/C model aircraft operations utilizing First Person View (FPV) systems (AMA document # 550) and Failsafe, Stabilization and Autopilot Systems (AMA document #560).

The AMA Advanced Flight Systems Committee (AFSC) in a collaborative effort with leading members of the hobby industry and FPV community developed comprehensive guidelines to enable AMA members to utilize these systems within the parameters of AMA’s and FAA’s operational requirements. The AFSC Guidelines for these systems were presented, reviewed and adopted by the Executive Council during the October 20, 2012 council meeting.

Click on the above document images to view the complete AMA Advanced Flight Systems Report or the individual operational documents for FPV Systems #550 or Failsafe, Stabilization & Autopilot Systems #560.

CalBattery has designed a new li-ion battery with a silicon-graphene anode promising a major improvement in battery energy density. The design is based on what the company calls its "GEN3" silicon-graphene composite anode material for li-ion batteries, the technology breakthrough for which was developed at Argonne National Labs. The company entered the li-ion battery cells into the Department of Energy's 2012 Start UP America's Next Top Energy Innovator challenge, and is a finalist in the competition.

Independent test results show that CalBattery's cells have an energy density of 525 watt-hours per kilogram, and anode capacity of 1,250 mili-amp-hours per gram. Compare this to the typical commercial battery out there right now in the 100-180 watt-hours per kg range, and anode capacity in the 325 mili-amp-hours per gram range.

That means 300 percent more energy storage than current batteries, the potential to go 300 percent farther on a charge than current EVs and a huge cost reduction. "This equates to more than a 300 percent improvement in lithium-ion battery capacity, and an estimated 70 percent reduction in lifetime cost for batteries used in consumer electronics, EVs, and grid-scale energy storage," CalBattery CEO Phil Roberts told Torque News.

 

Source: http://green.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/calbattery-working-on-300-mile-li-ion-batteries-at-greatly-reduc/

From Robots.net:

Good work from Cornell's vision-based obstacle avoidance program. (via UPI)

Hi everyone!

I'm not affiliated with the OpenPilot project, but I figured it couldn't hurt to spread the knowledge - the OpenPilot Revolution ('Revo') platform is available for a limited time (orders close on November 5th).

The Revo is a very capable flight controller, based on the STM32F4 MCU, with a great IMU, built-in telemetry radio and a 5hz GPS.

I suggest you head on to http://www.openpilot.org for more information, but the basic costs are under 200$ for a complete kit (flight controller with onboard radio and GPS + ground station radio module).

Out now. Apparently the big improvements are in 3D imagery (Austin shown above). More details at the Google Earth blog here. 

Starts in one hours time, 2000 GMT (subject to me getting my sums wrong the countdown has started on the timer)

During the episode, we will broadcast live from a SAR training event being instructed by our co host Gene Robinson. Our guest is Chris Onions. He works full time for Rescue 3 (UK) providing training to the emergency services in water and rope rescue in North Wales.

This event represents another historic first coming to you from the sUAS News.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/suasnews/2012/10/31/field-sar-training-using-unmanned-aircraft

Its been a headline week for our weekly podcast, over 100,000 total downloads. Not as spectacular as the numbers for here but it makes us warm and fuzzy!

To catch up with previous episodes try here http://www.suasnews.com/suas-news-podcast/ if my timing is completely wrong it will be available for download from this link shortly after it finishes.

You ever wanted to have a training quad for quad just for fun flying. Now you can!!

We are really thrilled of this possibility to offer for FREE these micro quads for all our customers who will buy one of our Assembled KITs. This offer is valid between 1.11 - 31.12.2012

You will automatically get one of these micro quads with following Assembled KITs:

• jD-Simplex Quad, Assembled
• jD-Simplex Hexa, Assembled
• jD Original ArduCopter Quad, Assembled
• jD Original ArduCopter Hexa, Assembled

RTF Micro quad kit contains everything else except 4 x AAA batteries for transmitter. It flies just like big multicopters and is really stable even on windy days. 

We have been having a lot of fun with these micro quads and they are great for fly training after you know how to fly multicopters you can use them for stunt or obstacle race flying which is really fun.

Even thou it fits on your hand, it's flying capacity is just amazing. Due it's light weight (32gr including battery) and body design it can take really bad crashes without breaking up. 

Get yours now while they last.. And let the fun begin.

Jani / jDrones

The PX4 firmware is improving in leaps and bounds. RC mode is very solid now (see demo above), and the full UAV ArduCopter port, which the APM dev teams are working hard on, now compiles on the ARM hardware, which is a big step. Very exciting.

We're planning a public beta of ArduCopter on PX4 by year end.

jDrones moving, the pain of brown boxes.... (part 2)

Few days ago I posted blog about construction project of our new office. And I promised to give more updates on how things are going, well now it's time to do that. 

There are some people that like to move just for fun but moving a company is not that easy thing as you might imagine when looking all those delivery boxes etc on picture above. That is small amount for first truck loads of stuff. You can literally feel the pain in back already. Good thing in Thailand is that you can always have a nice relaxing massage after hard day at office :)

Our new packing and shipping area is starting to form up. This will be one main area where Nin, Yao, Thee and few others will be working. We are still missing many tables and shelfs as they will be moved on these following days. 

Gap our main engineer is looking after electric cable assembly and planning out future engineering area.

Speaking of flying area. Closest flying area is just opposite of the road in front of our new office building. We can literally sit at office and fly to test area. But need to be careful of those wires :)

Already discussed with area owner of making small nice flying booth next to the square metal frame. If not booth at least some roof to cover pilots from burning sun while flying.

First set of boxes. This is the time when people starts to ask: "Hey Jani have you seen that screw driver???",  "Yes I have it's on brown box" :)

Engineering side does not look like engineering anymore, it's more like sea of boxes..

Nin is trying to figure how to arrange all her filers/binders to shelfs on admin area. She just have way too many papers. But like they say. On era of computers we will have paperless offices... YEAH Right...

There will be many more truck loads of stuff coming in next few days. Full operation should start on our new brand new office on 5. November. 

So I'm off to carry some more boxes and do more packing. 

Jani / jDrones