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The Arduino/Arducopter  is a notable project . Actually the ratio price/quality is very good.

But looking at the frame it is clear that some points can be improved: motor mounts, landing ski and GPS holder.

Working with a local company and using aluminum and laser technology we design and manufactured new parts for the Arducopter .

With this changes the new “silver Arducopter “  is more rigid, has a little bit less vibration and is more stable. The increase of weight is marginal.

And  Last but not least the Arducopter became a real UFO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIvta5oTpoM

The National CBO "National Recreational Flyers" now has free membership, download, trim and laminate your membership card today.

Also posted on the site are the Safety Rules in a PDF file suitable for downloading, laminating and posting at your flying site.

You can also download the Principles of Operation for the NRF and NRF clubs.

Hi All

I worked together with LanyuHobby (RC airplane manufacture) to make a good platform for FPV/UAV flying.

The Fuselage is made in PVC to make it very strong (Blow moulded). Very good and strong for the beatings and landings our planes are getting.

I know it's nearly impossible to make everybody happy, but I think we found a good compromise. (Strong, able to take payload, good space for electronics inside fuselage, platform for autopilot under wing (CG), platform for Vtx behind prop.

Great Mr. Ali made a review of a handmade test version

It need a name, here's some names.

Any suggestions feel free:

Skyview
Skyexplorer
Dragon eye
SKYraptor
FPVraptor
CamEagle

The platform should be ready for sale next month, I think most vendors and maybe hobbyking will be selling the plane.

Price: same level as Skywalker.

(image from http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/WMM/image.shtml)

Hi folks!

I decided to implement an on-board declination calculator based on geographic location and I'd love to get some feedback.  It takes up about 1400 flash bytes in total for a 3 degree declination error anywhere that people live (permanently - sorry Vostok!) and using a compass is reasonable.  It's not going to be flight tested until it stops raining here, so use at your own risk!  See the paper for more details :)

-John

Paper:

Lightweight%20Computation%20of%20the%20Earths%20Magnetic%20Field.pdf

APM Code - check under AP_GPS for AP_Declination_Lookup.*

ArduPilot.zip

LUT/IDW C# Calculator:

Geomag.zip

Footprint:

COMPASS_DECLINATION_LUT == DISABLED

113268 bytes, Free RAM: 1351, using 2061 bytes of memory

COMPASS_DECLINATION_LUT == ENABLED, COMPASS_DECLINATION_LUT_ACCURACY_LEVEL == 0

Accuracy:
Scalable with table size

Table size: 89 entries (COMPASS_DECLINATION_LUT_ACCURACY_LEVEL == 0)
-------------------------------
Error   0 percentile: 0

Error  10 percentile: 0.1098926

Error  20 percentile: 0.2223369

Error  30 percentile: 0.3377705

Error  40 percentile: 0.4542923

Error  50 percentile: 0.5770731

Error  60 percentile: 0.7134132

Error  70 percentile: 0.8671622

Error  80 percentile: 1.072514

Error  90 percentile: 1.401104

Error  91 percentile: 1.447367

Error  92 percentile: 1.495352

Error  93 percentile: 1.551685

Error  94 percentile: 1.611044

Error  95 percentile: 1.676226

Error  96 percentile: 1.764013

Error  97 percentile: 1.864101

Error  98 percentile: 1.988347

Error  99 percentile: 2.208701

Last month Chris and I were interviewed by Carrie Kahn from NPR West regarding drone use.

The report is unfortunately a bit of an anti climax (see link). I really tried very hard to present our community as progressive, safety aware innovators and the main theme of the piece is more concerned with privacy issues.

For the record there are a number of inaccuracies in the piece   i.e. I did not build the sUAS in question in 2005 and at no point did I intend to sell sUAS. I did start playing with the technology starting back in 2005. I do intend to offer aerial imaging for agriculture if and when the FAA provides rules I can operate under.

NPR - Drone Use

More pictures from the DIY Drones factory in San Diego. I mentioned before how important testing and QA is. The above picture shows how it's done: each product has a dedicated test jig, with spring-mounted pogo pins and a special version of the product board running test code.

The board to be tested is pressed on top of the jig, and the pins fit into the board's holes to make an electrical contact. Then the special test version of the product runs a series of diagnostic tests on the board. If it passes, it's shipped out. If it fails, it's thrown out or sent to engineering to figure out what's wrong.  

We need a different test jig for EVERY product. So in a sense, we have to design every product twice: once for the product itself and another design for the product that will test the product. Another thing to keep in mind if you're thinking about getting into the electronics business. It's harder than it looks!

Here's what the jigs look like from the side:

For fun, here are a few more shots from the factory:

Here's here the foam peanuts that your board are packed in come from!

And here's that high-precision scale that can count how many screws we've put in a bag, so we always get the right number.

ore

Good article from O'Reilly Radar. It's worth reading it all, but here's the nut:

The core issue is that GPS technology has been built into many crucial infrastructure applications, from transportation systems to power grids, and in many cases there is no fallback option should the GPS signals suddenly become unavailable. GPS has many advantages, but it is not particularly secure or robust in terms of interference, due to its relatively weak signal strength. GPS hasn't failed in any major way yet, but concerns are growing with recent reports of strong solar storms that have the potential to disrupt GPS satellites, and a troubling, growing black market of GPS-jamming devices.

The heart of the operation: the pick and place machine

A lot has changed since my last photo tour of the DIY Drones San Diego factory. We've moved next door to space more than twice as large and added all sort of new pro equipment including everything from a big new reflow oven to a special high-precision scale that allows us to count the exact number of parts in a kit by weight, so we never miss one.

It's easy to make a few PCBs or even send them out to a fab to have them made, and a lot of people getting into electronics start that way. But once you get beyond a few dozen boards to hundreds and then thousands, you need your own factory to ensure that the products are manufactured and tested right. For every product there must be a test jig and test code to check it and you need as many people in customer and technical support as there are in production.

DIY Drones now has a dozen employees doing everything from new product development to customer support. Here are pictures of many of them and their work stations:

The pick and place doing its magic!

Arturo applying solder paste

Close-up of the use of a paste stencil

Anette and Mireya in shipping

Cindy testing

Changing the feeders for a different board

Final hand-placement of components by Brian

Operations manager Lorenzo Lopez. He's The MAN!

Amateurs break their PCBs along the score lines. Bad idea (it can cause cracks)! Pros use a PCB cutter.

Rebecca does the accounting

The reflow oven!

Here's the oven's control panel

Samuel, one of the design engineers, shows off a glimpse of a new OSD board that's in development. Shhh!

Anette at a shipping station

Shipping supplies!

Yvett in customer service

This is the new folding frame Project I am working on.

Can anyone tell me if it´s possible to control the eight counter rotating motors with ACM.

By popular demand, ArduPilot Mega is now available as an all-in-one kit for $250. It includes everything you need for a functioning autopilot with GPS, even including RC cables.

We'll soon be offering wireless telemetry options for this, too, along with a ArduCopter version that comes with a magnetometer. A pre-soldered version of APM will also be available in a month or so, once we put in place a rock-solid testing process.

In the meantime, you can buy APM pre-soldered with code loaded and tested from uDrones for $349.

Having got to the point where I have engineered a multi-rotor flying camera mount that works to a very high level of stabilization (sub .05 deg.) I need to complete the puzzle with some help in designing some boards to compliment the APM system. Then the community at large can buy off the shelf, here at DIYDrones, the right components to do the job properly.

I am not an EE so I probably don't know what I am talking about but I do know the aerial camera mount business inside out. As I see it, the task is this. Camera mounts need to have a very different approach to that of stabilizing a multi-rotor copter. It is a lot simpler for a start. 300/500 deg/sec gyros typically output 2mv./ deg/sec but Invensense for example make gyros specifically for the job of stabilizing camera IS lenses and camera platforms the IDG 1150 for example is a 20 deg/sec. gyro that can output 50 mv/deg/sec. other gyros are available that have dual output that amplify the signal by a factor of 4, but as I see it this only amplifies the critical area which is at the very initial point of movement - noise. Sub .00? is normally only achievable with mil. spec. fiber optic gyros which are way beyond affordability in our case, but as Mems systems have come along in leaps and bounds recently. I believe we can do this to create top professional results at very little cost. Such high sensitivity modules would only work in a vibration free environment and this problem has been addressed and a complete solution is now available. Along the way a multi-rotor craft has been developed that not only is aerodynamically better than conventional designs but it uses materials that float on water and give better crash resistance and weight. Such a craft can be made using cheap materials that are freely available and can be fabricated with simple tools.

The 5/6 axis system explained. We all know that it is only possible to move a camera thro 3 axis of movement - pan, tilt and roll. the typical high end gyroball device uses the inner axis principle to fine tune the high accuracy movements.

Our model can create that outer axis and with a just little more work can be made to integrate perfectly with an inner axis system. The inner axis can be a simple 2 axis module device or a more complex 3 axis. The 2 axis module would be attached to the camera base plate and would have pwm in /out and utilize 2 axis acc. to reference gravity. The 3rd axis again a stand alone module would be in the Z axis (Pan) and integrate with the FC's mag.

Once this has been achieved we can step into the really exiting stage which is to create a total system where the operator simply fly's the camera and the copter follows the camera's desired track. it will use optic flow technology to look at the cameras LCD and augment stabilization and create an auto object tracker. WOW.

My prototypes are made using components such as heading lock gyros that have been modified to accept high sensitivity gyros but these are created as simple test bed components and need a lot of sorting out  before they could be used commercially.

I have only just started with APM so do excuse my ignorance if I made false assumptions at any time.

Most of my model development was done with a simple KK FC so as to create a reliable benchmark. I later moved onto the MK system which did not cut the mustard. It became known as the MK fireworks kit as ESC's and power distribution boards would burst into flames for no apparent reason and then there was the death roll gyro problem where hundreds of duff FC boards were sold to the unsuspecting masses. It would try to transit cumula granite resulting in the spectacular drop kick bang smash. They were the days! Onwards and upwards as they say. Interested anybody?

We're a small startup working on a project for tracking and sharing the location of UAVs and drones in real time via the web. Flights are tracked by attaching a smartphone to a drone and distributing a URL which lets your friends follow your flights in realtime on a map in a web browser.

We've been focused on building and solidifying a backend system and API to support our iPhone application. (an Android app is in the works) We're interested in feedback from the community on what we got right / wrong and where we should take the project.

Take a look at http://droneos.com and sign up for the beta if you are interested in trying it out. We are at SXSW this week if you are interested in meeting up or DM us at @droneos via Twitter.

As part of my plans to make a balloon-launched, return-to-launch UAV glider, I was looking out for a HD video camera that I could use in a typical fuselage installation.  I chose to invest my hard-earned into the Drift HD170 mostly because I figured the rotating lens meant that it was probably separate from the main processor board.  Only purchase and disassembly would find out...!

So, here's the full teardown and inspection of the device

The basic unit weighs 138g according the Drift, but stripped to this level it comes in at 58-60g, SD card included. The standard battery weighs 26g, but I intend to power the device from a central on-board battery pack, noise notwithstanding.

I plan on using the Skyfun as my airframe, so keeping the centre-of-gravity under control is my main priority.  This will be mounted in the nose of the airframe, so losing every possible gram is important to me, but damn that lens is still pretty weighty! (about 30g of the 58g total!)

Finally, you can now use ArduPilot Mega without ever having to touch Arduino! Michael Oborne's terrific Mission Planner will now check for the latest code online and load the firmware directly, with no Arduino compilation process required. I've updated the APM 2.0 beta instructions to show how to use it.

You can still use Arduino if you want to fiddle with the code, but most people won't need it at all. No need to even have it running on your machine!

Right now it only supports the default configuration, but in the next day or two it will allow you to choose other common configurations, such as Xplane simulation mode.

The Buran spacecraft (Russian: Бура́н, IPA: [bʊˈran], Snowstorm or Blizzard), GRAU index 11F35 K1 is a Russian (Soviet) orbital vehicle (in Russian terminology: "орбитальный самолет", - "orbital airplane") analogous in function to the U.S. Space Shuttle and developed by Chief Designer Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky of Energia rocket corporation. To this day Buran remains the only space shuttle vehicle from the Soviet Buran program that was launched in space before the program closure. The Buran completed one unmanned spaceflight in 1988 before the cancellation of the program in 1993 and was later stored in a hangar at Baykonur cosmodrome before a hangar collapse accident in 2002 destroyed both the hangar and the orbital vehicle. ^[2]

Flight into space
The only orbital launch of Buran occurred at 3:00 UTC on 15 November 1988 from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 110/37. It was lifted into orbit unmanned by the specially designed Energia rocket, which to this day remains the heaviest rocket running on liquid fuel. Unlike the Space Shuttle, which is propelled by a combination of solid boosters and the Shuttle's own liquid-fuel engines sourcing fuel from a large fuel tank, the Energia-Buran system used only thrust from the rocket's four RD liquid-fuel engines developed by Valentin Glushko. From the very beginning Buran was intended to be used in both fully automatic and manual mode. Although the program accumulated a several-years delay, to this day Buran remains the only space shuttle to ever perform an unmanned flight in fully automatic mode. The automated launch sequence performed as specified, and the Energia rocket lifted the vehicle into a temporary orbit before the orbiter separated as programmed. After boosting itself to a higher orbit and completing two revolutions around the Earth, ODU (engine control system) engines fired automatically to begin the descent into the atmosphere. Exactly 206 minutes into the mission, the Buran orbiter landed, having lost only five of its 38,000 thermal tiles over the course of the flight.[4] The automated landing took place on a runway at Baikonur Cosmodrome where, despite a lateral wind speed of 61.2 kilometres per hour (38.0 mph), it landed only 3 metres (9.8 ft) laterally and 10 metres (33 ft) longitudinally from the target mark.[4] The unmanned flight was the first time that a spacecraft of this size and complexity had been launched, completed maneuvers in orbit, re-entered the atmosphere, and landed under automatic guidance.- 

wiki source:Buran (spacecraft)

National Recreational Flyers offers reasonable safety standards and currently has free membership.

I'm delighted to announce the release of the first public beta of ArduPilot Mega 2.0. This is a significant upgrade to APM 1.02, and now delivers on full 2-way in-air communications, including real-time mission planning and autopilot control.

[UPDATE:Arduino-free code uploading added to features]

New features/changes include:

• --Full support for the MAVlink protocol, which is now APM's default communications method.
• --Auto-detection of GPS modules. No more requirement to tell APM what GPS module you're using--it will figure it out and configure the module appropriately!
• --2-way telemetry.  Dozens of commands can now be sent from the Ground Station to the UAV while it's in the air. (see example from HK GCS at right)
• --2-way Mission Planning. You can script and change missions in real time while the UAV is flying!
• --Supports APM boards with the ATMega2560 chip, which has twice as much memory as the current board. The DIY Drones store will begin selling these new boards when the final version of APM 2.0 is released.
• --Mission Planner now uploads firmware and checks for new versions online. No need for Arduino (unless you want it)!
  
• --Magnetometer fully supported.
• --Current sensor fully supported
• --Support for the latest HK Ground Control Station and QGroundControl ground stations.
• --Mission Planning and configuration can now be done wirelessly. No need to use USB if you don't want to.
• --No more fiddling with a configuration file in Arduino! The software comes ready to go, right out of the box
• --New command-line tests allow you to check failsafe operation, Xbees, radio inputs and more.
• --New versions of HK GCS and the Mission Planner operate in MAVLink mode, allowing for wireless operation and compatibility with other MAVLink devices, including those running the Robot Operating System (ROS)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Huge props to the whole development team: Doug Weibel (project leader), Michael Smith, Jason Short, James Goppert, Michael Oborne (mission planner), Paul Mather (GCS), Lorenz Meier (MAVLink integration), Randy Mackay, Ryan Beall, Darren Corley, Joe Holdsworth, and countless others who have contributed with flight testing and bug catching!

Remember that this is an initial beta release, so there may be bugs and undocumented bits. After the beta-testing period (usually about six weeks) we'll release APM 2.0 final version, and retire APM 1.02.

Loading the code automatically:

Just download the Mission Planner and select "Upload Firmware" from the Tools section of the menu. Make sure APM is plugged into your USB port and you've selected the right port from the Mission Planner menu. Click on "Update Check" and the program will search online for the latest version of the code and load it to APM.

If you want to do a simulation with Xplane, follow the instructions below. That will soon be a firmware option with the Mission Planner, too.

Loading manually (Optional)

[UPDATE: Ignore this section if you don't want to fiddle with the code. Arduino is no longer required to load the code!]

Download the zip file, unzip it to your desktop. You will have two folders inside your APM 2.0 folder, as shown:

Make sure you're using the latest Arduino (0022). Set your Arduino Sketchbook location to the APM 2.0 folder, as shown below. You must exit Arduino and restart it for this to take effect. Within Arduino, open up the ArduPilotMega.pde file within the ArduPilotMega folder, and that will open all the other files. Before you compile, don't forget to select the right board (Arduino Mega 1280 or Arduino Mega 2560)

(Note: in the final version of APM 2.0, you will not have to use the Arduino IDE at all: the Mission Planner will load the firmware for you and check for more recent versions. The Arduino IDE will just be available in case you want to modify or inspect the code. UPDATE: this is now live)

--------------------------------------

Additional instructions:

--If you're doing flight simulation with Xplane, instructions for doing it with APM 2.0 are here.

--Make sure you're using the latest Mission Planner and HK GCS. In the Mission Planner, make sure you select APM 2.x modes (MAVLink), shown at right.

Known issues:

1) Mission Planner won't write waypoints on Port 0 in HIL mode. Instead, write the waypoints via your Xbee (port 3); remember to change the Mission Planner baud rate to 57k when using the Xbee port.
2) Uploading mission commands is still not fully documented. We'll get to that this week
3) There may be some issues with datalogs not recording. We're looking into it.

4) The manual still describes the 1.02 software. We'll change that to 2.0 during the beta test period, so by the time we release the final of 2.0 the manual is fully updated.

5) This has been mostly tested with 900 Mhz Xbee modules and the XstreamBee adapter, which work great. However, there is an issue with the 2.4 Ghz Xbee modules, which have a slightly different hardware configuration that conflicts with that adapter when sending data upstream. A short term workaround is to solder a jumper from the adapter's CTS to V+ pin. The next version of these adapter boards will include a more graceful fix.

If you find any bugs, please file a report in the Issue Tracker. The dev team will not be responding to bug reports filed in blog comments

Boards:
APM
Oilpan
Arduino Pro
Freewave Radio
Eflight ESC & Motor
H264 Video Server

Joysticks that work:

Logitech G940 (no yaw on foot pedals yet) - Working on getting trim math working in the code.

Logitech Attack 3 (Tested all control surfaces working)

Other:
2 Cameras, 1 foward facing, 1 PTZ

Using Laptop with UBUNTU and Logitech Joysticks.

Phase 1:

a. Working Joystick Controls all surfaces of Airframe, Various buttons on Joystick change APM flight mode.
a. Completed

Added:

b. Working on integrating Logitech G940 Flight System

no yaw on foot pedals as off yet, does n't seem to show in the PYGAME librarys.

work to be done.

Phase 2: Complete
a. General Test - Live video through radio and video server.

b. Need to test and measure various bandwidth requirements for H264, frame sizes etc...

Phase 3: Complete
a. 4 Mile Test - 74db signal level Great video quality control surfaces respond instantly.
b. 15 mile test coming shortly.

Phase 4:Working on it.
Test GCS with waypoints.

 

Phase 5: Drop everything neatly back into airframe.