Posted by Chris Anderson on September 30, 2009 at 10:00pm
[UPDATE: the team leaders should all now be inviting team members as friends and once the invitations are accepted, they'll be invited to the workspaces. If you're on the team, you'll get an alert telling you that you've been added. It will say nonsense about needing to click on unclickable words, but ignore those bugs. Just go to your workspace by clicking on the Workspaces tab and you should see it.
I'll be swinging by in each Workspace as I'm added to upload necessary files and give further directions over the next day or two.
-chris]
Many thanks to all of you have stepped forward in our call for ArduPilot project help! I'm going to set up the projects in the workspaces and give the initial project definitions in the next day or two, but in the meantime I've made some provisional assigments based on expressed preferences. Names with an asterisk in front would be the provisional project lead/managers.
If you've volunteered, please review the list and see if you're happy with your assignment. If not, please express your preferred change in the comments. If you're shown as lead and don't want to lead, please comment. Or, if you'd like to lead a project and aren't shown as the lead, comment that too.
Finally, if you'd like to add your name to one of these projects, do so in the comments as well.
1) Design a "thermopile replacement" version of ArduIMU: this is a version of the current ArduIMU board with a two-channel DAC and a FMA connector, so it can output voltage to emulate the FMA thermopiles.
*Michael Zaffuto
Mark Colwell
Joe
David S
David Sprague
2) Design the turn-rate limiter shield hardware and software modification to the ArduPilot code: this is shield that has a one-axis gyro, a differential pressure sensor and a connector for the uBlox GPS. It will duplicate the functions of the UNAV PicoPilot but be better and a lot cheaper.
*Jeff Taylor
Curt Filipowski
Michael Zaffuto
Grubi
David Sprague
Dave_fr
3) Create and maintain a library of airframe.h configuration files
*Peter Meister
Octane-link
4) Design the hardware for the ArduPilot Mega ground station (with dynamic PID adjustments).
*Sarel Wagner
Andy Geppert
John C
Peter Koppendorger (enclosure)
Mogly
Kyle Corbitt
5) ArduIMU documentation
*Andy Geppert
John C
Michael
Octane-link
David Sprague
6) Create an autopilot PID tuning guide
*Octane-link
Mogly
7) Create a Lego Mindstorms compatible version of our MUX/Failsafe. This is just our current board with the addition of a Mindstorms connector and any necessary components for an I2C link.
*Christopher Barnes
Michael Zaffuto
8) Create a "Using ArduPilot with the Remzibi OSD" guide
*HappyKillmore
John C
Peter Meister
9) Create a ArduStation assembly and usage manual
*Chris Anderson
John C
Octane-link
James McGlinn
10) Create a system that can inject telemetry data on the invisible closed caption lines of a video stream and be able to decode it in the other side for the OSD system.
*Remzibi
David Sprague
11) Contest management
*Gary Mortimer
Chris Anderson
12) Podcast management
*Tim Trueman
Chris Anderson
13) Create Lego Mindstorms turn-rate limiter autopilot code (similar to #2 and using #7)
*Chris Anderson
Read more…Developer
Posted by Jordi Muñoz on September 30, 2009 at 4:59pm
Hi there, well I'm happy to announce the new ArduPilot 2.4 firmware, i still have many things to add, but i will leave them for 2.5 .What's new:-Improved ADC conversion, now uses interrupts to free some CPU.-uBlox parser bug fix, now i can navigate better.-Added a new header option called "ALT_HOLD_HOME". Let you select what altitude you want to hold for home, 0 will hold the altitude you are when you switch to RTL, 1 = will hold the altitude defined on the confiq. tool.-Altitude hold dramatically improved for my Easystar. (Thanks to Bill!).-Airspeed and throttle control improved.To do:-Add Happy Kill More code for Remzibi Integration.-Change the TX protocol to binary.-Use interrupts for the serial output.-Header typos correction.-Maybe cross-track error or another solution to fly straight lines between waypoints.Source Code: ArduPilot_EasyStar_V24.zipMy header: easystar.hRead more…
A couple of people at the University I attend and I had our first flight the other day, and we wanted to tell all of you about it.I will start with the goals of our "team". Our goal is to create a network of UAVs that allow for mulitple users and/or multiple ground stations attempting to control multiple vehicles. We felt that the ArduPilot platform was perfect because we have access to source code, it is inexpensive and a vibrant community which could, hopefully, provide feedback.We were able to encorporate two way telemetry by simply adding a software serial line to pins 8 and 11. Because it is a software line we are operating at only 38.4k baud rateAs of right now the ground station only supports three aircraft (because of communication restraints) and can successfully upload wps, tune trims and PIDs, command heading angle, switch to reading wps off EEPROM (when uploading new wps we store in RAM) and a few other, not as exciting things. We changed the telemetry system to a request based system rather than always talking, this was done because the XBees on each AC operate on the same channel.Here is an older photo of the groundstation, no major changes have been made since this screen shot was taken
So our first day out was successful, we flew two aircraft with ground station and two way telemetry. We had an issue with the map being slightly skewed, so we are gonna try again soon. Luckily all commands work through Hyper Terminal or the Arduino Serial Comm screen, which is a bonus.In the future we would like to try flying more aircraft and using the dynamic WP changing features to get a crude version of formation flight, as well as some other high level control schemes.Amain.pdeCommunication.pdeControl.pdeForDIY.pdeGPS_EM406.pdeGPS_UBLOX.pdeNavigation.pdeSensors.pdeServos.pdeSystem.pdeWayPoints.pdexDebug.pdeRead more…
Can anybody shed some light on the accuracy of the airflow around the fuselage on the attached image? The wing is based on the GM15 foil. Rest of the details is in the picture. The modeling was done with XFLR5.Does the results of lift, drag etc look credible?
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 29, 2009 at 11:00pm
Please note that I've added Huddle Workspaces to the site, which I hope will prove useful for the volunteer teams working on various ArduPilot projects. I'll be PMing those who responded to our call for volunteers and giving directions and assignments in the next day or two, but in the meantime, what do you think of Huddle? Is it appropriate for our purposes? (It seemed the best of the available Ning apps, but I don't know much about workspace software and haven't used Huddle before). Let me know if it looks good or not, and I can then get us going.
Read more…3D Robotics
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 29, 2009 at 10:36pm
From the good BotJunkie blog: "The operation of the Point and Toss is literally that simple: you point it in the direction you want it to go, click a hand controller to lock the heading and start the engine, and then toss. The UAV automatically stabilizes itself, flies out for about half a mile at 250 feet taking pictures and video to an SD card, and then autonomously turns around and lands at your feet."
It's intended for military use, which means that when the manufacturer, IATech, describes it as "cheap", it probably means thousands of dollars. But I can think of lots of civilian uses, too. All of our UAVs can do this already, and I don't even think a RTL UAV like this would be export controlled, so we could easily produce one--simple, single-purpose and ready to fly out of the box. What say we make an open source one for $250? (And then some toy company can make it for $99!)
Read more…3D Robotics
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 29, 2009 at 2:08pm
[UPDATE: This one proved a bit harder than we thought, so we're going to extend the deadline by two weeks, to 12:00 midnight PST on Sunday, October 18th.
Also, here's a preview of next month's contest: Break the Stanford team's UAV altitude record of 7,142 feet by doing at least 24 circles with a 300ft climb and descent in each! (This won't really beat his official record, because there won't be an official judge there. But you'll get bragging rights, at least). I'll announce full details on Oct 19th]
The first Trust Time Trial (T3) contest was a great success. Lots of entries, nail-biting competition, awesome performances and lots of learning for all.
Now comes round two. The difference this time are as follows:
--Three laps
--3D waypoints. (must hit altitude targets as well as lat/long)
The prize this time is a Global Hawk kit.
Winning entries must be posted in the comments below by midnight PST on Sunday, October 4th 18th.
Rules:
1) Must complete the pattern as shown above, totally autonomously. Go into autonomous mode before waypoint 1 and stay in for three laps. The four points are arranged in a square, with 200m on a side (obviously the two diagonal paths are longer). Any aircraft/autopilot allowed. It doesn't matter how close to the waypoints you get, as long as you pass on the outside of them.
2) Altitude must be within +-10m of given altitude at each waypoint. It doesn't matter what your altitude is in between waypoints. All altitudes are either above launch position or the contestant's specified "safety altitude".
3) Fastest time to complete three laps and hit the 3D waypoints wins. Must provide GPS track with timestamps and on-board video. (If you don't have/can't afford a small onboard videocamera like the FlyCamOne 2, we'll let it go this time. But in the future: video or it didn't happen!)
GPS tracks are best achieved with an onboard GPS datalogger, like the i-Blue 747 or smaller Sanav ML-7. But if you don't have one or don't want to add the weight, you can just capture the GPS track from your telemetry stream, although you'll have to figure out how to convert it to KML format to export to Google Earth (see below). If your Ground Control System has a built-in map+track function, a screen shot of that is fine, but it should be possible for people to check to confirm that your leg lengths are at least 200m.
Evidence data should include these four things:
1) Total time, along with aircraft and autopilot used. A photo of the aircraft would be nice.
2) Screen capture of path exported to Google Earth or an equivalent, annotated with waypoints and where autonomy began and ended. :
3) GPS datalog file, any format
4) Onboard video, embedded from YouTube or Vimeo. [Not absolutely required but requested]
Read more…
Posted by Brian Delaney on September 29, 2009 at 12:41pm
I am currently a Soldier in the U.S. Army at AIT to be an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator/Payload Operator. I am National Guard, so once i am done here in JAN i will be able to search for a civilian job. I will be certified to fly and control payload on the Shadow 200/300 systems and 100% capable of emplacing/displacing all required equipment.I am curious if there are opportunities to fly the Shadow with a civilian company overseas. I want to find a job with some sort of DoD contractor company working in Iraq/Afghanistan and go on deployment with them right away. I will be able to go "Inactive Guard" on the military side.But i REALLY want to find a job right away with a civilian contractor working in Iraq/Afghanistan flying the shadow.My qualifications will be-Shadow 200/300 Aircraft Operator/Mission Payload Operator-DoD Security Clearence-Associate Degree in Unmanned Aircraft Operations.Any help is appreciated. my email address is PilotBJD08@Aol.com
Read more…3D Robotics
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 29, 2009 at 9:43am
Lots of drama in the Australian Outback Challenge this year. Once again, it appears that nobody finished the challenge (spot a dummy--Outback Joe--and drop a water bottle near him), but they're getting closer. In the meantime, loads of crashes, as reported in this thread from the participants. (pic of crashed 12-ft Telemaster from Biloxthecat)Read more…
Posted by Tom Yochum on September 29, 2009 at 9:07am
Brian and I are almost ready to get our autopilot project "off the ground".We received a free airplane from a friend of mine who now lives in Japan. (A lot cheaper to buy a new one than ship the old one.) The plane came with a glow engine but we converted it to electric. (Sorry for the crummy iPhone pictures!)Before:
After:
I added an access hatch to the front to create an "avionics bay".
We just got our uBlox GPS and Brian got it working last night. Here it is with our Arduino board and Sparkfun IMU.
We have developed a tightly-coupled GPS/INS algorithm to provide highly-accurate position, velocity, and attitude data. We hope to have the aircraft up and flying soon so we can collect flight data. The algorithm has been developed using simulation data, but I would like some real-world data to do the final tuning.We have several options for the guidance and control aspect of the autopilot once the tightly-coupled algorithm is finished. One option is to develop our own single-board system, with air data sensors, IMU, failsafe/MUX, etc. (I am inspired by the work shown here, especially by Brian Wolfe!) We would have to develop our own software as well.The other option is to create a sensor-only board with air data sensors and IMU, and modify an Ardupilot to accept the position/velocity/attitude data. That way we don't need to re-invent the wheel, so to speak.Our ultimate goal is to create an aerobatic-capable autopilot, so we will most likely design our own single-board autopilot eventually. I am hoping to create an adaptive control system that will "learn" how to fly an airplane. I'm just scratching the surface on that endevour, and I'm not sure I'm smart enough to pull it off!We will update again once we get airborne.
Read more…3D Robotics
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 28, 2009 at 9:03pm
Many of you have asked how you can help with the ArduPilot project. Now we have an answer! We're looking for people with various skills: software, hardware, documentation or project management.
Here are some things on our to-do list that we could use some help on (Jordi's focusing on core ArduPilot Mega development himself). Please look through and see if something sounds like fun. The reward is that you get to work closely with us and you're helping create a little bit of the future! (Plus if you design a project that we can sell, we'll figure out a way to get you paid)
Design a "thermopile replacement" version of ArduIMU: this is a version of the current ArduIMU board with a two-channel DAC and a FMA connector, so it can output voltage to emulate the FMA thermopiles.
Design the turn-rate limiter shield hardware and software modification to the ArduPilot code: this is shield that has a one-axis gyro, a differential pressure sensor and a connector for the uBlox GPS. It will duplicate the functions of the UNAV PicoPilot but be better and a lot cheaper.
Create and maintain a library of airframe.h configuration files
Design the hardware for the ArduPilot Mega ground station (with dynamic PID adjustments). Similar to this.
ArduIMU documentation
Create an autopilot PID tuning guide
Create a Lego Mindstorms compatible version of our MUX/Failsafe. This is just our current board with the addition of a Mindstorms connector and any necessary components for an I2C link. .
Create a "Using ArduPilot with the Remzibi OSD" guide
Create a ArduStation assembly and usage manual
Create a system that can inject telemetry data on the invisible closed caption lines of a video stream and be able to decode it in the other side for the OSD system.
Please volunteer for one or more projects in the comments, and we'll follow up by PMRead more…T3
Hi everybody,this time long autonomous flight, preceded by simulation.The real reason of the simulation is to calm down the pilot,which should launch the plane and wait with patience...
Read more…
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 27, 2009 at 10:17am
Free video streaming by Ustream
Tonight (Sunday) we'll do our fourth podcast, which everyone here is welcome to participate in by listening to the chat live above and commenting and asking questions via the DIY Drones chat function. We'll be starting at 9:00 PM PST and will probably go about 40 minutes.
This week we'll by joined by Geoff Bower of the Stanford altitude record and will discuss:
--The Stanford team's work
--Other contests (the Outback Challenge is underway) and records
--ArduPilot Mega roadmap
--Favorite blogs posts of the week
--And whatever other cool stuff comes up!
Read more…Moderator
Posted by Gary Mortimer on September 27, 2009 at 6:16am
Some of you might remember the bigger version of this, the Voyager is 1.2m in wingspan, autopilot, RC receiver esc and motor all stay in the centre section attached to the wing and battery and whatever you want in the nose.There is 2lt of space in there.Its early days, only 6 ot so flights but it flew and we took it home in one piece!!I have some video but I'm out the door real flying now.Oh for ballast purpose we added 200g of weight, it could have lifted much more, the target is 500g.
Read more…Moderator
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 25, 2009 at 2:30pm
[Update: My mistake--I forgot that I made the deadline four days later to allow for a slightly late start in announcing this contest earlier this month. So you have two weekends to go, not just one. Still, get cracking!] For those of you who have day jobs, just a reminder that this is the last weekend you've only got two more weekends to enter this month's T3 Contest. If the weather isn't cooperating, you better hope it will clear and you can take a morning off work before Thursday. The deadline is 12:00 midnight PST on Sunday, Oct 4th.
The current best time is 236 seconds from Vassilis, who won last month with the same Paparazzi-driven EasyStar. Are you guys going to let him win two times in a row?!
Read more…3D Robotics
Posted by Chris Anderson on September 24, 2009 at 10:01pm
I just got what might the best entry-level UAV platform yet. It's the Busy-Bee RTF from HobbyKing and at first glance it looks practically perfect for our needs. It comes totally ready to fly (just ten minutes of attaching things), with a brushless motor, ESC and all servos and pushrods installed, all for $70! Just add RC gear and a battery.
It's got all the elements we need for a UAV platform:
--Four channels, with ailerons
--Pusher prop
--High-wing trainer style, so should be easy to fly and relatively slow
--Steerable nose wheel (gear is removable for grass landings)
--Loads of room in that cockpit! The tinted window is a bit unfortunate for camera use, but otherwise it's perfect: easy to get to and easy access to the rest of the equipment area in the body
--Easy to repair foam
A few notes: The picture on the product page shows that it comes with a JST battery connector, but it actually comes with a standard Deans connector. The box says that it comes with cheap FM RC gear, but thankfully that's not the case (it comes with no RC gear at all). The included propeller is actually black and pretty good looking, not the yellow toy in the picture. If you want to upgrade the motor to a more powerful outrunner, it's easy to do; it uses the standard mounting holes. The motor is rated at 8.4v, so a 7.4 20c LiPo battery is probably safest. But if it seems really underpowered with that, I may try pushing it with a 11v battery.
Overall, it's hard to beat this one for the price, features and ease of assembly. I'll fly it this weekend and see how it performs.
Read more…Developer
Posted by Ryan Beall on September 24, 2009 at 9:00pm
Ateryx 2.3 has been in different levels of development over the past year or so but I finally got some motivation to clean up some code and pull it all together.Cloud layer has been at 800ft for the past three days so I have been weather canceled with my Navy schedule. Considering the UAV development is all low altitude stuff this was the perfect time to get some flights out on the autopilot. I got all of the gains tuned and let the navigation code go to work. The only bad part about the time off is that it has been really windy (25 knots gusting at times) that and I'm missing the T-34. Navigation code could be tuned tighter on the gains but even with the windspeed being 75% - 85% of the trim airspeed commanded, it still maintained its flight path in my small local park!I will have video up soon as well as data (if I can get my new sd card drive to work).Here is the platform I am using as a test bed:http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFL2825
Posted by Tj Bordelon on September 24, 2009 at 6:05pm
But is is ever? I define finished as in it works every time I go fly now. I go to the field, turn on my plane and it takes off, flies to waypoints, and lands with no user intervention. It's done this now for the last 4 times I've been to the field! So it feels more "finished" than ever.I didn't use any kits or open source stuff, and built everything from scratch. Except the EZ-Star of course! I also use my own sensor fusion algorithm, which is to be featured in Circuit Cellar early next year. It's inertial based, and all the boards are from the chips up, no modules.
PLUS: I don't use a PC, so now I don't have to worry about overheating or Java updates crashing my plane!
