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Unofficial ArduPilot 2.2 Release

Posted by Jordi Muñoz on May 23, 2009 at 8:30pm
This version has many additions, including the support for three different GPS protocols (SIRF, NMEA and UBX) and can be added as many are possible.Has the well integration of the pressure sensor and battery level conversion with an offset for the ADC voltage to increase accuracy in the conversions.Has been debugged using the ArduPilot Shield. So it should be 100% compatible.The rest of the code stills the same as 2.1.To change the GPS protocol looks for this definition: “#define GPS_PROTOCOL“. Next to it I have included some commands for Locosys and SIRF GPS. So you can use them as needed (just trying to save you some time).The Ground Station now has the battery level indicator.This code is a just a Beta, demo, preview, not official release , I never air test it (use it at your own risk). The goal is that you can start digging into it and report any bugs before releasing the official version. We are only trying to involve more the community on this. ;-)Be advice is not easy!Other notes:When you power up the ArduPilot try to open the Terminal and see the message at the beginning saying something likes this:"Pressure offset: 205"You should go and place this value in the declaration of the air_speed_bias variable, like this:int air_speed_bias=205;In order to zero the airspeed sensor. All the pressure sensors have different values.I know "bias" is wrong. ;-)Files:ArduPilot_EasyStar_V22.zipGroundStation_Alpha2.zip[UPDATE: I forgot to compile the EXE, sorry about that]:GroundStation_Alpha2_EXE.zip
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GPS Problem

Posted by LazyPilot on May 23, 2009 at 1:00pm
Guys,I was out test flying my project today. Came home, wanted to run some ground tests, found my GPS will not lock and I get no red indicator on the GPS. I know it should indicate lock and blinking red when working properly. Any Ideas?? Im powering the system off a 2.4 spektrum rec. Im running a 3 cell Lipo to the Parkzone ESC. any problems with that??After getting the unit back inside, I can tell the Red LED on the GPS is very dim. Its trying to come on but not really. I think something has decided to not work anymore. any ideas??
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Rudder deflection and Roll cross-coupling control in ardupilot?

Posted by Todd Berk on May 23, 2009 at 11:34am
How is the cross-coupling between Rudder and Roll being controlled in the ArduPilot since there are no ailerons? I'm doing some autopilot research for my Parkzone Radian, similar to the EasyStar in that there are no ailerons. Basically, a simple PID loop for heading by actuating the rudder won't work since you will impose roll and sideslip. What is the ArduPilots method for heading and roll control?Thanks!-Todd
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Simulation

Posted by sushil pangeni on May 23, 2009 at 10:14am
I am trying to make an autonomous UAV controller using the UAV-GPS dev board. I want to ask whether there is any simulation system where i can simulate my codes.
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3D Robotics

200 Blimpduino boards, programmed and tested

Posted by Chris Anderson on May 22, 2009 at 10:31pm

Just finished programming and testing 200 Blimpduino boards. Jordi wrote me a batch file that made it easy. Only one board blew up in my hand, sending sparks everywhere (I think a polarized capacitor was on backwards). All the other boards tested fine. The kits will ship from the Maker Shed on Monday, and will be for sale at Maker Faire. They'll be in the DIY Drones store in late June, when we manufacture the next batch.
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Software based horizon finder for SRV-1 Blackfin camera

Posted by Howard Gordon on May 22, 2009 at 3:16pm
Here's an updated version of the software-based horizon finder for SRV-1 Blackfin. An actual slope and intercept is now being computed, and some filtering has been added as well ...Here was the original post ...
Noting the interesting discussion about optical flow and horizon finders in this thread, I undertook to add a simple horizon finder to the SRV-1 Blackfin Camera firmware. The algorithm uses a basic edge detection function that is already build into the SRV-1, dividing the image into 16 columns and searching from top-to-bottom for first edge hits. From the video, it appears that the edge threshold could be set a bit lower, but the results are pretty good without any tuning or filtering.The Google Code project is here - http://code.google.com/p/surveyor-srv1-firmware/ . Next step is to add a least-squares fit to draw a line through the edge segments and then compute pitch and roll angles.
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Civilian UAVs: the new barbarians

Posted by Mike on May 22, 2009 at 2:24pm
“The FAA wants us to show these things are safe, but they make it difficult to fly them to collect the information needed to prove they are safe,” says Massood Towhidnejad, a professor of computer and software engineering at Florida’s Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University who studies potential UAV applications. Source: Unmanned Traffic Jam, To the Federal Aviation Administration, civilian UAVs are the new barbarians at the gate. By Douglas Gantenbein, Air & Space Magazine, July 01, 2009.
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Modeling the brushless motor

Posted by Tom Yochum on May 22, 2009 at 7:52am
I am trying to put together a Simulink 6-DOF model of a complete UAV. I have the aerodynamic data for the Rascal UAV from this paper. The only thing left to model is the electric motor. I need to create a model that takes in the throttle setting and outputs the current draw, rotation speed, and motor torque. I found some papers on the math of an AC motor, but I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Does anyone know of a good paper that outlines the math? Or better yet, a free Matlab or Simulink model?Thanks.
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Groundstation Display Suggestions?

Posted by Garry Qualls on May 21, 2009 at 11:20pm
Tablet PCDoes anyone have a computer display that they are happy with when they are outdoors? I am looking for a laptop, tablet, netbook, or stand-alone monitor that has even barely acceptable contrast and readability outside in the sun.The iPhone and iPod Touch have transflective screens (320x480 px resolution) that work pretty well in direct sunlight, so I was hoping someone had put a similar display into a larger system. There are VNC clients around for the iPhone, but that's not really a satisfactory solution, no matter how much fun it would be to try.Otherwise, I think it would be smart to have a high contrast mode or "skin" for the ground station software that would allow for safer and easier operation by displaying graphics in a more or less a black & white mode with no important information represented by color, gradients, etc. in this vein, some kind of e-paper solution like they have in the Kindle would be pretty awesome.MacBook running XP Has anyone had a good experience outdoors with a computer display?
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Purchase list

Posted by Bryan on May 21, 2009 at 11:00pm
I have no idea what I'm doing at this point. Here's the list of stuff I got, just based on the ArduPilot:https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8785https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=465https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9115https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=116https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=117https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=743https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=7915http://store.diydrones.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BR-0002-10Got a breadboard and wires from Radioshack to help with prototyping. Still need the FMA X-Y sensor, and possibly a Z sensor, but I'm a n00b, and not quite sure what I need at this point.Also need to find some foam to build the airframe, electric motors and metal gear servos.
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Battery?

Posted by Teque5 on May 21, 2009 at 11:00pm
I have a narrowed down parts list, but am at a loss for a battery. I don't have much experience w/RC planes.

What should i get to enable this setup to get the longest flight time possible. (2hrs?)Total without battery comes to $680. This list is in a more complete form here.This will be my first RC, but not my first robot.
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Goal

Posted by Bryan on May 21, 2009 at 11:00pm
My goal with this project: To be able to accurately compute winds and take an infrared picture at a specific location.Future add-ons: Bluetooth programmable via iPod touch or something similar, streaming video, near silent operation.Price goal: <$1k for completed system.My pedigree: Pilot, ME/EE/AE/Math degrees from a school you've never heard of.
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problem....please help

Posted by Neha Phulwani on May 21, 2009 at 10:52pm
hie,I have a project to complete and I am suppose to perform an automatic takeoff, but when I try to communicate with the UAV using the option kill throttle it does not respond. What could be the problem??....Is it the uplink?? How can I possibly solve the issue???
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Developer

ArduPilot Shield Assembly Instructions

Posted by Jordi Muñoz on May 21, 2009 at 8:30pm
Here are some instructions and suggestions to assemble the ArduPilot Shield. But remember: You can always do it your way. You can buy a complete kit here.

First i recommend to solder the headers (either female of males) in the Ardupilot board, do not matters if you put the females header on the shield or in the ArduPilot board. I personally recommend to put the female headers on the active board, in this case ArduPilot. If you have male pins and you make contact with something you may cause a short circuit and toast it, otherwise with the female headers the board is "protected".

After soldering the headers on the Ardupilot board, place the opposite headers on top of it as indicated in the picture. In this way the pins will be right aligned and you will be able to remove it easily.

Then place the ArduPilot Shield on top and solder it. Be careful of not add too much soldering or the liquid solder may go to the button and you will be unable to remove the shield (happened to me once!)

Ready? Come on hurry! The result is a nice and well aligned shield. ;-)

Now you can solder the pins for the FTDI connector. Remember you can buy the official FTDI cable in our store, here. Has a long cable and is very practical on field when you are testing.

Now get some servo extensions like in the picture. You can buy them in our store too here

Now cut them slowly and painful, no mercy please! You will use both ends later.

Now solder the female side of the servo extension to the board. This connector will go to the receiver. I recommend to cut them as short is possible to void the big ball of wires inside the airplane. I personally like to remove the Power and Ground cables to the other connectors, leaving just the signal to eliminate the "big ball of wires", or at least leave two with Power and Ground to add some redundancy.

Now turn the Ardupilot and solder a jumper wire from "digital 8" to the "mux3", in order to enable the throttle control!The color of the wire is your choice, white looks nice with SparkFun logo. ;-)

Did you remember the redundancy thing? Well i extremely recommend to add hot glue or something to holds the wire in the bottom of the board. The everyday use will fatigue the wire and eventually will broke. I have learned this the hard way. One day the receiver rudder cable failed and i was unable to manually control it (i was flying!!!!), i was expecting to finally lost my EasyStar forever and definitely jump to Funjet and never came back, but the Autopilot was working fine, because the failure was from the receiver to the multiplexor. Anyway, i just switch to RTL mode and EasyStar was flying around me and luckily at that time i was controlling the throttle manually so i cut the throttle and ArduPilot land the EasyStar nicely. Chris once mentioned: that the human variable is the problem.

Now is time to solder the Infrared sensors. This is up to you and you can use anyway you want. In my case i developed a custom and redundant cable (locked!).A little bit of help with the FMA sensors:

The "Only For Girls" pin is not used.

You have a picture of the complete cable here with the FMA connectors. ;-)

Now take the other end of the servo extension and cut one cm of the power line (red wire).

Solder it in digital pin 6, this will be used as the "Remove Before Flight Plug" used to set home position. You can use any bind plug like this one or make you own (Also available soon).And you can also add any external reset button as indicated in the green arrow. Also available soon in our store.

Now an extra precaution: Please zoom the picture and look the silver hairs at end of the connector. This is a potential threat! You must cut that little metal hairs, if not you may burn your boards! I also learned it the hard way. ;-)

You can add now the Power Divider Cable, in order to know the voltage of your battery, this cable must be connected in the positive pole of your LIPO.And finally you can use a servo connector to plug your radio modem. That's what i did! This way is to noisy, modems require a lot of current, it will work but can cause some problems. I suggest to feed the radio modem with a direct 5V lines not coming from the GPS ports.Here you can get 5V for the radio modem:

Schematic:

[UPDATE]: The IR port labels are wrong, they suppose to be A0,A1,A2,5V,GND.[UPDATE2]: Assembly pictures of ArduShield V2 can are here.Good Luck!
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Paparazzi autopilot

Posted by Jonas on May 21, 2009 at 12:00pm
Last week I received my Paparazzi Tiny V2.11 autopilot.I have read a lot of this autopilot and what made me really excited is the GCS. I have noticed that you need some knowhow about Linux (for me a blessing I am not a windows enthusiast). I really did not have real problems setting up the system so far. The only thing I am waiting for is the ppm converter for my 2.4 GHz TX/RX system. I still have some doubts about the airframe I like to use my little Cessna plane or change to the easy glider pro.

Yesterday I made my first flight with the new airframe Yes it is the EasyGlider pro.It flies perfectly. I tested the telemetry this also worked fine had good readings of alt and speed etc. Only the sun was reflecting in my screen. (yes I now don't buy a laptop with a glossy screen). I did not fly on auto yesterday that is why i love the GCS I noticed that the IR was wayoff and did not work propperly. Turned out I had the XY sensor in the wrong direction.

All the stuff build in.

Canopy closed placed a nice looking antenna. ( just cosmetic the wire is inside)
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