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Ardupilot Shield

Posted by bGatti on February 15, 2009 at 7:00pm
So here is a first pass at a Shield for the Ardupilot capable of hosting many of the 3v devices available at Sparkfun.Xbee Pro3v GPS - externalVenus GPS module with chip Ant.2 Axis Gyro3 Axis AccelA Plug for the IR Sensor ModuleThe Board needs more work etc,... But I thought it would be invaluable to put something up as a conversation starter.Eagle Files...OS - Credit: ArduPilot base board for pin locations etc ... Thanks Everyone (Help anyone?)
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Continental Flight - Autopilot right / Pilot Wrong?

Posted by bGatti on February 15, 2009 at 6:26pm
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aK22vWGF.UNw&refer=usThis report of the Accident suggests that the rudimentary Autopilot (actually a pilot assist function that gently pushes the stick in the right direction during a stall) - may have been working correctly, and the Pilot reacted by pulling the plane into a 30 degree up attitude, what follows a 30 degree attitude on a flaps-down plane at landing speed is obvious enough.So I propose that at some point, computers will be better able to calculate the physics of flight in real time than any human pilot, and much better than the average fear-afflicted human pilot. Already, the more complicated airplanes are flown only by computer, and not by pilot (Space Shuttle on Reentry etc...)Have we not passed that point? And is the continued reliance on Human Operators contributing to Air accidents?
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T3

update: GentleNAV RTL firmware revision & IMU progress

Posted by William Premerlani on February 15, 2009 at 1:46pm
This is an update on two topics.1. A minor revision to GentleNAV RTL firmware.2. Progress to date on an algorithm to combine 3 axes gyro, accelerometer, and GPS information.1. While working on my next project, I discovered a minor error in the GentleNAV RTL firmware that runs on the UAV DevBoard.There are adjustments in the GentleNAV firmware to the pitch and yaw gyro signals to compensate for variation in A/D conversion of the gyro signals due to changes in battery voltage. Unfortunately, in doing the port from my previous board to the new board, I added the correction instead of subtracting. I did not notice the error during testing because I supply my board with regulated 5 volts from my electronic speed control.Anyway, I have revised both the code and the documentation.2. In case you are wondering what my next project is, I am presently working with Paul Bizard on a simple, fast, accurate algorithm for combining gyro, accelerometer, and GPS information into an estimate of the orientation of a plane. We do not have all of the details worked out, but we are making good progress.Today I implemented one of the components of the algorithm. Paul and I refer to it as update and normalization. It is a routine that uses gyro information only to update a matrix of direction cosine factors and maintains the orthogonality conditions. It works quite well, the drift is extremely low, on the order of a degree per minute. I can spin the board 10 revolutions forward and then 10 back, and the orientation estimate returns to the starting point.The bulk of the implementation uses vector and matrix library routines furnished by MicroChip that they tailored to the dsPIC30 hardware. Execution is very fast. Total execution time so far is 200 microseconds every 20 milliseconds using the 16 MHz clock.The next step is to adjust roll and pitch drift with accelerometer information. When I get that done, I will make that firmware available here as a demo.After that we will adjust yaw drift, and make adaptive gyro gain adjustments. We do not have all of the details worked out, but because of the astounding precision of the unadjusted algorithm, I do not think it will be very difficult.Bill Premerlani
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YARB robotic blimp controlled by Google Android G1 phone

Posted by Howard Gordon on February 15, 2009 at 12:00pm

The open source Google Android G1 phone seemed like an obvious platform for wireless robotic control, so we created an Android-based console. After running this first with the ground-based Surveyor SRV-1 robot, we made a few small modifications and used it to control the Surveyor YARB. The tilt sensors in the Android phone work quite nicely for rotor control - we have proportional steering so the amount of tilt controls the amount of power, and live video is displayed on the Android screen from the blimp's onboard Surveyor SRV-1 Blackfin camera, carried via the same radio channel that sends the control signals.The project is hosted on Google Code at code.google.com/p/srv1console/ as well as www.surveyor.com.Here are some first flight videos -
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Ardupilot activating a Canon camera running CHDK

Posted by Nick Sargeant on February 15, 2009 at 6:46am
I'm looking to get the ardupilot to take photo's using my Canon camera that runs CHDK perhaps when it reaches a waypoint.CHDK has a USB remote shutter function described [URL=http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/USB_Remote_Cable]here[/URL]Im not sure if any of you have experience with this, but I am right in thinking all i would need to do is get the ardupilot set one spare pin to HIGH for say 200ms when it reaches the desired waypoint?Also, on a side note, I would like to buy the Xbee Pro 868 dev kit but I'm having trouble finding a distributor that would get it to Australia for a reasonable price.Would anyone in the US with a reputable record on DiyDrones be willing to forward this to me in Australia? I would cover all delivery expenses of course.Thanks for your help.Nick
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ArduPilot installed in plane, indoor testing and simulations done

Posted by Michal B on February 15, 2009 at 12:30am
It's still freezing cold outside, so I'm playing by PC with more simulations.My first UAV is ready to go, for now I hooked by FTDI cable to PC, and checking if everything is OK, before going out to make a real flight.The plane may look fragile and ugly, well it is, but at present it is my working plane which I'm used to. Also it was cheap, and is very easy to cut holes in it for adding more wires and putting in more electronics. It weights about 400 gr. Once I make this fly and tested, I plan to go higher to a new 1100gr fuselage.My simulation setup is described in this blog.I run the simulation, and watch if real plane turns servos as expected. Only motor signal is disabled for now (don't need too much wind on my table). All looks fine, so now just waiting for springtime...Plane details:

And ready to fly:

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Let the projects begin!!!

Posted by Blair Davis on February 14, 2009 at 8:11pm

And now the Fun Begins

It's time, the planing is complete, the mission has been established, and the electronics platform for the HK1, is on order. I have taken easy route, and decided to order a plane that I will customize for my project, I think that this will be fairly successful and as my first UAV I think that's saying alot! I will take the wing set and install them into a redesigned fuse, that will house the electronics and powerplant. This plane is unique and blends the hobbies, that I love! Robotics, R/C planes and Rockets, just to name and few! And if you think that is a type then you are nistaken! that is correct, this UAV is desiged the be a Quick Response Vehicle, what's the use in working on a electronics Prototype if you don't have a goal for it? This particular plane will be rocket powered on take off allowing it to be dispached to a locatation that we may not be able to get to quickly and then transistion into a slow flight, currently I am working on a time on station of like three - five hours, but to start, lets just work on getting her home! .... Pictures on and schematics to come shortly so stay tuned the build will be awesome!On a side note, anyone out there have any guidance for vision tracking? and help on one of those awesome little camera ball units?

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Main DIYdrones page "Latest Activity" without user avatars?

Posted by Reto on February 13, 2009 at 4:29am
I noticed yesterday, that the user avatar pics in the "Latest Activity" row, were not shown anymore... at least in my browser). I have some icon instead (one of the following icon from xg_icon-333333.png):

xg_icon-333333.png

Was there some change or update to the blog engine?I think Chris can easily fix this aesthetic technical detail. Thanks in advance, Chris.
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Newbie AVR programming... the hard way!

Posted by Reto on February 13, 2009 at 12:46am
Hi allI like exploring things. When a problem occurs, I like finding out what went wrong... and I like correcting mistakes I made!When ArduPilot came in, step 1 was to check if the CKDIV8 fuse setting was correct... It wasn't. CTRL not working.Step 2: set the fuse correctly. For that, I needed an AVR programmer... no programmer in the house (I'm a newbie).Step 3: get an AVR programmer:- option A: buy what was recommanded on this site (easy way)- option B: do one myself (hard way)Step 4 (I chose option B): get information (AVR programming), choose an easy hardware solution (I chose the DAPA parallel cable solution), do it (cutting an end of a DB25 cable, wiring as information found online to an ISP connector)Step 5: get free programmer software from the web which accommodates DAPA AVR cable... found itStep 5: connect the AVR DAPA cable to ArduPilot's ISP pins, load software, try out reading the signature of the ATtiny45 chip... it works!Step 6: take a look at the fuses... seems logic and easy, but there, the newbie mistake happens:I thought "fuse = 1 = set" "fuse = 0 = not set".... MISTAKE, but I did not know at the time!!!Step 7: setting the fuses as recommended on DIYdrones with help of available information understood by a newbie:I turned all fuses = 0.Step 8: checking if CTRL works... nope!Step 9: connecting the ISP again to check the fuses... ATtiny not recognized by the AVR, no signature read!!!Step 10: the newbie is stuck, reads some more online information, finds out that fuses set = 0 are ENABLED (not disabled as previously thought). I find out that the RSTDISBL fuse, once enabled, blocks ISP access to the ATtiny45. I also found out that DWEN enabled can cause problems for ISP. Fortunately, SPIEN was not reprogrammed (not accessible with the programmer software I used).Only solution to get the RSTDISBL fuse set = 1 again is called "High Voltage Programming". But for that, one needs an adapted AVR programmer capable of applying 12V to the RESET pin of the ATtin45. And this probably cannot be done with the chip installed in a 5V circuit.Step 11: the newbie asks for some more help with some simple questions:a) Has someone experienced doing a High Voltage Programming of a uC installed in circuit? What precautions have to be made.b) Is it possible to disconnect the uC from the board to HV program it, and then reinstall it again?c) Would it be easier to buy a new uC, flash it, and setting it on the board?d) Does the ATiny45 need having its EEPROM programmed? Where can I find the necessary EEPROM hex file? Or is the flash hex all it needs?Additional information about my setup:- I ordered an AVRISP STK500, but it could take some time to get in (the item is sold for 80 USD in Switzerland, so I ordered from abroad for 35 USD!- I also ordered an Arduino Duemilanove, breadboard and components... I found someone having done a High Voltage AVR for setting wrong fuses with an Arduino board (another way to learn a lot of things).Well, so far as a newbie, I learned a lot from all this... the hard way. And since I am as I am, I'll probably go on that way.Of course, in the meantime, my Kadet Senior airframe is not getting much further...But in the meantime, if someone is willing to share some experience or help, I'll welcome him.
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Communication keeps getting cheaper

Posted by Jack Crossfire on February 13, 2009 at 12:30am

Module_Transparent_sm.jpg

These are basically 300ft XBee's for $10. They have no UART, only SPI. They don't have the GPIO functions of XBee's. They're the same size as XBee's. The idea is to bring the data processing of a really powerful computer on the ground to ever smaller, cheaper aircraft with these high speed radios.MicrochipHopefully Microchip is following the Sparkfun model of selling prototyped versions of its chips & not running short batches for reference designs.
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I'm still confuzed on the power for the board

Posted by Bill Raymond on February 12, 2009 at 10:04pm
Hey guys I've fried 2 boards already, first one dunno why. The second time was a stupid impatient error of judgment. Anyways, unlike most of you I have a Nitro engine so no ESC. I'm tired of shorting my board so I want to make sure I understand 100% where my power can come from. I got my board in the mail yesterday, but the back is stamped 1-12-09. It looks like the new ones. I'm not a newbie to electronics, I'm just paranoid now. Thanks
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3D Robotics

Fred Smith: FedEx wants UAVs

Posted by Chris Anderson on February 12, 2009 at 12:09pm

FedEx founder Fred Smith came by the Wired offices yesterday for a chat on a range of things, but I'll focus here on the bit relevant to this site. He says that they'd like to switch their fleet to UAVs as soon as possible but that this will have to wait for the FAA, which has a tough road ahead in figuring out the rules of NAS integration. Unmanned cargo freighters have lots of advantages for FedEx: safer, cheaper, and much larger capacity. The ideal form is the "blended wing" (example shown). That design doesn't make a clear a distinction between wings and body, so almost all the interior of both can be used for cargo. The result is that the price premium for air over sea would fall from 10x to 2X (with all the speed advantages of air). As he notes, a modern 777 is already capable of being an unmanned vehicle. "They let the pilots touch the controls for about 20 seconds, to advance the throttles, and then the plane takes over," he said, only half-kidding. The truth is that the plane can take off, fly and land itself. Today pilots drive the planes on the ground, but there's no reason why the computer can't do that, too. Sully's a hero, but Smith's perspective is that humans in the cockpit make the airways more dangerous, not less. Because the FAA rules are not in place, nobody's built that perfect blended wing UAV for FedEx yet. But Smith believes it's only a matter of time. As he notes, the key thing is having NO people on board, not even as backup. A single person in the craft requires a completely different design, along with radically different economics and logistics. The efficiencies come with 100% robotic operation.
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3D Robotics

Tiny 5MP camera coming out

Posted by Chris Anderson on February 12, 2009 at 11:45am

Autofocus, image stabalization, etc. Seems perfect for UAV use. From robots.net "Advasense has announced what they claim is the world's smallest 5MP autofocus camera module. The module, which was developed with the help of Creative Sensor Inc., uses a technology called Feedback Controlled Pixels (FCP) to reduce image lag and noise within the tiny sensor. The new moduled, the ASIO 5, is designed for mobile phones but looks ideal for robotics use."
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Retrofitting production helicopters with what's learned here:

Posted by Opticalflow on February 11, 2009 at 11:22pm
I thought the DIY community here would find this pretty interesting:http://www.satnews.com/cgi-bin/story.cgi?number=1312146799Take some pretty low-tech French helicopter designs, add some microUAV command/control, sprinkle some magic video transmission fairy dust, and...This is "allegedly" unmanned, but I'm sure it's "man-assisted"...Now, this brings up a question -- in you folks' opinion, how much experimentation in the amateur community has been done with video-linked RF remote control (digital or analog)?
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