Andropilot is an open source android based ground control system (GCS).
Before posting questions in this group, please check the excellent wiki manual maintained Peter Meister. If you find missing bits in the manual, please ask here and then update the wiki based on what you learn. Together we will keep this manual complete and up-to-date.
For most users the required hardware is:
- An Android phone or tablet (preferably tablet) with USB 'host mode' support. Most newer devices have this but you should check (and then update) our compatibility list.
- Operating system 4.0 or later (all supported versions of android should be equivalent now, except for direct connection of APMs. Direct APM connection will be slow for androids before version 4.2)
- A USB host mode adapter. Probably something like this.
- A supported autopilot (please update this wiki page as you test new devices)
- A telemetry link (the 3dr 915/400MHz radios are recommended - they seem to work better than the xbee radios for this application)
Feature list:
- Super clean user interface
- Rock solid
- GamePad support - you can use this for basic vehicle control, with no need for a RC transmitter/receiver.
- Built in touchscreen joystick overlay with haptic feedback.
- Direct control & monitoring of ArduPlane/Copter with no PC required. Just a $5 USB adapter cable and your Android tablet or phone (Android 3.1 or later). No rooting or hardware mods required.
- Bluetooth to serial adapter support - useful for phones that don't support USB host mode.
- Warnings about high levels of solar radiation (GPS outage inducing)
- Map view
- Parameter editing (with parameter documentation)
- Waypoint editing (including setting waypoint type/parameters etc...)
- Shares your flights via www.droneshare.com (G+, Facebook, Google Earth).
- Follow-me mode to have the vehicle follow you
- Lead-it mode to steer/move vehicle by turning your body and tilting the tablet
- Vehicle mode display & control (AUTO, STABILIZE, etc...)
- Speech output (for mode, altitude and battery alerts)
- Capture tlog files to sdcard
- Direct connect to USB on the APM
- RC channel 'raw' view
- 3DR telemetry module support
- Warnings for low battery, low rssi, or low GPS sat count
- Fully android 'native' (Scala backend talks directly to the USB device and renders the frontend)
- UDP link (either as a client or a server)
- TCP link (as a client)
- Special support for the Archos GamePad
- Monitor your vehicle through an optional Pebble smart watch.
Current release You can download from the Google play store.
(See the discussions below for particular releases - releases are just too frequent to keep updating this header text)
Comments
Hi Kabir,
Strange. If Play said your device was not compatible it is probably due to some missing software or hardware. Does the device have google maps?
I'm getting "Error parsing package" on an HTC Flyer running Honeycomb (Android 3.2)
Downloaded the APK from github as Play said my device was not compatible.
Hi Tua Tararo. To have Follow me Mode active you need GPS active and fixed on your android smartphone/tablet and copter connected (thru BT or 3DRradio) with GPS active and fixed.
Luciano
NB
Perhaps would be better to use a discussion thread (like FOLLOW ME thread) so it is easier to answer.
Hi Nicholas, It might be easier to answer if you start a discussion thread. But, yep - that's the right device (about $9 from dealextreme.com). Then just connect rx, tx and ground between the 433 radio and the BT adapter (swapping rx & tx appropriately). For power you'll have to rig something up - possibly an ESC plus a lipo battery?
Does anybody know what type of Bluetooth to serial adapter to get with the 433MHz telemetry? Im looking on ebay and found some interesting items such as:
JY-MCU Arduino / PIC / AVR Bluetooth to UART Wireless Serial Port M...
Then how to power it?
ahh ok
Jared, I think you implied otherwise in your initial post ;-).
GPS follow me has been implemented for a long time in andropilot (and extended to be lead-it).
sorry kevin, i didn't really understand you, can you say again please, also i am not saying one is better than the other, they both have their pluses and negatives
Jared, it has been in there for some time - I think a bit before Droidplanner. Also, please give lead-it a shot (change min/max distance in settings, it will convert follow-me into tilt steering, if you turn left and right the vehicle will stay in front of you. If you tilt fore and back it will move the vehicle where you point the tablet)
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