AndroCopter - use your smartphone as an autopilot

AndroCopter - use your smartphone as an autopilot !



Hi all,

I would like to present my latest project, a scratch-built quadcopter with a special autopilot: an Android smartphone !
The phone is onboard (under the battery), and actually computes how to stabilize the drone. Of course, a phone cannot be connected directly to the ESCs, so an Arduino ADK bridges the two.

The idea came from the fact that smartphones now feature a lot of nice components useful for a drone. For example, the Nexus 4 used in this project has:
-sensors: accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, barometer, GPS.
-wireless communication: Wi-Fi, 3G.
-2 cameras.
-a powerful quad-core processor, with a GPU.

For the moment, I can fly it manually from a laptop, with a XBox gamepad. I am currently implementing the vertical stabilization, using the barometer. The next step is the GPS. I am also thinking about implementing an optic flow algorithm, for indoor stabilization.

All the source code can be found on Google Code, in case someone is interested.







FONTE:AndroCopter - use your smartphone as an autopilot ! - DIY Drones

Safeflight Copters, LLC | Safety & Perfomance Through Innovation

What we do

Our team designs, prototypes, and manufactures medium to large multi-rotor airframes for hobby, professionals, FPV, and robotics enthusiasts. Our mission entirely revolves around making the multi-rotor safer to operate, thereby helping to promote these wondrous machines into their rightful place as useful tools for our world.

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SFC4410-1 Quad H Airframe - U.S. $175

As the first universal production multi-rotor airframe of its kind with lightweight, structurally strong monocoque propeller guards featuring removable screens, the SFC4410 sports a fuselage that allows for FPV, robotics, sensors, and other equipment to be mounted anywhere topside. Constructed more like an RC airplane than current multi-rotors, this airframe is sturdy, tough, and intentionally disengages into sections upon hard impacts.

   



FONTE:Safeflight Copters, LLC | Safety & Perfomance Through Innovation

Drone radiocomandato QR X350 della Italtrading

Presso la Italtrading è disponibile il nuovo drone QR X350: altro concorrente a basso prezzo (costa appena 399 completo di radiocomando) del fortunato Phantom della DJI. Dotato di caratteristiche piuttosto interessanti, il quadricottero QRX350 monta un giroscopio, una bussola ed è dotato di un circuito GPS per aumentarne la stabilità e renderlo capace di memorizzare i percorsi e tornare autonomamente al punto di decollo. Una volta raggiunta la posizione in cui si vuole effettuare l’hovering, è possibile attivare la funzione “hold” che tramite il GPS satellitare stabilisce la posizione fissa e la mantiene stabile.



Quando poi si desideri far tornare l’apparecchio al punto di decollo/partenza, sarà sufficiente attivare la funzione “One Key Return Home” perché il drone rientri automaticamente alla base di partenza, atterrando in completa autonomia. La stessa cosa potrebbe accadere nel caso in cui al QRX350 venisse a mancare il segnale radio, con una sorta di “fail safe” avanzato.



Il radiocomando del QRX350 è un 7 canali a 2.4GHz con display digitale e trim elettronici (e può essere facilmente variato a piacimento da modo 1 a modo 2). Per il funzionamento è necessario un pacco batterie Lipo 3S  11,1 volt da circa 2000-2500 mah (e il relativo caricabatterie) da acquistare separatamente.
Fra le parti opzionali c’è anche il supporto per la famosa videocamera Go Pro Hero che si applica rapidamente al di sotto del drone e che è orientabile per ottenere riprese aeree di buona qualità con una spesa molto limitata (art. WKR QRX350-Z18).




FONTE:Drone radiocomandato QR X350 della Italtrading

Introducing the New 3DR Radio - DIY Drones

Introducing the New 3DR Radio



We’re pleased to announce our new 3DR Radio. Featuring interchangeable air and ground modules, Android tablet compatibility, and a protective case, our new radio delivers unparalleled ease of use for viewing in-flight data, changing missions on the fly, and tuning.
Quite a bit of work went into the new radio design. Our first version was simply a carrier board for the radio module, providing a power supply, an antenna connector and a way to connect to the autopilot or the computer. Our new radio provides an EMI shield over the radio module, EMI filtering chips on all power and signal lines, USB and autopilot connectivity options on the same board, and an enclosure for protection and easy mounting.
Each Telemetry Kit comes with two modules, two antennas, and cables to connect to Pixhawk, APM, PX4, laptop, and tablet.


FONTE:Introducing the New 3DR Radio - DIY Drones

Novità Align presentate al FunFly 2013 di Taiwan

Novità Align presentate al FunFly 2013 di Taiwan

29 ott 2013

Pubblicato da rcheli in Align, Elimodellismo, drone

Lo scorso fine settimana a Taiwan si è svolto il FunFly 2013 dove al Align ha presentato i nuovi prodotti che vedremo presto nei negozi di modellismo. Fra questi troviamo il primo multicottero prodotto da questo famoso brand di elimodellismo il nuovo micro elicottero per volo acrobatico T-Rex 150 DFC e il T-Rex 800 DFC PRO.

FONTE:Novità Align presentate al FunFly 2013 di Taiwan

CASA not so impressed with Lithgow quad footage | sUAS News

Not much of a sign of the proposed simple system in Australia for sub 2kg airframes. Our guess is that a licensed operator complained and CASA had to react. Although they make a fair point if manned aircraft involved in firefighting were on scene. Once again though, if the multirotor was being flown by a member of the fire fighting crew in touch with a gold or silver commander then situational awareness could be increased for a low cost. Melbourne firefighters are certainly trying out UA

Warning to keep ‘drones’ off fire grounds

People operating unapproved ‘drones’ on bush fire grounds have been warned they are putting fire fighting responses at risk.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has seen video footage of a remotely piloted aircraft being operated on the NSW Lithgow fire ground this week.
This operation was not approved and appears to be in breach of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.
Flying a remotely piloted aircraft in the same airspace as fire fighting helicopters and aeroplanes creates a real risk of a mid-air collision.
If a remotely piloted aircraft hit a fire fighting helicopter tail rotor the helicopter could be badly damaged, with possible loss of control by the pilot.
The collision risk means if unapproved remotely piloted aircraft operate on a fire ground fire fighting authorities may be forced to ground their aircraft, putting lives and property at risk.
CASA’s Director of Aviation Safety, John McCormick, says the unapproved use of remotely piloted aircraft during a bush fire was irresponsible.
“People who have a ‘drone’ must fly according to the Civil Aviation Regulations and they must use their common sense,” Mr McCormick said.
“Flying an unapproved remotely piloted aircraft near fire fighting aircraft, fire fighters and fire fighting vehicles is dangerous.”
Operators of both commercial and recreational remotely piloted aircraft are required to comply with Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. The regulations include provisions requiring remotely piloted aircraft not to operate closer than 30 metres to people unless otherwise approved. It is also an offence to operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled or restricted airspace without approval or to operate in a way that creates a hazard to another aircraft, person or property.
Media are asked not to use vision or photographs taken from unapproved remotely piloted aircraft operations as this can promote dangerous activities.
The rules for use of remotely piloted aircraft are at: CASR Part 101 Unmanned aircraft and rocket operations.
Media contact:
Peter Gibson
Mobile: 0419 296 446
Email: peter.gibson@casa.gov.au
Ref: MR6313
http://www.casa.gov.au/Scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_101745

fonte:CASA not so impressed with Lithgow quad footage | sUAS News

Drone Quadricottero APOLLO Ideafly per riprese aeree a basso costo - Modellismo Maximo

Drone Quadricottero APOLLO Ideafly

Presso Modellismo Maximo è possibile prenotare il nuovo drone per riprese aeree Apollo Ideafly. Questo quadricottero dal design molto curato, sia per la qualità aerodinamica che per l’ottimale integrazione dei componenti, è equipaggiato con eliche in carbonio, trasmittente, batteria e caricatore.
La caratteristica che rende unico l’Apollo è il gimbal in PVC e ingranaggi in metallo a doppio asse motorizzato con attacco per action cam (videocamere come la Gopro Hero e la Nilox) per effettuare spettacolari riprese aeree spendendo meno di 500 Euro.

L’assetto di volo è commutabile direttamente dalla trasmittente anche in quota. E’ possibile scegliere tra volo assistito, volo autopilot (con GPS) oppure volo libero. Inoltre è attivabile anche la funzione di decollo/atterraggio autopilato e il ritorno automatico al punto di partenza con coordinate GPS.
Il quadricottero Apollo sarà disponibile dal 15 novembre (per maggiori informazioni e per prenotazioni puoi inviare una email a info@maximo.net).

Caratteristiche del Drone Apollo:

• distanza da motore a motore (diagonale): 350mm
• temperatura di esercizio: -10°C / 50°C
• peso massimo al decollo: 1200g
• precisione in hovering con GPS: 0.8m (orizzontale) / 2.5m (verticale)
• velocità massima di rotazione: 300 °/s
• angolo massimo di inclinazione: 45°
• velocità massima di ascesa: 4m/s
• velocità massima orizzontale: 5m/s

Trasmittente:

• frequenza di esercizio: 2.4GHz
• numero canali: 6
• batterie stilo tipo AA: 8 (non incluse)

Batteria:

• tipologia batteria: LiPO
• capacità: 2200mAh
• voltaggio batteria: 11.1V
• corrente di carica del bilanciatore: 1A-2A
• tipologia caricatore: 220V

Drone Quadricottero APOLLO Ideafly per riprese aeree a basso costo - Modellismo Maximo

Robotic Hand Project # 1 - DIY Drones

Robotic Hand Project # 1

What type GCS should I use?! AndroPilot? Mission Planner? Also are their any others compatible with the APM 2.5? If anyone knows of a list of Compatible software for the APM 2.5 please share it with me.  I want to run it to my APM 2.5 if you couldn't already tell! ;)



Joshua Johnson - Diy Drones News


FONTE:Robotic Hand Project # 1 - DIY Drones

Ian Mulgrew: Police forces need to address privacy concerns surrounding drone use | sUAS News

 

Ian Mulgrew: Police forces need to address privacy concerns surrounding drone use

by Press • 21 October 2013

 

The RCMP and other Canadian police forces are using aerial drones while public discussion about the rules that should govern them lags.
In the last few years, these unmanned aerial vehicles — so-called “eyes in the sky” — have been conscripted for everything from traffic control and tactical surveillance to searching for isolated marijuana grow-ops.
RCMP Cpl. Robert McDonald says the force has four units deployed in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and in the southeast and northern areas of the province.
Unlike costly-to-purchase, expensive-to-operate aircraft and helicopters, these suitcase-sized devices controlled from a computer screen can be purchased for the price of a luxury car, and are cheap to fly.
There are a variety of models, including some that can hover at invisible heights for long periods of time collecting high-definition live-stream images, sound, thermal-images, engage in more specialized data collection, or even be equipped with firepower.
The RCMP has a score or so in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Northwest Territories.
These drones provide police with an incredible new tool — one that can assist in accident reconstructions, provide SWAT teams with live intelligence on potential threats, and supply invaluable support in search and rescue operations over rugged terrain.
In May, for example, the Mounties in Saskatchewan credited a drone equipped with an infrared camera with finding an injured and missing 25-year-old man who suffered a head injury in a car crash and wandered far away from the scene.
Last year, McDonald said, the force used drones in this province to fly over five accident scenes, but none so far this year.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Mulgrew+Police+forces+need+address+privacy+concerns+surrounding+drone/9059690/story.html#ixzz2iOGmUJVr


FONTE:Ian Mulgrew: Police forces need to address privacy concerns surrounding drone use | sUAS News