Long Range Remote Control

Rocketmaniac

I am looking for hints and ideas to control a robot from long range. (at least 500 feet, I would hope to get 750-1000) I think I will need (ok would like) to have at least 8 separate controls or channels.

Thanks,

Randy

Franklin

threr are radios that will transmit half a mile or so. You just need to write the code to send receive some data the robot can use. There are several ideas using packets to encapsulate and verify the data. How are you going to tell what your robot is doing at that range?

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- Stephen

D Faust

This may not work for your project, but you could put a reciever and transmitter in betwwen the two point to relay the signal.

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D Faust

Rocketmaniac

Hello Franklin,
Good point.· Let me first tell you a little bit about the project.· I am into model rocketry. The kind where the rocket is 12' long, the take off weight is 50-70 lbs and the motor has between 300-400 lbs of thrust. I am also into photography. So, in order to combine both interests, I want to build a robot that will go out right next to the rockets as they are launching and take a video.· So, I will have to have a video system in the robot. If I can combine the recording video and the navigation video, then I will only need one system. If not, I will need two cameras and transmit one of them back to the "control center".

Franklin said...
How are you going to tell what your robot is doing at that range?

····· This is a different way of looking at the problem. I could set up a "receiver/transmitter" halfway to the launch pads. It is a very open range so I don't have any other barriers to block the signals.

D Faust said...
This may not work for your project, but you could put a reciever and transmitter in betwwen the two point to relay the signal.

Keep the ideas coming guys!!!!!


Thanks,

Randy

T0m

You should look at some of the RC airplane transmitters they come with a receiver to control servos and the range is more than enough for your project. They make them up to 12 channels.
Tom

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Robot vision is the the future, and Vision will take us there.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbf0zaxWjvI

OSOK

By saying the robot will go out right next to the rocket... you mean it'll be attached to it and take pics as it takes off? Or a camera on the ground taking pics while it ignites?

Rocketmaniac

Some rocketeers·put cameras in rockets and take either still pictures or video, but I want to capture·the motor·igniting and the rocket leaving the launch pad·from the ground 20-25 feet away. Any closer and the blast could damage the robot. But this distance would still be dangerous, hence the name "Danger Cam".

OSOK said...
By saying the robot will go out right next to the rocket... you mean it'll be attached to it and take pics as it takes off? Or a camera on the ground taking pics while it ignites?

allanlane5

I think he's talking a rocket platform and ANOTHER rocket platform with the camera onboard. Launch both at the same time. If that IS what he's talking about, it doesn't sound very practical. The two rockets have to accellerate at the same rate for this to work I'd think, which would be hard to make happen.

Another approach is to 'mount' the camera on the side of one rocket, (with a balance for it on the other side). That's how they're getting really cool images of Shuttle launches these days.

Edit:· Gotcha, 'danger cam', it sits on the ground, but 'too close' to the rocket.· There are some very nice RC camera sets, but I don't know the range.· They're not very expensive though.· Worst case, put the RC camera at the rocket, 100' away put the 'recieving station', then run the video through wire as far as you want.

Rocketmaniac

Nope, it's not a camera on the actual rocket.· It's just a ground roving unit to capture rockets launching. I'll post a picture soon.

Rocketmaniac

I may have to look at that idea some more.· Or something similar like putting a receiving station closer to the launch controls (thus reduceing the distance of the control and video transmission.

allanlane5 said...
· Worst case, put the RC camera at the rocket, 100' away put the 'recieving station', then run the video through wire as far as you want.

Rocketmaniac

Ok here is a picture of the danger cam frame and wheels.

Franklin

How far away from the robot will the receiving station be? Regular RCshould work for several hundred feet and some of the 2.4g wireless video cameras will do the same. youtube had some remote video from a plane flying with a video transmitter onboard.

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- Stephen

bennettdan

Hello,
··· MaxStream has some OEM moduals called XBpro that transmitts RS232 data up to a mile.
http://www.maxstream.net/products/xbee/xbee-pro-oem-rf-module-zigbee.php
They also have a unit with antenna and mounted in a nice box that transmits RS232 a mile.
http://www.maxstream.net/products/xbee/xbee-pro-pkg-r-modem-zigbee.php
You will need two of either one to make it work and then you can send signals from a Laptop to a BS2 via RS232 or you can send data from BS2 to BS2 and create your own wireless remote.

Also look at this websight this guy made himself a large remote.
http://www.kronosrobotics.com/Projects/remote.shtml

I hope this helps..

Rocketmaniac

Well, right now I don't have any real set-in-stone plans.· Really just in the design phase, looking for viable options.· It is looking like a pre-packaged R/C transmitter and receiver might be the way I have to go.· (I was hoping to build something from scratch)

Franklin said...
How far away from the robot will the receiving station be? Regular RCshould work for several hundred feet and some of the 2.4g wireless video cameras will do the same. youtube had some remote video from a plane flying with a video transmitter onboard.

kelvin james

Howdy

You could go with one camera. While the camera is on, a wireless video transmitter hooked up to the video feed and transmitted to a remote small lcd display will give you the visual navigation needed to move into position. If your video camera has a serial lanc interface control, the stamp in the robot could be used to put the camera in record when desired. Unfortunately, you will need a wireless video transmitter for the navigation, and another wireless serial transmitter to control the robot and camera. Most video cams come with a wireless remote, but i don't think it would be within the range you need.

Kevin Wood

This would be a perfect application for Amateur Televsion. The caveat being that you would need to obtain at least a Technician class amateur radio license. However, it's not that difficult to obtain.

The following link should give you some idea of what you can do:

www.detroitatvrepeater.com


And for licensing info, see the ARRL site at www.arrl.org

Post Edited (Kevin Wood) : 7/1/2007 12:31:33 AM GMT

Rocketmaniac

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all of the ideas.· A plan is starting to take shape.· Bennettdan posted a great link to a website that a guy made a great little (well actually large) remote.· I am going to take alot from his design and building something similar.· The builder of that great remote,·Michael Simpson used a cheap 6 channel transimitter and receiver from all-electronics.· I will be ordering one of these myself.·

I don't really know the range of this system but I am going to use it anyway.· I will get the robot build and running and then see about extending it later. Most liklely it will·be done by placing·a repeater halfway.

I think Kelvin James is right on track with his ideas about the camera system. A Kevin Wood is right about getting licensed to mess with amateur radio.· I think I am going to start studying for the test very soon.·(It can only help me in the future)

PS, which forum is the best place to start a "build" thread so I can document my build progress?

PAR

Rocketmaniac said... ..., but I want to capture·the motor·igniting and the rocket leaving the launch pad·from the ground 20-25 feet away. ...

Don't those rockets lift off very quickly? If you place the video camera that close, how will it track the rocket's early trajectory? The camera would have to tilt up, possibly pan as well, and refocus, to follow the rocket· --all very quickly. Such (accurate) tracking might be very difficuly to achieve.

Also, will you be using a camera that is capable of high-speed (slow motion) recording? If not, and if you are so close to the launch site, won't the recorded video be a verrrrry short (and uninteresting) shoot (rocket lifting off and out of frame almost immediately)?

Would you gain more reliable control over tracking by backing off, and perhaps by selectively using the camera's lens zoom capability?

PAR

Bruce Bates

Rocketmaniac -

Please be advised that the R/C transmitter and receiver offered by All Electronics is not a standard unit. They are intended for use with Vex products. They can be used for standard R/C applications but additional hardware and software, which is not included, is required to do so.

Regards,

Bruce Bates

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Rocketmaniac

Yea some·rockets can·do Mach 1.· I would like to use a still camera (ie better resolution) but capturing the lift off is very hard. That is why I will use a video camera and then take the·frame I like best.·

Maybe later on I might be able to work on a tracking system, at which time you are right, I would have to back away a good bit.

PAR said...

Rocketmaniac said... ..., but I want to capture·the motor·igniting and the rocket leaving the launch pad·from the ground 20-25 feet away. ...

Don't those rockets lift off very quickly? If you place the video camera that close, how will it track the rocket's early trajectory? The camera would have to tilt up, possibly pan as well, and refocus, to follow the rocket· --all very quickly. Such (accurate) tracking might be very difficuly to achieve.

Also, will you be using a camera that is capable of high-speed (slow motion) recording? If not, and if you are so close to the launch site, won't the recorded video be a verrrrry short (and uninteresting) shoot (rocket lifting off and out of frame almost immediately)?

Would you gain more reliable control over tracking by backing off, and perhaps by selectively using the camera's lens zoom capability?

PAR

Bruce,·
Thanks for the heads up on the all-electronics transmitter/receiver. Do you have any information on the additional things needed for standard use?·

Randy

Bruce Bates said...
Rocketmaniac -

Please be advised that the R/C transmitter and receiver offered by All Electronics is not a standard unit. They are intended for use with Vex products. They can be used for standard R/C applications but additional hardware and software, which is not included, is required to do so.

Regards,

Bruce Bates

Tom C

Rocketmaniac,

Take a look at this thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=653215

It will provide you with either a BS2x hardware or a software solution for decoding the VEX receiver serial servo output stream.

If you want to use an SX platform, then look at this thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=635586

Regards,

TCIII

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If you are going to send·a Robot·to save the world, you·better make sure it likes it the way it is!

Post Edited (Tom C) : 7/2/2007 2:47:36 AM GMT

Rocketmaniac

Thanks Tom,

This is exactly what I was looking for. This will save me a bunch of $$ and still handle the job.

Randy