Anything you're going to launch into the air should initially start with some kind of R/C system for manual override, in my opinion. Until you have a problem, people like me will sound like old men with "good advice". R/C airplanes can break windows and cause car wrecks, so be careful. You can eliminate the risk to make the project feasible just by having a backup human-based system while you work out the kinks, of which there shall be plenty. I advise checking into the numerous UAV web sites, too.
To give you an example of some kind of assisted control, we used to fly a lot of R/C airplanes at Parallax. Our preference was for 40 and 60-powered glow fuel coroplast/aluminum planes. These things were heavy, too. I attempted to make a self-levelling autonomous flight mode using one of our acceleromters. To do this, I used the landing gear "switch" to temporarily send the plane into self-levelling mode. I could take over flight manually at any time. This allowed me to experiment, somewhat more safely.·At the ESC show this week, we had a 70-lb hybrid robot in our booth which·visitors could drive. This robot could wipe out somebody's legs at full speed,·breaking both bones and skin. We mounted six Ping)))s around the·chassis for emergency shutdown for the less skilled drivers. This seemed to work well with walls, but people's pants absorbed much of the·ultrasonic sound. This reduced the detection range and limited the robot's stopping ability.·In time we could improve the system with a mix of technology for a better semi-autonomous solution.
I wouldn't use a cheap cell phone to control an autonomous plane or to send commands, at least for localized range in which Bluetooth is utilized. The physical interface of a cell phone·doesn't have the tactile and control-oriented·use of a transmitter or gamepad.
Maybe you should look into getting your amateur radio license along the way in this adventure. This could open up a few more control ideas.
Have fun with the project.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
Tech-Man said...
Hi, I am also thinking about building an Autonomous UAV airplane style (just sounds essayer).·Also a·few post back you said you wanted to use Bluetooth to comunicat with the Propeler chip, this would work but you could only do so from within a range of about 300 feet. Wouldent it be posibal to send comands using a cheap cell phone, have now idea how just sounds posibal.
We're almost done with our prop-powered UAV.... movies up Sunday if today's test flight goes well [noparse]:)[/noparse] it's my thesis, so I can't post code on the object exchange for a few more weeks, but after that you're welcome to it.
Yeah working on a similar project here. Raptor is to unstable. Going for that second suggestion. Need to be able to control remotely or autonomous is need be.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Yeah, Yeah, I know. "I don't have the experience." I dont really care, it is fun to try.
Ya i had the idea of the cell phone to send it new cordinents in mid flight like he had minchioned wanting to be abale to do. But i gusse this realy wouldent be that practical im shure you could use some other method. Ill also have to check in to what an amateur radio license lets me do, sounds usefull.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
There are no Undo buttons in life.
How'd the UAV test go - or has the race car been taking your time?
I'm also interested in the real-world range you're getting with the XBee-Pro (I just ordered the breakout brad from Sparkfun, and I see it's out of stock again - popular!)
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Cheers,
Simon
BTW: I type as I'm thinking, so please don't take any offense at my writing style www.norfolkhelicopterclub.co.uk
You'll always have as many take-offs as landings, the trick is to be sure you can take-off again ;-)
I just joined the forum since I am interested in UAV control solutions that are economic read affordable. As such the following site/links may be of interest to you http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/FinalProjects/s2006/rg242/webpage/ece%20476.htm
showing a student project· how to flight stabalize a mini electric helicopter bought via ebay for $10. The code used is simple to port to a propellor chip. Adding a GPS control function to it can be done by for instance by adding the GPS control mechanisme described in this site/link http://www.uavs.net/rcap.html. This provide a pic solution to steer an aircraft/uav·by means of GPS.·
Comments
BTW - $0.95/ea for the headers is too much.
Sorry I bought them out, dudes!
-Parsko
Anything you're going to launch into the air should initially start with some kind of R/C system for manual override, in my opinion. Until you have a problem, people like me will sound like old men with "good advice". R/C airplanes can break windows and cause car wrecks, so be careful. You can eliminate the risk to make the project feasible just by having a backup human-based system while you work out the kinks, of which there shall be plenty. I advise checking into the numerous UAV web sites, too.
To give you an example of some kind of assisted control, we used to fly a lot of R/C airplanes at Parallax. Our preference was for 40 and 60-powered glow fuel coroplast/aluminum planes. These things were heavy, too. I attempted to make a self-levelling autonomous flight mode using one of our acceleromters. To do this, I used the landing gear "switch" to temporarily send the plane into self-levelling mode. I could take over flight manually at any time. This allowed me to experiment, somewhat more safely.·At the ESC show this week, we had a 70-lb hybrid robot in our booth which·visitors could drive. This robot could wipe out somebody's legs at full speed,·breaking both bones and skin. We mounted six Ping)))s around the·chassis for emergency shutdown for the less skilled drivers. This seemed to work well with walls, but people's pants absorbed much of the·ultrasonic sound. This reduced the detection range and limited the robot's stopping ability.·In time we could improve the system with a mix of technology for a better semi-autonomous solution.
I wouldn't use a cheap cell phone to control an autonomous plane or to send commands, at least for localized range in which Bluetooth is utilized. The physical interface of a cell phone·doesn't have the tactile and control-oriented·use of a transmitter or gamepad.
Maybe you should look into getting your amateur radio license along the way in this adventure. This could open up a few more control ideas.
Have fun with the project.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Yeah, Yeah, I know. "I don't have the experience." I dont really care, it is fun to try.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
There are no Undo buttons in life.
How'd the UAV test go - or has the race car been taking your time?
I'm also interested in the real-world range you're getting with the XBee-Pro (I just ordered the breakout brad from Sparkfun, and I see it's out of stock again - popular!)
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Cheers,
Simon
BTW: I type as I'm thinking, so please don't take any offense at my writing style
www.norfolkhelicopterclub.co.uk
You'll always have as many take-offs as landings, the trick is to be sure you can take-off again ;-)
I just joined the forum since I am interested in UAV control solutions that are economic read affordable. As such the following site/links may be of interest to you
http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/FinalProjects/s2006/rg242/webpage/ece%20476.htm
showing a student project· how to flight stabalize a mini electric helicopter bought via ebay for $10. The code used is simple to port to a propellor chip. Adding a GPS control function to it can be done by for instance by adding the GPS control mechanisme described in this site/link http://www.uavs.net/rcap.html. This provide a pic solution to steer an aircraft/uav·by means of GPS.·