ArduPlane home page
Features include:
- Return to Launch with a flick of your RC toggle switch or a mouse click in the graphical Ground Station
- Unlimited 3D GPS waypoints
- Built-in camera control
- Fully-scriptable missions
- One-click software load, and easy point-and-click configuration in the powerful Mission Planner. NO programming required!
- Replay recorded missions and analyze all the data with a graphing interface
- Supports two-way telemetry with Xbee wireless modules.
- Point-and-click waypoint entry or real-time mission commands while the UAV is in the air
- Fly with a joystick or gamepad via your PC--no need for RC control!
- Built-in failsafe will bring your aircraft home in the case of radio loss
All instructions and software are here.
ArduPilot Mega (APM) is an open source, Arduino-compatible, pro-quality autopilot. It is the most advanced IMU-based open source autopilot available today, and provides an entire UAV control system with scriptable missions with 3D waypoints, in-flight uploading of commands and powerful ground station software. The hardware consists of a main processor board and a IMU "shield" that fits on top of it. The two are shown mated above.
APM supports any kind of of vehicle with a one-click change of code. Available code include ArduPlane (fixed wing), ArduCopter (rotary wing), ArduRover (ground vehicles) and more.
Everything you need to create an ArduPlane UAV:
* ArduPilot Mega kit with GPS ($250)
* [Optional] Telemetry kit ($165).
You'll also need a at least a five-channel RC radio setup, a soldering iron, a mini USB cable and of course something that flies!
(We're partial to the SkyFun delta wing (right) and
Bixler powered glider (left) or its equivalents ourselves).
The main board features:
- Designed to be used with autonomous aircraft, quadcopters and helis
- Based on a 16MHz Atmega1280 processor.
- Built-in hardware failsafe that uses a separate circuit (multiplexer chip and ATMega328 processor) to transfer control from the
RC system to the autopilot and back again. Includes ability to reboot
the main processor in mid-flight - Dual-processor design with 32 MIPS of onboard power
- Supports 3D waypoints and mission commands (limited only by memory--approximately 600-700 waypoints with current code, but can be adapted for more)
- 128k Flash Program Memory, 8K SRAM, 4K EEPROM
- Comes with a 6-pin GPS connector (EM406 style).
- Has 16 spare analog inputs (with ADC on each) and 40 digital input/outputs to add additional sensors
- Four dedicated serial ports for two-way telemetry (using optional
XBee modules) and expansion
- Can be powered by either the RC receiver or a separate battery
- Hardware-driven servo control, which means less processor overhead, tighter response and no jitters
- Eight RC channels (including the autopilot on/off channel) can be processed by the autopilot.
- LEDs for power, failsafe status, autopilot status and GPS lock
The IMU shield features:
- Dual 3.3V Regulator!!! (One dedicated for analog sensors!)
- Relay switch for cameras, lights or payloads (WOW!)
- 12-bit ADC for better Gyro/Accel/AirSpeed resolution. (YEAH!)
- Built-in 16Mm Data Logger (The Black Box).
- Piano DIP switch for servo reverse or user customizable.
- Built-in FTDI, making the board native USB.
- Dedicated Modem/OSD port.
- I2C Port with incoming "Daisy Chain board" allowing you to build sensor arrays.
- Two user-programmable buttons (one momentary, the other slide).
- 10-Bit analog expansion ports.
- Reset button.
- Optional "Through Hole" voltage dividers (Easy to solder).
- Tons of Status LEDs.
- New vibration resistance Invensense Gyros (Triple Axis).
- Analog Devices ADX330 Accelerometer.
- AirSpeed sensor port (optional, sold separately).
- Absolute Bosch pressure sensor and temp for accurate altitude
- (Yes, you can use your shield as a Weather Logger, too!).
Resources:
Manual
Source code/firmware
Note: ArduPilot Mega requires no programming, but it's open source and you're welcome to modify it if you'd like. If you are going to play with the code, you can use the free Arduino IDE to edit and upload the code to the ArduPilot board.
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Comment by Jason Kunc on June 2, 2010 at 4:24pm -
ArduPilot Mega IMU shield (aka oil pan)
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Comment by Patrick Mccabe on June 2, 2010 at 4:35pm -
What happened to the flat GPS connector instead of the vertical one?
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Comment by Fab - Arduino for Visual Studio on June 2, 2010 at 8:23pm -
The gps cable connections can be very tight. The connector came away from one of my arupilot shields. Does gluing the connector on to the board prior to use sound like a silly idea?
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Comment by Taylor Cox on June 2, 2010 at 8:29pm -
If you use hot glue I think that that would do the trick perfectly.
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Comment by Chris Anderson on June 2, 2010 at 8:35pm
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Patrick, the current boards have a flat connector. The photo is out of date...
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Comment by Patrick Mccabe on June 3, 2010 at 12:10pm
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I guess it is also out of date on sparkfuns product page too. Good to hear though.
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Comment by Fab - Arduino for Visual Studio on June 3, 2010 at 1:06pm
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Chris,
Would it be an idea to add a short male>female gps cable to the store?
It could be attached to the boards at one end and the gps at the other. This would allow a gps to be uncoupled without a tug on the board?
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Comment by James F. on June 3, 2010 at 2:39pm -
I don't suppose there is a way to buy these pre-soldered and ready to go?
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Comment by Daniel G. on June 4, 2010 at 5:11am
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Great stuff Chris,
glad to see the page is up at last.
When will the manual be available?
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@Daniel. The hardware manual will be up next weekend. The software manual will be out with the code, in about a month.
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