Autopilot for Helicopter

[thegadget]

Hello everyone! I cannot believe that there is an interest in this!! I already have a FS8 copilot system on my heli w/z sensor. I do have the computer interface as well (serial). I was wondering how someone would integrate a gps and actually go to waypoints either from a gps, or use a pocket pc with integrated gps. Any help will be appreciated greatly! I am using a Kalt Baron 30s (2000 model) with an OS SX (32 size). It can lift a pretty good payload without too much of a problem. I would say 5lbs would probably be the max. The reciever supports 8 channels, and I have a 7 channel radio (futaba). Please let me know where I should go to get the stuff and how to get it all to work together.

Later,
Josh
Bruceville, TX :rolleyes:

[Unterhausen]

there actually is a guy with a blog here on RCG that is working on helicopters. His blog is a bit of a soap opera, but it looks pretty interesting.

[Arthur P.]

http://www.carvecsystem.co.uk/

[phil007]

there actually is a guy with a blog here on RCG that is working on helicopters. His blog is a bit of a soap opera, but it looks pretty interesting.
Do you have a link to this guy's blog?

Thanks,
Phil

[Unterhausen]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/member.php?u=115141
Have to scroll down past youtubes of his ex-girlfriend.

[Aeroflot]

Hello everyone! I cannot believe that there is an interest in this!! I already have a FS8 copilot system on my heli w/z sensor. I do have the computer interface as well (serial). I was wondering how someone would integrate a gps and actually go to waypoints either from a gps, or use a pocket pc with integrated gps. Any help will be appreciated greatly! I am using a Kalt Baron 30s (2000 model) with an OS SX (32 size). It can lift a pretty good payload without too much of a problem. I would say 5lbs would probably be the max. The reciever supports 8 channels, and I have a 7 channel radio (futaba). Please let me know where I should go to get the stuff and how to get it all to work together.

Later,
Josh
Bruceville, TX :rolleyes:

The best rotor opensource autopilot i know of is here http://autopilot.sourceforge.net/rev2.2.html it looked like being some fun but ended up here http://www.rotomotion.com/ not to say that it's a bad thing the guys did put in a heap of work and started the project.

[DRAWDE279]

JOSH I see that you fly a kalt baron maybe you can help me. I trying to find a main gear wheel for my baron 30 with no luck. Any help would be gladly appreciated. thanks Ted.

[Arthur P.]

There are a number of UAV kit suppliers for RC heli's. Here's another one: http://www.procerusuav.com/. Main problem with all of them is price. If you have a few (tens of) thousands USD to spend, you should be OK. Otherwise you may have to put together your own. There have been several research projects for creating UAV - heli's as well for which there are published papers.

Main problem I see are the mechanical complexity and the large and rather dangerous rotor which adds to the risks of the UAV system malfunctioning and coming down near people. That's why I-m going down the www.uavp.de and www.mikrokopter.de road. Both have or are very close to integrating GPS to large step of of significantly improving position hold for RC AP. The step from accurate position hold to waypoint sequencing is not that big. Main advantage of these multirotor systems: mechanical simplicity with resultant lower maintenance and repair costs, smaller size (easier transport), and no large rotor.

[Jack Crossfire]

The stuff on autopilot.sourceforge.net isn't enough to do the job. Rotomotion is the only one with video showing fully autonomous takeoff, landing, and waypoint following and is clearly way ahead of everyone else. The Procerus one only does fixed wings. The micropilot one apparently isn't much better than a bare IMU. The CARVEC is priced in pounds and obviously requires a bit of manual control.

[Arthur P.]

Several of the current "IMU" systems, including e.g. the one offered on Sparkfun for about 300 USD, don't have the oomph processorwise to really allow full integration of GPS, and/or the sensors are a bit too slow to allow data to be read fast enough. That then results into update rates which are fine for airlanes which are inherently stable, but a bit on the slow side for rotorcraft. For stabilisation alone they suffice (e.g. Robbe helicommand at about 400 USD does a reasonably good job). For more advanced systems you're probably want to go to 50MHz+ ARM7/9/11 or XScale based microcontrolers with more memory and loads of ports to be able to handle all the input, do all the filtering to correct for measuring errors, stabilize, and fly the predetermined waypoints. I think all the bits and pieces are there for somewhere between USD 500 and USD 1500, if you're willing and capable to do your own integration and programming. Most difficult part to find in the public domain are good routines for filtering the GPS input and integrating it with the information from the other sensors and control inputs, even if just for airplanes. For helis you have a few orders of magnitude moe complexity.

[Unterhausen]

I'm hoping to be able to use the xbow micronav. Probably requires some reprogramming, and definitely uses an Arm for the nav part of the system.

[Magician]

The stuff on autopilot.sourceforge.net isn't enough to do the job. Rotomotion is the only one with video showing fully autonomous takeoff, landing, and waypoint following and is clearly way ahead of everyone else.

Just to add some clarification, Rotomotion was started as an off shoot of the Sourceforge freeware. It was established to provide hardware for the folks who wanted to play with the code being developed. And according to their website, the Rotomotion autopilot is not capable of autonomous takeoffs or landings. It requires a pilot to takeoff and then engage the autopilot.