UAV Autopilots,Ground station software and UK/US Export LAW

[matt22scotland]

i am a newbie so please go softly,

i have been looking into uav autopilots for a longtime for a RC helicopter platform but i have not found anything yet.

the problems are i am quite a confident PC system builder but when it comes to electronics i am baffled.

so it leave`s me no choice but to purchase a system.

now i have searched for and looked at
http://aerojeep.com/BrainyBEEautopilot.html

also http://www.procerusuav.com/ and quite confident at connecting any of thoose systems

however 2 things wrong with that.
they are quite expensive!
also they are classed as weapons!! so getting it exported to hear in the uk will be a long drawn out and expensive affair.

so i was looking at Sparkfun`s site for making it up with coponents. but was overwhelmed with it all!.

now as confused as ever will i ever get my project of the ground?

so is there a modular system that can be Purchased?
can i use anyones GRoundstation software?

my autopilot has to control and small helicopter upto 20 miles radius and be able to be controlled via PC grounstation software and also brought into land vie usb controllers connect to it.
GPS is a must
also would like to install a camera system to relay video back down,

i would like INS accelerometers and a laser ranger to be added later

pleases help me what ever way you can

Cheers

Matt

[ShadesOfGray]

An autopilot is no simple affair, and a helicopter autopilot is just that much more complicated.

If I were you, I'd do some kind of first-person video. It'll give you the ability to pilot the airplane further away than you can see, maybe some airspeed/altitude/gps if you get a nice OSD and sensors, but you don't get an autopilot. I'm working on a similar kind of project for an airplane, and we looked at doing partially autonomous stuff, but basically it's way over our heads right now. What you can get, though, is a really good First Person Video setup that gives you airspeed, altitude, GPS, and a forward facing camera. Check out this system:

With IntelligentFlight, you can get a forward-facing camera on a tilt-pan gimbal, video goggles, the transmitter and receiver, and then when you throw in their Dragon OSD, you get
Heres the video transmitter gear:
http://www.intelligentflight.com/webstore/Ultimate-Flight-System-P99C10.aspx
Throw in an On-Screen Display:
http://www.intelligentflight.com/webstore/DragonOSD-Starter-Kit-P34C1.aspx

And then you're basically set.

The eagle-tree option:
http://www.eagletreesystems.com/Pro/pro.htm

Check out the First Person Video section of this forum for more information about piloting remotely (Without autopilot, but possibly without being within sight of your aircraft):
http://www.rcgroups.com/video-piloting-fpv-rpv-469/

And, finally, if you're interested in a similar kind of project on an airplane, check out my project:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/USLI

[Connexxion]

There's an autopilot from China coming.

Right now it is only capable of stabilising the heli but in near future it will also be capable of acting as a waypoint autopilot.

The hardware:

http://www.dji-innovations.com/en/product.html

Here is an interesting thread:

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=114855

[matt22scotland]

Thanks for all you answers!!
it is all helping as i am gathering my intel.

Aerojeep offer a complete download for there Brainybee AP can this be used for other APs? i just wonder if it is a common telemetric language that can be used with others.
http://aerojeep.com/SW/BrainyBEEv2.09.zip

if not what good free ware groundstation software is there?

i would like the software to have the following
main Map screen.

PFD EFIS type if possible.

thanks to Shades of grey, That OSD setup is what i was after too..

This Site is Fantastic! so much info to be had here!!!

[Gary Mortimer]

Hi Matt

You will have a problem operating outside of visual range legally, but that aside I wonder if theres an RC helicopter that could fly 20 miles and back.

But I know blow all about RC Helis!!

Why not just fork out on a yamaha RMAX heli??

Heres a good place to find more info on autopilots http://www.diydrones.ning.com

Another person well in the loop in Scotland is Mike at Flyingscotscam

Hes in Kirriemuir, dont have his contact details at hand, will PM them.

Cheers

G

[matt22scotland]

thank Gary.
yes i been looking at the DiyDrones site fantastic!

i have been looking inparticularly at the Ardupilot as it already comes assembled,
but i am a bit confused as to weather the board has the the chip flashed with the program or not,

i will read it several time to get a full understanding.

Also regards the Law on the aircraft being in site is that a definate written rule? i have a PPL a and will consult the rules to find that iut for sure (dont want to lose my PPL now, even though i will be flying a model)

i would appreciate the contact if that is ok with him,,

also Anyone know of video target software that can do this??
http://www.procerusuav.com/video/ManTracking.wmv

[Gary Mortimer]

Yes it is Matt, CAP 722 sort of outlines it.

You would need some sort of sense and avoid system and or mode C transponder to operate out of sight.

System weight then starts to shoot up!

Watch out for any of the systems that use thermopiles, FMA Co pilot, they dont work too well in mountains mist and water. The horizon sensing is fooled. Not a snag close in but if you heli is 10 miles down the road and drives into a cloud it might be.

Many many clever folks here will be able to explain properly.

Not sure if your a heli flying type but maybe you have heard of helicommand?? Thats a good way of getting one stable, perhaps you could feed it nav information from another device.

In UK dogcamsport is pretty good for cameras and video transmitters. Also try Active Robots for antennas and bits.

Im on my phone and its a pain to move addresses about. When I'm on my laptop tommorrow I will send on Mikes address, he has a couple of quadrocopters and fixed wing models. Hes your man up there.

Where do you fly out of I might be up at the aerodrome at Perth in a month and a bit.

Spent the last two northern hemisphere summers flying out of there.

G

[matt22scotland]

point noted on the thermopiles.
thank you for pointing out Helicommand i will be looking at that further and hopefully find out about intergrateing it to an autopilot.
if i cannot then i guess that rules out the Ardupilot setup then.


Mode C or soon tO be Mode S would be difficult as i think another Telemetry channel would need to setup to allow changing of the squawk codes if ATC wil not allow a predetermined squawk allocation.

and yeah with all that weight i would need a gas turbine.thus more expense!

as of yet i havent made any plans to which route to go down.what autopilot to get or what platform

yeah helis are my thing but i will be experimenting with fixed wing system as it looks easier to get going.(kind of make me sad though as i like the idea of a heli uav).

[markeydoo]

Matt
I am with you. I also fly helis and think that an autopilot is posible but I am in know was knowlegable enough to build an auto pilot for a heli. I currently am using an AP200i which will keep the heli hovering but it has no vertical hold or gps. On the OSD there is a guy I pmed that builds them and his price is very reasonable.
Any way if you find any thing that works and that doesn't cost much, please let me know.
Mark