I am new to all this, but been reading and reading. I am wondering if the support for the Ardupilot going to stop and switch to the mega? I don't want to spend money on something on the way out.

I also note that the S/W is mainly set up for the Easy Star. I am wondering how much tweaking is needed for it to be used on a different air frame. I know there are a lot of variables involved, but is it mostly just try and tweak until you get what you want?

I'm not sure I can answer any of that. I'll make a note to ask in the developer's call tonight about the ongoing support for AP. They have sold thousands of the AP boards. I assume they are not going to drop support for them... but I'll ask.

As for airframes, I can't say. There are PID gains for everything and I have to assume there is some tweaking for each airframe. That said, I have heard the developers talk about a self-tuning routine for the mega. I can't say for sure it won't be on the original AP too... The biggest test in my mind is if they release version 2.8 for the original AP with all the new APM libraries. That's a big change. I would call it 3.0... but they didn't call the IMU release 1.8 v2.0 like I think they should have.

Thanks for the answer, been following you work and you amaze me.

It has to be for the love of the hobby.

Thanks Bill. I do really enjoy this hobby...and programming. Now if I could only convince my wife and kids to let me spend all weekend in front of my computer....

But I really enjoy them too... there just aren't enough hours in the day recently....

Families are very important these days. Enjoy your kids, they grow up so fast.

I want into this hobby so bad, I'm going back to work.

Now that's commitment! I hate to say it, but you need a job to be in this hobby. It's not expensive live off-shore racing or top fuel dragsters or anything (those are the two hobbies I try to help justify my expenses with the wife)... but it's not cheap.

After last night's conference call I've got permission to add GPS Lock, Number of Sats and HDOP to all of the GPS and GCS libraries. I've posted an update to the Ground Control http://code.google.com/p/happykillmo...downloads/list which has a bunch of bug fixes. I am aware of the issue of not being able to zoom in and out on the Overhead and Chase cam views. I'm still working on that.

I also got word from Chris and Jordi that they are going to be re-designing the AP and APIMU to be on one board. They don't plan on dropping it as a product but I can't say for sure what's going to happen to the original AP and APIMU boards and the fact that they have to communicate with each other. Also, it's looking like NMEA's days are numbered because of the amount of RAM space it takes to hold a message.

3 Views of Google Earth

First Person


Chase Cam


Overhead

Originally Posted by HappyKillmore

3 Views of Google Earth

First Person


Chase Cam


Overhead

Now that is sweet! Too bad we cant fly in the city where the 3D view is most active.

Time to come up with an AeroAce size UAS!

Originally Posted by HappyKillmore

After last night's conference call I've got permission to add GPS Lock, Number of Sats and HDOP to all of the GPS and GCS libraries. I've posted an update to the Ground Control http://code.google.com/p/happykillmo...downloads/list which has a bunch of bug fixes. I am aware of the issue of not being able to zoom in and out on the Overhead and Chase cam views. I'm still working on that.

I also got word from Chris and Jordi that they are going to be re-designing the AP and APIMU to be on one board. They don't plan on dropping it as a product but I can't say for sure what's going to happen to the original AP and APIMU boards and the fact that they have to communicate with each other. Also, it's looking like NMEA's days are numbered because of the amount of RAM space it takes to hold a message.

Made my decision a lot easier.

Updated System Requirements. The DirectX link shown here seems to be fixing 99% of the user's problems out there.

System requirements:
.NET 2.0 framework (pre-installed on Vista and Windows 7):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/e...displaylang=en

DirectX End-User Runtimes: - Important! Fixes DirectX errors!
http://code.google.com/p/happykillmo...t.exe&can=2&q=

Google Earth and plugin:
http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/
http://www.google.com/earth/explore/...ts/plugin.html

GCS Program:
http://code.google.com/p/happykillmo...downloads/list

Also, the program now handles resizing and will go as small as 800X480 for you laptop users out there.

I've made some improvements over the last couple weeks. The GCS now supports the APM binary protocol (soon to be replaced with MAVlink...which I'm working on) and the UavDevBoard's MatrixPilot/Serial UDB Extra protocol. I've added new models (now includes EasyStar, FunJet, Trex 450, AeroQuad and Firecracker). Pitch, Roll, Yaw and Heading are all reversable and I've added config settings for mission lines and flight lines (now with opacity/transparency). For ArduIMU Binary and UDB users, Yaw and Heading are distinct values. For everyone else, Yaw = Heading.

The screen is now scalable (including a slider between the instruments and the map) and can be shrunk down to 800X400 at a minimum. At that resolution, the "expand" button (bottom left corner of instruments) is helpful to make more efficient use of space (shown below). Also, at certain sizes, there is a big instrument shown. You can select between the Glass Cockpit (art horizon) and the 3D model by clicking on the one you want to be big.

Great work on the GCS HappyKillmore! I am impressed by the design and the functionality is just what I was looking for.

I tried to hookup a simple EM406 GPS to one of the COM ports and for some reason the GCS crashes as soon as I get a connection.

Does the GCS still support NMEA sentences directly and if so, do you have any ideas on how to proceed. I am running XP and the latest GE 6 beta and have verified that the COM port works with the GPS at 4800 baud.

Thanks!

//Björn

I'll do some testing today. I might have broken something with all the new stuff I've added recently...

EDIT: Icebear...I found the problem. I'm going through all the protocols right now. The issue goes back to the same old problem with having a "," for a decimal separator instead of a ".". I've been fighting this issue since about 1998 when I wrote my first program that was used over-seas. The problem comes down to doing math on numbers with a decimal place.

In the US, I can say Convert.ToSingle("123.456") * 60 and that works. However, if I change my regional settings to Polish, for example, then that same exact line Convert.ToSingle("123.456") * 60 will give me an error message saying it can't convert the 123.456 to a single. So I have to write a function to change the 123.456 to 123,456 and then I can do the math function.

So it's a rather simple fix, just finding it everywhere is the challenge. Most of the protocols do not send decimal points so that's not an issue. NMEA does...so that's been a problem I've been fighting with Remzibi's OSD config software since the beginning....

I hope to have an update today.

Wow - that was quick!
I have had the same issue with other applications so I remeber it when you mentioned it!
Seems like we like "," more than "." as separators here in Europe...
Thanks for looking into it!
/Björn