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Happy new Year 2011

Posted by Roberto Navoni on December 31, 2010 at 12:54pm

Cari Membri del FoxTeam ,
Cari Amici

Buon Anno per un 2011 pieno di tanti nuovi progetti e di tanti nuovi amici .... :)

 

 

Dear Members of FoxTeam,
Dear Friends

Happy New Year for a 2011 full of many new projects and new friends .... :)


Chers membres de FoxTeam,
Chers amis

Bonne année 2011 pour un plein de beaucoup de nouveaux projets et de nouveaux amis .... :)

 

 

 

Sehr geehrte Mitglieder des FoxTeam,
Liebe Freunde

Happy New Year für ein 2011 mit vielen neuen Projekten und neuen Freunden .... :)

 

 

亲爱的会员们的FoxTeam，
亲爱的朋友们

新年快乐了2011年许多新项目和新朋友充分.... ：）

 


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$300,000 for a Raven? (Chris A. DiyDrones)

Posted by Roberto Navoni on December 30, 2010 at 1:12pm

70861766?profile=originalThe latest US purchase of Raven UAVs was announced:

"AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ:AVAV) announced today that it received an order valued at $46,226,984 under an existing contract with the U.S. Army. The order comprises 123 new digital Raven small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and initial spares packages as well as 186 digital retrofit kits for the U.S. Marine Corps. The order also includes 339 digital retrofit kits for the U.S. Army."


Assuming that those "digital retrofits" are just switching out the video transmitters to encrypt the signal, which is not a big deal, this sounds like ~$300,000 per plane, which is about the same price as the similarly-sized Wasp.

I know that a Raven clone, APM and some decent video equipment is not quite milspec, but given that it costs about 1/1,000th as much and does more or less the same thing, why aren't the military considering cheaper alternatives?

(Yes, I'm aware the real Raven is much more robust, the onboard optics are much better, the Raven kits include ground stations and all that other stuff. But still: are they one thousand times better?)

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Closed Loop Simulation for Arducopter Debugging

Posted by Roberto Navoni on September 1, 2010 at 10:35am
Dear Friends
One of the problems in achieving the autopilot as Multipilot
Arduimu or is to be able to debug the more advanced features such as
stabilization, navigation waypoints and return to home without losing or
damaging the aircraft that are used to perform experiments respecting
the law .

One technology to make this kind of testing is certainly the
simulator using the autopilot hardware connected to a PC running a
software as Physic Engine .



The main difference compared to other simulation systems for the world
Airplanes is that really advanced functions are performed by the
electronic cards which then will fly our model aircraft / UAVs.
The flight simulator is limited dall'autpilota to receive commands and
transmit new data to the electronic structure of autocontollo
consequently transmit simulator to teach new commands to actuators.

I thanks officialy Jason and Osborne for the work they have done on Ardupilot that was for me a source of inspiration. One of the limitations that I found on Xplane as that It haven't the physic engine for Multicopter .

My initially idea was to use the simulator for debugging Arducopter code for GPS Hold and Navigation.

I'm 'working to a version that supports simulation code a bit
more professional written in Mathlab. The idea is to recive from the simulator the values of the raw acceleration sensors
and angular velocity and static pressure and differential pressure. So i can check and debug more low level algorithm as acrobatic mode and PID configuration for stable mode.
Follow some video about my early test on this kind of technology.

In this video tutorial is possible to see the automatic stabilization , Return to home function



In this video is possible to see the waypoint definition and Navigation waypoint with autotakeoff and landing .




If someone would work with us for developing this kind technology we are happy to share with you are progress and technology.


P.S.
Thank you Jason for your support on APM and Xplane ;)

Regards
Roberto
Fox Team
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Multipilot32 - This Night in Europe Official Presentation. CET 22:00

Posted by Roberto Navoni on February 16, 2011 at 5:44am

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Dear Friends,

this night in europe 22.00 CET doing official presentation of Multipilot 32.

link to event : http://www.virtualrobotix.com/events/multipilot32-official

Index of presentation :

  • Technical Specification.
  • Hardware Feature :
    • Matrix Comparison Table( Multipilot 1.0 , Ardu Pilot Mega , Multipilot32)
    • Power Managment.
    • Firmware Uploader and Bootloader available.
    • Sensor port and digital bus channel.
    • Control port and bus channel : Servo and Brushless controller.
  • Application Enviroment :
    • Available IDE.
    • Bootloader and debug.
    • Available library.
    • ChbiOS and VROS distribution.
  • Project that could be supported by Multipilto32.
  • Developer Community.
  • Roadmap of next accessories.
  • Price and availability.
Will be available a PPT , some video and a pubblic chat with skype the contact is virtualrobotix
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HG3 the era of quad variable pitch has begun!

Posted by Roberto Navoni on August 28, 2010 at 9:30am

4373218270_45578d8746.jpg


This is the english translation of original Blog Post of Giuseppe D'Angelo for our international member

Hello everyone,

I joined this community, although I'm not sure how it works ... Forgive me if I make a few CZ! ;-)

However, I would make a small contribution with my modest experience.

Few years back, going on holiday by car, I was in the queue under the blazing sun,

I triggered the inspiration of the bird!

The quads were in their infancy, someone dared to put together some gyroscope, others deviated towards a sedge .... All very fascinating to me that I was starting my modeling career!

By trade I've always done and the technician AF, but micro-mechanics and electronics has always captured my attention.



On that hot July day, I called the phone my friend John, a veteran model maker, brilliant mind with notions of physical, take the first question ... why quads are so clumsy and unstable? Analyzing the characteristics attributed to all gyroscopes and especially latency in the correction of attitude, due to inertia of the engine block / helix.

How to improve this ... a quad variable pitch?, Yes ..

Leaving constant speed could vary the pace, to correct not expect the rotors take turns, but already had the motor system, it had a reserve of energy "Ready" to be converted by the variable pitch propellers, so everything is spinning as oil, in fact you could only use one engine for propulsion, with all the benefits that could arise.

Doing the math with the rotations and couples began the first problems that rose when they entered the game blends ... The project was aborted at birth ....

In the days that followed, and by re-quadricottero by the variable pitch did not want to abandon my mind and slowly, were overcome all the dark sides were holding at least theoretically grounded quad.

Resolved, though with reservations to check later, all the mechanical problems related to the management, I decided to try! By investing time and money in building a simulacrum, to test the theory.

I began to jot down some notes on building and designing the various parts of the main building, starting with the gearbox, which is the reduction and reversal of rotation

I tried to minimize costs, partly because there were those doubts fugabili unfortunately only with a test-fly ...

Earlier this year, and ... ready Mechanics, powered by two electric motors ... the missing pilot.

I started a new adventure for someone to make me a dedicated software for my maxi-quadricottero!

HG3 FEATURES:

4 propellers of 70 cm each propeller can be used up to 120 cm.

Dimensions: 2.50 x 2.50 m

Power supply: 12s Lipo

2 total engine power: 4400 W

Weight 6.5 kg take-off

Many people are frightened when he saw the car waiting just a bit of software, a project without a doubt very challenging but not impossible, I bought a bit of hardware and systems development, in despair, I tried the DIY, but obviously not programmer and 45 years can not be learned, including a trial period, the quad has been hung up for about two years, until I came across a forum, and in some RedFox ... The name did not inspire much confidence, but after all, I decided I felt too.

Contrary to his nickname Roberto, for me, is a nice person, very friendly, competent and humane!

There was now a certain feeling, and together in a few weeks, we have developed a hardware capable of driving my car, since then I baptized HG3.

Few tests are enough to understand that he could fly, and after the third try here are the results.

One of the tests

HG3 Willy

HG3 served to test my project and the control board, now left the table to be hung on a nail, giving way to his successor HG3.2

About HG3 find info here.

HG3.2 is a machine designed to "raise weight and experience other sources of propulsion ...

Particolare%20passo%20L.jpg




For now

Giuseppe D'Angelo

(Pipposoft)

HG3 the era of quad variable pitch has begun!
Hello everyone,
in this video you can see the first pre-flight testing on the new HG3.2 the Multicopter has the following features:
Created by Joseph D'Angelo
Hardware and firmware development: Roberto Navoni
Electronic Edge: Ardubotix 1.0A (Multipilot)
Wheelbase: 1.65 m
Maximum dimensions: 2.60 x 2.60 m
V2 Version: hybrid
Electric Motor: Hacker A60
Petrol Engine: Zenoah
Blades: SAB Composite
Frame: DIY
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Let's rock !

Posted by Vittorio Nardone on August 23, 2010 at 9:13pm
Let's rock !
It's time to start my first Quad build.

But before... i would like to really thanks Roberto for his helpfulness and his amazing work. Thanks my friend.

I'm a newbie in RC world, so my first step was to buy motors, ESC, batteries, charger and so on..
I'm waiting for that stuff orderer online, so at the moment my job is working on code to try to understand how it works.

My first project is based on Aeroquad firmware with Wii IMU and Arduino Mega (i already have that in my garage, so no reason to buy new stuff for the moment).

I modified last SVN release of Aeroquad 2.0 (R413) because it was not possible to build it with WiiIMU configuration.

I'm using Eclipse IDE to work on Arduino code.. few lines of code changed in main Aeroquad.pde file and i can use a real IDE to build code and upload it to Mega. Lol :)

I added this at the beginning :

// IDE Configuration
#define ECLIPSE_BUILD

and this before setup() :

#ifdef ECLIPSE_BUILD
// List of addition files
#include "FlightCommand.pde"
#include "FlightControl.pde"
#include "Sensors.pde"
#include "SerialCom.pde"

// This code is required if the project is being built under Eclipse
extern "C" void __cxa_pure_virtual() {
cli();
for (;;);
};

int main(void) {
/* Must call init for arduino to work properly */
init();
setup();
for (;;) {
loop();
} // end for
} // end main
#endif

It's very simple to switch between Arduino IDE and Eclipse IDE.. simply changing one #define.

A proposal to Roberto (probably to be forwarded to Aeroquad / Arducopter team guys) : why don't officially support Eclipse IDE in their projects ?

Congratulations to FoxTeam members for their amazing jobs.

Vittorio



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16 Feb Official Presentation of MultiPilot32 (Weekly Update #5)

Posted by Roberto Navoni on February 9, 2011 at 9:30am

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70863297?profile=original

Dear Friends,

Ardupilot32 is Alive , I start to make some prototipe , the first to board assembled work fine , this week i don't prepare a video with a Weekly update because i'm working on a lot of thinks.

I'm working on IDE , On Bootloader , I'm working on Wrapper for Arduino compatibility, I'm working on testing hardware , the OilPan interface ... a lot lot of thinks ...

So I open a official repo with a raw code of my project ,some source code , ide that i'm using , some startup info ... I hope that for the next week i have some time to update doc and info on the board.

In the last two day I start t o upgrade the last revision of xduino for support Ardupilot32 , It'snt mature project .. don't support i2c , spi , pwm . But is a good point of start for my work.

If some one would help me That's is good , on the official thread you can found link to last code :

http://www.virtualrobotix.com/forum/topics/multipilot-20-ap32-building

I need some help to write optimezed low level drive. Need Help for developing Ide plugin , Need Help for chosing better and cheaper platform for 16 Feb Podcast.

Regards

Roberto Navoni (FOX TEAM)

 

 

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Aerial Picture and Photogrammetry with Multicopter

Posted by Roberto Navoni on June 13, 2010 at 7:29am
One of better application developed with UAV are Aerial Photogrammetry ... I have some friends that use it for this kind of application .
This is an example of what we do with my friends Davide and Simone one years ago , Davide use the picture doing with FOX II for develop a model of river with a resolution of 2 mm:


There are also other example of photogrammetry application this is another that i found on youtube :


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Fox Drone Magic Show and Merry Christmas

Posted by Roberto Navoni on December 23, 2010 at 1:00pm



In the video, you can 'see the show that I made at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo. I used Fox Drone my own implementation of a customization of AR.Drone to which I added a ground station that allows the management of the aircraft through the PS3 gamepad and transmitting video on Video Wall for live performances.
In the show you see that Logan is the Magician 'conjure FoxDrone and explains it to the public.
The presentation explains how the use of drones you can create spectacular video applications for tourism promotion.


This is the promotional video of the province of Bergamo, made by : drones, helicopters and computer graphics ... come to visit Bergamo from all over the world ... come people will look at us:)

website : http://www.turismo.bergamo.it

Happy Chrismas by Virtual Robotix and FoxTeam

 

Roberto Navoni

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Arduimu

Posted by Roberto Navoni on June 13, 2010 at 5:00am

Find more videos like this on DIY Drones


Arduino RC Community support different kind of application , the most complex is the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) that kind of solution use different sensor to obtain information about the euler angle , in pitch , roll and yaw .
The sensor that normaly is interconnected to microcontroller is gyroscope , accelerometer , magnetometer.
In this video , the beautifull ever i seend is possible to see ArduImu in action
Jose comment your beautifull video please ... How you solve centripetal force on your revision of firmware ?
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Multipilot Official support to Arducopter Beta Firwmare

Posted by Roberto Navoni on August 17, 2010 at 9:13am
First Flight of Hexafox_v2 that using the new revision of Arducopter Firmware developed by Ted , Jose and me.

In this video I need to optimize the setup of PID on YAW and is not active the magnetometer.
Today I'm doing the test with magnetometer and I saw that I haven't drift on YAW . In this video I'm using Multipilot Board without Multisensor.
We're ready to start the test on GPS hold function.
The last version of firmware ... flyable is avaible on multipilot repo.
http://code.google.com/p/lnmultipilot10/source/browse/#svn/branches/Redfox74/hexafox_v2

Regards
Roberto
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FPV in NY incredible and Crazy Video

Posted by Roberto Navoni on December 17, 2010 at 3:14am

 

This is an incredible video of FPV near doing in NY ...

this is the comment of Chris Anderson about this video :

"The problem is that Trappy, who is actually a very accomplished FPV pilot with many impressive (and usually safe) videos before this one, flew a Zephyr around Manhattan in Class B Restricted Airspace, in the landing patterns of three major airports and far beyond line-of-sight. He also filmed it and sent it to the media, where it was widely shown on national TV. This is not only in violation of FAA rules, but it's also the kind of thing that can ruin it for all of us if legislators take this example as an opportunity to crack down on our hobby."

 

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