Blogs

After more than a year of VRBrain 4.5 development , thanks to the efforts of FOXTEAM and the VRI dev team, reached a level of maturity and very high reliability .

It ' was the first platform to support Arducopter 32-bit first through the use of a port of the old library AP_XXX then with new AP_HAL_VRBRAIN library , but without the use of an operating system, as is the case for APM 2.x and now instead of in the video you can see the first pre flight check and the first flight of VRBran 4.5 NuttX that mounts the operating system and the firmware Arducopter 3.1rc5 .

Thanks to PIX4 Dev Team and all the other member of team that develop and support this new OS
To use NuttX of VRBrain we simply add on the expansion port on the SD Card reader
In tests of performance using the mission planner , the cpu  uses NuttX Arducopter with only 6% of the CPU resources , On APM 2.x need 70 %  cpu.
Now are available 4  VRBrain 4.5 firmware and 2 OS Supported:

The first OS supported by VRBrain is FreeRTOS used inside the TauLab project , Stefan a member of dev team working on it  :

https://github.com/scenkov/vrbrain

The new one OS is Nuttx integrated in PX4 enviroment and Arducopter32 the ap_hal use is PX4 instead of AP_HAL_VRBRAIN that we use without OS. Our work on NuttX was  on device driver 

An early revision of our code is available here  :

https://code.google.com/p/vrbrain/downloads/detail?name=nuttxonvrbrainworkspace.rar&can=2&q=#makechanges

You need to install standard PX4 dev enviroment and import our workspace for build the code ... in the next weeks we prepare a ready to use dfu that will be available in VRbrain wiki page.

Arducopter32 rev 3.1.5 (stable version) :
tested for more than a month with a deep debug coordinated by Marco Robustini and supported by me and Emile and other users of the devteam.

http://vrbrain.wordpress.com/version-3-0/

Arducopter32 rev 3.1.9 ( dev version):

https://code.google.com/p/vrbrain/source/list?name=master_latest_rc4

That ' a video conducted by Marco in the last days ...

VRBrain 4.5 is the only platform that supports Arducopter 32 with and without the operating system. It has the same reliability of an APM 2.x from the first use and guarantees the use of future developments based operating system NuttX.
It is also the basis for the future development of a European project called GinSec whose purpose is to develop an innovative and revolutionize gps inertial for the specific application in the world of UAVs ... but we'll talk about this thing in the coming months :)

for more info about status of the project and future development contact : r.navoni@virtualrobotix.com

The VRBrain 4.5 is available on our webstore at : 

http://www.virtualrobotix.it/index.php/167-2/componenti-elettronici/vrbrain-4-5-detail

If you have some problem on it in your country contact info@virtualrobotix.com

Hello,

I received an APM Led Buzzer card (from Charles Lakins).APM 2x LED / Buzzer Module

Led and Buzzer have + on signal pin of the APM and - on the common - bar.

After searching VrBrain 4.5 documentation and Barone Rosso Forum, I got the right wiring data in order to use that module.

I had to reverse polarity of the module by unsoldering and reversing Leds and Buzzer on the card. Then I changed the wiring on the plugs.

LED_Setting in the APM param list is 11

Here is it on board

Thanks,

Marc

Hello,

I had more flights with my Quad. I'm still impressed with RTL performance but as I explore the settings I have some questions.

I had a try with Fence. I have to do a retry but I'm quite sure there is a problem: I cannot arm motors (after battery exchange) with fence enabled. There is no Red led blinking and save of the new home. I had to uncheck Fence in the config in order to save the new Home and fly.

I had also a try with Saving waypoints (Chan7 and redo the flight Chan8). Fine.

Also a Memory problem with the logs. If I do not flush the old logs, when reaching out of space, the last log is corrupted and download hang.

I keep you in touch and had to have another try at Fence.

Thanks,

Marc

Today I did the first test with my new CTX4 V2 (VRBrain 4.5 + external IMU)
Did some simple test in my garden + alt hold, loter and auto land - no probles, and wery stable.

My great VRBrain controller is running code from today (10.10.2013)  (used Eclipse to pull and build the latest code from Emilie, that does an impressive job)

The auto land function works great.

My CTX4 V2 ready for it`s first test :-)

Next is more test, then add GoPro and FPV

Almost done :-)

I do not use bullet connectors on the ESC to motor cables, so I connect the cables like this while testing.
First, I test if the rotation directions are correct, by connecting the “servo” cable to the throttle channel on my rx. If the rotation direction is wrong, I swap two of the three cables between ESC and motor.

My ESC`s are flashed with SimonK, so before I disconnect the RX, I calibrate the ESC. Disconnect LiPo, set throttle on TX to full, connect LiPo (beeps), set throttle to low (new beeps) – finished
Test the motor (adjust throttle up/down) to check that all is ok.
Do this with all motors.

When done, I solder all the cables, and isolate using shrink tube.
Have soldered the LiPo cables from the ESC`s + the APM power module to a power pcb

Have mounted the frame without the top plate

On the top plate, I have mounted GPS and a housing with the external IMU (compass) on the top, and the VRBrain below (using vibration mounts)

I have mounted my 3DR 433 Mhz telemetry radio in the back
Below the red motor mounts I use Bright Light LED strip
Below the black motor mounts I`m going to use bright white LED strips (have ordered from ebay)
The LEDS are controlled using the two LED outputs on my great VRBrain controller. 
Red LED`s indicate if I have 3D GPS fix
White LED`s for armed/disarmed..

+ I`m going to add a buzzer to the VRBrain buzzer output.

Hello,

I received my VrBrain4.5 order today. I used an APM2 on a SpiderLike Quad and I just swapped the two units on the frame. As I had a spare 3DR uBlox GPS, I managed to install it with the VrBrain (internal plug).

Firmware is the latest dev VRBRAIN_3.1.5_QUAD_INTGPS_ENHANCED.dfu. 

I had a short flight to check my setup before dinner and i'm quite happy with my new setup. 

Here are two pictures (there is a 6" ruler on the frame). 

Frame is home made.

R/C setup: Futaba T14SG transmitter, Frsky TRF4 PPMSum receiver (8 channels).

VrBrain box is installed on 4 moon gel pads. 

VrBrain box came with 4mm metal screws. I tapped the holes with a 3mm tap and used  short nylon screws to close the box. No risk of breaking the holes, nor magnetic interference.

Marc