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Video tx/rx systems 12 Replies
Started by Adam Smith in Video. Last reply by Sgt Ric 1 hour ago.
Discussion forum for Sparkfun 3-axis IMU-based autopilot board 123 Replies
Started by Chris Anderson in UAV Dev Board. Last reply by William Premerlani 2 hours ago.
Limitation of Tri-Axis Accelerometer 8 Replies
Started by David Jones in Sensors & IMUs. Last reply by Howard Gordon 3 hours ago.
"Robot spyplanes get a new role" 1 Reply
Started by Roger Lee in Aircraft platforms. Last reply by Marcel 10 hours ago.
Navigation calculations?? 3 Replies
Started by Achal Agrawal in Autopilot software/algorithms. Last reply by Sami Finnilä 10 hours ago.
True line hold algorithm - source included
Started by Sami Finnilä in Autopilot software/algorithms 10 hours ago.
UAV flight Simulator.
Started by H-SIM in Simulations 13 hours ago.
Where can I find a MQ-1 Predator Rotax 914F engine or surplus parts? 2 Replies
Started by Herbert Lopez in Newbie. Last reply by scotty baird 20 hours ago.
2.1 and Xbee modules..... 7 Replies
Started by William in ArduPilot. Last reply by Thomas J Coyle III 21 hours ago.
FPV questions
Started by Adam Kaplan in Aerial photography 1 day ago.
Welcome!

These are our Arduino-based open source autopilot projects:
* ArduPilot, a very low-cost ($24.95!) autopilot with great expansion capabilities
* BlimpDuino, an autonomous blimp with both infrared and ultrasonic guidance
Other UAV/autopilot projects and code, by processor and OS type, are here.
Earlier DIY Drones projects, including Lego and cellphone autopilots, are here
Interviews with interesting UAV and autopilot experts are here.
FAQs:
* I'm new to all this--where do I start?
* Are amateur UAVs legal?
* What's the difference between a gyro and an accelerometer? Do I need both?
* I'm confused by all these terms! Is there a glossary? (yes!)
You can find a list of external UAV resources, including commercial UAVs and other open source UAV projects and code here.
Create a blog post
Blog Posts
MatrixNav is released.
Posted by William Premerlani on April 15, 2009 at 8:55pm — 19 Comments
Three Cheers for Chris and Jordi
Ardupilot Team vs. Trees
Ardupilot 2 Trees 0
Find more videos like this on DIY Drones
For those that missed, it, today's Sparkfun event was a smash, literally and figuratively. It turns out that U(A)V's of all stripes have the same propensities as Charlie Brown kite. Aside from the Trees into which Jordi scored direct hits, the wheeled varietals made their own attempts to climb… Continue
Posted by bGatti on April 15, 2009 at 4:51pm — 15 Comments
Tilt Error Compensation
First of all I many thanks to Chris for directing me to the right link, which has enabled me to have an enormous understanding to what I needed to do and gained other info that I was not aware of...Brilliant Forum!!!
Right now I am working on the CMPS03 digital compass. I have managed to get the compass programmed and it works fine on the Horizontal/Yaw manoeuvre. I am working on the till error compensation right now (Pitch & Roll). However, I am struggling with the following areas:… Continue
Posted by Akram Habib on April 15, 2009 at 3:00pm — 4 Comments
WE WON!!!!
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 2:00pm — 35 Comments
Yay Fire Department! Plane rescued!
The ladder crew came to the rescue! The plane lives to fly again in round three, the final ro… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 1:39pm — 3 Comments
Sparkfun contest report: round 2
We've increased the radius and pushed that first waypoint out a bit further for round three, in about an hour. Please wind don't pick up....
Oh, and in manually landing… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 12:35pm — 2 Comments
Diaster! Plane in tree!
While landing after a test run, Jordi accidentally put it in the tallest tree around :-( Fire… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 12:30pm
Sparkfun contest report: round 1
Round one is over and so far only one vehicle (a rover) has finished the course, in a time of… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 10:52am — 4 Comments
Atmega328s are in!
We're here at Sparkfun and the Atmega328s came in yesterday! They populated three boards, whi… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 15, 2009 at 8:35am — 4 Comments
Failures and Sucesses
Having messed around with RC craft for the last 20 years or so and having built and flown all kinds of 'craft' from 1/4 scale to 28g (1oz) planes - heli's, boats and cars too, I thought the ArduPilot project seemed a interesting new avenue to try.
Started on my AP (ArduPilot) project with the arrival of my Arduino168 board, wasn't sure I wanted to commit a plane yet so tried it in an RC car. ArduPilot board /EM406 GPS, v1.0 software, RTL set to 1, code u… Continue
Posted by Graham Dyer on April 15, 2009 at 1:30am — 5 Comments
Good Luck to the ArduPilot teams at the Sparkfun competition !!!
Live feeds:
Live Video streaming by Ustream… Continue
Posted by Reto on April 14, 2009 at 11:00am — 16 Comments
IMU alignment code progress
Brian is busy making it talk to the Arduino board. Meanwhile, I have been working on the alignment code. The alignment proccess uses the IMU's sensors to determine its orientation (roll, pitch, and heading) while stationary. I spent the last few days writing code based upon this document. Sorry, it's not… Continue
Posted by Tom Yochum on April 13, 2009 at 9:43am — 3 Comments
A theoretical approach to choosing your airframe
Here is something to consider while choosing your airframe:
… Continue
Posted by Sami Finnilä on April 13, 2009 at 9:00am — 1 Comment
Two funerals in one weekend :-(
Yes I was so proud. I had a perfect working ardupilot. I was going to attach my just arrived Z sensor.
Then Murphy law kicked in. When a friend was over I showed him my ardupilot. and the working.
The positive power line of the lipo accu was not perfectly isolated and made contact with the back plane of the ardupilot.
Yes it fried it. :-( . No swet I have a spare one). Solderd the headers tested the upload all fine. Now I needed to load the new firmware f… Continue
Posted by Jonas on April 13, 2009 at 4:30am — 13 Comments
Decoding multi-channel PPM signal using ArduPilot and/or Arduino Mega
See following URLs for detailed info about PPM coding/decoding;
PPM System
How R/C works… Continue
Posted by MC on April 13, 2009 at 4:00am — 3 Comments
A "realistic" UAV flight dynamic model of a popular UAV airframe
- How to create a "realistic" UAV flight dynamic model of a popular UAV airframe (such as Mutiplex EasyStar ) for simulation?
- Is it possible to create a generic model such a way that the model can later be re-configured for different UAV airframes?
The model should be able to accurately approximate the next state (position, a… Continue
Posted by MC on April 13, 2009 at 2:06am — 3 Comments
Hardware-in-the-Loop test results of inner loop/navigation

Posted by SLUGS Team on April 12, 2009 at 11:18pm — 2 Comments
How ArduPilots are tested at Sparkfun
While we're waiting for the Atmega328 chips to come in so we can restart ArduPilot productio… Continue
Posted by Chris Anderson on April 12, 2009 at 9:25pm
Has anyone achieved autonomous takeoff and landing with ArduPilot?
Flight tests with ArduPilot in EasyGlider Pro
Fly and observe performance in autonomous mode – record observations – make code modifications on laptop – remove GPS and upload code – replace GPS – fly again. Laborious but also fun sin… Continue
Posted by Bryan Cuervo on April 12, 2009 at 8:46am — 6 Comments
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UAV News elswhere
Gates Outlines Big Changes in New Defense Request
Defense Secretary Robert Gates outlined a fiscal 2010 defense budget request that would kill or limit some high-level programs but add more unmanned systems capability.GAO tells Congress that FCS Program Faces Budget, Schedule Risks
The U.S. Army will be challenged to complete its Future Combat Systems (FCS) on time and under budget and has adopted a risky strategy of making key decisions on programs before it has adequately tested and evaluated them, Government Accountability Office officials told members of Congress on Thursday.U.S. Shot Down Iranian Drone In Iraq
The Pentagon says U.S. (manned) aircraft downed an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle north of Baghdad in Iraq last month.Amnesty International Criticizes Israeli UAV Use In War
The human rights group Amnesty International says Israel used unmanned aerial systems to not only conduct surveillance but attack a number of targets during this year's offensive against militants in Gaza.Unmanned Systems Make News Down Under At Avalon 2009
Australia hosted the world's unmanned systems community last month at the Avalon 2009 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition in Geelong, outside of Melbourne, introducing many indigenous companies to markets in America, Europe and Asia.Ocean Scientists Push Smaller, Distributed Unmanned Systems
As biological life sprang to land from sea, ocean engineers and other scientists hope to soon push artificial life in the return direction.Former Walter Reed Officer Charged With Exporting UAV Technology
The federal government this month charged a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center with conspiring to sell unmanned systems technology to China.Australia To Test Integrated Airspace Technologies
Melbourne--As the United States government envisions manned and unmanned aircraft integration by 2013, Australia has embarked on an initiative to fast-track such integration Down Under.AAI Corporation Unveils Mark 4.7 At 2009 Avalon
Melbourne--Among top companies in the unmanned systems industry, AAI Corporation of Hunt Valley, Md., unveiled its new Mark 4.7 small unmanned aircraft system at the 2009 Australian International Airshow.© 2009 Created by Chris Anderson on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network