Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything

[Mandrake]

If you want to buy something that doesn't need assembly, or very little assembly, look for
1. ARF (Almost ready to fly, requires some assembly)
2. PNF (Plug and fly, plug in your own radio receiver and your ready to go)
3. BNF (Bind and fly, bind the radio to the receiver and you are ready to go, this is the most complete option)
4. RTF ( Ready to Fly ) complete kit just charge batteries and fly.

[Marschy]

Hey Chris,

Here are some figures from the sonar.

Its working, but not as accurately as I hoped. The higher it gets the error in the reading grows by about the same percentage. The error may be due to the quad not being level during my tests. That would probably explain why the closer it gets to the ground the more accurate the reading becomes, maybe, read on.

I've hung it from my pergola and got the following measurements:

Measured height    Sonar Height   Difference  Error %
180cm                   228cm             +48cm        +26%
124cm                   158cm             +34cm        +27%
75cm                      96cm              +21cm        +28%
45cm                      57cm              +12cm        +26% (not much to worry about at this height)

Importantly the readings seem to only move about by a centimetre or two during the test in the Mission Planner CLI. So they are pretty consistent and were probably due to the slight breeze outside moving the quad around which is hanging from a piece of string.

The sonar has a separate board with an Atmel chip on it that must be taking a reading from the HC-SR04 ultrasonic module and tweaking the reading into something the APM can read, so I'm thinking they have an error in the firmware on the sonar Atmel chip given that the error percentage seems reasonably consistent.

Or because the quad is not 100% level, the reading is taking a longer path from the trigger to the echo transducer on the ultrasonic module. I reckon there is a high probability that this is what the problem is.

I think as long as the APM software can keep up with the readings then it should be a good sonar for assisted landing. I think I read somewhere that the sonar reading is only used under 2 metres anyway, I'll check some of the forums and see if I can find where I read that.

I've gotta say, I'm very happy with the Reptile-Aphid frame. I've pulled it partially apart numerous times to put more hardware on it and as can be seen from the picture below, it has a purpose made fibre glass mini board for the sonar that is connected to the main board by standoffs. I'm going to install the Optical Flow sensor that arrived with the sonar now, then I'll give it a flight.

Cheers, Mark

[Mandrake]

I was thinking the other day of putting a solar panel and mini reg on the top panel of the Alien .. I'll have to work out what size and milliamps I can get .. LOL - might get a little longer in the air ??

Why do you need sonar for landing ?? Can't you land manually ?

mandrake

[Marschy]

I was thinking the other day of putting a solar panel and mini reg on the top panel of the Alien .. I'll have to work out what size and milliamps I can get .. LOL - might get a little longer in the air ??

Why do you need sonar for landing ?? Can't you land manually ?

mandrake

The sonar helps with altitude hold and landing, and no, I can't land without doing some damage nearly every time I take these bloody things out for a fly, LOL.

The Max-botics sonars are accurate to 5+ metres, but they cost 5 times the cost of this sonar, sometimes more depending on where you buy them from. I have an LV-EZ4 that I bought from Spark Fun via snail mail, it's not a top of the line model, and set me back $29 using snail mail. I haven't installed it yet though. The HC-SR04 is easy to install because my quad has provision on the frame for it.

The XL-EZ4 from Maxbotics will set you back about 70-80 dollars if you get them from Spark Fun. Aliexpress sell them for over $100. Must be that the sonar module is only made by one manufacturer so they are stitching up the Chinese resellers with  retail prices only so they can't discount them more than Spark Fun and Maxbotics web sites.

[CBRK]

Hey Chris,

Here are some figures from the sonar.

Its working, but not as accurately as I hoped. The higher it gets the error in the reading grows by about the same percentage. The error may be due to the quad not being level during my tests. That would probably explain why the closer it gets to the ground the more accurate the reading becomes, maybe, read on.

I've hung it from my pergola and got the following measurements:

Measured height    Sonar Height   Difference  Error %
180cm                   228cm             +48cm        +26%
124cm                   158cm             +34cm        +27%
75cm                      96cm              +21cm        +28%
45cm                      57cm              +12cm        +26% (not much to worry about at this height)

Importantly the readings seem to only move about by a centimetre or two during the test in the Mission Planner CLI. So they are pretty consistent and were probably due to the slight breeze outside moving the quad around which is hanging from a piece of string.

The sonar has a separate board with an Atmel chip on it that must be taking a reading from the HC-SR04 ultrasonic module and tweaking the reading into something the APM can read, so I'm thinking they have an error in the firmware on the sonar Atmel chip given that the error percentage seems reasonably consistent.

Or because the quad is not 100% level, the reading is taking a longer path from the trigger to the echo transducer on the ultrasonic module. I reckon there is a high probability that this is what the problem is.

I think as long as the APM software can keep up with the readings then it should be a good sonar for assisted landing. I think I read somewhere that the sonar reading is only used under 2 metres anyway, I'll check some of the forums and see if I can find where I read that.

I've gotta say, I'm very happy with the Reptile-Aphid frame. I've pulled it partially apart numerous times to put more hardware on it and as can be seen from the picture below, it has a purpose made fibre glass mini board for the sonar that is connected to the main board by standoffs. I'm going to install the Optical Flow sensor that arrived with the sonar now, then I'll give it a flight.

Cheers, Mark

Hi Mark,

To be out by 25% each time you'd need to mounted non square by a reasonable amount I'd have thought?  If it is firmware that would be a little disappointing.  I'll have to check out mine when it arrives.

I think there is a sonar max height, which is the 60% of the normal max range of the particular sonar.  If it's below that height and it's getting a reading then it uses it as the height.  So if even if it's out by 25% it should still be good.

Now the wait time for mine to arrive, sigh.....

Regards,

Chris

[CBRK]

The sonar helps with altitude hold and landing, and no, I can't land without doing some damage nearly every time I take these bloody things out for a fly, LOL.

Try landing in ALTHOLD or Loiter mode and you should land fairly easily without any damage.  I do so if the wind is gusty, just to make sure there is a level of redundancy.  Happy to say, landings are not my issue.  I have more failures and damage on takeoff's - from my landing gear getting stuck on grass.....

I had a catastrophic failure on a quick flight I did on Friday night.  I broke an arm.  At the time I thought I had thrown a motor as I found one disconnected on the ground next to it.  On review of the video footage the motor I thought I lost I hadnt as it flipped in the opposite direction, so I dont know what went wrong.....  Funny thing was I was only the air for a short time, I traveled 40m and then it happened.

After I finish delivering this floodboat course on Sunday I'll try to make the repairs (broken boom and one bullet connector was ripped off) and hopefully there will be some clear sky's next week.

Chris

[Marschy]

Hi Mark,

To be out by 25% each time you'd need to mounted non square by a reasonable amount I'd have thought?  If it is firmware that would be a little disappointing.  I'll have to check out mine when it arrives.

I think there is a sonar max height, which is the 60% of the normal max range of the particular sonar.  If it's below that height and it's getting a reading then it uses it as the height.  So if even if it's out by 25% it should still be good.

Now the wait time for mine to arrive, sigh.....

Regards,

Chris

I think once you receive your sonar and run some tests if the results are similar to mine it will indicate the firmware on the sonar as the culprit. I tried other sonars in Mission Planner (XL, XXL etc), they gave the same result, so it's not an MP firmware issue. I am going to try changing the sonar gain in MP today and see if that makes a difference.

The good thing is, for $15 they work.

I didn't end up putting the filter suggested on the arducopter website on the power cable. The sonar is supplied with a 3 wire servo cable which I wrapped a narrow piece of alfoil around then I wrapped that with spiral wrap tube to provide some shielding. I've used the same stuff on all the video cabling as well, it works really well.

[Crisp Image]

When landing in bad areas or windy conditions I hover my copter just above head height and the catch it before lowering the throttle for auto shutdown.
Regards
Crispy


Sent using fat fingers on the iPad thingy

[Marschy]

When landing in bad areas or windy conditions I hover my copter just above head height and the catch it before lowering the throttle for auto shutdown.
Regards
Crispy


Sent using fat fingers on the iPad thingy

I'll have to give that a go. 

[D4D]

Oops

http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/mt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone/story-fnii5sms-1227124892062

[Marschy]

Oops

http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/mt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone/story-fnii5sms-1227124892062

I wouldn't be surprised if these real estate agents don't have the appropriate license for operating a drone for commercial purposes.

[Mandrake]

If I was her I would sue them .

[CBRK]

If I was her I would sue them .

Why, what for?, what level of expectation of privacy does she have in her backyard?  The image of her is not exactly detailed now is it?  She admitted she was aware the drone was there, so its down to her not understanding what it can do, had she known then she would have retreated indoors.  The backyard is not exactly a private location anymore, any planes flying over could have gotten a much higher quality image than what we saw and operate at a much higher alt (such that she may not have realised it's doing aerial photography).  I have reasonable sized fences but I don't treat my yard as a private area anymore, I know that neighbors on their balconies can see in.

I think the question at hand here is was the person a licensed operator?

At least he is willing to blur it our for her and that will meet the privacy test.

Chris

[Mandrake]

Common courtesy would have been to advise the neighbours that an aerial camera would be used tomorrow. Then its her fault if she gets caught out.

[CBRK]

Common courtesy would have been to advise the neighbours that an aerial camera would be used tomorrow. Then its her fault if she gets caught out.

Yes I agree that would have been nice, but no legal need to notify them so cant really sue them.  How far should he have notified?  Everyone has a different definition of a reasonable distance (would you say every property that can be seen, or just the immediate neighbor?  What I think is ok, may not be okay for someone else.

Now once it was noticed she was sunbathing, if he'd then hovered over her for further specific shots then sure she might have some argument but in this instance I think it would be covered as an unintentional intrusion and perfectly fine.

[Marschy]

Why did she go to the media to let the world know that the person in the photo was her?

[D4D]

These guys took the pics http://www.skyrobot.com.au/

[Marschy]

The story from the women's perspective doesn't make sense. If she was embarrassed by the photos, she was obviously placated enough by the media for them to publish them to a much wider audience, otherwise wouldn't the media be complicit in her embarrassment as well?

[WilSurf]

I did some googling and came across this thing: https://www.airdog.com/

That seems very handy.

[DarWen]

Just saw the story on ACA, one camera angle from the backyard over her shoulder you could clearly see through the chainwire fence out to the road. not very private in my eyes.

[Marschy]

Ahhhh, ACA, quality journalism, not. I can't remember the last time I watched that show.

[Marschy]

Read the comments from readers on the Herald Sun, most of them echo what I'm saying.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/mt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone/story-fni0fit3-1227124892062#itm=newscomau%7Cnews%7Cncam-story-body-link%7C3%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fnews%2Fvictoria%2Fmt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone%2Fstory-fni0fit3-1227124892062%7Cstory%7CMum%26%238217%3Bs%20topless%20sunbake%20ends%20in%20ad%20nightmare&itmt=1416218426073

The comments by 'Diane' are truly whackadoodle cr@p. She sounds as though she is a politician or a councillor with an election agenda. The accusations she is making about people who fly drones are offensive as she is suggesting that anyone and everyone who flies a drone is a pervert with plans to kidnap your children. She obviously knows 2/5 of stuff all about drones with her ignorant comments.

[CBRK]

Read the comments from readers on the Herald Sun, most of them echo what I'm saying.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/mt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone/story-fni0fit3-1227124892062#itm=newscomau%7Cnews%7Cncam-story-body-link%7C3%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fnews%2Fvictoria%2Fmt-martha-woman-snapped-sunbaking-in-gstring-by-real-estate-drone%2Fstory-fni0fit3-1227124892062%7Cstory%7CMum%26%238217%3Bs%20topless%20sunbake%20ends%20in%20ad%20nightmare&itmt=1416218426073

The comments by 'Diane' are truly whackadoodle cr@p. She sounds as though she is a politician or a councillor with an election agenda. The accusations she is making about people who fly drones are offensive as she is suggesting that anyone and everyone who flies a drone is a pervert with plans to kidnap your children. She obviously knows 2/5 of stuff all about drones with her ignorant comments.

Yep she is absolutely crazy, I love how people think just because they dont like something that they can sue for it.  The world dont work that way.  There so many on the comments that are thinking like her, that really worries me.  What do people think, it's absolutely amazing.  Again it's covered under the common law unintentional intrusion, so really its a lot of noise about nothing.  I cant believe channel 7 has given so much coverage.

I find it absolutely amazing how she see's everyone as perverts.  It's people like her that give dads like me the evil eye when you take your daughter to the bathroom, I like to smile back to those people (I feel sorry for them, what a sad reality they live in).  I really think that there is a set of society that are so willing to give everything up to feel safer then in reality they gain nothing and lose so much.   Seems people like to be over regulated.

Chris

[Mandrake]

Back to "reality" now ---
Just found and bought this Remzibi OSD for Naza M Lite !!!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251714574158?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Hopefully this will prevent me from letting that electric smoke out .... Mandrake

[CBRK]

Back to "reality" now ---
Just found and bought this Remzibi OSD for Naza M Lite !!!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251714574158?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Hopefully this will prevent me from letting that electric smoke out .... Mandrake

Are you sure, it looks like it has just as many wires if not more than anything else!  That looks like a magic white smoke generator to me.

I hope that it's forgiving if you get a few wrong :-)  I'll say good luck on that one.....

Chris