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Drones flight computer

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Graham1904
(@graham1904)
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Joined: 5 months ago
Posts: 11
Topic starter  

Has anyone on this forum have any experience uses their own made and programmed flight computer?

These FCs are so expensive in South Africa that I can in a mind to make mine own. I am an electronic design engineer, and so I can to choice the microprocessor, make the PCB, and write the code and program etc. but I am so worrying about the program itself part.

Any thoughts?


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

First you say

 write the code and program 

then say

worrying about the program itself

Which is it? Are you able to program or not?

BTW, I assume this is what you are talking about  https://amz.run/7VDK

I tried to get a listing on Amazon South Africa, but I don't see any South Africa site. What country do you order from?

 

 

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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Graham1904
(@graham1904)
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Joined: 5 months ago
Posts: 11
Topic starter  

@zander I am qualified to write code but I am worry exactly what is required. I have never having dug into the FC firmware so I have no what is going to be correct.

I am based in Durban so we other buy local imported price from a retailer or do our import and hope that the cash doesn't get scammed or that the product any at all.


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

@graham1904 Trying to write code for something where you don't know the requirements is a huge problem for sure. I have seen a lot of that in my 65 odd years of experience. Unless we are talking about something different, almost all the FC functions are fairly obvious though. Can you confirm that what you are talking about is the FlySky I gave you the link for? It is about $100CDN, $75USD.

BTW, that model is a 10 channel. I think that is the most.

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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Graham1904
(@graham1904)
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Joined: 5 months ago
Posts: 11
Topic starter  
Screenshot 2023 12 13 141923

@zander That link is not a flight computer, the link was for a transmitter or remote. I am talking about the FC inside the drone 🙂


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

@graham1904 I never saw or heard of one of those. Our drones have the smarts in the controller I sent you with a receiver in the drone. 

 

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

@graham1904 How does it work? Do you hold some sort of controller? Does the drone fly itself?

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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Inq
 Inq
(@inq)
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Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 1900
 

@zander, I believe you two are talking about different things.  @graham1904, correct me if I'm missing your targe.

@zander, you are talking about a manual communications system only.  You move a stick and a servo on the drone/plane/boat/etc moves accordingly.  These things, like the FlySky are dirt cheap (<$50US) - https://amz.run/7VGW

What @graham1904 is talking about is a computer that does "automatic things".  On a drone, we're talking about hovering by itself... no balancing act.  Holding positions, etc.  They have lots of sensors... accelerometers, gyros, air pressure (for altitude), GPS for position/altitude, etc.  They allow things like return home.  On an RC plane, I've heard of autopilot type things, training mode that won't let you get it upside down or dive too steeply.  I've even heard about auto-landing ability.  I think you get the point.

They're not that expensive here.  Maybe import fees are making it so in @graham1904's country.  

RC Plane $19US - https://amz.run/7VGY

Drone $56US - https://amz.run/7VGZ

I started to do one for RC planes somewhere on the forum, and integrating it with the FlySky, but ran into too many hurdles with the FlySky API (or lack of one)... and the cheap price of these readily available.  

I also believe there is an Open-Source drone computer / OS available, but I'm not really into drones.  

EDIT: https://px4.io/

VBR,

Inq

3 lines of code = InqPortal = Complete IoT, App, Web Server w/ GUI Admin Client, WiFi Manager, Drag & Drop File Manager, OTA, Performance Metrics, Web Socket Comms, Easy App API, All running on ESP8266...
Even usable on ESP-01S - Quickest Start Guide


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

@inq Ok, that makes some sense. It wasn't top of mind for me in Canada since we don't allow that. We have some of the toughest drone laws in the world. When I lived on Vancouver Island it was almost impossible to find a place to fly due to so many 'on the water airports'

And on that note I can unsubscribe since I can add nothing!

Ps, not surprised they are hard to get in certain parts of the world. The reasons should be obvious.

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6972
 

@inq @graham1904 Thanks for the link, I see that may also apply to my submarine. I think what the OP wants to look at is Is "Pixhawk and ArduPilot" as well.

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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(@techdesk)
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Joined: 4 months ago
Posts: 2
 

@graham1904 
We are a company here in Port Elizabeth South Africa. After analyzing many flight controllers we concluded that the CC3D Revolution is by far the best solution. 
Despite its current unavailability and sold-out status, most drone enthusiasts seem inclined towards the Pixhawk series. The pixhawk is an expensive piece of FC. However, our thorough analysis has revealed that the Pixhawk’s additional features appear superficial and unnecessary for beginners or hobbyists. Its higher price tag seems more of a status symbol compared to the humble yet powerful CC3D Revolution. There is unfortunately not much support for this FC and its software partner, LibrePilot. For a South African market, this FC would be ideal as it is much cheaper and very simple to setup.  LibrePilot is amazingly simple. We are trying to re-launch this CC3D Revolution with a detailed step by step setup


   
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Graham1904
(@graham1904)
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Joined: 5 months ago
Posts: 11
Topic starter  

@techdesk will be pleased to see the post


   
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(@techdesk)
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Joined: 4 months ago
Posts: 2
 

@graham1904  Which post are you referring to?


   
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 j526
(@j526)
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Joined: 3 weeks ago
Posts: 17
 

@graham1904

I guess you already found it...

 


   
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