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Andropilot Users Guide

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Kevin Hester edited this page Sep 28, 2013 · 84 revisions

Introduction:

Andropilot is an Android based Ground Control Station developed by Kevin Hester with support from the community on Diydrones.com. The core use of Andropilot is to have realtime mobile telemetry data, dynamic flight management insight and direct transitive interaction with the APM flight control/autopilot on a portable light weight Android device vs. a full PC laptop or Macbook which is not as convenient to use in the field and has lower battery life then today's mobile tablets and iOS devices. Andropilot can completely control an APM craft from takeoff to landing, if the craft has been properly setup and flight tested with the standard Mission Planner with success in Autonomous flight in prior flights.

This project is GPL v3.0 licensed. Copyright 2012 Kevin Hester.

The goal of the project is to create an Open Source Android based Ground Station/Flight Management System for the APM Open Source Platform Flight Control/Autopilot with the ability to utilize Realtime Telemetry via the 3DRRobotics Wireless Serial Modems as well as the Xbee Wireless Serial Modems.. The Andropilot is designed to be utilized on Android based Tablets and Phones. It is an ever evolving project and the code will be updating rapidly.

This software is BETA so please be aware of that, in it's current stage do not use it as your primary ground station when flying APM - have your radio at the ready this is BETA code!

Equipment Requirements to Utilize Andropilot:

  • Android Tablet or Phone running Android version 3.2 or Higher. Some performance benefits are achieved on versions of Android 4.2 or higher due to changes in features and functions. Please be aware Mavlink protocol speed will not be as fast on Android versions below version 4.2.
  • 3DRobotics Wireless Telemetry Modem pair - one for the ground station and one for the APM flight control/autopilot.
  • Direct Internet Access for the Android Device (Tablet or Cellphone) via Built in Internet Connection, Wifi Router, Wifi HotSpot, Cell Phone Tether - required for Google Maps to function properly within Andropilot.

Getting Started with Andropilot

Before you can utilize Andropilot you need to download and install it. Andropilot can be downloaded two ways, via the Google Playstore or via the download section for the Andropilot project on Github.. The latest code for Andropilot is available quickest on the github download section, the Google Playstore may have a delay in having the latest copy of the code, just be aware and check the version number listed when downloading from Playstore.

Video Overview/Introduction - Andropilot Overview

Installation

Once you download the application it is quite straight forward, it installs automatically to your android tablet or phone and the application will immediately be accessible from you applications section of your device. Just press on the Andropilot Icon and it will load up.

Andropilot Application Overview

Screen Capture showing Overview of Andropilot Graphic User Interface Latest Release UI Update which includes Quadcopter Icons from Scott Berfield! ![Screen Capture Latest UI Updates] (http://api.ning.com/files/okGNM-sEylwQXThMw4drr6y*69r5lhx829NZBZMN*R3UESpOJarMOhMdBPmyFHJc7gbpSvo2pbD*eWrLnKgC6RYk6K2dasl*/initscreenandropilot.png?width=721)

The initial Ground Station screen is composed of 3 sections:

  • Realtime Mapping Section (Left side of User interface) this is where you will see the Airplane icon indicating your APM based crafts current status and flight path.

    • By clicking the airplane image in the mapping section you can read current status data in regards to the aircraft.
    • If you click anywhere on the map you can add waypoints on the fly or put the aircraft into guided mode flight. Click the check button in the top left of the screen to confirm the new waypoint, you can also modify the waypoint information on the top right portion of the screen prior to confirming and approving the new waypoint. Until you approve the new waypoint it will be in a provisional mode, once you confirm the waypoint it will immediately upload and write it to the APM flight control/autopilot.

  • Vehicle Overview Section (Top right side of User interface) This is where you will see current telemetry data in regards to you Battery level, Altitude, Latitude and Longitude as well as the number of satellites acquired by your GPS and your telemetry modems RSSI levels.

    • There is no application interaction with the vehicle overview section it is simply providing the realtime Vehicle information.

  • Status Messages Section (Bottom right side of User Interface) this is where you will see realtime status updates on the communication via Mavlink between the ground station and the APM craft.

    • The is no application interaction with the Status Message Section is is simply providing realtime status updates between the APM and the ground station. The basic user interface sections allow you to see in realtime all areas of interest in regards to your APM craft.

The main control functionality of the Andropilot application occurs through the interaction with the Settings section (Top right corner of the application with 3 bullets) and the flight modes interface on the (Top Right middle corner of the Application) ![Settings Section ScreenCapture] (http://api.ning.com/files/okGNM-sEylz3mMocEC-0jaTf-3Li2Xg04KhIxYlamS-8XFfr1qre3-v0PI761odbjOkykBO*vcKUQY9XDbaNVd*-wLQ386Ji/initscreennew_flightmode.png?width=721)

  • Flight Modes Section - By pressing the flight modes button(Top Middle right with gray down arrow) you are able to change in realtime the flight mode of the APM flight control/autopilot. You can change between any available flight modes you have programmed into your APM such as:
    • Stabilize Mode
    • Autopilot Mode
    • Acro Mode
    • Loiter Mode
    • Both FlyByWire Modes
    • RTL - Return to Launch
    • Etc...All modes for APM are available in this drop down menu.

![Screen Capture Settings Menu1] (http://api.ning.com/files/okGNM-sEylzYhOodbAD-gBs05RyRNiwU15ASmhIrQkNgmh6yQ8bCzeihrock4NzBF6p1WGJi5vSfxJsmlcw9vh-pLO3uvQbU/initscreennew_settings_followme.png?width=721)

  • Settings Section - When you click on the settings section you can either enable speech which allows for audio prompting of realtime changes with the APM or you can click on Settings to go into the full settings menu.
    • Full Settings Menu - In the full settings menu you get a full screen on the application where you can interact with the following settings. Screen Capture Full Settings 1
      • Flight Preferences * Voltage Warning Level - Allows changing the voltage warning levels in Volts. * Percent Charge Warning Level - Allows changing the percent of Charge warning level in percent. * RSSI Warning Level - Allows changing the RSSI signal minimum warning level in signal percent. * Satellite Warning Level - Allows changing the satellite warning level in number of satellites minimum. * Speech Enablement - Clicking on this enables or disables speech messages. * Announce Altitude Threshold - Allows changing the altitude change threshold in meters. Screen Capture Settings 2
      • Mavlink Preferences * Log To File - This enables or disables logging to the android devices SDCARD under /sdcard/andropilot. * Keep Screen On - This enables or disables keeping the screen on when running the application * Stay Awake When Connected - This enables or disables CPU Awake on the Android Device to keep it from sleeping. Screen Capture Settings 3
      • Networking Preferences * UDP Mode Selection - Allows selecting type of UDP Mode. Disabled, Uplink or Downlink. * Inbound Port Number - Allows changing the UDP port number for the inbound UDP port. * Outbound Host - Allows changing the outbound host ip address of the receiving host. * Outbound Port Number - Allows changing the outbound UDP Port number for the receiving host.
      • Serial Preferences * Wireless Baud Rate - Allows changing the baud rate for the serial modem (3DRobotics or Xbee) connected to the androids usb port. * APM Baud Rate - Allows changing the baud rate for the direct USB to USB connection between the Android Tablet and the APM USB port on the APM.

You can enter additional sections of the application by sliding over the Blue Highlighted section with your finger right above the Vehicle Overview Section - looks like a blue bar. When you slide to the left you can enter additional sections described below: Screen Capture Overview

  • Overview Section - This is the first screen on the right side of the application and includes the Vehicle Overview Section and the Status Messages Section.

Screen Capture Parameters

  • Parameters Section - You can enter this section by sliding left with you finger, it allows you to see in realtime all major parameters associated with the APM flight control/autopilot as well as change and write updates to these parameters in realtime.

Screen Capture Waypoints Section

  • Waypoints Section - If you continue sliding to the left you will enter the waypoints section next, this section allows you to see the waypoints you have currently written to the APM.

  • Three ways to enter waypoints in Andropilot: ** If the vehicle already contains any waypoints, they will automatically be displayed in Andropilot and are editable ** If you ever open a mission planner .wpt file on your tablet web browser (either from the web or local SD card storage) the browser will ask you if you want to use Andropilot to open that file. If you say yes, the new waypoints will be uploaded ** Just 'long-click' on the map and a provisional waypoint will appear, the menu will let you choose 'go-to' (does guided mode to that point) or 'add' to the flightplan.

  • To edit waypoints (you must be connected to the vehicle): ** On either the waypoint list (see the sliding panels on the right) or the map view, just click on a waypoint. You can then drag it around, change its type, altitude, parameters etc... Once you've made any change a button will pop up prominently to upload waypoints to vehicle. You can keep making changes, but the new flightplan won't be sent until you hit that button.

Screen Capture HUD Section

  • HUD Section - If you continue sliding left you will enter the HUD Section next, this section allows you to see a realtime (HUD) heads up display associated to your APM flight control/autopilot. You will be able to see roll, pitch and yaw angles as well as climb and descent angles of the aircraft. You will also see current compass direction & course.

Screen Capture RC Channels Section

  • RC Channels Section - If you continue sliding left you will enter the RC Channels Section next, this section allows you to see the current RC channel information coming from the APM through the telemetry to the ground station.

This Andropilot Users Guide is a work in progress, it will be updated regularly as Andropilot evolves. We hope you enjoy utilizing Andropilot and please visit Diydrones.com and join the APM community to learn more and interact with the community.

Expect a video overview as well in the next coming days, check the guide & the diydrones thread for the link as we release it.

Updated on: February 11th, 2013 @ 2:21pm PST

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