This is a RangeFinder sensor array for ArduPilot with up to 9 VL53L0X/VL53L1X sensors.

Usage

0. [Only as long as the pull request is not merged into master] Build your ArduPilot with the code from the PR #10739
1. Connect the sensor array via I2C to the board running ArduPilot.
2. Adjust the parameters in ArduPilot as follows (the x in parameter names stands for all sensors 1-9):

Parameter	Value
RNGFNDx_TYPE	23*
RNGFND1_ADDR	41
RNGFND1_PIN	-1
RNGFND1_ORIENT	25
RNGFND2_ADDR	33
RNGFND2_PIN	7
RNGFND2_ORIENT	0
RNGFND3_ADDR	34
RNGFND3_PIN	0
RNGFND3_ORIENT	1
RNGFND4_ADDR	35
RNGFND4_PIN	1
RNGFND4_ORIENT	2
RNGFND5_ADDR	36
RNGFND5_PIN	2
RNGFND5_ORIENT	3
RNGFND6_ADDR	37
RNGFND6_PIN	3
RNGFND6_ORIENT	4
RNGFND7_ADDR	38
RNGFND7_PIN	4
RNGFND7_ORIENT	5
RNGFND8_ADDR	39
RNGFND8_PIN	5
RNGFND8_ORIENT	6
RNGFND9_ADDR	40
RNGFND9_PIN	6
RNGFND9_ORIENT	7

*Subject to change until the PR #10739 is merged into master.

3. Restart ArduPilot

Explanation of parameters

• Setting RNGFNDx_TYPE to 23 enables address auto-configuration for this sensor array at ArduPilot startup. If you already configured the sensors manually before starting ArduPilot, you can also select RNGFNDx_TYPE 16, so that the sensors are treated as separate entities rather than a part of an array.
• Because of the auto-configuration you can actually set RNGFNDx_ADDR to whatever address you want. Exceptions are:
  • 42. This address is used to temporarily move sensors to during the auto-configuration.
  • 32. This address is used by the IO expander on the sensor array. The IO expander is responsible for turning individual sensors on and off.
• There is one sensor that is always on, and cannot be disabled by the IO expander. If auto-configuration (_TYPE 23) is enabled for that sensor, it must have _ORIENT set to 24 or 25 (up or down respectively) and _PIN set to -1.
• The _PIN parameters are used together with _ORIENT to configure what sensors are pointing in which direction, where _PIN determines the pin of the IO expander that the sensor is connected to, and _ORIENT determines how ArduPilot interprets this direction. The above table corresponds to the correct arrangement if the main sensor is facing down, the sensor that the arrow points to (drawn on the board) shows forward, and all other sensors go straight out in their respecrive directions. If you physically arrange the sensors differently, these 2 parameters would have to be adjusted accordingly.
• The independent configuration of _PIN and _ORIENT also means that you can have multiple sensors (say sensors on pins 1, 2, 3, 4) pointing in the same direction (for example all four forward, i.e. 0) should you want to go with such a configuration.
• If _PIN is not configured (i.e. left at the default -1), the auto-configuration will assume the default arrangement (middle sensor pointing down, the one with arrow forward) and use _ORIENT to determine the correct pins (the ones you see in the table above).

Preparing for installation.

Video

https://youtu.be/QsDIQ4lPHv0

https://youtu.be/lDLPVkdIu3o

https://youtu.be/dYpx_mXiDM4

https://youtu.be/QuRKrF_noZo