FT EZ ID?

[jonbrotherton]

SUCCESS with using the FT EZ ID as a GPS with Ardupilot!

So to get it to work, Use the wiring from my most recent post.

For the serial port, Select SERIAL#_BAUD 115200. Leave the SERIAL#_PROTOCOL type as GPS.

For the GPS_TYPE parameter, select MSP.

Reboot the FC and enjoy!

Here's a couple of screenshots using QGroundControl.
View attachment 241757

View attachment 241756

View attachment 241755


Cheers!
LitterBug

Perfect! It is working for me now too with these settings. I had already tried these settings but I had both my RX and TX wires connected. I guess that's what was keeping me from getting any satellites and making me think it wasn't seeing the GPS unit at all.

Thank you for figuring it out!

 

[jonbrotherton]

SUCCESS with using the FT EZ ID as a GPS with Ardupilot!

So to get it to work, Use the wiring from my most recent post.

For the serial port, Select SERIAL#_BAUD 115200. Leave the SERIAL#_PROTOCOL type as GPS.

For the GPS_TYPE parameter, select MSP.

Reboot the FC and enjoy!

Here's a couple of screenshots using QGroundControl.
View attachment 241757

View attachment 241756

View attachment 241755


Cheers!
LitterBug

Actually it worked one time with SerialX_protocol set to GPS, then next time I booted up it wouldn't work anymore.

GPS: No Fix
Sats: 0

Then I changed SerialX_protocol and GPS_Type to MSP and it started working again. Now when I reboot it comes up working.

GPS: 3D Fix
Sats: 12

 

[LitterBug]

Yeah, sometimes I find that if you do a cold boot rather than a warm boot after making changes, things will work differently. I Thought I had been doing cold boots all along, maybe not. I could also be on a different firmware version. Plane 4.4.4 I think.... and on a Matek H743-wing.

I actually have both rx & tx connected, but am absolutely sure they are hooked properly. The .pdf documentation had them reversed.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Yeah, sometimes I find that if you do a cold boot rather than a warm boot after making changes, things will work differently. I Thought I had been doing cold boots all along, maybe not. I could also be on a different firmware version. Plane 4.4.4 I think.... and on a Matek H743-wing.

I actually have both rx & tx connected, but am absolutely sure they are hooked properly. The .pdf documentation had them reversed.

Well I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it is working now. I'm running Copter 4.4.0. I get 15 Sats and hdop 1.0 but it won't hover steady. It keeps moving around like it's not getting an accurate position lock. I redid the calibrations to see if it would help but it didn't.

 

[LitterBug]

i wonder how many updates a second are being sent, what the resolution is, and if there is any lag.

Ardupilot likes at least 5 updates a second.

I don't have any copters ready to fly or I'd give it a try. I have been focusing on wings the last several years. I have a hex that I could throw this FC on. Can't remember if the FC is socketed or soldered on it. If the ESCs have plugs, it wouldn't be hard to swap out the FC.

This was the hex running more FPV oriented firmware a few years ago

 

[jonbrotherton]

i wonder how many updates a second are being sent, what the resolution is, and if there is any lag.

Ardupilot likes at least 5 updates a second.

I don't have any copters ready to fly or I'd give it a try. I have been focusing on wings. May have a hex that I could throw this FC on. Can't remember if the FC is socketed or soldered on it. If the ESCs have plugs, it wouldn't be hard to swap out the FC.

Is there a configuration software that works with it?

 

[LitterBug]

Is there a configuration software that works with it?

No. It is proprietary because of the Remote ID requirements.

If you have a standalone GPS, you could try testing with that to see if you get the same results. That's what I would do if I rig up a test drone.


I have a flamewheel F450 that I should set up. I've been meaning to set it up with an old FC, I should set it up with this first.

 

[jonbrotherton]

No. It is proprietary because of the Remote ID requirements.

If you have a standalone GPS, you could try testing with that to see if you get the same results. That's what I would do if I rig up a test drone.


I have a flamewheel F450 that I should set up. I've been meaning to set it up with an old FC, I should set it up with this first.

The original GPS works fine and it holds very still. I pulled it out to see if the FT unit will be usable this way.

One strange thing I noticed is the HDOP is exactly 1.0 and stays there. Never more or less.

 

[LitterBug]

The original GPS works fine and it holds very still. I pulled it out to see if the FT unit will be usable this way.

One strange thing I noticed is the HDOP is exactly 1.0 and stays there. Never more or less.

Yeah, I was noticing that hdop was absurdly consistant too.

Weather here is not going to let me fly outdoors anytime soon... Rain, wind, gusty wind, rain snow, freezing rain..... bah. Tis indoor fly season. no GPS flying indoors. If you do make sure Return To Home is disabled and don't fly gps modes.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Yeah, I was noticing that hdop was absurdly consistant too.

Weather here is not going to let me fly outdoors anytime soon... Rain, wind, gusty wind, rain snow, freezing rain..... bah. Tis indoor fly season. no GPS flying indoors. If you do make sure Return To Home is disabled and don't fly gps modes.

I think it would do ok on my planes. Just not super stable hovering in place on a copter. The wind and rain just got here this evening so I am waiting again too.

 

[Burnhard]

Yes, I don't see why it wouldn't work

The EZ ID broadcasts the GPS coordinates, you pick up the signal using the cell phone app. As long as the ID has power & you are within range of the signal, you will be able to log & locate your plane. The range will depend on the conditions. I'm guessing the range is something in the 200-500 foot range.

I'm not sure the range will be much different than what you already have.

Many thanks. How does the connection between the cell phone and the EZ ID work. Is that based on Wifi or bluetooth?

The 200-500 FT would not be too bad. I am flying on a rather tight envelope.

 

[LitterBug]

Many thanks. How does the connection between the cell phone and the EZ ID work. Is that based on Wifi or bluetooth?

The 200-500 FT would not be too bad. I am flying on a rather tight envelope.

The FT EZ ID uses bluetooth. I get about 800 feet with direct line of site. If it falls in the woods/shrubbery or behid a hill, your range should be less.

If you want longer range or better penetration, use of a reciever with telemetry back to your radio would probably be a better option.

LB

 

[Merv]

...How does the connection between the cell phone and the EZ ID...Is that based on Wifi or bluetooth?...

Yes, it's using wifi or Bluetooth, not sure which one. Im guessing the app is using Bluetooth. But I've heard reports that the signal interferes with a few 2.4 gHz control systems, inpaticlur ELRS.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Yeah, I was noticing that hdop was absurdly consistant too.

Weather here is not going to let me fly outdoors anytime soon... Rain, wind, gusty wind, rain snow, freezing rain..... bah. Tis indoor fly season. no GPS flying indoors. If you do make sure Return To Home is disabled and don't fly gps modes.

Hey, have you heard any more info on using EZ ID as a GPS Unit for ArduCopter? I never was able to make it work well enough to fly.

 

[LitterBug]

Hey, have you heard any more info on using EZ ID as a GPS Unit for ArduCopter? I never was able to make it work well enough to fly.

I have set it up with the latest versions of ArduXXXX. New versions of ArduPilot will not be a very happy camper with the low update rate. It wants at least 5 samples a second and much prefers 10. It's functional as a backup, but I would not fly on it as a primary.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Thanks LB! It works well as a standalone RID unit at least. Just plug in 5V and away we go!

 

[Foamforce]

Is it possible that flight controller manufacturers will start integrating RID into their flight controllers? Seems like if you have a FC and a GPS, the only other hardware you would need is a low power transmitter. Maybe it could be sent using the telemetry tx? What are the technical limitations? Different band? Regulatory?

I’m just curious.

 

[jonbrotherton]

Is it possible that flight controller manufacturers will start integrating RID into their flight controllers? Seems like if you have a FC and a GPS, the only other hardware you would need is a low power transmitter. Maybe it could be sent using the telemetry tx? What are the technical limitations? Different band? Regulatory?

I’m just curious.

There are companies like CubePilot that are integrating RID into their GPS units. The drones I'm working with are 3dr Solo and they have a companion computer (IMX6) with a wifi unit (Mikrotik R-11e) capable of providing the RID requirement with just the existing hardware but no one has made the needed changes to the firmware for it to work. Maybe someday.

 

[LitterBug]

CubePilot also sells a RID add-on transmitter for use with ArduPilot. But you have to have a specially compiled version of ArduPilot with the RID option enabled with secure boot. It is mainly geared for manufacturers who build and certify their own drones with the FAA.

 

[jonbrotherton]

CubePilot also sells a RID add-on transmitter for use with ArduPilot. But you have to have a specially compiled version of ArduPilot with the RID option enabled with secure boot. It is mainly geared for manufacturers who build and certify their own drones with the FAA.

Yes, I have a CubeID and have compiled the AP firmware for the Solo. The problem is that the Operator info never gets to the Autopilot because Ardupilot wants to use Mavlink2 for the data but the SoloLink system only works on Mavlink1. The CubeID will broadcast the Drone location correctly but that's the only part of the FAA requirement it will do on a Solo. Again that's until someone updates the Solo's firmware (Open Solo) to work with Mavlink2. Or just make the existing hardware handle the whole thing. Actually both would be best. Might never happen lol