HappySundays
Firmware guy
Hi guys,
OpenAeroVTOL is my completely new branch of free firmware for the KK2.0 and KK2.1 boards. This is now being used by NASA to help prototype one of their VTOL projects.
What this can do is provide two stabilised setups AND mixers for say, horizontal and vertical flight, and a method of merging seamlessly between them based on either an external input (a tilt servo for example) or on a user-selectable timer.
Think of it this way. You all, I'm sure, know about flight stabilisers for quadcopters, and also for aeroplanes, and yes their setups are a world apart.
But, your VTOL aeroplane needs both, not a compromise. This is what OpenAeroVTOL can do.
Features
1. Transitional Mixers – If you have an application where aileron becomes rudder, or a similar sort of “axis translation” the OA2-VTOL will get you smoothly and in control from one flight mode to the other.
2. Full Transition Control – You have full control of the transition with an analog input. You can transition at any speed, in any direction, at any time. You can also set up a timed transition with the flip of a switch.
3. 8 outputs, all with the same functional capabilities.
4. 5 inputs in PPM mode, 8 inputs in CPPM, SPPM and S.Bus mode.
5. 3 point curve for offset adjustment. You can separately trim Hover, Slow Forward Flight, and Fast Forward Flight on each output, and transition smoothly between them.
6. 2 point curve for PID and Acc adjustment. You can smoothly change stability feedback values as you transition between Hover and Fast Forward Flight on all 3 axis.
7. 2 point curve for Volume/gain adjustment. You can smoothly vary control throws as you transition between Hover and Fast Forward Flight.
8. Safety Features – Arm and Disarm options that are compatible with all aircraft types.
9. Maximum Flexibility – This is not a “Tell me what kind of aircraft you have” type of interface. It is a “tell me what you want each output (servo/ESC/etc.) to do” type of interface.
10. Off the Shelf KK2 hardware, available for about $30 from HobbyKing.
11. No PC required (except for initially flashing the board). Full configurability via the included LCD interface.
12. No programming (code) required. Only configuration via the LCD display and the menu driven interface.
13. Gyro and Accelerometer based stability, no magnetometer, GPS, or pressure based altimeter.
All the code and User Guides are downloadable from the first post of the RCGroups thread.
RCGroups thread:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1972686
Here is Ran's XC-142 flying with OpenAeroVTOL:
The boys at NASA testing their prototype:
"Here's a video of our second transition flight with a 25lb 10-motor VTOL aircraft that we are currently testing in a lead up to testing a 60 lb model two weeks from now. OpenAeroVTOL has performed admirably and we have full confidence in this controller now for use in our NASA VTOL UAVs. Once again, hats off to HappySundays and Ran D. St. Clair."
OpenAeroVTOL is my completely new branch of free firmware for the KK2.0 and KK2.1 boards. This is now being used by NASA to help prototype one of their VTOL projects.
What this can do is provide two stabilised setups AND mixers for say, horizontal and vertical flight, and a method of merging seamlessly between them based on either an external input (a tilt servo for example) or on a user-selectable timer.
Think of it this way. You all, I'm sure, know about flight stabilisers for quadcopters, and also for aeroplanes, and yes their setups are a world apart.
But, your VTOL aeroplane needs both, not a compromise. This is what OpenAeroVTOL can do.
Features
1. Transitional Mixers – If you have an application where aileron becomes rudder, or a similar sort of “axis translation” the OA2-VTOL will get you smoothly and in control from one flight mode to the other.
2. Full Transition Control – You have full control of the transition with an analog input. You can transition at any speed, in any direction, at any time. You can also set up a timed transition with the flip of a switch.
3. 8 outputs, all with the same functional capabilities.
4. 5 inputs in PPM mode, 8 inputs in CPPM, SPPM and S.Bus mode.
5. 3 point curve for offset adjustment. You can separately trim Hover, Slow Forward Flight, and Fast Forward Flight on each output, and transition smoothly between them.
6. 2 point curve for PID and Acc adjustment. You can smoothly change stability feedback values as you transition between Hover and Fast Forward Flight on all 3 axis.
7. 2 point curve for Volume/gain adjustment. You can smoothly vary control throws as you transition between Hover and Fast Forward Flight.
8. Safety Features – Arm and Disarm options that are compatible with all aircraft types.
9. Maximum Flexibility – This is not a “Tell me what kind of aircraft you have” type of interface. It is a “tell me what you want each output (servo/ESC/etc.) to do” type of interface.
10. Off the Shelf KK2 hardware, available for about $30 from HobbyKing.
11. No PC required (except for initially flashing the board). Full configurability via the included LCD interface.
12. No programming (code) required. Only configuration via the LCD display and the menu driven interface.
13. Gyro and Accelerometer based stability, no magnetometer, GPS, or pressure based altimeter.
All the code and User Guides are downloadable from the first post of the RCGroups thread.
RCGroups thread:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1972686
Here is Ran's XC-142 flying with OpenAeroVTOL:
The boys at NASA testing their prototype:
"Here's a video of our second transition flight with a 25lb 10-motor VTOL aircraft that we are currently testing in a lead up to testing a 60 lb model two weeks from now. OpenAeroVTOL has performed admirably and we have full confidence in this controller now for use in our NASA VTOL UAVs. Once again, hats off to HappySundays and Ran D. St. Clair."
