Hi All,

I'm considering installing an Ardupilot (Autopilot device) in one of my aeroplanes.

Here's a link to the Ardupilot website http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot/

Here's the reasoning and the main feature I want to test and take advantage of:

• The autoplot takes-over if you fly outside of an imaginary box, and flies you back in (That's a cool safety feature), As described here http://www.ardupilot.co.uk/whats-new.html, they call it Geo-Fencing

Here's list of the other features:

• Built-in hardware failsafe that uses a separate circuit (multiplexer chip and ATTiny processor) to transfer control from the RC system to the autopilot and back again.
• Altitude hold using throttle or elevator and GPS altitude data
• Includes ability to reboot the main processor in mid-flight.
• Multiple 3D waypoints (number only limited by memory; currently can support at least 200)
• Comes with a 6-pin GPS connector for the 1hz EM406 GPS module. Faster 5hz GPS modules, such as the uBlox 5 series, are supported via an optional 3.3v daughterboard.
• Has six spare analog inputs (with ADC on each) and six spare digital input/outputs to add additional sensors
• Supports addition of wireless downlink module for telemetry.
• Based on a 16MhZ Atmega328 processor. Total onboard processing power aprox 24 MIPS.
• Very small: 30mm x 47mm
• Can be powered by either the RC receiver or a separate battery
• Has an efficient ASCII NMEA parser for compatibility with standard GPS modules at any baud speed.
• Hardware-driven servo control (using the Arduino Servo Timer library), which means less processor overhead, tighter response and no jitters.
• Four RC-in channels (plus the autopilot on/off channel) can be processed by the autopilot.
• Status LEDs for power, failsafe (on/off) and GPS (satellite lock).

For FUN I've plotted a flightplan for Forton (of course it takes no account of prevailing wind and any other event that could stop a model from flying such a course).

Image taken from Mission Planner.

I'll keep you posted.

Andy