Any arducopter/ardupilot fans here???

[wanna_be_pilot]

Hi,


I was interested in knowing if there are any APM fans/users here.
Would love to have a group of them here so that it would be easier to look for help, something APM users require quite often.

Cheers!

[Aramid]

Hi,


I was interested in knowing if there are any APM fans/users here.
Would love to have a group of them here so that it would be easier to look for help, something APM users require quite often.

Cheers!

I've dabbled with it some time ago for my quad, but it was too complicated for my taste and doesn't really fit my flying style. However, I'm eyeing it again for my Bixler which may need it's autopilot capabilities.

[Mariano]

I testes my ardupilot/multiplex mentor combo a couple of weeks ago. Flight stabilizer went well, cannot say the same for RTL. Quite difficult to install all the stuff in a foam plane and route cables, etc. now I am toying the idea of a balsa fuse and mentor foam wings as a test bed.

[wanna_be_pilot]

I testes my ardupilot/multiplex mentor combo a couple of weeks ago. Flight stabilizer went well, cannot say the same for RTL. Quite difficult to install all the stuff in a foam plane and route cables, etc. now I am toying the idea of a balsa fuse and mentor foam wings as a test bed.

Sir which board are you using?

[Mariano]

I have both the APM 1.0 from spark fun and a newer APM 2.5 from Hobbyking. I tested the 2.5 only. The configuration is slightly complicated for the Mentor since the input connectors are in the front of the board. This means it needs to be buried deep inside the fuselage, space is small to fix it properly, and I cannot pull the GPS module outside. The led lights are quite difficult to see because the HKing case (new style) I guess it lost the GPS fixing. I will try again the coming weekends but most likely with a balsa fuse (to be built!) giving more space for the install....

[wanna_be_pilot]

I have both the APM 1.0 from spark fun and a newer APM 2.5 from Hobbyking. I tested the 2.5 only. The configuration is slightly complicated for the Mentor since the input connectors are in the front of the board. This means it needs to be buried deep inside the fuselage, space is small to fix it properly, and I cannot pull the GPS module outside. The led lights are quite difficult to see because the HKing case (new style) I guess it lost the GPS fixing. I will try again the coming weekends but most likely with a balsa fuse (to be built!) giving more space for the install....

Do post pictures of your setup. Would love to see how you set it up.

[Mariano]

Here are some pictures of my install. Airplane is the Multiplex Mentor, flying with a Hacker A30 motor, Futaba 8j tx (fhss). APM works great, did a short mission of about 6-7 waypoints. It is really amazing to see the plane navigating the circuit alone, hit RTL and see the plane loitering above the landing strip. Really cool!

[wanna_be_pilot]

Very nice bro...

When you hit RTL on a plane, does it just circle over or can it calculate the approach and land completely?

[wanna_be_pilot]

Does anybody here have a spare Ublox GPS? The latest one.

[Mariano]

RTL will not the plane, only circle above the point where APM got the GPS fix. You could auto take off and auto land if you program it in the mission. Or you could command it from the ground station if you have the RF link (433 or 915 MHz) I am not sure it would be a wise idea, the barometric sensor drifts more than 1meter usually.