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I have to get started, here's with what

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I'm building an autopilot for my RC airplanes.

Damn, that's cool.
I also always wanted to do that, but saw it as an expensive hobby.
My brother-in-law started with a RC chopper.
But it ended rather abruptly with a plonk.

So will it not AP itself out of range?
 
Yes, it will be able to go out of range of the normal transmitter, but everything is done on-board so the plane does not need to talk to a ground station.
Don't think letting it fly out of line of sight is legal.

You can start RC with about R3000, but it would be better do get a decent radio from the start which woul make the total package cost about R4500.

In 4 years I only lost one plane that I could not repair... the hobby is not as expensive as some think it is.
 
I started thinking the added weight of the GPS would cause problems for your plane, but dang, it is only 15 grams. How much weight is all your onboard electronics? Does it force bigger wingspan or motor power? I never built a plane, so Ima not knowing this stuff.
 
All the electronics is less than 500g (the batteries are the heaviest), and I tested the plane with a 750g payload, and no problems. It is the same size plane as a normal .40 sized trainer. (around 1.6m wingspan if memory serves me right).
 
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Damn, that's cool.

So if it goes out of radio range, how do you get it back.
Or do you just invest in a really good and quick 4x4.:D

Can you measure the signal strength of your radio on-board?

Sorry, that's a bit expensive for me at this time. I'm running too close to the "picking the bone clean" line at the moment.
 
That'll be cool.

the next step is to have the plane walk the dog.:)

Edit: Or maybe drag it.:D
 
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What, every plane needs a pilot.
Wonder what they thought about the first astronaut in outer space back then.

So, I want to get variable output voltage controlled from PIC, PWM will not work, nulls in between no good, what is the best way?
It's to drive the sine and cosine coils for my air-core meter, typical value to be accepted as 0 to 5 volts each.

DtoA maybe, but must drive about 5 volts?
Switching a pnp transistor?
Integrator circuit from PWM to get a mean value?
Buck filter of PWM maybe?
 
As you can see that was my first feeling too, I can then control the voltage output using a simple digital word from one of the PIC registers.
Match that to the input square wave, should work.
Or at least easily enough for the 150Hz input signal. but will need more than 8 bit word for 900Hz input.

I'll just have to choose the DAC carefully.
 
So, I've collected some copper wire, 0.2mm. That should work for my air core coils.
I'll be testing my coils to magnet effect manually at first using LM317 regs in adjustable configuration.
Will have to buy a suitable magnet, have found 20mm bar magnet that will be great. Not too expensive either.
If all is fine after manual testing I might use the DAC08 to control the voltage going to the air coils. Still have to do calculations regarding the vref to output ratio, but will do that after manual testing has fixed some of my parameters.
That's about the cheapest DAC I could get, but seem to have reasonable performance for my purpose.

I've officialy run out of HD space on my PC on Sunday, so that will make the 110+ km trip worth wile, will also get another HDD.
 
I've officialy run out of HD space on my PC on Sunday, so that will make the 110+ km trip worth wile, will also get another HDD.

Wow you must be out in the sticks, 110km to town. So do you ever see cool wildlife out there? Can I come visit? :)
 
We do have a fair share of snakes.
Even the dreaded rinkhals have started popping up in the area, worst of it is it's not even supposed to be here.
We are also close to one of a very few breeding areas in Southern Africa for vultures.
If you hike up to the top of a mountain, they are actually flying around you.
Damn, those birds are quite big and scary, believe me, you end up watching you back all the time.
Other than that, you'll have to go to one of the close by game farms for the rest.

It's great visiting if you're from US or UK/Europe, the rand is a bit soggy, so holidays here are great value. That's is if you can stomach the air fares.
Just say when you want to come.
 
... and try to bring a gun with... if you don't have one, one will be provided for self defence upon landing at the airport.... :D just kidding.... it's not that bad yet.

Well if your near Jburg, then I would be a bit worried. Is not Zimbway in some turmoil right now. I hope you folks stay safe...
 
I think boomslang is closer to Jhb, heck he lives in one of the suburbs.
We're quite far from Zim, but in all honesty, most of Africa is in turmoil. The Zim illegals here are not really a problem, they want to come to work, more than what we can say about a large part of our own people.
The real trouble here are Nigerians.
They head up most of organised crime, drug smuggling, etc.
Crime cost the people of South Africa billions annually, but there seem no way of stemming the crime rate at this point.

These things tend to make one very negative, but I do not even want to list some stats.
This is one heck of a beautiful country, and for the most part, filled with lovely people, I've found some in almost all corners.
I've come to fall in love with the Eastern Cape, and would like to move somewhere there one day.
 
I have been to Africa once, it was Mombasa Kenya. To be honest, the place somewhat made me depressed, as I had never seen such hardship some people must endure in any other time in my life.

It just does not seem fair that one continent should have to endure such anguish for so many centuries. It is just not right.

My apologies, I have digressed from original topic.
 
Don't worry MikeBits, it is relevant to life, and in the greater influences the whole planet.

I think Africa is in the crap it is in because of gross incompetence.
The guys at the top seems to be the only ones getting somewhere in most countries. That tells you immediately that the guy at the top is using the whole country for himself and his buddies. He should not be there.
I call them territorial pissers.
That is mainly why Africa is poor, because I think Africa is actually very rich, in terms of what is underneath its soil.

Enough politics for one day, besides I'm scared some of our alien friends might take this post over as well.:(
 
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