Vid The indefatigable Andrew Tridgell popped up at linux.conf.au in new Zealand last week, where he delivered an entertaining presentation on the state of play of porting ArduPilot to Linux. <\/p>\n
ArduPilot is the open source software which controls our own Vulture 2 spaceplane on the 3DR Pixhawk autopilot. As Tridge demonstrated, it can now be deployed on a range of hardware which, with the addition of a suitable interface, allows aficionados to create a fully-functioning autopilot. <\/p>\n
Last year, for example, a group of Russians successfully raised funds for the Navio, an autopilot shield for the Raspberry Pi. <\/p>\n
As part of his talk, Tridge connected live to a model aircraft in Canberra, in this case equipped with an embedded Linux box - the BeagleBone Black - coupled to a PixHawk Fire Cape (PXF). <\/p>\n
This hook-up was of particular interest to the Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) team since our own flight in New Mexico will feature a similar remote link, with Tridge on his sofa in Canberra monitoring the Vulture 2's status in real time.* <\/p>\n
It's audacious stuff, and Tridge's linux.conf.au outing demonstrated just how quickly open source autopilot tech is moving. Evidently, porting ArduPilot to Linux is just part of a wider movement towards small vehicles running on the OS, and the Linux Foundation last year announced the launch of the Dronecode open source UAV platform project. <\/p>\n
Tridge, meanwhile, will be at the Embedded Linux Conference in San Jose, California, at the end of March, where he'll be talking some more about ArduPilot on Linux and Dronecode. <\/p>\n
*See here for info on the ultra long range radio rig which will keep us connected to the distant Vulture 2. <\/p>\n
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